November 7, 2025 • 46 mins
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Jeff Cooner, Boston's Bulldozer. Okay, my friends, this hour of
the w r KO DA V Department of Massachusetts Radiothon,
which is happening all day, is brought to you by
Brighton Marine. Uh and before we go to Dan Cork,
who's right on the line. Uh, Paul has done it.
(00:21):
He's actually sweetened the pot even more. Paul Wahlberger. So
for those of you that are bidding the what at Berg, Well, well, yeah,
but your restaurant's called Wallburger.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Yeah, but my name, So when you say Paul Wallberger,
I'm confusing with one of my friends when I was twelve,
you know.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Sorry, we're here with Paul Wahlberg of Wallburger's.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
So good, like you do this job for a living.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
And so he's not just gonna do an eight court,
you know, a six course meal eight people at his
incredible restaurant, wine included. They're gonna provide transportation as well.
The dav will make sure that someone picks you up
and someone drives you back home. So if you have
a little bit too much of the drinky drinky, that's
(01:19):
still okay. Don't kurn a place you think we're running.
Oh my goodness. So if you want to bid on
the auction, it's trust me. This is a steal. One
thousand dollars is a steal. That's the current bid right now.
Nine seven eight six three two, nineteen eighty five. If
(01:39):
you want to bid, or if you want to donate,
nine seven eight six three two nineteen eighty five, if
you want to go online, DAV five k dot Boston
and joining us now is a very special guest, truly
our honor and privilege. It is Dan Quirk. He is
the owner CEO of Quirk Auto Group. Dan has been
(02:02):
a longtime supporter of the DAV. Dan, thank you so
much and how are you?
Speaker 3 (02:09):
I'm trying? Good morning, Jeff.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Dan, thank you again as always for joining us during
our annual radio thon here on WRKO to benefit disabled
American veterans. Dan, I've got to ask why the DAV
Why do you care so much? Why do you support it?
And you've been such a longtime supporter.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
The DAV is the terristic organization that we've been involved
with us for a long time. We support veterans and
their causes. We've always done that. My family members have
been veterans. At Quirk, We have combat veterans that work here,
we have people that work here that are deployed, And
since the beginning of my adult life, I've always appreciated
(02:56):
the sacrifices that veterans make and how things that they
experience in life alters them and they need people need
to be helped whatever their circumstances, and without the veterans,
we wouldn't be able to have the terrific way of
life we do. It's one of the major components. So
(03:16):
I've always believed that veterans and veterans causes near and
dear to the Quirk organization.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Dan, You've always been very generous in the past. What
can we count on you as your donation this year?
Speaker 3 (03:32):
You can count on Quirk to donate ten thousand dollars
to DAV.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
I love you, Dan, I in a non sexual way.
I love you.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Thank you, Jeff. We love dav and the veterans.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
Yeah, I noticed you didn't say you love me. I
kind of caught that there, Dan, Dan, thank you, thank you,
thank you. Let me go right to Dan Stack. Dan. Wow,
a ten thousand dollars donation. What say you, mister Quirk?
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Once again, Thank you very much, mister Quirk has been
with us a considerable period of time thanks to to
Luigi Pascual. Lou Pascual brought me in to see mister Quirk.
We've discussed what the dav does. He supported us from
that day on. I think one of the most memorable
things for me was the tribute that he had in
(04:25):
his office of what his father's service meant to him
and all of the pictures and everything that he had.
So Dan, once again, thank you and thank you for
honoring your father too in this donation that you have
always given to us.
Speaker 5 (04:37):
Appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
Bob Lynch from Dav is with us as well. I
know he wants to say a few words to you, Dan.
Please go ahead, Yes, mister Quirk. It's an honor and
a pleasure to know you.
Speaker 6 (04:48):
And mister Quirk is affectionately known in the city of
Quincy as the class of Quinsy. He's mister Classy and
you couldn't ask for a better finer person. Thank you
you for help and support and everything you've done, and
you are a great friend to Louis.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Dan. Really you got a heart of gold. I cannot
thank you enough. Paul A few words to Dan Quirk.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
And again, thank you so much for all that you do,
and you're one of those people you never hear a
bad word about. It's just amazing and what you represent
to Quincy into all of us and supporting it the
dav it's just amazing.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
So thank you, Dan. I want to really echo and
second with Paul just said class. That's really when people talk,
Dan Quirk. All I hear is class, class, class, and
you just showed it again, a class all the way.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Dan.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
You're obviously a very successful businessman, God bless you, but
you're also a great patriot and a great American. Dan,
thank you again for that very wonderful gift. Hold on,
Bob Stack, you want to say something quickly.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
No, just again, thank you, mister qu really appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
You're welcome, Dan, God bless you, and have a wonderful
weekend and a wonderful Veterans Day. Thank you again for
that wonderful donation. Okay nine to seven eight two six
three to two, nineteen eighty five, if you want to donate.
I've just heard in my ear that the auction for
this incredible dinner for with Paul Wahlberg at his world
(06:23):
class restaurant is at eight thousand dollars, eight thousand dollars.
Now you want to see what a nice man Paul
is all kidding aside, let me sweeten the pot even more.
He has given Ashton, because as you know, Ashton wants
to be a chef. He has given Ashton now the
(06:43):
opportunity to be an assistant. He will help Paul and
his team serve the dinner, prepare the dinner. Welcome back
to our annual radiothon to benefit disabled American veterans Again.
If you want to make a centerist donation nine seven
eight six three two nineteen eighty five nine seven eight
(07:06):
six three two nineteen eighty five. Of course, you can
also donate online DAV five k dot Boston, DAV five
k dot Boston. Okay, many of you know Arthur from
Chestnut Hill, a regular caller, big fan of the show.
(07:28):
Arthur has called in. Listen to this. He is going
to be donating I kid you not a case of
Paul Rose champagne to the DAV A case he wants
to auction it. I got you. Okay, So he's donating
a case of Paul Rose champagne. And he now says
(07:51):
you can auction it. So let me ask all of you,
how much do you think a delicious case of Paul
Rose champagne is words? That's some that's some excellent champagne.
I mean, I'm telling you right now, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New
Year's you're gonna be loaded and it's going to be
absolutely delicious. So really, I mean, it's gonna be some
(08:14):
of the best champagne you're ever gonna have. So let's
start the bid. What do you guys think? Five hundred?
Start at five hundred. Let's go five hundred. Let's go. Okay,
this is cheap. I'm giving it away for God's sake,
at five hundred dollars. Okay, nine seven eight six three
two nineteen eighty five, nine seven eight six three two
(08:35):
nineteen eighty five. An entire case of incredible Paul Rose champagne.
All right, we got a couple of callers on the line.
Let's go to Thoor in Winthrop. Thanks for holding thor
and welcome chef.
Speaker 5 (08:52):
How are you at the end of this? I want
to apologize for something I said to you years ago,
But anyway, I gotta tell you I love I loved
the va I love. I'm one hundred percent to save Ovett.
But here's my story. So I grew up in the
slums of New York, victim my child abuse, horrible foster home,
left us sixteen, went on my own, became an addict,
(09:13):
and for four years I was an addict, living on
the students in New York. I joined the Air Force
in nineteen seventy five, but never showed up for the enlistment.
I just put it off because I was an attict.
I wanted to get clean. In January seventy nine, I
went into the Air Force and I've never been on
a plane, never been out of New York, went to basic.
I was very defiant because my life was a chaos.
(09:35):
I did my time in the service, and after I
did active duty, I went to Shepherd Air Force Base
in Woodsdale Falls, where they had the worst tornadoes ever.
Twelve tornadoes hit the town and killed over fifty people
and they led out school to go out and pick
up the dead bodies and including children. Everything was horrible.
Then six months later I'm stationed in California, San Valley.
(10:01):
We were a training base for TACY one thirty fives
amid every fuelers and one day a plane was landing
and it only started engines on one side of the
plane and it flipped and everything caught on fire, and
five guys came out of the cockpit and I had
to pick up those bodies and put them on stretchers.
And as a twenty one years old with no training,
(10:25):
it destroyed my life. So I went on living my life.
I never spoke to anyone. We never had out briefings
about that. A couple of guys dropped out, especially after
dealing with the burnt bodies by one hour in my life,
I ended up doing twenty two years in the Service,
six active, the rest in the National Guard. Up at peace,
(10:45):
I got accepted to the Windermore School of Business and Economics.
I went on to get a master's degree and became
a very successful stockbroker. I became an alcoholic at thirteen.
Started I was forced to work at a bar that
my foster parent I was owned, the Big Club in
New York, and I was drinking the whole life. So
(11:05):
my life went on. I raised, I moved to Subury.
I had a big house, a big job, my wife
had a big job. I had three daughters, and slowly
but surely I came to the realization just before I
was fifty that I'm an alcoholic. I needed to change
my life, and I wanted to be I wanted to
be there for my siblings. I had four siblings, but
(11:27):
all the time. As a matter of fact, when we
got divorced my wife when I was deposed, the first
thing a lawyer said is tell me about your mad face. Well,
my whole life, I've been living with rage. And the
reality is I had PTSD from the time I was
twenty one and never knew what it was undiagnosed. So
one day I'm living in Winthrop, I'm walking my dog
(11:50):
in the park. This is about five years ago, and
I see a guy and he has a Vietnam vets
hat and I had my Air Force We started talking
and he's telling me about all the deaths he's experienced.
I said, listen, I experienced a lot of death too,
and it's been destroying me. He said, we'll go to
the VA. I said, no, I'm not active doing it.
And where the reality is. I knew at twenty one
(12:11):
that there was something wrong with me, but I didn't
want to go to I didn't want to go to
the military, so I didn't want them picking me out.
So my whole life I lived at this pain. I
became an alcoholic. It destroyed my marriage. And talking to
this guy walking my dogs, he said, go to the
local guy in Winthrop and talk to them about it.
And I did. I was diagnosed with PTSD and one
(12:34):
hundred percent disabled because of all those deaths. It was
the best thing I ever did. I've been sober eighteen years.
Speaker 7 (12:40):
I have a daughter.
Speaker 5 (12:41):
Two of my daughters are doctors, my other daughters are consultant,
my stepdaughters a teacher in Winthrop, and I have a
wonderful life. I met another woman in Winthrop and my
whole life changed. And I have nothing to thank but
the Air Force was truth and told I was an addict.
When I went into Basic training, I was doing eighty
mili as a method on a day and I take
into Basic training and my whole life was transformed thanks
(13:05):
to the military. I go to the BA often because
I need it. I need the help. I mean, as
matter of fact, they said, the question ted is well
by sword. The question is why you became a drug
addict and why you became an alcoholic. Anyone that lived
your life would have and yeah, that's my story.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
Well, you know, Thor. Look, I'm very happy that you
shared your story, and it's a heartbreaking story, and I'm
happy there's a happy ending because you are now clean
and sober, and you've been cleaning sober for many years.
And you're right. Your family needs you, Your children need you. Frankly,
we all need you. And this is why I love you, Vets,
(13:45):
because you suffer. You see things, you experience things that
most of us don't. You know, when you're talking about
picking up dead bodies or burnt bodies, I mean, I
don't know how that. I don't know how I would
react to that. I'd probably get PTSD as well, and
I think it would haunt me for the rest of
my life. And you know, many people try to numb
(14:08):
the pain with alcohol or with drugs and it ends
up destroying them. And that's why I'm such a big
supporter of the DAV because they will get people like
you the help that you need, whether it's dealing with depression,
whether it's dealing with PTSD, whether it's dealing with anxiety,
whether it's dealing with you know, coming back from war
(14:31):
and you know, limbs are blown off or people are
paralyzed or whatever it is. They are there. They get
you the help that you need, the transportation, the healthcare benefits,
the medical professionals. They completely take care of you. They
give you a chance to lead your life again. And
that's why I love you, Vets. You guys are the best.
(14:53):
You're the cream of the cream, the best of the best.
And I want to thank you for your service, Thor
and I want to thank you for your pap triotism.
And I really want to urge the audience please if
you can give, give generously. The phone lines are open
at the DAV. They are taking your calls and your donations.
Nine seven eight six three two nineteen eighty five nine
(15:16):
seven eight six three two one nine eight five. You
can also go online DAV five k dot Boston DAV
five the letter K DAV five k dot Boston Okay.
Joining us now is again a very special guest, Will Egan.
He is the dav's past department commander. He is a
(15:39):
US Air Force veteran. Will thank you so much for
coming on the Kooner Report.
Speaker 8 (15:45):
How are you, Good morning, Jeff, Thanks for having me
having a pretty good morning today.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
Well, you know, Will, I've got to ask you my friend,
Can you talk a little bit about your transition from
the military to domestic life to your home and how
did the DAV support you.
Speaker 8 (16:07):
Sure. I was in from eighty nine to ninety three
on active duty, and it was a busy time. We
had operations just caused does it shield, does it storm?
Provide comfort, provide hope, And there were some others in
there too. My primary occupation as a crew chief on
the C one, and then I was volun told that
(16:29):
I was on the aircraft crash recovery team, and they
gave me some other jobs as well. So it was
a very structured time for me. And when I got out,
I was, you know, quite banged up by the end
of all that, and I tried to go to the
VA on my own and apply for benefits and whatnot.
(16:51):
The VA for me, acted more like a goaltender than
a benefits advocate. So after they denied me on most
of the things I applied for, I went to the
DAV and they helped me with my claim. They helped
me felt the paperwork properly, because even if you've got
issues that are valid and should be allowed, if you
(17:11):
don't know how to do the paperwork properly, which isn't simple.
The VA can deny you.
Speaker 7 (17:17):
So the DAV.
Speaker 8 (17:18):
Helped me get my health care, They helped me with
my education benefits. They helped me transition back to a
regular life and be productive again and kind of feel
worth in society.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
Oh that's I mean? Will I take it? Everything is good?
Now you're back?
Speaker 8 (17:38):
Oh yeah, I'm back. I'm fully integrated, working and you know,
still volunteering with the DAV. I'm a service officer now
at the Disabled American Veterans helping people locally. I help
veterans get the benefits that they've earned, their health care,
in some cases housing, We're helping veterans with food and
security and their education planning and counseling. So we're really
(18:00):
trying to I'm trying to keep giving it forward that
the DAV was there to help me, and that's why
now I'm there to try and help the next generation.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
Amen, Will, I want to thank you for your service,
your patriotism. You truly are a great American hero, and
you know what I love about you, Vets, You just
keep giving, you don't stop giving. Welcome back to WRKO
and our annual radiothon to benefit the dav of Massachusetts
(18:29):
and this hour of our Radiothon is brought to you
by Brighton Marine. And joining us now is Rosie Cloud.
She is the CEO of Brighton Marine. For those of
you that are not aware of the good work that
they do, and they do very good work. It is
a Boston based nonprofit that has been serving veterans military
(18:52):
connected families for several decades, and in particular, under Rosie
Cloud's leadership, Brighton Marine is delivering healthcare, housing, real hope
for those who once wore the uniform and their families. Rosie,
thank you so much for coming on the Kooner Report.
And how are you?
Speaker 9 (19:15):
Oh, good morning, Thank you Jeff for having me here today.
I'm doing great. Thanks again for all you're doing for
veterans right now at the radio sign Well.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
Thank you. You guys do incredible work at Brighton Marine.
And I guess the question out of the gate for
all the listeners is what is Brighton Marine? What drives
your organization's mission?
Speaker 9 (19:38):
Well, we are an organization right here on Warren Street
in the heart of Brighton. We're a nine acre campus.
We've been around for quite some time, and our mission
is pretty simple. We provide care and safe housing and
opportunities for everyone who has served.
Speaker 7 (19:55):
We believe deep.
Speaker 9 (19:56):
In our hearts that service doesn't end when the uniform
comes off. We have pledged basically our entire operation to
advance all the different needs of veterans down their family members.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
Rosie, you've been a real champion of veterans. You're known
in the city obviously, and Veterans Day, as I said,
is just a couple of days away. It's November eleventh,
next Tuesday, and so I've got to ask you, what
does Veterans Day mean to you personally? And why do
you think it's so important for all of us to
pause and to reflect.
Speaker 9 (20:32):
I think that Turn's Day is the one time our
country is set aside to really to really think about
family business. You know that Turn's Day for me is
definitely family business. It's it's beyond my loved ones, It's
beyond the people in my household. It's around when I
look around at our first responders, When I look around
at the people in our community that are really making
(20:55):
things happen, that are caring for others, it's very hard
to not I'm across the veterrend in those environments.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
Right.
Speaker 9 (21:02):
It's I've seen for the last twenty twenty five years
the types of sacrifice not only our service members make,
but they're loved ones.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
Right.
Speaker 9 (21:11):
This is truly a family business where children and spouses
are serving right alongside their service members, and that trims
days the time to honor those men and women who
step forward and who do big things. They wear, you know,
in many ways, they wear the America's jersey. Right, They
take America's jersey and they take it all over the
world and make sure that people understand that freedom isn't free.
(21:35):
So it's you know, I'm really proud of the fact
that you and bright Marine and our teammates, you know,
we get we get an opportunity to recognize them during
Veteran's Day and make sure that whether you're you know,
in every town, whether it's South or Springfield, it doesn't
matter you're we're going to celebrate you in the service
that you do for your country.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
Oh amen, really well said. We're talking with Rosie Cloud,
she's the CEO of Brighton Marine and just for the
audience out there, Rosie, I know we're here to raise
money for the dav but look, we support all these
wonderful veterans groups like yours. So what does Brighton Marine
specifically do for veterans? You talk about care, housing, hope,
(22:18):
just for the listeners out there, can you paint a
little bit of a picture. How does this work, especially
here in the Boston, Massachusetts, New England area.
Speaker 9 (22:29):
Yeah, you know, we've been a little bit of an
anomaly for folks because we kind of keep our heads
down and just do hard work every day. And the biggest,
the biggest part of the work that we do is
delivering healthcare tricare services through the US Family Health Plan
of Southern New England. There's about between thirteen to fifteen
(22:52):
thousand that turns in their loved ones that get served.
We provide their health insurance, whether it's the Greater Boston, Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, Connecticut, Southern New Hampshire. And we do that
with a We've done that for almost four decades, right,
And so that type of care and love that we
show them and making sure that they're taken care of
(23:13):
allows us to do other good work. So in addition
to that, we run a housing program on our nine
acre campus. We provide permanent housing and affordable housing and
transition housing for veterans, many of whom have been you know, homeless,
and when I say that, some have been homeless for
a very long time. And so we get an opportunity
to kind of put our arms around them, give them
(23:34):
a home, and provide them support and services. And then
finally we've got a wonderful team that's focused on creating
jobs and creating a community of purpose for our veterans.
And that's the Hope mission that we talk about. You know,
this isn't this isn't you know, something we take lightly.
We think everyone should have an opportunity to continue to
(23:56):
give back and find purpose, and our veterans have so
much more to give. You know that there are times
not done. They've got a lot more to do, and
so we work on creating connection for them into the community.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
You know, I've got to ask you because one of
the things that I think is so special about Brighton
Marine is that you often join forces with other veterans,
you know, service organizations, and for example, you collaborate with
the dav In fact, one of the things I want
(24:27):
to thank you for is the wonderful donation, the thousand
dollars donation that Brighton Marine has given to the DAV
and I want to thank you. I know Bob Does
and Bob Lynch and Paul Wahlberg before I give them
the floor. Why are you so committed to partnering and
working with other veterans organizations?
Speaker 9 (24:50):
Okay, at the end of the day, I think that
I don't think we talk enough about what the Veteran
Service organizations do. Every single day. They're taking care millions
of veterrends at scale across the country. DAV is a
wonderful example. These are organizations that live and breathe this.
They're out in the community doing good work. We couldn't
(25:12):
do what we do without getting the partnership and support
and the teamwork from these organizations because at the end
of the day, they're in it right. They're right in
every single community. They know these veterans by name. They
help provide what I call warm handover to us when
it's time for us to connect and partner. And you know,
whether it's one thousand dollars or a million dollars, you
(25:33):
know we're committed to continuing to reinvest and partner with
organizations that are making a difference. So I cannot think
of a better organization to support than DAV and the
other you know v you know vsos like VFW and
others that again, they're just they're just doing great work
and even doing it for a long time.
Speaker 1 (25:53):
God bless you, really, God bless you, Bob. I know
we're up against it in terms of time, but I
know you want to quickly thank her for her they're
wonderful thousand dollars donations.
Speaker 4 (26:02):
This is Dan Stack and Brighton Marine.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
Dan, I'm sorry, Dan, give me.
Speaker 4 (26:06):
Brighton Marine is one of those quiet organizations that has
always been in the background, working very hard taking care
of veterans. And my first experience with Brighton Marine was
through Tommy Lyons, and Tommy Lyons introduced me to many
of the Brighton Marine people that were working there and
I just want to thank you personally. But Rosie is correct.
(26:28):
It takes a community to take care of veterans. It's
not just the da B, it is the Brighton Marines,
it's all the other nonprofit veterans organizations that are out
there working together. We all have to collaborate to make
sure that the veteran is taking care of Rosie. God
bless you and thank Brighton Marine for everything You're.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
Doing Rosie again, from the bottom of my heart, thank
you so much. I know I speak for Paul on
this and Bob Lynch and everyone here in the studio.
We have been talking with Rosie Cloud, CEO of Brighton Marine.
Rosie again, thank you so much, and thank you for
your patriotism and really for everything you do for all
(27:07):
the veterans. Have a wonderful weekend and a very happy
Veterans Day.
Speaker 9 (27:12):
Thank you, Jeff.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
Take care, Rosie, take care, okay six one seven two
six six sixty eight sixty eight. If you want to
call into the show, especially veterans and share some of
your stories, especially disabled veterans, and what organizations like the
DAV mean for you. If you want to donate and
(27:34):
the phones are hopping, please now is the time to
do it. Nine seven eight six three two nineteen eighty
five nine seven eight six three two one nine eight five.
You can also go online go to DAV five k
dot Boston DAV five k dot Boston. Please, whatever you
(27:57):
can give will be much much appreciated. Paul, I know
you're on a tight schedule. You've been more than generous. Uh.
Bob sorry, Bob Lynch wants to thank you Dan Stack
wants to thank you. I want to thank you any
parting words before you go, Paul.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
As you know, I was, I was sitting there listening to,
you know, the comments being made and when you realize
someone's people are talking about homeless veterans, right, that that
shouldn't happen, right, the people that that we need to support,
you know, who support us and make it possible for
us to live our lives and the freedom that that
(28:36):
we that we hold and cherish, you know, supporting the
veterans should be the number one cause for everybody, you know,
and there's lots of other things that we do and
that is super important, but to me, you know, one
of the strongest things that we could do is support
our veterans. And just even like I said, the simple
things of thank you, you know, and what the DAV
(28:56):
provides and everybody here and what you provide and you
and you help give a forum for a lot of
people to talk about it and to really and you
bring out the best in people when it comes to
talking about the veterans and talking about the things that
they need and all the support that goes around for him.
Speaker 1 (29:11):
So thank you very much. We thank you Paul, really
thank you and look all kidding aside to everybody out there,
go to Wallburger's. It's an incredible I've been there many times.
Best burger in Massachusetts period, Alvinova to me, one of
the best, really five star restaurants in Massachusetts. We still
(29:32):
have that auction going. It's going to be an incredible
six course meal for eight people, wine included. I mean,
it's really fully loaded. It's an experience you will never forget.
The auction now it's at eight thousand dollars. Please let's
get it to ten thousand dollars. Call now, make your bid.
(29:53):
Paul will be there with his team. Ashton will be
there helping him. I kid you, not my own Ashton.
Nine to seven eight six three two nineteen eighty five
nine seven eight six three two nineteen eighty five. Paul,
I just want to shake your hand and truly God
bless you.
Speaker 2 (30:09):
Thank you very much, and thank you again for having me.
And you know everybody needs to get out to the
five k out on Saturday.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
It's going to be great.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
It's over at Castle Island and I and I'd be
remiss if I didn't thank all of the other restaurants
I participate. You know, we've got Montillio's. Oh my god,
Abby Park is going to be there. Go go make caters.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
Yeah, bond me. The bond Me is right next to
the sausage guy. Dave comes out there.
Speaker 7 (30:38):
He does it.
Speaker 2 (30:38):
So many people come out and the food and the
whole experience. It's such a great day and it's going
to be like sixty five degrees, so I think some
like you know, it's going to be a great day
to be out there, so everybody should get out. Starts
at ten o'clock right tomorrow, ten o'clock, yep, yep, And
it's going to be a beautiful day and it's going
to be for the best cause.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
Dan, I know you want to say a few words
to Paul.
Speaker 4 (31:00):
I can't thank Paul enough. He doesn't work at this
just this particular time around November. He is with us
all year long, helping us pull this off and put
it together. And we wouldn't have the food vendors that
are there without Paul, and ours is kind of a
unique events and sometimes they have food trucks all over
these events. All of our food vendors are there on
(31:21):
site and everything is free for the participants. It's no
charge for anything, and that's all due to Paul Wahlberg
and what he does.
Speaker 7 (31:29):
Again.
Speaker 4 (31:31):
Yeah, he's the quiet man working behind the scenes, you know,
so we're very blessed to have him.
Speaker 1 (31:36):
And is Bob, I know you want to say a
few words, please go ahead. Yeah.
Speaker 6 (31:39):
I think every year we always look to do something
better and move the ball forward, and that's where Paul
comes in and helps and comes up with ideas that
we say, let's try that, let's do it. So this
year we're having service dogs at the.
Speaker 1 (31:56):
Five k oh wow.
Speaker 6 (31:58):
Yes, And you know every year it's a little bit more,
a little bit better because of what we do collaboratively.
And I think that's one of the things that I
would say. The Radio Thon Forum, as you've seen in
the last couple of hours, enables organizations to come together
(32:20):
and this iHeart you, Jeff, everything that you put forward
here with the guests and allows the DAV the ability
to collaborate with other groups, with other organizations, and I
think the best thing is it provides hope to veterans
(32:42):
that all you need to do is make the phone call.
Not for the donation, that's the financial part, but the
reality of helping veterans, and that's what the DAV does best.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
Well said, really well, said Paul. God bless you, my friend.
Thank you, and tell Mark and Donnie. I said, hi,
I certainly.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
Well, you know they look forward to it every year,
you know, me say hey, cooner says, hey.
Speaker 7 (33:06):
How are you doing?
Speaker 1 (33:07):
He's oh, great, we love it. Hey, it's a NonStop coonerfest.
Thanks again, Paul. All right, thank you, I'll bless you man. Okay,
joining us now? Really special again, very special guest. I'm
so happy he's here. It is Robert Santiago. He is
(33:27):
the Commissioner of Veteran Services for Boston. He is a
proud DAV member. He served in the US Navy, and
he is a proud Iraq veteran. By the way, this
hour of our Radiothon to benefit the DAV of Massachusetts
is brought to you by Kelly Financial Services. Robert, you're
(33:52):
in studio. We're not on the phone. It's great to
kind of see your face because you're a little bit
behind of the computer screen that I'm but Robert, thank
you so much for coming. And I gotta ask, how
are you doing?
Speaker 10 (34:05):
Thank you for having me. I'm doing fantastic. No place
I'd rather be than in the studio with you and Lisa.
Great warriors that I really want to take care of
our veterans.
Speaker 1 (34:16):
Robert, you know, I've asked this of everybody, and if
I'm getting too personal, please tell me. I promise I
won't be offended. But can you talk a little bit
about your time in the military, your transition from military service,
and really what has the DAV done for you? Why
the DAV why is it so special for you?
Speaker 10 (34:39):
Well, I served twenty years in the United States Navy.
I retired back in two thousand and eight. I actually
retired off the USS constitution, definitely something I'm very proud
of to I have retired off the USS constitution. And
I know I was here in Boston, fell in love
in Boston, fell in love with Boston, and decided to
(35:00):
stay here. So when I retired, you know, I was
thinking that, you know, my twenty year experience would pretty
much take me a long ways. But then I found
out that that was far from the truth. There was
a lot of things that I needed to learn and
learn fast, the transition and integration into civilian life after
being in the military since high school or out of
(35:20):
high school was not the easiest thing. And also organizations
like the DAV. When I heard about the DAV. You know,
even back then, when you hear about these organizations like
to be a w American legion, you think of, you know,
the older veterans, you know, the Korean War veterans, the
Vietnam era veterans. And it's something that even today when
(35:41):
I speak with veterans, the younger veterans from Iraq, from
Afghanistan from Post nine to eleven, they think that those
organizations aren't for them, and that is furthest from the truth.
And I must reiterate that that is furthest from the truth.
These organizations are there to help them out, especially organizations
like the da V. The DAV helped me in my transition.
(36:04):
The DV was there for me in my transition. There
were the boots on the ground for our veterans. When
you go into a v VA facility, you know here
in Boston, you go to a VA facility and there
is a DAV office that's in there to help and
support the veterans that are in there and to guide them,
to advocate for them, to help them fill out their
VA claims. To show them where they need to go,
(36:25):
to pick them up if they need to be picked
up for their uh, you know, for their appointment at
the v or even to take them home afterwards. So
they do everything from the nuts and bolts, and it's
for veterans, by veterans. And here's a big thing, it
is for free. So all the services that the DAV gives,
the Massachusetts Department of DAV has just been fantastic in
everything that they do. And you said it, you said
(36:46):
it when you announced me, when when when when you
talk to you know, brought me.
Speaker 1 (36:50):
On the air.
Speaker 10 (36:52):
Is that I am a proud DAV member and I'm
a proud DAV member because of what the DAV has
given to me, what the DAV continues to give to
our veterans. And it's not about when our service members serve,
is also about when they leave service, and what we
do to take care of them at the service is
just as important than anything that we do for them.
While there are also in services, So the AV leads
(37:15):
the way in that charge.
Speaker 1 (37:16):
Robert, you're not one hundred percent, as I like to say,
you're a thousand percent correct. Truly, I could not have
said it better myself. I want to urge all of
you listening please you know Robert is completely right. The
DAV does so much for free, for free, and they
help countless veterans, disabled veterans, all kinds of veterans. Please
(37:40):
let's be there for our vets. They've always been there
for us. Call now to make a donation. And again,
I don't want to sound like a broken record, but
it's so true. When you talk to vets, disabled vets,
it's that the phone rings. That's what matters. It's the thought.
It doesn't you know. It's not the big dollar amounts
(38:01):
are great, no question, but five dollars, ten dollars, twenty dollars,
two dollars, one dollar, fifty dollars, whatever you can give.
It's the fact that you can. You think about him,
you remember them, you honor them, you're there for them,
you haven't forgotten them. So please call nine seven eight
(38:22):
six three two nineteen eighty five if you want to
donate nine seven eight six three two one nine eight five,
or if you prefer, you can go to DAV five
k dot Boston. DAV five k dot Boston. Robert any
final Bob, do you want any final words to Robert.
Speaker 4 (38:43):
Well, first of all, I've gotten to know this man
quite well because, just like Corey, he as the commissioner,
all he ever does is give back to the veterans community,
especially here in Boston. He is well known. If anybody
in Boston is having a difficulty, Rob Santiago is a
man to see.
Speaker 10 (39:00):
Thank you, Rob, Thank you Dan, and vice versa.
Speaker 4 (39:03):
Dan.
Speaker 10 (39:04):
You You've just been a pillar in the veterans community
and working with you and being side by side with
you is something that I've learned a lot from. And
you know, as far as my closing thought is concerned,
is like when you get to the dav you're not
giving to a charity. What you're doing is you are investing.
(39:26):
You're investing in our veterans. You're investing in their dignity,
You're investing in their independence. That's what you're investing on.
You're investing in our veterans. So even if it's the
five dollars of the ten dollars or anything, remember it's
an investment on those who have invested a lot of
their lives for our country.
Speaker 1 (39:45):
Wow, Robert, you should be behind the microphone man, really, Robert,
thank you for your service. Thank you for your patriotism.
That's Robert Santiago, Dan Stack, You're completely right. Robert has
done so much. We can't thank Robert enough. Robert again,
thank you, thank you, thank you. Okay, joining us now?
(40:06):
Oh now, this is an old friend. This is great
to hear from him. Joining me now? Is Jason Wolf?
Whoa Jason? You want to talk about one of the
top radio experts really in Boston, in Massachusetts, my former
boss at Entercom Jason. How are you? My friend?
Speaker 7 (40:30):
Jeff? I couldn't be better. It's always great to talk
to you. I've been listening all morning. You're doing an
unbelievable job as always, Thank you, and it's just a
pleasure to be here with you.
Speaker 1 (40:41):
Jason. I got to ask you. You know, you're very
active in the community. You support a lot of groups,
a lot of charities, a lot of causes. You're a
man not just with a big mind, but with a
big heart. Why the DAV Why is the DAV so
special for you?
Speaker 7 (41:00):
Well, Jeff, I've been working with Money Matters Radio Now
for going on twelve years, and the owners of our
company have always been big supporters of veterans causes, and
when we were asked several years ago to get involved
with the DAV five K, which, as everyone knows, is
coming up tomorrow at Castle Island. We jumped at the
opportunity and I knew that our ownership would not only
(41:23):
want to support the event itself, but really get involved
in a deep way with the Disabled American Veterans Department
of Massachusetts. And that's exactly what we did. We've created
an incredible partnership. We work with them all year round
to get their message out, to talk about the incredible
resources that they have for veterans, and to raise money.
(41:44):
And this is the goal obviously for today, for tomorrow
at the five k, through the weekend of course leading
into Veterans Day next week. But as I said, it's
really been a labor of love. We are just over
enjoyed to be able to support our great American heroes
in this way. And the work that Dan Stack and
(42:07):
his team do at the DAV is really second to none.
It's incredible to be a part of it.
Speaker 1 (42:12):
Jason, I know you're a generous man. Money matters. I mean,
I mean you know how much money you guys rake
in Oh seriously that financial show. I mean, how much
are you willing to pledge right now, my friend.
Speaker 7 (42:31):
That is such a great question. Jason. We're going to
give you a nice, big fat stack again this year.
We do this every year. We couldn't be prouder to
do it. So on behalf of Money Matters Radio and
the Financial Exchange Radio Network. We're going to donate five
thousand dollars to the event this year. I love you,
(42:52):
I love you, and Jeff, I'm actually going to do
you one better. This is just coming from me personally,
but I know your listeners will be able to do
this in probably five minutes, but we'll give them a
little bit more time. If your listeners can raise five
hundred dollars in the next forty five minutes, i'm gonna
(43:14):
match that five hundred and we're gonna give another thousand
bucks to the dav.
Speaker 1 (43:19):
Oh Jason, Jason, Now, can I ask you this? When
you're my boss at Entercom, how come you weren't this
generous to me when it came to like bonuses and stuff.
Speaker 9 (43:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (43:33):
Well, you know, Jeff, I didn't get to write the checks.
I just had to tow the company line a little bit.
But I'll tell you what, You've made it pretty big
however I keep you down. It didn't keep you down.
You've kept going and growing.
Speaker 1 (43:47):
You are a great friend. You are a great friend,
and you were a great ally. I want everybody to
know that. Jason, Jason, thank you so much. That is
an incredible donation and the extra that you're putting up
there out of your pok You have no idea how
much I appreciate it. Cooner Country, please come on. We
can raise another five hundred. Jason will match that five hundred,
(44:09):
So call now, please nine seven eight six three two
nineteen eighty five nine seven eight six three two one
nine eight five. If you prefer, you can give online
DAVFIVEK dot Boston. Jason, my good friend. If you can
just hang on. I know Dan Stack wants to say
at least a quick thank you. Dan, go ahead, my friend.
Speaker 4 (44:31):
So always, thank you very very much for your kind donation.
I want to thank the financial exchange of you personally
for all that you do for the DAV by getting
our word out all year long, just not in November
or around Veterans Day, but all year. You help me
in making sure that people understand what the DAV does
and where they can go to get services. So you
(44:53):
are a true patriot and a true friend, and I
am grateful and I'll see you soon because I'll be
over there for the The Radiothon continues on the Financial Exchange,
and that's due to your efforts too, So thank you
so much.
Speaker 7 (45:06):
That's my pleasure.
Speaker 3 (45:07):
Dan.
Speaker 7 (45:07):
We're really excited about it. We're looking forward to a
great two hours this morning, hopefully piggyback on all the
great work that Jeff is doing, and we'll cap it
off with an unbelievable event tomorrow and can't wait to
be there. It's going to be an unbelievable And I
got to tell you, Jeff, you know when we first
got involved, the race was I think maybe three or
(45:31):
four years in and there might have been a couple
hundred people that ran, and now it's north of fifteen
hundred runners, most of them are veterans. It sells out
earlier and earlier every year, and it just goes to
show you that a message that you and all your
great listeners at w RKO are getting out there and
the work that we feel we're doing as well and
(45:54):
all the other great media partners for the disabled American Veterans.
Department of Massachusetts and people are really really into it.
They understand that there's no better cause than to support
our vets. And I just see this thing growing by
leaps and bounds as we keep moving forward.
Speaker 1 (46:11):
So it's because of people like you, Seriously, Jason, it's
really because of people like you. And the financial exchange
has been incredible, really, Jason.
Speaker 4 (46:21):
Somebody just called in based upon your challenge and he
donated a thousand dollars.
Speaker 1 (46:26):
Whoa
Jeff Cooner, Boston's Bulldozer. Okay, my friends, this hour of
the w r KO DA V Department of Massachusetts Radiothon,
which is happening all day, is brought to you by
Brighton Marine. Uh and before we go to Dan Cork,
who's right on the line. Uh, Paul has done it.
(00:21):
He's actually sweetened the pot even more. Paul Wahlberger. So
for those of you that are bidding the what at Berg, Well, well, yeah,
but your restaurant's called Wallburger.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Yeah, but my name, So when you say Paul Wallberger,
I'm confusing with one of my friends when I was twelve,
you know.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Sorry, we're here with Paul Wahlberg of Wallburger's.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
So good, like you do this job for a living.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
And so he's not just gonna do an eight court,
you know, a six course meal eight people at his
incredible restaurant, wine included. They're gonna provide transportation as well.
The dav will make sure that someone picks you up
and someone drives you back home. So if you have
a little bit too much of the drinky drinky, that's
(01:19):
still okay. Don't kurn a place you think we're running.
Oh my goodness. So if you want to bid on
the auction, it's trust me. This is a steal. One
thousand dollars is a steal. That's the current bid right now.
Nine seven eight six three two, nineteen eighty five. If
(01:39):
you want to bid, or if you want to donate,
nine seven eight six three two nineteen eighty five, if
you want to go online, DAV five k dot Boston
and joining us now is a very special guest, truly
our honor and privilege. It is Dan Quirk. He is
the owner CEO of Quirk Auto Group. Dan has been
(02:02):
a longtime supporter of the DAV. Dan, thank you so
much and how are you?
Speaker 3 (02:09):
I'm trying? Good morning, Jeff.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Dan, thank you again as always for joining us during
our annual radio thon here on WRKO to benefit disabled
American veterans. Dan, I've got to ask why the DAV
Why do you care so much? Why do you support it?
And you've been such a longtime supporter.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
The DAV is the terristic organization that we've been involved
with us for a long time. We support veterans and
their causes. We've always done that. My family members have
been veterans. At Quirk, We have combat veterans that work here,
we have people that work here that are deployed, And
since the beginning of my adult life, I've always appreciated
(02:56):
the sacrifices that veterans make and how things that they
experience in life alters them and they need people need
to be helped whatever their circumstances, and without the veterans,
we wouldn't be able to have the terrific way of
life we do. It's one of the major components. So
(03:16):
I've always believed that veterans and veterans causes near and
dear to the Quirk organization.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Dan, You've always been very generous in the past. What
can we count on you as your donation this year?
Speaker 3 (03:32):
You can count on Quirk to donate ten thousand dollars
to DAV.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
I love you, Dan, I in a non sexual way.
I love you.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Thank you, Jeff. We love dav and the veterans.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
Yeah, I noticed you didn't say you love me. I
kind of caught that there, Dan, Dan, thank you, thank you,
thank you. Let me go right to Dan Stack. Dan. Wow,
a ten thousand dollars donation. What say you, mister Quirk?
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Once again, Thank you very much, mister Quirk has been
with us a considerable period of time thanks to to
Luigi Pascual. Lou Pascual brought me in to see mister Quirk.
We've discussed what the dav does. He supported us from
that day on. I think one of the most memorable
things for me was the tribute that he had in
(04:25):
his office of what his father's service meant to him
and all of the pictures and everything that he had.
So Dan, once again, thank you and thank you for
honoring your father too in this donation that you have
always given to us.
Speaker 5 (04:37):
Appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
Bob Lynch from Dav is with us as well. I
know he wants to say a few words to you, Dan.
Please go ahead, Yes, mister Quirk. It's an honor and
a pleasure to know you.
Speaker 6 (04:48):
And mister Quirk is affectionately known in the city of
Quincy as the class of Quinsy. He's mister Classy and
you couldn't ask for a better finer person. Thank you
you for help and support and everything you've done, and
you are a great friend to Louis.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Dan. Really you got a heart of gold. I cannot
thank you enough. Paul A few words to Dan Quirk.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
And again, thank you so much for all that you do,
and you're one of those people you never hear a
bad word about. It's just amazing and what you represent
to Quincy into all of us and supporting it the
dav it's just amazing.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
So thank you, Dan. I want to really echo and
second with Paul just said class. That's really when people talk,
Dan Quirk. All I hear is class, class, class, and
you just showed it again, a class all the way.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Dan.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
You're obviously a very successful businessman, God bless you, but
you're also a great patriot and a great American. Dan,
thank you again for that very wonderful gift. Hold on,
Bob Stack, you want to say something quickly.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
No, just again, thank you, mister qu really appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
You're welcome, Dan, God bless you, and have a wonderful
weekend and a wonderful Veterans Day. Thank you again for
that wonderful donation. Okay nine to seven eight two six
three to two, nineteen eighty five, if you want to donate.
I've just heard in my ear that the auction for
this incredible dinner for with Paul Wahlberg at his world
(06:23):
class restaurant is at eight thousand dollars, eight thousand dollars.
Now you want to see what a nice man Paul
is all kidding aside, let me sweeten the pot even more.
He has given Ashton, because as you know, Ashton wants
to be a chef. He has given Ashton now the
(06:43):
opportunity to be an assistant. He will help Paul and
his team serve the dinner, prepare the dinner. Welcome back
to our annual radiothon to benefit disabled American veterans Again.
If you want to make a centerist donation nine seven
eight six three two nineteen eighty five nine seven eight
(07:06):
six three two nineteen eighty five. Of course, you can
also donate online DAV five k dot Boston, DAV five
k dot Boston. Okay, many of you know Arthur from
Chestnut Hill, a regular caller, big fan of the show.
(07:28):
Arthur has called in. Listen to this. He is going
to be donating I kid you not a case of
Paul Rose champagne to the DAV A case he wants
to auction it. I got you. Okay, So he's donating
a case of Paul Rose champagne. And he now says
(07:51):
you can auction it. So let me ask all of you,
how much do you think a delicious case of Paul
Rose champagne is words? That's some that's some excellent champagne.
I mean, I'm telling you right now, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New
Year's you're gonna be loaded and it's going to be
absolutely delicious. So really, I mean, it's gonna be some
(08:14):
of the best champagne you're ever gonna have. So let's
start the bid. What do you guys think? Five hundred?
Start at five hundred. Let's go five hundred. Let's go. Okay,
this is cheap. I'm giving it away for God's sake,
at five hundred dollars. Okay, nine seven eight six three
two nineteen eighty five, nine seven eight six three two
(08:35):
nineteen eighty five. An entire case of incredible Paul Rose champagne.
All right, we got a couple of callers on the line.
Let's go to Thoor in Winthrop. Thanks for holding thor
and welcome chef.
Speaker 5 (08:52):
How are you at the end of this? I want
to apologize for something I said to you years ago,
But anyway, I gotta tell you I love I loved
the va I love. I'm one hundred percent to save Ovett.
But here's my story. So I grew up in the
slums of New York, victim my child abuse, horrible foster home,
left us sixteen, went on my own, became an addict,
(09:13):
and for four years I was an addict, living on
the students in New York. I joined the Air Force
in nineteen seventy five, but never showed up for the enlistment.
I just put it off because I was an attict.
I wanted to get clean. In January seventy nine, I
went into the Air Force and I've never been on
a plane, never been out of New York, went to basic.
I was very defiant because my life was a chaos.
(09:35):
I did my time in the service, and after I
did active duty, I went to Shepherd Air Force Base
in Woodsdale Falls, where they had the worst tornadoes ever.
Twelve tornadoes hit the town and killed over fifty people
and they led out school to go out and pick
up the dead bodies and including children. Everything was horrible.
Then six months later I'm stationed in California, San Valley.
(10:01):
We were a training base for TACY one thirty fives
amid every fuelers and one day a plane was landing
and it only started engines on one side of the
plane and it flipped and everything caught on fire, and
five guys came out of the cockpit and I had
to pick up those bodies and put them on stretchers.
And as a twenty one years old with no training,
(10:25):
it destroyed my life. So I went on living my life.
I never spoke to anyone. We never had out briefings
about that. A couple of guys dropped out, especially after
dealing with the burnt bodies by one hour in my life,
I ended up doing twenty two years in the Service,
six active, the rest in the National Guard. Up at peace,
(10:45):
I got accepted to the Windermore School of Business and Economics.
I went on to get a master's degree and became
a very successful stockbroker. I became an alcoholic at thirteen.
Started I was forced to work at a bar that
my foster parent I was owned, the Big Club in
New York, and I was drinking the whole life. So
(11:05):
my life went on. I raised, I moved to Subury.
I had a big house, a big job, my wife
had a big job. I had three daughters, and slowly
but surely I came to the realization just before I
was fifty that I'm an alcoholic. I needed to change
my life, and I wanted to be I wanted to
be there for my siblings. I had four siblings, but
(11:27):
all the time. As a matter of fact, when we
got divorced my wife when I was deposed, the first
thing a lawyer said is tell me about your mad face. Well,
my whole life, I've been living with rage. And the
reality is I had PTSD from the time I was
twenty one and never knew what it was undiagnosed. So
one day I'm living in Winthrop, I'm walking my dog
(11:50):
in the park. This is about five years ago, and
I see a guy and he has a Vietnam vets
hat and I had my Air Force We started talking
and he's telling me about all the deaths he's experienced.
I said, listen, I experienced a lot of death too,
and it's been destroying me. He said, we'll go to
the VA. I said, no, I'm not active doing it.
And where the reality is. I knew at twenty one
(12:11):
that there was something wrong with me, but I didn't
want to go to I didn't want to go to
the military, so I didn't want them picking me out.
So my whole life I lived at this pain. I
became an alcoholic. It destroyed my marriage. And talking to
this guy walking my dogs, he said, go to the
local guy in Winthrop and talk to them about it.
And I did. I was diagnosed with PTSD and one
(12:34):
hundred percent disabled because of all those deaths. It was
the best thing I ever did. I've been sober eighteen years.
Speaker 7 (12:40):
I have a daughter.
Speaker 5 (12:41):
Two of my daughters are doctors, my other daughters are consultant,
my stepdaughters a teacher in Winthrop, and I have a
wonderful life. I met another woman in Winthrop and my
whole life changed. And I have nothing to thank but
the Air Force was truth and told I was an addict.
When I went into Basic training, I was doing eighty
mili as a method on a day and I take
into Basic training and my whole life was transformed thanks
(13:05):
to the military. I go to the BA often because
I need it. I need the help. I mean, as
matter of fact, they said, the question ted is well
by sword. The question is why you became a drug
addict and why you became an alcoholic. Anyone that lived
your life would have and yeah, that's my story.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
Well, you know, Thor. Look, I'm very happy that you
shared your story, and it's a heartbreaking story, and I'm
happy there's a happy ending because you are now clean
and sober, and you've been cleaning sober for many years.
And you're right. Your family needs you, Your children need you. Frankly,
we all need you. And this is why I love you, Vets,
(13:45):
because you suffer. You see things, you experience things that
most of us don't. You know, when you're talking about
picking up dead bodies or burnt bodies, I mean, I
don't know how that. I don't know how I would
react to that. I'd probably get PTSD as well, and
I think it would haunt me for the rest of
my life. And you know, many people try to numb
(14:08):
the pain with alcohol or with drugs and it ends
up destroying them. And that's why I'm such a big
supporter of the DAV because they will get people like
you the help that you need, whether it's dealing with depression,
whether it's dealing with PTSD, whether it's dealing with anxiety,
whether it's dealing with you know, coming back from war
(14:31):
and you know, limbs are blown off or people are
paralyzed or whatever it is. They are there. They get
you the help that you need, the transportation, the healthcare benefits,
the medical professionals. They completely take care of you. They
give you a chance to lead your life again. And
that's why I love you, Vets. You guys are the best.
(14:53):
You're the cream of the cream, the best of the best.
And I want to thank you for your service, Thor
and I want to thank you for your pap triotism.
And I really want to urge the audience please if
you can give, give generously. The phone lines are open
at the DAV. They are taking your calls and your donations.
Nine seven eight six three two nineteen eighty five nine
(15:16):
seven eight six three two one nine eight five. You
can also go online DAV five k dot Boston DAV
five the letter K DAV five k dot Boston Okay.
Joining us now is again a very special guest, Will Egan.
He is the dav's past department commander. He is a
(15:39):
US Air Force veteran. Will thank you so much for
coming on the Kooner Report.
Speaker 8 (15:45):
How are you, Good morning, Jeff, Thanks for having me
having a pretty good morning today.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
Well, you know, Will, I've got to ask you my friend,
Can you talk a little bit about your transition from
the military to domestic life to your home and how
did the DAV support you.
Speaker 8 (16:07):
Sure. I was in from eighty nine to ninety three
on active duty, and it was a busy time. We
had operations just caused does it shield, does it storm?
Provide comfort, provide hope, And there were some others in
there too. My primary occupation as a crew chief on
the C one, and then I was volun told that
(16:29):
I was on the aircraft crash recovery team, and they
gave me some other jobs as well. So it was
a very structured time for me. And when I got out,
I was, you know, quite banged up by the end
of all that, and I tried to go to the
VA on my own and apply for benefits and whatnot.
(16:51):
The VA for me, acted more like a goaltender than
a benefits advocate. So after they denied me on most
of the things I applied for, I went to the
DAV and they helped me with my claim. They helped
me felt the paperwork properly, because even if you've got
issues that are valid and should be allowed, if you
(17:11):
don't know how to do the paperwork properly, which isn't simple.
The VA can deny you.
Speaker 7 (17:17):
So the DAV.
Speaker 8 (17:18):
Helped me get my health care, They helped me with
my education benefits. They helped me transition back to a
regular life and be productive again and kind of feel
worth in society.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
Oh that's I mean? Will I take it? Everything is good?
Now you're back?
Speaker 8 (17:38):
Oh yeah, I'm back. I'm fully integrated, working and you know,
still volunteering with the DAV. I'm a service officer now
at the Disabled American Veterans helping people locally. I help
veterans get the benefits that they've earned, their health care,
in some cases housing, We're helping veterans with food and
security and their education planning and counseling. So we're really
(18:00):
trying to I'm trying to keep giving it forward that
the DAV was there to help me, and that's why
now I'm there to try and help the next generation.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
Amen, Will, I want to thank you for your service,
your patriotism. You truly are a great American hero, and
you know what I love about you, Vets, You just
keep giving, you don't stop giving. Welcome back to WRKO
and our annual radiothon to benefit the dav of Massachusetts
(18:29):
and this hour of our Radiothon is brought to you
by Brighton Marine. And joining us now is Rosie Cloud.
She is the CEO of Brighton Marine. For those of
you that are not aware of the good work that
they do, and they do very good work. It is
a Boston based nonprofit that has been serving veterans military
(18:52):
connected families for several decades, and in particular, under Rosie
Cloud's leadership, Brighton Marine is delivering healthcare, housing, real hope
for those who once wore the uniform and their families. Rosie,
thank you so much for coming on the Kooner Report.
And how are you?
Speaker 9 (19:15):
Oh, good morning, Thank you Jeff for having me here today.
I'm doing great. Thanks again for all you're doing for
veterans right now at the radio sign Well.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
Thank you. You guys do incredible work at Brighton Marine.
And I guess the question out of the gate for
all the listeners is what is Brighton Marine? What drives
your organization's mission?
Speaker 9 (19:38):
Well, we are an organization right here on Warren Street
in the heart of Brighton. We're a nine acre campus.
We've been around for quite some time, and our mission
is pretty simple. We provide care and safe housing and
opportunities for everyone who has served.
Speaker 7 (19:55):
We believe deep.
Speaker 9 (19:56):
In our hearts that service doesn't end when the uniform
comes off. We have pledged basically our entire operation to
advance all the different needs of veterans down their family members.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
Rosie, you've been a real champion of veterans. You're known
in the city obviously, and Veterans Day, as I said,
is just a couple of days away. It's November eleventh,
next Tuesday, and so I've got to ask you, what
does Veterans Day mean to you personally? And why do
you think it's so important for all of us to
pause and to reflect.
Speaker 9 (20:32):
I think that Turn's Day is the one time our
country is set aside to really to really think about
family business. You know that Turn's Day for me is
definitely family business. It's it's beyond my loved ones, It's
beyond the people in my household. It's around when I
look around at our first responders, When I look around
at the people in our community that are really making
(20:55):
things happen, that are caring for others, it's very hard
to not I'm across the veterrend in those environments.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
Right.
Speaker 9 (21:02):
It's I've seen for the last twenty twenty five years
the types of sacrifice not only our service members make,
but they're loved ones.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
Right.
Speaker 9 (21:11):
This is truly a family business where children and spouses
are serving right alongside their service members, and that trims
days the time to honor those men and women who
step forward and who do big things. They wear, you know,
in many ways, they wear the America's jersey. Right, They
take America's jersey and they take it all over the
world and make sure that people understand that freedom isn't free.
(21:35):
So it's you know, I'm really proud of the fact
that you and bright Marine and our teammates, you know,
we get we get an opportunity to recognize them during
Veteran's Day and make sure that whether you're you know,
in every town, whether it's South or Springfield, it doesn't
matter you're we're going to celebrate you in the service
that you do for your country.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
Oh amen, really well said. We're talking with Rosie Cloud,
she's the CEO of Brighton Marine and just for the
audience out there, Rosie, I know we're here to raise
money for the dav but look, we support all these
wonderful veterans groups like yours. So what does Brighton Marine
specifically do for veterans? You talk about care, housing, hope,
(22:18):
just for the listeners out there, can you paint a
little bit of a picture. How does this work, especially
here in the Boston, Massachusetts, New England area.
Speaker 9 (22:29):
Yeah, you know, we've been a little bit of an
anomaly for folks because we kind of keep our heads
down and just do hard work every day. And the biggest,
the biggest part of the work that we do is
delivering healthcare tricare services through the US Family Health Plan
of Southern New England. There's about between thirteen to fifteen
(22:52):
thousand that turns in their loved ones that get served.
We provide their health insurance, whether it's the Greater Boston, Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, Connecticut, Southern New Hampshire. And we do that
with a We've done that for almost four decades, right,
And so that type of care and love that we
show them and making sure that they're taken care of
(23:13):
allows us to do other good work. So in addition
to that, we run a housing program on our nine
acre campus. We provide permanent housing and affordable housing and
transition housing for veterans, many of whom have been you know, homeless,
and when I say that, some have been homeless for
a very long time. And so we get an opportunity
to kind of put our arms around them, give them
(23:34):
a home, and provide them support and services. And then
finally we've got a wonderful team that's focused on creating
jobs and creating a community of purpose for our veterans.
And that's the Hope mission that we talk about. You know,
this isn't this isn't you know, something we take lightly.
We think everyone should have an opportunity to continue to
(23:56):
give back and find purpose, and our veterans have so
much more to give. You know that there are times
not done. They've got a lot more to do, and
so we work on creating connection for them into the community.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
You know, I've got to ask you because one of
the things that I think is so special about Brighton
Marine is that you often join forces with other veterans,
you know, service organizations, and for example, you collaborate with
the dav In fact, one of the things I want
(24:27):
to thank you for is the wonderful donation, the thousand
dollars donation that Brighton Marine has given to the DAV
and I want to thank you. I know Bob Does
and Bob Lynch and Paul Wahlberg before I give them
the floor. Why are you so committed to partnering and
working with other veterans organizations?
Speaker 9 (24:50):
Okay, at the end of the day, I think that
I don't think we talk enough about what the Veteran
Service organizations do. Every single day. They're taking care millions
of veterrends at scale across the country. DAV is a
wonderful example. These are organizations that live and breathe this.
They're out in the community doing good work. We couldn't
(25:12):
do what we do without getting the partnership and support
and the teamwork from these organizations because at the end
of the day, they're in it right. They're right in
every single community. They know these veterans by name. They
help provide what I call warm handover to us when
it's time for us to connect and partner. And you know,
whether it's one thousand dollars or a million dollars, you
(25:33):
know we're committed to continuing to reinvest and partner with
organizations that are making a difference. So I cannot think
of a better organization to support than DAV and the
other you know v you know vsos like VFW and
others that again, they're just they're just doing great work
and even doing it for a long time.
Speaker 1 (25:53):
God bless you, really, God bless you, Bob. I know
we're up against it in terms of time, but I
know you want to quickly thank her for her they're
wonderful thousand dollars donations.
Speaker 4 (26:02):
This is Dan Stack and Brighton Marine.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
Dan, I'm sorry, Dan, give me.
Speaker 4 (26:06):
Brighton Marine is one of those quiet organizations that has
always been in the background, working very hard taking care
of veterans. And my first experience with Brighton Marine was
through Tommy Lyons, and Tommy Lyons introduced me to many
of the Brighton Marine people that were working there and
I just want to thank you personally. But Rosie is correct.
(26:28):
It takes a community to take care of veterans. It's
not just the da B, it is the Brighton Marines,
it's all the other nonprofit veterans organizations that are out
there working together. We all have to collaborate to make
sure that the veteran is taking care of Rosie. God
bless you and thank Brighton Marine for everything You're.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
Doing Rosie again, from the bottom of my heart, thank
you so much. I know I speak for Paul on
this and Bob Lynch and everyone here in the studio.
We have been talking with Rosie Cloud, CEO of Brighton Marine.
Rosie again, thank you so much, and thank you for
your patriotism and really for everything you do for all
(27:07):
the veterans. Have a wonderful weekend and a very happy
Veterans Day.
Speaker 9 (27:12):
Thank you, Jeff.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
Take care, Rosie, take care, okay six one seven two
six six sixty eight sixty eight. If you want to
call into the show, especially veterans and share some of
your stories, especially disabled veterans, and what organizations like the
DAV mean for you. If you want to donate and
(27:34):
the phones are hopping, please now is the time to
do it. Nine seven eight six three two nineteen eighty
five nine seven eight six three two one nine eight five.
You can also go online go to DAV five k
dot Boston DAV five k dot Boston. Please, whatever you
(27:57):
can give will be much much appreciated. Paul, I know
you're on a tight schedule. You've been more than generous. Uh.
Bob sorry, Bob Lynch wants to thank you Dan Stack
wants to thank you. I want to thank you any
parting words before you go, Paul.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
As you know, I was, I was sitting there listening to,
you know, the comments being made and when you realize
someone's people are talking about homeless veterans, right, that that
shouldn't happen, right, the people that that we need to support,
you know, who support us and make it possible for
us to live our lives and the freedom that that
(28:36):
we that we hold and cherish, you know, supporting the
veterans should be the number one cause for everybody, you know,
and there's lots of other things that we do and
that is super important, but to me, you know, one
of the strongest things that we could do is support
our veterans. And just even like I said, the simple
things of thank you, you know, and what the DAV
(28:56):
provides and everybody here and what you provide and you
and you help give a forum for a lot of
people to talk about it and to really and you
bring out the best in people when it comes to
talking about the veterans and talking about the things that
they need and all the support that goes around for him.
Speaker 1 (29:11):
So thank you very much. We thank you Paul, really
thank you and look all kidding aside to everybody out there,
go to Wallburger's. It's an incredible I've been there many times.
Best burger in Massachusetts period, Alvinova to me, one of
the best, really five star restaurants in Massachusetts. We still
(29:32):
have that auction going. It's going to be an incredible
six course meal for eight people, wine included. I mean,
it's really fully loaded. It's an experience you will never forget.
The auction now it's at eight thousand dollars. Please let's
get it to ten thousand dollars. Call now, make your bid.
(29:53):
Paul will be there with his team. Ashton will be
there helping him. I kid you, not my own Ashton.
Nine to seven eight six three two nineteen eighty five
nine seven eight six three two nineteen eighty five. Paul,
I just want to shake your hand and truly God
bless you.
Speaker 2 (30:09):
Thank you very much, and thank you again for having me.
And you know everybody needs to get out to the
five k out on Saturday.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
It's going to be great.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
It's over at Castle Island and I and I'd be
remiss if I didn't thank all of the other restaurants
I participate. You know, we've got Montillio's. Oh my god,
Abby Park is going to be there. Go go make caters.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
Yeah, bond me. The bond Me is right next to
the sausage guy. Dave comes out there.
Speaker 7 (30:38):
He does it.
Speaker 2 (30:38):
So many people come out and the food and the
whole experience. It's such a great day and it's going
to be like sixty five degrees, so I think some
like you know, it's going to be a great day
to be out there, so everybody should get out. Starts
at ten o'clock right tomorrow, ten o'clock, yep, yep, And
it's going to be a beautiful day and it's going
to be for the best cause.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
Dan, I know you want to say a few words
to Paul.
Speaker 4 (31:00):
I can't thank Paul enough. He doesn't work at this
just this particular time around November. He is with us
all year long, helping us pull this off and put
it together. And we wouldn't have the food vendors that
are there without Paul, and ours is kind of a
unique events and sometimes they have food trucks all over
these events. All of our food vendors are there on
(31:21):
site and everything is free for the participants. It's no
charge for anything, and that's all due to Paul Wahlberg
and what he does.
Speaker 7 (31:29):
Again.
Speaker 4 (31:31):
Yeah, he's the quiet man working behind the scenes, you know,
so we're very blessed to have him.
Speaker 1 (31:36):
And is Bob, I know you want to say a
few words, please go ahead. Yeah.
Speaker 6 (31:39):
I think every year we always look to do something
better and move the ball forward, and that's where Paul
comes in and helps and comes up with ideas that
we say, let's try that, let's do it. So this
year we're having service dogs at the.
Speaker 1 (31:56):
Five k oh wow.
Speaker 6 (31:58):
Yes, And you know every year it's a little bit more,
a little bit better because of what we do collaboratively.
And I think that's one of the things that I
would say. The Radio Thon Forum, as you've seen in
the last couple of hours, enables organizations to come together
(32:20):
and this iHeart you, Jeff, everything that you put forward
here with the guests and allows the DAV the ability
to collaborate with other groups, with other organizations, and I
think the best thing is it provides hope to veterans
(32:42):
that all you need to do is make the phone call.
Not for the donation, that's the financial part, but the
reality of helping veterans, and that's what the DAV does best.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
Well said, really well, said Paul. God bless you, my friend.
Thank you, and tell Mark and Donnie. I said, hi,
I certainly.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
Well, you know they look forward to it every year,
you know, me say hey, cooner says, hey.
Speaker 7 (33:06):
How are you doing?
Speaker 1 (33:07):
He's oh, great, we love it. Hey, it's a NonStop coonerfest.
Thanks again, Paul. All right, thank you, I'll bless you man. Okay,
joining us now? Really special again, very special guest. I'm
so happy he's here. It is Robert Santiago. He is
(33:27):
the Commissioner of Veteran Services for Boston. He is a
proud DAV member. He served in the US Navy, and
he is a proud Iraq veteran. By the way, this
hour of our Radiothon to benefit the DAV of Massachusetts
is brought to you by Kelly Financial Services. Robert, you're
(33:52):
in studio. We're not on the phone. It's great to
kind of see your face because you're a little bit
behind of the computer screen that I'm but Robert, thank
you so much for coming. And I gotta ask, how
are you doing?
Speaker 10 (34:05):
Thank you for having me. I'm doing fantastic. No place
I'd rather be than in the studio with you and Lisa.
Great warriors that I really want to take care of
our veterans.
Speaker 1 (34:16):
Robert, you know, I've asked this of everybody, and if
I'm getting too personal, please tell me. I promise I
won't be offended. But can you talk a little bit
about your time in the military, your transition from military service,
and really what has the DAV done for you? Why
the DAV why is it so special for you?
Speaker 10 (34:39):
Well, I served twenty years in the United States Navy.
I retired back in two thousand and eight. I actually
retired off the USS constitution, definitely something I'm very proud
of to I have retired off the USS constitution. And
I know I was here in Boston, fell in love
in Boston, fell in love with Boston, and decided to
(35:00):
stay here. So when I retired, you know, I was
thinking that, you know, my twenty year experience would pretty
much take me a long ways. But then I found
out that that was far from the truth. There was
a lot of things that I needed to learn and
learn fast, the transition and integration into civilian life after
being in the military since high school or out of
(35:20):
high school was not the easiest thing. And also organizations
like the DAV. When I heard about the DAV. You know,
even back then, when you hear about these organizations like
to be a w American legion, you think of, you know,
the older veterans, you know, the Korean War veterans, the
Vietnam era veterans. And it's something that even today when
(35:41):
I speak with veterans, the younger veterans from Iraq, from
Afghanistan from Post nine to eleven, they think that those
organizations aren't for them, and that is furthest from the truth.
And I must reiterate that that is furthest from the truth.
These organizations are there to help them out, especially organizations
like the da V. The DAV helped me in my transition.
(36:04):
The DV was there for me in my transition. There
were the boots on the ground for our veterans. When
you go into a v VA facility, you know here
in Boston, you go to a VA facility and there
is a DAV office that's in there to help and
support the veterans that are in there and to guide them,
to advocate for them, to help them fill out their
VA claims. To show them where they need to go,
(36:25):
to pick them up if they need to be picked
up for their uh, you know, for their appointment at
the v or even to take them home afterwards. So
they do everything from the nuts and bolts, and it's
for veterans, by veterans. And here's a big thing, it
is for free. So all the services that the DAV gives,
the Massachusetts Department of DAV has just been fantastic in
everything that they do. And you said it, you said
(36:46):
it when you announced me, when when when when you
talk to you know, brought me.
Speaker 1 (36:50):
On the air.
Speaker 10 (36:52):
Is that I am a proud DAV member and I'm
a proud DAV member because of what the DAV has
given to me, what the DAV continues to give to
our veterans. And it's not about when our service members serve,
is also about when they leave service, and what we
do to take care of them at the service is
just as important than anything that we do for them.
While there are also in services, So the AV leads
(37:15):
the way in that charge.
Speaker 1 (37:16):
Robert, you're not one hundred percent, as I like to say,
you're a thousand percent correct. Truly, I could not have
said it better myself. I want to urge all of
you listening please you know Robert is completely right. The
DAV does so much for free, for free, and they
help countless veterans, disabled veterans, all kinds of veterans. Please
(37:40):
let's be there for our vets. They've always been there
for us. Call now to make a donation. And again,
I don't want to sound like a broken record, but
it's so true. When you talk to vets, disabled vets,
it's that the phone rings. That's what matters. It's the thought.
It doesn't you know. It's not the big dollar amounts
(38:01):
are great, no question, but five dollars, ten dollars, twenty dollars,
two dollars, one dollar, fifty dollars, whatever you can give.
It's the fact that you can. You think about him,
you remember them, you honor them, you're there for them,
you haven't forgotten them. So please call nine seven eight
(38:22):
six three two nineteen eighty five if you want to
donate nine seven eight six three two one nine eight five,
or if you prefer, you can go to DAV five
k dot Boston. DAV five k dot Boston. Robert any
final Bob, do you want any final words to Robert.
Speaker 4 (38:43):
Well, first of all, I've gotten to know this man
quite well because, just like Corey, he as the commissioner,
all he ever does is give back to the veterans community,
especially here in Boston. He is well known. If anybody
in Boston is having a difficulty, Rob Santiago is a
man to see.
Speaker 10 (39:00):
Thank you, Rob, Thank you Dan, and vice versa.
Speaker 4 (39:03):
Dan.
Speaker 10 (39:04):
You You've just been a pillar in the veterans community
and working with you and being side by side with
you is something that I've learned a lot from. And
you know, as far as my closing thought is concerned,
is like when you get to the dav you're not
giving to a charity. What you're doing is you are investing.
(39:26):
You're investing in our veterans. You're investing in their dignity,
You're investing in their independence. That's what you're investing on.
You're investing in our veterans. So even if it's the
five dollars of the ten dollars or anything, remember it's
an investment on those who have invested a lot of
their lives for our country.
Speaker 1 (39:45):
Wow, Robert, you should be behind the microphone man, really, Robert,
thank you for your service. Thank you for your patriotism.
That's Robert Santiago, Dan Stack, You're completely right. Robert has
done so much. We can't thank Robert enough. Robert again,
thank you, thank you, thank you. Okay, joining us now?
(40:06):
Oh now, this is an old friend. This is great
to hear from him. Joining me now? Is Jason Wolf?
Whoa Jason? You want to talk about one of the
top radio experts really in Boston, in Massachusetts, my former
boss at Entercom Jason. How are you? My friend?
Speaker 7 (40:30):
Jeff? I couldn't be better. It's always great to talk
to you. I've been listening all morning. You're doing an
unbelievable job as always, Thank you, and it's just a
pleasure to be here with you.
Speaker 1 (40:41):
Jason. I got to ask you. You know, you're very
active in the community. You support a lot of groups,
a lot of charities, a lot of causes. You're a
man not just with a big mind, but with a
big heart. Why the DAV Why is the DAV so
special for you?
Speaker 7 (41:00):
Well, Jeff, I've been working with Money Matters Radio Now
for going on twelve years, and the owners of our
company have always been big supporters of veterans causes, and
when we were asked several years ago to get involved
with the DAV five K, which, as everyone knows, is
coming up tomorrow at Castle Island. We jumped at the
opportunity and I knew that our ownership would not only
(41:23):
want to support the event itself, but really get involved
in a deep way with the Disabled American Veterans Department
of Massachusetts. And that's exactly what we did. We've created
an incredible partnership. We work with them all year round
to get their message out, to talk about the incredible
resources that they have for veterans, and to raise money.
(41:44):
And this is the goal obviously for today, for tomorrow
at the five k, through the weekend of course leading
into Veterans Day next week. But as I said, it's
really been a labor of love. We are just over
enjoyed to be able to support our great American heroes
in this way. And the work that Dan Stack and
(42:07):
his team do at the DAV is really second to none.
It's incredible to be a part of it.
Speaker 1 (42:12):
Jason, I know you're a generous man. Money matters. I mean,
I mean you know how much money you guys rake
in Oh seriously that financial show. I mean, how much
are you willing to pledge right now, my friend.
Speaker 7 (42:31):
That is such a great question. Jason. We're going to
give you a nice, big fat stack again this year.
We do this every year. We couldn't be prouder to
do it. So on behalf of Money Matters Radio and
the Financial Exchange Radio Network. We're going to donate five
thousand dollars to the event this year. I love you,
(42:52):
I love you, and Jeff, I'm actually going to do
you one better. This is just coming from me personally,
but I know your listeners will be able to do
this in probably five minutes, but we'll give them a
little bit more time. If your listeners can raise five
hundred dollars in the next forty five minutes, i'm gonna
(43:14):
match that five hundred and we're gonna give another thousand
bucks to the dav.
Speaker 1 (43:19):
Oh Jason, Jason, Now, can I ask you this? When
you're my boss at Entercom, how come you weren't this
generous to me when it came to like bonuses and stuff.
Speaker 9 (43:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (43:33):
Well, you know, Jeff, I didn't get to write the checks.
I just had to tow the company line a little bit.
But I'll tell you what, You've made it pretty big
however I keep you down. It didn't keep you down.
You've kept going and growing.
Speaker 1 (43:47):
You are a great friend. You are a great friend,
and you were a great ally. I want everybody to
know that. Jason, Jason, thank you so much. That is
an incredible donation and the extra that you're putting up
there out of your pok You have no idea how
much I appreciate it. Cooner Country, please come on. We
can raise another five hundred. Jason will match that five hundred,
(44:09):
So call now, please nine seven eight six three two
nineteen eighty five nine seven eight six three two one
nine eight five. If you prefer, you can give online
DAVFIVEK dot Boston. Jason, my good friend. If you can
just hang on. I know Dan Stack wants to say
at least a quick thank you. Dan, go ahead, my friend.
Speaker 4 (44:31):
So always, thank you very very much for your kind donation.
I want to thank the financial exchange of you personally
for all that you do for the DAV by getting
our word out all year long, just not in November
or around Veterans Day, but all year. You help me
in making sure that people understand what the DAV does
and where they can go to get services. So you
(44:53):
are a true patriot and a true friend, and I
am grateful and I'll see you soon because I'll be
over there for the The Radiothon continues on the Financial Exchange,
and that's due to your efforts too, So thank you
so much.
Speaker 7 (45:06):
That's my pleasure.
Speaker 3 (45:07):
Dan.
Speaker 7 (45:07):
We're really excited about it. We're looking forward to a
great two hours this morning, hopefully piggyback on all the
great work that Jeff is doing, and we'll cap it
off with an unbelievable event tomorrow and can't wait to
be there. It's going to be an unbelievable And I
got to tell you, Jeff, you know when we first
got involved, the race was I think maybe three or
(45:31):
four years in and there might have been a couple
hundred people that ran, and now it's north of fifteen
hundred runners, most of them are veterans. It sells out
earlier and earlier every year, and it just goes to
show you that a message that you and all your
great listeners at w RKO are getting out there and
the work that we feel we're doing as well and
(45:54):
all the other great media partners for the disabled American Veterans.
Department of Massachusetts and people are really really into it.
They understand that there's no better cause than to support
our vets. And I just see this thing growing by
leaps and bounds as we keep moving forward.
Speaker 1 (46:11):
So it's because of people like you, Seriously, Jason, it's
really because of people like you. And the financial exchange
has been incredible, really, Jason.
Speaker 4 (46:21):
Somebody just called in based upon your challenge and he
donated a thousand dollars.
Speaker 1 (46:26):
Whoa
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com