Update: Turnkeys Raise $5G for Stony Point Man
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- January
- 16
A local motorcycle group of correction officers raised $5,500 for Matt Lupo of Stony Point, who was partially paralyzed during a pool accident five years ago.
The Turnkeys of Rockland LEMC held a benefit Thursday at Noel’s, Route 9W, Stony Point. They raised money to help Lupo buy new exercise equipment for his home to help him continue with his physical therapy, acupuncture, pool therapy, and other needs, member Darlene Babcock said.
The group’s 50/50 raffle raised $6,800 – of which $3,400.00 went to Lupo, Babcock said. The door prize raffle raised $1,600 and the 50/50 winner, Tommy K. Larkin, donated $500.00 from his winnings to Lupo.
The officers of The Turnkeys are: Clint Halstead, president; George Barbera Jr., vice president; Gordon Heller, secretary; Paul Orbacz, treasurer; and Al Fagan, sergeant at arms. Other members include Darlene Babcock, Paul Allison, Dan Dworkin, Erica Marino, Freddy Perez, and John Cocuzza.
Matt Lupo, a 1998 North Rockland High School graduate, broke a vertebra in his spine and suffered a bruised spinal cord after hitting his head on the bottom of a swimming pool at a friend’s home in New Jersey. The injury left him paralyzed from the waist down and with limited movement in his arms and hands.
Lupo and his family has been supported by the community since he was injured. Back in 2003, his friends held a fund-raiser at Don’s Neighborhood Grill in Stony Point to help pay for the modifications to their 1959 Cape Cod home. The Lupos raised their four sons in he house.
This entry was posted
on Friday, January 16th, 2009 at 10:15 pm by Steve Lieberman. 
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As a former “Rocklander” (St. Dominic’s Convent, Blauvelt, St. Agnes Convent, Sparkill, and Marine Recruiter in Nyack 1950-52), I found great interest in the story about Matt Lupo’s serious accident several years ago. How wonderful of those Police Officers raising funds on his behalf and coming to his aid.
Please pass along to Matt from me a “Lupo Namesake story” that immediately came to mind as I read his name and story. While I’m sure Matt has many Lupo relatives to emulate, and he’s pretty darned brave himself, perhaps he may find in this Lupo’s background the continued courage and fortitude to persevere. Don Lupo was indeed “The Quietest, Strongest Marine Hero” that several of us knew so well; he was an inspiration to so many as he served and gave his life for his country.
See: http://www.stagnesalumni.org/StoriesQuietestStrongestMarineHero.shtml or
http://www.grunt.com/scuttlebutt/marine-corps-bs/others3.asp