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Good News: Veterans injured overseas rewarded with homes

Florida Times-Union - 3/25/2017

March 25--Wells Fargo and Military Warriors Support Foundation donated five mortgage-free homes to military veterans this past week, two in the North Florida area.

Retired Marine Sgt. Marcus Mason and his family, fiancée Jalexza and children, Aniya, Mariah and Emanuel, received their Oceanway home Monday.

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Mason was injured when his vehicle ran over a buried improvised explosive device (IED). He has PTSD and traumatic brain injury as a result and was awarded a Purple Heart. After moving into his new home, he plans to continue his efforts to help the homeless.

The other house was presented to Greg Gallo and his daughter, Hope, in Crestview on Thursday.

He was injured when he was escorting another unit and his vehicle was hit with a rocket-powered grenade (RPG). He was knocked unconscious for a few minutes and tore disks in his back as a result, and was awarded a Purple Heart. He has served in the Navy, National Guard and Army as a hospital corpsman/combat medic.

Gallo is raising his daughter, taking her to the zoo and beach and being as active as his back will allow. He is working as an IT tech for the Veterans Administration. His wife, Amber, died due to complications from surgery in 2015.

Wells Fargo and Military Warriors Support Fundation are committed to helping veterans who have served their country. The homes are donated through the Homes4WoundedHeroes Program.

For more information, go to militarywarriors.org.

Here's more good news:

--Bailey O'Dell, 9, was crowned Little Miss of America 2017 on March 4 in Atlanta. Bailey, the daughter of TJ and Mary O'Dell, attends Chimney Lakes Elementary School.

"The pageant is not a beauty pageant," said Sunny Hill, president of the American Pageants Organization. "The ... organization highlights achievement and promotes confidence in the leaders of tomorrow."

--Sandalwood High School's "Team Vetoed" took first place at the Fred B. Miller Jr. Regional Envirothon held recently. Darnell-Cookman High School Power Park Rangers took second place. The winners will now progress to the Florida Envirothon being held April 28-29 in Sarasota.

This year's issue was "how can farms implement BMP's to reduce the negative impacts on soil and water quality." That topic is also being discussed in the state legislature.

--The outdoor exercise field at John E. Ford Montessori School has had a lawn makeover, thanks to TruGreen and Keep Jacksonville Beautiful. The project included planting a grassy area inside a new running track, installing noise buffering vegetation along the perimeter fence to create a safety border and block street noise and brought in new exercise equipment.

--The latest annual "Bag Lady" luncheon raised $24,000 to benefit arts education and programs at the Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach. More than 150 bags were donated by area retail and community supporters and attendees bid on the bag or bags they wanted. In addition, businesses donated door prizes.

--The Arc Jacksonville Village has received $90,000 from the GATE Foundation Charity Golf Tournament held in October. Many of the tournament events were cancelled due to Hurricane Matthew, yet the sponsors continued with support for the 121 residents living independently at the Village.

Have good news? Send items to goodnews@jacksonville.com. You can fax them to (904) 359-4478 or mail them to The Florida Times-Union, P.O. Box 1949, Jacksonville, FL 32231. cindy.holifield@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4295.

cindy.holifield@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4295

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(c)2017 The Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville, Fla.)

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