The Rando Fund-What Is It?
The Southeast Texas
The Fund’s primary purpose is to help finance travel so that a small group of Cadets can attend the funeral services of another Cadet. The fund continually maintains a $10,000 reserve for this purpose. Enabling the Cadets to participate in the funeral service of a fellow cadet accomplishes two things. It helps our cadets during an emotional time to say a final goodbye to their very close friend and it helps support the family involved when they see and meet a contingent of Cadets who were closest to their son or daughter. The Cadets also serve as the representatives of all other Cadets and Cadet families at the hometown services. Cadets are not asked to repay these funds. The funds are a gift made possible by the generous donations of people like you
All funds beyond the reserve are earmarked for other humanitarian purposes such as enabling Cadets of limited financial means to be able to travel home to visit a sick family member, close relative or friend based on the recommendations of the Chaplain’s Office and the Commandants Office. Cadet eligibility regarding necessity of travel, as well as determining the level of a Cadet’s financial need is also made by the Chaplain’s Office and the Commandant’s Office. Not even the President of the Rando Fund is involved in this process. It has always been the opinion of the Fund’s leadership that those decisions are best left to those most closely involved with the Cadets and have the expertise necessary to determine a Cadet’s level of personal, emotional and financial need. Based on those recommendations, the Fund will either fully or partially subsidize the cost of the travel. The cadet and their family are not required to reimburse the fund. Again, these funds are a gift made possible by your donations
Read on about how and why this fund was started:
As we're moving toward the start of
the academic year and PW, I wanted to take a moment to remind those of us who
have been on this forum for a while that the Rando Fund continues to need your
support as well as to introduce the Fund to the our newest members to the AFA
FamNet family to the mission of the Dennis P. Rando Cadet Humanitarian Fund. In
order to maintain the legacy of this Fund and to enable it to continue to
support all cadets and cadet families, my hope is that you will take just a few
moments to read and learn how the Fund came to be and how it supports your sons
and daughters.
The Rando Fund was the wonderful result of the tragic circumstances surrounding
the deaths of three AFA cadets and their flight instructors in AFA flight
training accidents in the mid to late 90’s. One of those cadets was C1C Dennis
Rando of Massachusetts. At his funeral when it was learned that the cadets who
traveled to Massachusetts to honor their classmate and represent all cadets and
cadet families did so at their own personal expense, the Cadets Parents
Association of Eastern Massachusetts made a request to other cadet families to
donate funds to help reimburse the cadets for their travel.
The response to this request was in access of what was needed. Bob Caggiano, the
then President of the Eastern Massachusetts Parents' Club came up with the idea
of using the excess funds to establish an ongoing humanitarian fund for the
benefit of all cadets as a way to honor Dennis' memory. With the help of many
club members, including Diane Mackey who served as the Fund's first president
and with the whole hearted support and guidance of General Paul Stein (the
Academy's then Superintendent) and the support of cadet parents' clubs across
the country, the Dennis P. Rando Cadet Humanitarian Fund was born. The AF and
the AFA fully officially recognize and support the Fund's mission.
The Fund’s primary purpose is to help finance travel so that a group of cadets
can attend the funeral services of another cadet. Neither the AFA's, nor any of
the other military academy budgets have the resources to do this. The Fund
continually maintains a $10,000 reserve for this purpose so that at a cadet's
funeral, there will be six cadets to serve as an honor guard. This contingent of
cadets is comprised of the deceased cadets close friends. Enabling the cadets to
participate in the funeral service of a fellow cadet accomplishes two things. It
helps the cadets during an emotional time to say a final goodbye to their very
close friend and it helps support the family involved when they see and meet the
cadets who were closest to their son or daughter. The cadets also serve as the
representatives of all other cadets and cadet families at the hometown services.
Cadets are not asked to repay these funds. The funds are a gift made possible by
the generous donations of people like you.
Additionally, funds beyond the reserve are earmarked for other humanitarian
purposes such as enabling cadets of limited financial means to be able to travel
home to attend the funeral of a family member, close relative or friend or to
visit a sick family member or friend. All determinations as to whom is selected
to be a part of the honor guard for a cadet funeral or needs to travel home on
emergency leave due to death or serious illness at home and needs the resources
of the Fund are made by the Chaplains' Office and approved by the Commandant's
Office. Not even the President of the Rando Fund is involved in this process. It
has always been the opinion of the Fund’s leadership that these decisions are
best left to those most closely involved with the cadets and have the expertise
necessary to determine a cadet’s level of personal, emotional and financial
need. In all circumstances where the Fund's resources are used to pay for
approved travel, neither the cadet nor the cadet's family is required to
reimburse the fund. The funds are a gift made possible by your donations in
support of those who have chosen to attend this institution and to serve their
country. You should also know that the AFA is the only service academy where the
families, friends and graduates of the AFA provide this type of support for
their cadets/midshipmen.
You should know just a couple of additional things about the Fund. Since its
inception, the Fund has raised and spent approximately $147,000 dollars to
support the cadets. Given the increased cost of travel, especially the cost of
emergency travel on commercial airlines, the Fund needs your support more now
than in the past. Donations primarily are made by the families of cadets
(particularly those on the FamNet and Grad Net,) as well as donations annually
made by Parent's clubs from across the country. To those who have contributed, I
continue to offer my sincere thanks on behalf of all the cadets and cadet
families who have benefited from your generosity. I continue to ask for your
support. To our new parents, I hope that you'll join in our effort to support
the Fund. At PW, you can also support the Fund by attending the FamNet Dinner
and buying raffle tickets for the quilts that we will raffle at the FamNet
Dinner (more on that in a separate email.)
If you could read the heartfelt
letters of sincere appreciation I receive from families who have lost a cadet as
well as the letters of thanks from cadets who have been able to attend the
funeral of a fallen comrade or be at the bedside of critically ill family member
or friend, you would immediately make a donation. They are so incredibly
grateful.
You should also know that there is no other organization that provides this type
of support. The Air Force Academy Superintendents, Commandants and Chaplains
through the years have continually expressed their support and appreciation of
this Fund because it fills a void at the Academy that is not a part of their
budget, nor is transportation for such situations offered through the Air Force.
Many officials at the Academy continue to be impressed with the ability of the
parents to organize and help the cadets at a time of emotional need.
This Fund supports any cadet in need, not just the cadets whose families have
made contributions. The Rando Fund has no affiliation with any other fund
raising organization and no other purpose than to raise funds on behalf of
cadets for the purposes stated.
What we are most proud of, is the fact that 100% of every donation the Fund
receives goes into the Fund and the cadets. Because the Rando Fund’s President
and the Board of Trustees volunteer their time to this cause, the fund is able
to dedicate 100% of every donation to this effort. The Fund’s few expenses are
paid by dedicated donations. However, the Fund remains viable only as a result
of continued donations. In order to be successful, we annually need about
$15,000 to be able to serve every cadet that may need the Fund’s assistance.
If you would like to assist the Fund’s mission of helping cadets in a time of
need, please send a tax deductible contribution to:
Jack Bernazzani
Rando Fund
136 Orange Street
Roslindale, MA 02131.
Please make checks payable to "Rando Fund."
A web page is maintained for the fund at falconpride.com
www.falconpride.com/rando/
Thank you in advance for your support. I'm counting on you!
Jack Bernazzani
President, Dennis P. Rando Cadet Humanitarian Fund Roslindale, MA 1st Lt Joel,
IP, Moody AFB, Valdosta, GA LCpl Kate, Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma, AZ