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Helping Hand Wins United Way Award

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By JOYCE McKENZIE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 21, 2008

UNIVERSITY AREA - Since its inception in 2004 as an offshoot of the Tampa chapter of the Military Officers Association of America, Operation Helping Hand has scored big with many families of active-duty soldiers being treated at the James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital.

The organization also has left a positive impression on the United Way of Tampa Bay's Volunteer of the Year awards judges. Operation Helping Hand is the recipient of the 2008 Golden Achievement Award, United Way's top volunteer honor.

While soldiers who served in Afghanistan and Iraq recover from serious war wounds at the hospital's polytrauma and spinal cord injury units, OHH volunteers offer assistance to family members who have joined them. Through community contacts and fundraisers, the 20-member, all-volunteer group provides rental cars, gas discount coupons, phone cards, tickets to area amusement sites and gift certificates to nearby restaurants and grocery stores.

"It's a very worthy cause," said OHH Chairman Bob Silah, a retired Navy captain. "We realize that the families of the wounded and injured often don't have much, and some of the parents and spouses have quit their jobs to be with their loved ones. Their presence helps to improve the soldiers' morale and plays an important role in their recovery process."

Deborah Gottardi, the hospital's chief of volunteer services, nominated the organization.

"They are always the go-to people when you need help, and our social workers know they can always be counted on," Gottardi said. "They are always there to lend a helping hand, and they truly enhance the quality of care for our recovering soldiers."

Steven Scott, chief of physical medicine and rehabilitative services, said the award couldn't have been presented to a better group of people.

"They all have a caring nature to them, and they do this on a day-to-day basis," Scott said. "Their work is done in a spirit that has not only helped the injured and the wounded here, but in a spirit that has reached out to both the local and international community. They are special people and wonderful Samaritans."

Retired Army Lt. Col. Robert Sawallesh serves as the organization's vice chairman.

"It's almost a full-time job," said Sawallesh, noting none of the group members is paid. "It's part of my military culture to help the wounded and their families. Some of the moms, dads and wives come to Tampa for over a year, and some come with very little money. Until we stepped in to help, one mother's only meal for the day was the leftovers from her wounded son."

Tom South, a retired Army chief warrant officer, is pleased to be associated with OHH and serve as its special projects chairman.

"One thing that we are particularly proud of is our goal not to exceed 12 percent on our administrative costs. That means that 88 cents of every dollar goes toward helping the wounded and injured," he said. "It's also gratifying to know we've helped close to 300 families."

TO HELP

To assist Operation Helping Hand, send checks made payable to MOAA Operation Helping Hand to: MOAA Operation Helping Hand, P.O. Box 6383, MacDill AFB FL 33608-0383.

To make an in-kind contribution, call Silah at (813) 963-1854 or Sawallesh at (813) 654-3900.

Reporter Joyce McKenzie can be reached at (813) 865-4849 or jmckenzie@tampatrib.com.

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