Annual Walk for the Wounded to be Held Sept. 24

OCEAN CITY – Since 2009, the staff and management of Ocean City Home Bank, along with other generous sponsors and supporters, have gathered on the Ocean City Boardwalk to raise funds and awareness for injured soldiers who face physical, financial, and emotional challenges when they return from battle.  They’ll meet again Sept. 24, for the 8th Annual Walk for the Wounded to benefit Operation First Response.  
“Many members of our community want to assist injured veterans, but they’re not sure of the best way to go about helping,” said Steven Brady, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ocean City Home Bank.  “Charity Navigator, an independent charity evaluator, recently awarded Operation First Response its four-star rating for financial health, accountability and transparency. More than 97 cents of every dollar we earn at the Walk will be given directly to wounded soldiers and their families, which means our supporters can feel confident that their donations are going to the right place and having the maximum positive impact.”
During the opening ceremonies, two soldiers will explain how Operation First Response helped them in their struggles to overcome the challenges they faced upon their return from the battlefield.
Sergeant Jesse Wallace, United States Army, enlisted shortly after graduating high school in 2006.  In October, 2007, he was deployed to Baghdad, Iraq, with the 2^nd Brigade, 101^st Airborne Division and returned home in 2008.  During his next deployment to Kandahar, Afghanistan in 2010, Sergeant Wallace was severely injured when Taliban forces attacked his convoy.  After undergoing an above-knee amputation, Sergeant Wallace medically retired from the Army and is now pursuing an Associates Degree in Engineering.
After losing his leg and leaving the service, Sergeant Wallace began to become isolated and spent much of his time alone in his apartment.  When he and his mother approached Operation First Response with a request for a special cycle that he could use for training and possibly competitive races, Operation First Response partnered with a local motorcycle club to raise the funds necessary to purchase the cycle.  The bike, which Sergeant Wallace received a few weeks ago, has made a tremendous difference in his physical and emotional wellbeing. 
Staff Sergeant Brian Siegman, United States Marine Corps, who served nine years on active duty between 1999 and 2010, will speak about the assistance he has received from Operation First Response.  Staff Sergeant Siegman served with the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion and the 2nd Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team Company, completing two tours of duty in Iraq.  After leaving the Marine Corps in 2010, he served as a police officer for three and a half years.  Staff Sergeant Siegman continues to fight Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, six years after leaving the service.
Registration for the 8th Annual Walk for the Wounded takes place at the Ocean City Music Pier at 8:30 a.m.  Opening ceremonies begin at 9:30 a.m., and the three-mile Walk begins at 10:00 a.m.
To learn more about Walk for the Wounded, please contact Tricia Ciliberto, Vice President of Marketing for Ocean City Home Bank, at 1-800-771-7990, extension 1106, or visit www.ochome.com.