Ahern Family Charitable Foundation hosts Ninth Annual Army-Navy Football Luncheon

The Ahern Family Charitable Foundation will host its Ninth Annual Army-Navy Football Luncheon on Saturday, December 8 at the Scoreboard Sports Bar and Grill in Woburn, MA. The Ahern Family Charitable Foundation seeks to help veterans and current U.S. military troops.  Medal of Honor Recipient Sergeant Jon Caviani will be on-hand at the luncheon as an honorary member of the event host committee.   Proceeds from the Army-Navy Football Luncheon will support Operation Santa-Massachusetts, a partnership with the Military Friends Foundation to support children of local military families during the holiday season.  Tickets are available now at www.ahernfoundation.org. 

US Army Sergeant Major Jon Cavaiani will be returning to the Army Navy Football Luncheon for the second straight year. Cavaiani was presented the Medal of Honor in December of 1974 by President Gerald Ford, a year after his release as a POW.  While serving in the Vietnam War, Sergeant Major’s platoon came under enemy attack.  Cavaiani successfully directed the unit’s defense and evacuation, putting his own life at high risk.  After 11 days of evading the enemy he was captured and spent the next two and a half years as a POW.

The Military Friends Foundation is a non-profit proudly serving Massachusetts National Guard, Reserve and Families of Fallen Heroes.  Military Friends has provided $1 million of support to local military families since 9/11.   “The families of the Massachusetts National Guard and Reserve have made their own sacrifices that often times go unrecognized.  We are proud to stand with the Ahern Family Charitable Foundation this holiday season to bring Operation Santa-Massachusetts to the children of deployed citizen service members and of our fallen troops who may be experiencing their first holiday without a mother or father,” said SGM Jim Kelly, Iraq Combat Veteran and Military Friends President.

To date the Ahern Family Charitable Foundation has raised nearly $400,000 in helping to provide services to veterans, ranging from financial grants and scholarships to providing lodging for families if they would like to visit their wounded or injured loved ones. In addition to the Army-Navy Football Luncheon, the Ahern Family Charitable Foundation hosts a St. Patrick’s Dinner Gala that supports local and national veterans’ assistance organizations. Among these organizations are Fisher House, Homes for Our Troops, Operation Home Front, the New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans and The Military Friends Foundation.

In addition to viewing the 113th Annual Army-Navy football game on The Scoreboard’s large screens, the event will include a buffet luncheon, commemorative coins for the first 300 entrants, a visit from Santa and face painting for the kids. A live auction will be held at half-time of the football game and there will also be a silent auction and raffle.

Sergeant Jon Caviani will be joined on this year’s host committee by former Bruins player and coach Terry O’Reilly, former New England Patriot Steve Grogan, WKLB morning hosts John Willis and Lori Grande, ESPNBoston.com baseball writer Gordon Edes, WROR/WTKK personality Hank Morse, Magic 106.7 Sunday Morning Jazz host Tina Gao, Miss Boston 2012 Kelsey Beck as well as local business leaders including Got Books CEO Bob Ticehurst and Crowne Plaza Boston/Woburn General Manager Frank Vento. In addition, Senator Scott Brown and his wife Gail Huff are expected to attend.

The Scoreboard is located at the Crowne Plaza Boston/Woburn, 15 Middlesex Park Canal in Woburn. Doors open at 2:00PM and the football game kicks-off at 3:00PM.  Tickets to the Ninth Annual Army-Navy Football Luncheon are $25 for adults, $15.00 with a military ID, and $10 for persons under 18. Tickets are available online at www.ahernfoundation.org or by calling 617-212-1508.

About the Ahern Family Charitable Foundation

The Ahern Family Charitable Foundation is a Massachusetts-registered non-profit organization that seeks to assist veterans and current members of the U.S. military fighting the war on terrorism. The Foundation is committed to “fighting for those who fought for us” by raising money and awareness for those veterans in the past, present and future that may be in crisis and in need of assistance. Through its fundraising efforts, the Foundation provides financial grants to military support organizations that deal directly with affected veterans, military personnel and their families who are facing many challenges.