Dyker Heights Civic Replenishes Military Postage Fund

For more than a decade, the Dyker Heights Civic Association has been running one of those awesome programs that makes you feel proud to be a Southern Brooklynite, by providing a no-cost service to families of those serving our country overseas and helping them stay in touch with their loved ones.

The Dyker Heights Military Postage Fund was established in 2003, shortly after our armed forces arrived in Iraq. The program, which operates out of the Dyker Heights Post Office (8320 13th Avenue) provides free postage to military families, allowing them to send letters and packages without burdensome shipping charges.

The Brooklyn Eagle reports:

“It continues to this day. We still have people fighting for our country and serving all over the world, so we keep the postage fund going,” [Dyker Heights Civic President Fran] Vella-Marrone told the Brooklyn Eagle. “It’s something we want to do for the families. It’s our way of doing our part for those families and the military men and women.”

… The Dyker Heights Military Postage Fund was organized in 2003 by postal employees at the Dyker Heights branch who took it upon themselves to help military families mail packages overseas. The program grew so successful and so many families took the opportunity to mail packages for free, that the postal workers sought an outside group to help administer the growing fund. They approached the Dyker Heights Civic Association, which agreed to assume responsibility for the fund.

To keep the fund going, a “community fling” and concert was held on Friday.

“The event went perfectly. I’m not just saying that,” Michael Molina told Bensonhurst Bean. Molina, the district executive for the Greater New York Council of the Boy Scouts of America, helped organize the event. “We had former reservists who were there talking about what the fund means to them. It was pretty cool having everyone come together. They talked about what it meant when they received those care packages and how important a program like the postage fund is.”

Molina said more than 100 people turned out.

“Everyone was very happy. It felt like a family atmosphere, and everyone was so supportive of the cause,” he said.

The organizers haven’t finished tallying up the amount they’ve raised, half of which will also go to the Boy Scouts, but Villa-Marrone told Bensonhurst Bean they’re still accepting donations to keep the program going. If you would like to contribute, you can send a check payabe to the Dyker Heights Military Postage Fund, care of Fran Villa-Marrone, to 7317 12th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11228.