SHARE

Fairfield Ludlowe Lax Team Sticks Up For Wounded Soldiers With Fundraiser

FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- A lacrosse game at Fairfield Ludlowe High School Saturday, Nov. 26 will honor two veterans who were wounded in the line of duty.

Jeff Casucci, left, is president of Sticks for Soldiers, an organization that raises money for seriously injured veterans. A lacrosse game is set for Nov. 26 at Fairfield Ludlowe High School.

Jeff Casucci, left, is president of Sticks for Soldiers, an organization that raises money for seriously injured veterans. A lacrosse game is set for Nov. 26 at Fairfield Ludlowe High School.

Photo Credit: Sticksforsoldiers.org

The 11th annual Lacrosse Classic will also garner support for Sticks for Soldiers. The organization raises money for severely-wounded troops of the post 9/11 era. The charity's dual mission is to raise money, while raising awareness among young people to soldiers service and sacrifices for the country.

A secondary objective is to create an awareness among high school athletes to the unseen sacrifices being made on their behalf by people just a few years older than themselves.

"It's great for us to establish this in Fairfield as part of their holiday weekend, said Jeff Casucci, president of Sticks for Soldiers. "We have teams all over the state and games are played all over Connecticut. What's great about this is the veterans get to meet the people helping them and it gives them the chance to see people who appreciate their sacrifice."

The event is organized and hosted by the Fairfield Ludlowe High School boys' lacrosse program. It will honor Sgt. Salvatore Anselmo Jr. and Cpl. Vincent Mannion-Brodeur.

Sgt. Salvatore Anselmo Jr. 

U.S. Army Sgt. Salvatore Anselmo Jr., serving in Iraq, was wounded April 4, 2004, when a roadside bomb detonated near his Humvee and he was ejected from the vehicle during combat operations on the outskirts of Sadr City. 

During his deployment, Anselmo also was wounded by shrapnel in his left knee from a mortar round in one of the daily mortar attacks on his position. Anselmo also received wounds from small arms fire, unexploded ordinance and other roadside bombs during his deployment. 

Due to his wounds and severe, combat related post-traumatic stress disorder, Anselmo was medically retired. 

Unable to reenter the work force upon his retirement due to his wounds, Anselmo now tries to work with recently discharged combat veterans in need of local resources. 

He lives in Rochester, N.Y.

While on patrol March 11, 2007 in Tikrit, Iraq, U.S. Army Cpl. Vincent Mannion-Brodeur's team moved to clear a small building. Upon opening the door, an explosive device was detonated remotely using a cell phone. 

The explosion instantly killed Brodeur’s squad leader, Sgt. Dan Woodcock, and wounded him, only 4 feet to his right.

His wounds included catastrophic head trauma, a nearly severed left arm and his upper torso was riddled with bomb fragments.

Brodeur remained in a coma for more than a year while enduring multiple surgeries to reattach his left arm, remove a portion of his brain, remove various blood clots within his brain and replace his cranium with synthetic material. 

Brodeur has had 43 surgeries in 24 different hospitals and has severe traumatic brain injury. He continues to receive treatment in several hospitals each year. Brodeur lives with his mother, Maura, a U.S. Navy veteran and his father, Jeff, a U.S. Army veteran who are his caretakers.

The Nov. 26 game will begin at 9 a.m., with an event ceremony at 11:55 a.m., at the high school, 785 Unquowa Road, Fairfield. 

Click here to make a donation to Sticks for Soldiers or mail donations to P.O. Box 475, Fairfield, CT 06824

"We are trying to connect the kids in our community to make them aware of the sacrifices being made on their behalf around the world. The game is a tremendous opportunity to do that," Casucci said.

to follow Daily Voice Bridgeport and receive free news updates.

SCROLL TO NEXT ARTICLE