We'd like to introduce you to local Jefferson Awards Nominee, Dianne Villano of St. Pete Beach, founder of Support Our Marines, Inc. Miss Villano was nominated several times.
One of the nominees close friend, Christopher Pettet, has known her for the past three years. He had this to share with us:
In the past 32 months, Dianne Villano, has collected, packed and shipped more
than 3,000 boxes to her adopted marines in Iraq. We watch her every week pack the boxes, write out custom forms, pick up donations, write letters for the men & women fighting for our freedom. She created the website: www.supportourmarinesinc.org and also hosts a number of fundraisers during the year. This past summer, she participated in the Fort Desoto Top Gun Triathlon, which she did in full combat gear just to bring awareness to the hardship our armed forces go through on a daily basis.
This past October, Miss Villano completed the running leg at the Suncoast Triathlon racing as "Team Tri-ing To Raise Money for Our Grunts." She competed with a broken toe! She continues to donate countless hours to her cause in an effort to provide a simple letter or piece of home to as many Marines as she can during there long and hard deployments.
Miss Villano was also nominated by supporters, Jim Nieman & Bill Stephens. Nieman says she has spent 20,000 dollars of her own money to finance this program. Mr. Nieman has helped her send care packages filled with personal items such as soap, deodorant, sunscreen, tooth brushes to Marine Units stationed in Iraq.
When ABC Action News contacted Dianne Villano with news of her nomination, she told
us " I am humbled and am only as effective as the support I have received from the
community. If it weren't for our supporters who keep us continually stocked with comfort items, I would have nothing to send. Compared to what our Heroes and their families endure repeatedly, my efforts are insignificant."
