From left, State Farm’s Abe Dispennette, LANL’s CPO Executive Director Kurt Steinhaus, HFH graduate/instructor Paul Duran, HFH Executive Director Rick Iannucci, Rotary Immediate Past President James Nesmith and Rotary President Troy Hughes at the Dec. 16 Rotary Club meeting. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

STAFF REPORT

To raise money for the Horses For Heroes program near Santa Fe, Rotarian Victor Medina placed a jar on the front counter at his Manhattan Project Restaurant several weeks ago in downtown Los Alamos.

He discovered someone had removed all of the $5, $10 and $20 bills and left the $1 bills. He published a plea through the Los Alamos Daily Post to the culprit to return the money, which to date has not happened. Horses For Heroes assists in the healing of veterans who have suffered trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder and shock.

After reading the story, State Farm Agency owner and miltary veteran Abe Dispennette contacted Medina and contributed $200 to the program. During its Dec. 16 meeting, the Los Alamos Rotary Club also contributed $500 to the Horses For Heroes program. Community Programs Office Executive Director Kurt Steinhaus heard about the story and benefits of the program and attended the meeting to present a contribution match on behalf of Los Alamos National Laboratory and Director Charlie McMillan.

Horses For Heroes Executive Director Rick Iannucci, together with program graduate Paul Duran, accepted the donations saying the program continues to work miracles in the lives of returning veterans such as Duran because of the generosity of organizations and individuals like those in Los Alamos.