12 March - Benefit pasta dinner for homeless vets. Preston VFW.

Please read the below excerpt from the New London Day for info.

Dinner to benefit homeless veterans
Preston - There will be a benefit dinner and dance in March to support the transitional housing project in New London for homeless veterans.

The New London Homeless Hospitality Center is using a grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to purchase a four-family house on Mountain Avenue. Homeless veterans will live there while they navigate government programs, find work and look for more permanent housing.

The grant covers 65 percent of the project cost, which is about $200,000 to buy and renovate the building. The center needs to raise the rest through donations.

A group of veterans, veterans' organizations, people from the hospitality center, a few veteran and public safety motorcycle riders, and volunteers are organizing the event at the Preston VFW Post 9452. Retired Senior Chief Dave Anderson, of the Freedom Riders, USA, in Waterford is leading the effort.

Anderson said it is important to support the transitional housing project, which he said is not a "free ride" but instead is a place where veterans who are willing to work can get the counseling and assistance they need.

The benefit is scheduled for March 12 at VFW Post, 28 Spicer Road, in Preston. The suggested donation for a ticket is $20. The social hour begins at 6 p.m., followed by a pasta dinner at 7 p.m., guest speakers including local politicians and military personnel at 8 p.m., and music and dancing at 9 p.m.

Anderson is looking for people who will purchase and sell tickets, as well as make donations to help ensure that the event is a success. Helpful items include food for the dinner, cash donations, and a merchandise item or gift card for a raffle.

The food that is needed is: 30 to 40 pounds of spaghetti, 5 to 7 gallons of sauce, tomato paste, and marinara, 15 to 20 pounds of ground meat or meatballs, case of butter packets, 20 loaves of bread, 5 pounds of mescaline green salad and 8 heads of iceberg lettuce, 15 bottles of Italian dressing, 200 paper plates, 200 paper bowls, 200 plastic forks, knives and spoons.

Anyone who would like tickets or to offer support, or who knows of a friend or business that can help, can contact Anderson at (860) 437-1777 or at husker@ct.metrocast.net or danderson@waterfordct.org. Another point of contact is Preston VFW Post Junior Vice Commander Robert Frizzola, who can be reached at the post, (860) 886-1313.