On December 5, 2014, members of the Lynbrook Fire Department as part of Nassau County Firefighters Operation Wounded Warrior, and led by Third Assistant Chief Carl Lengel, traveled to the Walter Reed National Medical Center at Bethesda, MD, to bring Christmas presents and cheer to our wounded warriors receiving medical treatment and rehabilitation.  They were joined in the trip by the Bellerose FD and Floral Park FD.  Santa also traveled with the firefighters.  There are presently only ten seriously wounded soldiers and Marines in the hospital and the firefighters got a chance to personally meet with five of them in their hospital beds.  The other wounded were met and given presents in the rehab building.  Lynbrook firefighters also got a chance to meet with former Marine LCPL Marcos Dandrea and his family.  The family has traveled to Lynbrook the past three years to attend our wounded warrior fundraiser each September.  Earlier in the day, when Marcos was working and undergoing rehab, Chief Lengel presented an honorary Lynbrook firefighter's badge to his wife Victoria, also a Marine, for Marcos.  The Lynbrook Fire Department had voted unanimously at the last department meeting to make Marcos an honorary member of the department.  Some of the firefighters were able to meet with Marcos at the end of the day.  Firefighters also brought Christmas presents for Marcos' children. 

Just prior to this year's departure to Bethesda the mother of a seriously injured Marine that Lynbrook firefighters met last year in his hospital bed sent an email to NCFF-OWW thanking us for our visit last year and to tell the firefighters that her son was now out of the hospital and beginning his long recovery.  She said in her correspondence, "The fact that you all gave so generously of your time and energy to make the trip to Bethesda was important to us.  The fact that it came from firefighters was significant.  Like the military you do a dangerous job to protect others.  That you took the time to honor the wounded in the military made a big impact on us."