To the editor:

Multiple individuals and organizations need to be recognized and thanked for their support for American Legion Post No. 57’s effort to send a dozen boys to the annual Boys State program last year.

If not for your April 13, 2015, story, “Funding Needed for Boys State,” 12 boys would not have attended The 2015 American Legion Boys State program.

The schools and boys who represented them at the weeklong program included: Nansemond River High School (Donovan Gray, Brandon Blevins, Jonathan Echols and Logan O’Leary), King’s Fork High School (Kenwood Harris, Akira Garcia and Nigel Stokes), Lakeland High School (Austin Branch, Joshua Ralston and Christopher DeFreeuw) and Nansemond-Suffolk Academy (Zie Medrano and Nathan Soper).

Organizations and clubs that contributed to the fundraising effort necessary to raise the money to send the boys were the Bethlehem, Chuckatuck, King’s Fork, Magnolia and Suffolk Ruritan Clubs; veterans organizations, notably the Norman R. Matthews American Legion Post 57, the Nansemond American Legion Post 88 and the Joe Bagley VFW Post 2582; and other clubs, including The Kiwanis Club of Suffolk and Suffolk Elks Club 685.

There were also some individuals and businesses that were cornerstone contributors, including Parr Funeral Home, James Oliver, William Blair, Douglas Parr, Andy Damiani, Marvis Knight and Cliff Holcombe.

Again, I want to personally thank all those that contributed funds to the effort. I hope they’ll continue to support and assist.

I hope this year that enough money can be raised to send 14 boys. Anyone who would like information on how to contribute or otherwise help can contact me at 757-403-4261.

Denis Confer

Suffolk