More than 400 Attendees Help Make Wreaths Across America of New Britain Pasta Dinner Fundraiser a Huge Success

May 21 Event at New Britain VFW Raises $20,000 for Annual Wreath-Laying

New Britain, Conn., June 19, 2025 – A hungry and enthusiastic crowd of more than 400 local patriots turned out in force for DAV Hardware City Chapter 8’s annual Wreaths Across America of New Britain (WAANB) Pasta Dinner Fundraiser on May 21 at the New Britain VFW, helping to raise $20,000 in support of the annual wreath-laying tribute to service that takes place each December at the City of New Britain’s Fairview Cemetery.

Student volunteers from New Britain High School’s Culinary Program worked with members of the NBHS Junior ROTC program to serve pasta, sauce, meatballs, salad and bread prepared by DAV Chapter 8 Commander and Chief Pasta Master Dennis Taricani and his hard-working brigade of volunteers. Pasta was donated by Blue Sponsor the Knights of Columbus Council 31/St. Francis Parish; meatballs were donated by White Sponsor Ericson, Scalise & Mangan, P.C., and WAANB Planning Committee member John Eshoo; and Bimbo Bakeries, Berlin, donated bread. Dessert in the form of a dazzling display of sheet cakes, each paying tribute to a branch of the service, was donated by Costco of New Britain.

Following presentation of the colors by the Junior ROTC students, the audience recited the Pledge of Allegiance before the playing of the National Anthem.

The event’s famous Mega-Raffle, considered to be the area’s largest, was again a big hit, managed by David Obedzinski, President of Patriot Sponsor the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain (CFGNB) and staff. As always, the hard-working ladies of White Sponsor the Suburban Woman’s Club of Greater New Britain played a major role in support of the raffle.

A highlight of the evening was DAV Hardware City Chapter 8’s presentation of 2025 Veteran Advocate Awards to Jeffrey Taddeo of Whitson’s School Nutrition and Dennis Buden of Dennis Buden Public Relations, LLC for their years of support of DAV Chapter 8 and the Wreaths Across America of New Britain project.

The VFW donated its hall for the event, and Red Sponsor New Britain Memorial & Donald D. Sagarino Funeral Home donated ticket printing services. Additional supporters included the City of New Britain, Steve Petty (DJ and sound services), Image Ink (printing), Napcon Communications (website) and Paul Salina (photography).

Wreaths Across America of New Britain is managed annually by DAV Chapter 8 and a large Planning Committee of volunteers from Greater New Britain’s business, non-profit and veterans service organization communities. The Planning Committee works to raise upwards of $25,000 annually to fund the ongoing effort. Proceeds from the Pasta Dinner and other events will be used to fund not only this year’s placement of more than 1,400 memorial wreaths at Fairview, but placements in years to come.

National Wreaths Across America Day takes place this year on December 13 at nearly 5,000 locations nationwide and abroad, including New Britain’s Fairview Cemetery.

Planning is now underway for the WAANB Planning Committee’s second major fundraiser of the year, a Wine and Beer Fest to take place Friday, October 24, at the VFW.

Additional sponsors of this year’s Wreaths Across America of New Britain project include Patriot Sponsors the Mayor’s Trophy Charitable Fund, Al and Suzanne Parlow, Anthony Micacci and Family, Perkins Travel, Unity Lodge No. 148 of the Connecticut Freemasons and CFGNB; Red Sponsors Home Sweet Home Realty, New Britain Memorial Funeral Home, Mopars in Motion, Costco, Rotary Club of New Britain-Berlin, Richards Machine and Stew Leonard’s; White Sponsors Acme Monaco, Ericson Scalise & Mangan, the Hudyma Family, Image Ink, Don and Phyllis Naples, Napcon, the Rotary Club of Kensington-Berlin, the Suburban Woman’s Club and Tomasso Group; and Blue Sponsors 8th Ward Political Club, Dennis Buden Public Relations, LLC, the Knights of Columbus Council 31, the Polish American Club of Newington, Sondra and Bill Sanford and Dennis and Lumnao Taricani.

Wreaths Across America of New Britain is part of the Wreaths Across America (WAA) national non-profit organization founded in 2007 to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992. WAA’s mission – Remember, Honor, Teach – is carried out in part by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington and at veterans cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and abroad. In 2023, more than three million wreaths were placed by countless volunteers at more than 4,000 locations.

To become a sponsor, buy a wreath, make a donation or to learn more about Wreaths Across America of New Britain and all of DAV Hardware City Chapter 8’s activities, visit www.davchapter8.org or send an e-mail to info@davchapter8.org.

About the Disabled American Veterans

The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) is a non-profit 501(c)(4) charity dedicated to building better lives for America’s disabled veterans and their families. Last year, the organization provided more than 210,000 rides to veterans attending medical appointments and assisted in filing over 174,000 claims for benefits, which resulted in $26 billion in earned benefits received. With more than 1,200 chapters, including DAV Hardware City Chapter 8, and more than one million members across the country, DAV empowers our nation’s heroes and their families by helping to provide the resources they need and ensuring our nation keeps the promises made to them.

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Media Contact: Dennis Buden, DAV Hardware City Chapter 8 (860) 558-0514 dennis.buden@davchapter8.org