<!--sizeo:4--><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo-->Art of Love Fundraiser
Send Roque "Rocky" Riojas to Italy
Help raise funds to send "Rocky", a Mexican-American World War II veteran, back to Italy to retrace his steps from the war. The trip to Italy will produce a historical lecture series to educate local schools, historical groups and veteran organizations about World War Ii through a living veteran.
February 5, 2010
7:00 p.m. to midnight
Aquarius-Vulcan's Forge
Meeting Room
3937 Washington
Kansas City, Missouri
Admission $25.00 each, $40.00 for couples
Tickets available at Aquarius located at 3936 Broadway, Kansas City , Missouri or at door
Admission includes Mexican food, swing dance lessons, music, games, prizes, cash bar
Sponsored by:
Aquarius
American GI Forum
WOMAN (Women of the Military Advocacy Network)
Come look at the photographic art display by Amanda Cherry-Haus
"The Art of Love"
Photographs of world's favorite lovers<!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec-->
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
Event postponed until later...
Heya folks-
Since all of you were directly involved in this fundraiser I want to first apologize for doing this and then tell you it's been canceled for February 5th. The art show is still going up and will run the month of February, but the actual fundraiser is being canceled.
I spoke with the owner of Aquarius this morning and we both agreed that the cost of the event would probably not allow for a significant donation to Rocky's fund which was our main goal and purpose. To have alcohol and food served at the event was becoming more than what we anticipated the event could raise for Rocky. So we decided to cancel the event for now. There just wasn't enough time or resources to make this happen- but I sincerely appreciate you all coming forward to help.
My personal thoughts are to create a larger event for the month of July. I would really like to do something at say the Madrid Theater with a Patriotic 1940's theme... which I'm hopeful you all will still be interested in supporting if it comes to pass. I will keep you all in the loop with details and such if you are interested. I am going to work on soliciting a corporate sponsor to help with the costs which should make the event even better!
thanks again to all of you for your help...
Amanda
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
I might add that Amanda can take donations thru paypal. 
God bless those heroes who suffered and died, for plain folks, like you and me.
War is a crime. Ask the infantry and ask the dead.
Rocky sent me a newspaper with an article regarding his upcoming trip.
It was a bit difficult to scan, but I got the English part of it (was in English and Spanish) copied. I also included the photos in the Spanish section.
Rocky's trip in newspaper March 2011001.pdf
Rocky's trip in newspaper March 2011002.pdf
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
Hi Mare!! Just a short note. Gary Swanso was here with me yeaterday and he scanned for tickets for us to go to Italy on the 17th of April. He will get them for me via Internet. There is going to be a big celebration in Bologna on the 21st. and Matteo wants me there representing the 34th. RED BULL Divn. And do some book signing.
Roque J.(Rocky) Riojas
Me and my other friends we will be in Bologna in uniform! So Rocky will scold us if we have done something wrong! 
Grandson of Private Pedro Pedrini, 14th Infantry Regiment, "Pinerolo" Brigade.
Transferred to 3rd Regiment Telegraph Engineer During WW I
Enrico, everything will be fine. WE will all be there to enjoy,even if you wear shorts.
I will find something to wear. Rocky
Roque J.(Rocky) Riojas
Hi rocky:
I moved the posts here to the Italy trip topic, because it didn't really belong with the dog-tags topic.
Congrats on the progress. YEAH!!!
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
Hi rocky:
I moved the posts here to the Italy trip topic, because it didn't really belong with the dog-tags topic.
Congrats on the progress. YEAH!!!
Yeah, I quess you're right --dogtags and trip is a little different. Gary Swanson was here yesterday and he got me the tickets on line. K.C.-Rome --2 weeks--back April 17,
to May 3. Will have to have some handcerchiefs handy, Salerno.Mt. Pantano, Monte Cassino,Anzio and some others.
Roque J.(Rocky) Riojas
I might add that Amanda can take donations thru paypal.
What is Amanda's PayPal address? I will not be able to attend a fundraiser but I would like to make a contribution for Rocky's trip and PayPal makes it easy.
Dogdaddy 1
Several people have inquired about making a contribution to help send Rocky to Italy. Here's the scoop!
Hello,
You can make donations for Roque’s trip by mailing to:
AGIF
PO Box 6544
Kansas City, KS 66106
And IN MEMO please write “For Roque’s Trip”
Best Regards,
Christina Enriquez
I know I for one will be sending a donation!
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
Rocky sent me a word document today and I converted it to a pdf for our forum.
Rudy is the Comander of our American G.I. Forum Chapter and he also writes for the paper,(Kansas City Kansan). We had our monthly meeting last night. Rocky
Rocky - good luck to Italy.pdf
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
Hello everyone,
A small news, after 21 in Bologna, Rocky will be with us April 23 for the "Colonna della libertà" translated "Column of freedom"! We will go to Verona with a column of military vehicles and Rocky will be head of the column, in the top of a Sherman!!!
Will be two great days for us and we hope they are for him!
I'll post the photos in the following days!
Enry
Grandson of Private Pedro Pedrini, 14th Infantry Regiment, "Pinerolo" Brigade.
Transferred to 3rd Regiment Telegraph Engineer During WW I
Rocky will be head of the column, in the top of a Sherman!!!
How cool is that?! 
Maj Todd O. USMC, Retired
Grandson of LTC John O'Brien
