A small group gathered at Friends and Company in Madison on Feb. 24, all in an effort to support Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day (WHVVD), an organization built to embrace veterans by improving the welfare of the U.S. service men and women, as well as putting an end to the homelessness of veterans.

The get-together was attended by television’s Repo Man Lou Pizzaro; actor and photographer Kevyn Major Howards; documentary producer, writer and playwright Alfred Lugo; and founder of the vet hunter project Joe Leal. Founders of WHVVD Jose Ramos, a Vietnam medic; and Steve Kreider, a master sergeant and program coordinator for the Connecticut event, were also there to celebrate, as well as Hocon Gas’s William Raccio, who is the car and bike show coordinator for the annual event. Ted Aub, state coordinator for the National League of POW/MIA Families and chief political liaison and entertainment coordinator, also attended.

So how did this project all begin?

In 2004, Ramos was riding his bicycle from California to Washington to campaign for California’s WHVVD. After thousands of letters sent to congress and the president, that state began recognizing the day on March 30, 2008, with a successful celebration of more than 4,000 people. Then in 2010, former Connecticut governor M. Jodi Rell announced the designating March 30 as WHVVD in Connecticut. Connecticut and California are the only two states that recognize the day.

“It started by a chance meeting. California is where it all started. Steve Kreider is the founder on the east coast and Jose Ramos is California’s founder. Steve met him on a cross-country bicycle ride for vets and brought the concept to Connecticut,” Raccio explained. “That was two years ago and that’s how that friendship started. That’s also how the idea of Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans came to Connecticut. “

On Feb. 25, these organizers, as well as dozens of veterans, family members, and local politicians, met at the Courtyard Marriot in Cromwell to raise money for the second annual WHVVD event. 

“It’s basically a benefit dinner. I’m excited we have Senator Blumenthal showing up we have Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman showing up and State Senator Ed Meyer,” said Kreider, the Connecticut founder of the event. “Its great to have—I was lucky when I got to Connecticut in 2010 to meet such a great network of people that are so eager to help out and put this together- they make it really easy.”

A portion of the money raised will also go toward Vet Hunters, a group working to identify and help homeless veterans.

“These guys from tonight are part of Vet Hunters. What we’re doing is were assisting, finding, locating, and getting services for our veterans who are living in cars, tents, and on the street trying to get them the services they need,” Aub said. “Connecticut has the second highest homeless veteran population in the U.S. We also have accelerating suicide rate among returning veterans from both women and men.”

The actual celebration will occur on May 19 at Veterans Park in Shelton from 11 a.m. through 6 p.m. The entire community is invited to participate. The event is free, with live music, custom cars and motorcycles, food vendors and entertainment for the whole family. Visit www.ctwhvvd.com, for more information and also to donate to this cause.

“It’s all about awareness—we want to raise the level of awareness of the issues that are going on and how they’re being dealt with. Of course our primary focus has been Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans, but everybody is from the same boat so to speak, just different time eras, and we don’t discriminate against time,” Aub said.