Ray Leggiero, the well known, ultra-talented Villages singer and stage performer, had the pleasure of handing out four checks, totaling $10,000, to worthy local charities, on Thursday at The Villages’ Paradise Recreation Center, and nothing could make him more pleased. “This is what it’s all about,” he said, ” helping local people in need.”
When Leggiero took over the helm of the Way Way Way Off Broadway players, he recalled with a grin, “I had trouble counting the number of ‘Ways’ in the title, so we changed the name to The Off Broadway Players.“
Funds raised from past performances, minus the cost of props, sets and costumes, were donated to Honor Flight, the Lady Lake Christian Food Pantry; Project SOS (Save our Soldiers) — $3,000 each; and the SoZo Kids of the Ocala National Forest charity, $1,000.
“We have operated in The Villages for about five years,” Gary Kadow, president and founder of Project SOS, said. “Our mission is to support U.S. military in need and their families. We have two divisions. One supplies power wheelchairs to local veterans — we take care of our own.” The group has distributed almost 100 wheelchairs. “We also offer food, job training and job search help to local veterans, especially those who are homeless. We feed them and their children a hot meal three times a week — about 2,000 meals per month are served . “
“Vets who are homeless have dropped through the cracks and are not getting the services they deserve and need,” Kadow continued. “They have to have an address or they can’t apply for benefits. There are an estimated 100,000 homeless vets and their families living in our forests nationally, and about 1,000 here in Florida. “
“Groups like the Off Broadway Players are wonderful, especially during the summer, ” said Carrol Neal, Director of the Lady Lake Christian Food Pantry. “Summer is the hardest time for local families who need supplemental food,” she continued, “because the need is great and there are fewer donations when seasonal residents are gone.” As a member of North Lake Presbyterian Church, Neal had volunteered at the food pantry, and moved up when former director, Cheryl Hershberger, left. Neal finds the work very rewarding, because so many local people need help, and their clients are very appreciative. “Every day we can help them is a good day,” Neal said.
John Driscoll is proud that his Honor Flight group has flown more than 300 World War II veterans to Washington DC, and looks toward the future because there are 150 more on their waiting list. “Our next flight is June 25,” Driscoll said. “Fifty vets will be ready at 4:00AM for a long day of honors and ceremonies, flying to our nation’s capital and back, accompanied by their volunteer guardians. There is a sense of urgency to what we do,” Driscoll added, referring to the advancing age of the participants. “The veterans are mostly in their upper 80s and 90s, and many have disabilities. They are not going to last forever, and we want them to have this honor while they are here and well enough to enjoy it.”
Biker David Howe, representing Silver Springs Sozo Kids, rode his Liberty motorcycle to The Villages to accept the Players’ donation check, “We are very grateful for this donation,” Howe said, “especially because we are starting our camp season. During the summer, we send the homeless and needy kids of the forest to six weeks at our camp, where they will be mentored, fed and most important of all, they will be safe.” Howe alluded to crime in the forest and to a recent meth lab explosion where several people were injured. “The food at camp is mostly nutritious, but we also sometimes give them chicken nuggets and corn dogs — things kids love.”
The Off Broadway Players are a great group of all-volunteer Villages residents,” Leggiero said, “which give lots of their time for rehearsals and performances. No one is compensated. We put on two major fundraising shows each year. The group began in the 1980s on the east [historic] side of US 27/441, which makes us the oldest performing arts group in The Villages.”
Leggiero and the other players are looking forward to their next show: Speakeasy: The Musical, at the Savannah Center October 23-4. “We are all working very hard to prepare for this show,” long-time member Walter Martin said. “It’s hard work, but so much fun, and it is heartwarming being able to help others.”
Leggiero wrote and will direct the performance, which he describes as a 1920s and 1930s show set in New York City during prohibition. “It will have more than 30 very familiar standard songs, lots of dancing, flappers and gangsters in period costumes…you know ‘ Knock, knock…Who’s there?… Vito sent me ‘ kind of stuff,” he added. “We’ll even have an appearance by Joe Bedia, The Villages own Godfather!
