New Hartford 5th Grader ‘Kid of the Month’
Owen John Jassak is 10 years old and a 5th grade student at E.R. Hughes Elementary School in New Hartford, and is dedicated to helping veterans.
Last year he raised over $5,000 to benefit the Sitrin Health Care Centers Stars and Stripes Run~Walk, an event that supports Sitrin's Military Rehabilitation program. He's been raising money for veterans since he was 4 years old and has raised over $35,000!
His motivation to help veterans started according to Mom, when he met Greg Reynolds, a decorated veteran and member of the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team (WWAST):
Reynolds joined the military as a senior in High School, shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attack. After a 15-month deployment in Iraq, he returned home in 2004 and began preparing for a second tour in the Middle Eastern country. In 2008, Reynolds life was forever changed when a driver failed to yield at a stop sign and crashed into Reynolds and his motorcycle. As a result, he sustained several injuries including a traumatic brain injury, amputation of his left arm and shoulder, several broken bones and multiple wounds. The veteran had a .0005 percent chance of survival and spent nearly six weeks in a coma and three months in the hospital. He had to learn how to walk and talk again, and adjust to being a person with an amputation.
Since meeting Reynolds, Owen has come to know many more veterans by helping his mom with events and activities to honor America's soldiers.
His slogan this year is, Pay It Forward, $1 AT A TIME. His team name for Sitrin's Stars and Stripes Run-Walk is Team Makin' Lemonade and has been the top fundraiser for many years.
Owen was also honored by the American Red Cross with the Youth Samaritan Award for his efforts with helping our veterans. Congrats to Owen for being a rockstar here in Central New York.
Do you know a kid who deserves to be honored as our 'Kinney Kid of the Month?' Nominate them below and they could win a $200 Kinney Drugs gift card as our way to say thanks for being a great kid!kid-