CT Funeral Directors Assn. Collections For Operation Elf Doubled In 2016
WETHERSFIELD, CONN., December 13, 2016 – Members of the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association (CFDA) continued their 11-year holiday tradition of collecting for the Connecticut National Guard Service Member & Family Support Center’s Operation ELF (Embracing Lonely Families) program. But this year, in addition to encouraging donations from funeral directors and suppliers, 28 funeral homes across the state served as community collection sites for toys and gift cards.
Public Still Can Donate to Operation ELF through this Monday, December 12
PICTURED with some of the toys collected by the CFDA are:
Standing (left to right):
· CFDA Executive Committee Member Jacqueline Teske;
· Incoming 2017 President Robert L. Muccino Jr.;
· 2015 & 2016 CFDA President Howard K. Hill, CFSP, CPC, CCO;
· Executive Committee member Melissa Melin-Miles; and
· Executive Director John F. Cascio.
Lower right, kneeling:
· Secretary Edward J. Sheehy, Jr., CFSP, CPC, CCO.
“It has been an honor for the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association to support Operation ELF for close to a decade, assisting the families of Connecticut servicemen and women who are away from home during the holidays,” explained Howard K. Hill, CFSP, CPC, CCO, 2016 President of the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association. “Over the past month, we collected more than $5,100 worth of toys, gift cards and funds from our own members, and hundreds of dollars more in toys and funds from the general public. By expanding our efforts, we were able to double the amount we raised for Operation ELF this year.”
CFDA staff brought the items to the Connecticut National Guard’s Service Member & Family Support Center, which assists the families of Connecticut servicemen and women who are deployed during the holidays, and provides a wide range of support to military families throughout the year. In 2015, the office distributed more than $10,000 in gift cards to military families in need. Its Adopt-A-Family program has supported more than 125 military families since its inception.
Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman launched Operation ELF’s 15th annual collection effort in early November with Major General Thad Martin, Adjutant General of the Connecticut National Guard.
The Connecticut National Guard Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit, 501(c) (3) organization that provides emergency financial assistance for Connecticut National Guard members and their families. Donations are tax-deductible. For more information about Operation ELF, please call 800-858-2677 or visit the Connecticut National Guard Facebook page.
The 128-year-old Connecticut Funeral Directors Association is comprised of funeral directors at more than 220 funeral homes. Based in Wethersfield, Conn., the professional organization is committed to the promotion and advocacy of high ethical standards in funeral service. This includes the development and presentation of ongoing professional training opportunities for practitioners and educational programs for association members and the public. For more information about the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association or its Operation ELF collection drive, call 860-721-0234 or 800-919-2332, or visitwww.ctfda.org or Facebook: Connecticut Funeral Directors Association.
