Raffle and returned bottles will help upgrade vans for vets

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 February 2014 at 12:00 am

Photo by Tom Rivers – Issac Robinson, a former combat medic who now owns Robinson’s Redemption in Albion and Medina, holds a container of tickets while Paul Fulcomer, director of the Joint Veterans Council, pulls the winning ticket today.

ALBION A former combat medic who served in Afghanistan and Iraq with the U.S. Army is trying to raise money for the Joint Veterans Council in Orleans County.

Issac Robinson, owner of Robinson’s Redemption in Albion and Medina, welcomes customers to donate returned cans and bottles for the Veterans Council. He has a bin for those cans.

Robinson also is selling tickets for monthly prize raffles. Proceeds from the raffle will go to the Vets Council to help them purchase an upgraded van. The Council runs a transportation service, with volunteer drivers and office staff working with veterans to get them to their medical appointments.

The Council has six vans for the service and some of them have topped 100,000 miles. Paul Fulcomer, director of the Joints Veteran Council, said the group has raised about $10,000 towards a low-mileage van. He expects that will cost $16,000 to $17,000.

He thanked Robinson for agreeing to ongoing fund-raisers for the council.

“It’s veterans taking care of veterans,” Fulcomer said about Robinson, who served two tours of duty in Iraq and one in Afghanistan.

Robinson expects he will be able to raise $1,000 or more this year for the council. He also promotes the cause inside his business, which Fulcomer said provides a consistent reminder to Robinson’s customers about veterans.

Robinson, who was stationed out of Fort Drum, wants people to be more mindful of the sacrifices by veterans and their families.

“This will help people think about that we have service men and women who have sacrificed their quality of life,” he said.

Robinson said other businesses or residents are welcome to donate raffle prizes to help generate ticket sales. For more information, stop by his business on Route 31 near Wal-Mart or in Medina at 306 East Center St.

For more information about donating towards a newer van for the Vets Council, contact Fulcomer at (585) 589-3219.