East End Business Recruits Students To Help Assemble Care Packages For Deployed Local Service Men And Women

On Thursday, April 21st, Rocco A. Carriero Wealth Partners, a Private Wealth Advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial, joined forces with the Remsenburg-Speonk Elementary School to put together over 100 care packages that will be delivered to deployed members of the 106 Rescue Wing.

A student shows off her work. (Photo: Nicole Barylski)

“We’re super excited to be doing this for the 4th year with Remsenburg-Speonk Elementary School,” Rocco A. Carriero told Hamptons.com. “It’s a special day for our office. It’s a special day for the students. It’s a special day for the community, in support of the men and women deployed to active service overseas.” In appreciation of a previous batch of care packages, its recipients sent Rocco A. Carriero Wealth Partners a special gift. “At our office, a group of the service men and women took an American flag up in a C-130 aircraft on an air rescue mission over Afghanistan and they sent pictures and a thank-you letter,” said Carriero. “That flag is proudly displayed in our office.”

The afternoon begun with an assembly where students learned about the 106 Rescue Wing, which is based at Gabreski Air Force Base in Westhampton Beach.

“The thing that’s really great about this is we really do have a close connection to the airport base because some of our parents work there,” Principal Ronald Masera told students. “It’s such an important job to support the freedom that we enjoy.”

Stewart Morrison, Sean Boughal, Tia Beck, Rob Siebelts, and Principal Ronald Masera. (Photo: Nicole Barylski)

Once the assembly was over, 4th graders were led to the cafeteria to assemble the special boxes, packing them with goodies that included cards that the students created, socks, cookies, chips, American flags and more.

Rob Siebelts was one of the deployed members that received a care package. “I was in Afghanistan in 2012 to 2013 and we missed Christmas. It was just wonderful getting those gift boxes with the North Fork Chips and Tate’s Cookies,” he explained. “What a treat, especially since the food over there was not that great.” When the group realized there were extra care packages, they decided to pay it forward by sharing with other troops. “I still keep in touch with my British counterpart, we had the British over there, including Prince Harry, and they were not getting any Christmas gifts or cards because their airlift was being diverted,” he explained. “We had so many boxes that we had some left over. I gave them to our British counterparts and they couldn’t stop raving and thanking us for the kindness and generosity.”

Students made cards that were included in the care packages. (Photo: Nicole Barylski)

The event really hit close to home for Tia Beck, who graduated from the Westhampton School District. “It’s funny because I said I’d never come back, but now that I’m back it’s great,” she said. “Just to see the community, see how helpful they are and how open they are to having the military here is really nice.” Beck just got her commission so she hasn’t been deployed yet, but is excited to receive one of the specially made boxes when she’s abroad. “I’ve heard they’re really great care packages, so I’m looking forward to getting one in the future.”

Councilwoman Christine Scalera also came out to support the cause. “It’s such a wonderful event,” she explained. “The fact that we can give back to the community and the kids are doing it is just amazing and great.”