FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 25, 2018
Contact: John Lyon 845-638-5645

New City, NY – "The Key to the County is awarded to a person who makes a special contribution to Rockland. We have given keys in the past for acts of love, acts of kindness and acts of heroism but this key is being given for selfless acts of service and leadership," said County Executive Day.

County Executive Ed Day presented Cole Donnellan, founder of not-for-profit Pegleg22, with the Key to the County award. The Key is presented to a person who makes a tangible, positive impact on the county as a whole and the citizens who live here. Cole started Pegleg22 in honor of his great uncle Jerry Donnellan. The mission of Pegleg22 is to raise awareness about the 22 veterans who succumb to suicide every day in the United States and raise money to perform service projects that benefit combat veterans in Rockland County and around the Hudson Valley.

"Cole has started a 'gofundme page' to raise money for service projects that directly help veterans in need of a hand up. His first service project is already underway in Nyack helping a female Marine who lives in a rundown home. Cole is putting up a fence donated by Beckerle Lumber and cleaning up the yard and exterior of her home," said Day.

Jerry Donnellan is credited with creating the annual Memorial Day "Watchfires." Each year on Memorial Day watchfires are built at four permanent locations in Rockland County, Clausland Mountain, Piermont Pier, Bowline Park and Gene Levy Park. The watchfires are lit at midnight and burn for 24 hours, with veterans standing watch and changing shifts as they did many generations ago. Jerry frequently brought his great nephew Cole to the watchfire on Piermont Pier.

"As part of Cole's High School Senior project, he has started a not-for-profit called Pegleg 22, named after Jerry's former production company and paired with the number 22," said Day. "That's the number of veterans who take their own lives everyday across our nation. Cole's goal is to bring attention to and find ways to help these servicemen and women."

The first Key to the County recipient was Grace VanderWaal, the Suffern teen who won the America's Got Talent contest. The second was presented to Millicent "Ivey" Mackle of Pomona, who took a stand against hate in her community. The third was presented to William V. Harris IV, known as Billy, who helped apprehend a suspected terrorist in New York City.

"As we begin Memorial Day weekend I can think of no better time than to honor someone like Cole who is stepping up to take care of our veterans; men and women who have given so much of themselves and now need a helping hand. Cole Donnellan, for the work you have done already and all the help and support I know you will provide to our veterans in the future we hereby award you with the Key to Rockland County," concluded County Executive Day.

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