• Join us on May 6th for an Evening to Honor VI

    March 1, 2015 Author: Dave
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    United Staten Island Veterans Organization (USIVO) will donate proceeds towards the design and Completion of SSG Michael Ollis Freedom Memorial from the fundraising event on May 6th.

    To All Our Members and Supporting Community, This year the United Staten Island Veterans Organization will be having its 5th annual fundraising event, “An Evening to Honor VI” at Staten Island’s Hilton Garden Inn on Wednesday, May 06th, 2015. This year’s Honoree’s will be Staten Island University Hospital-North & South sites and Marine Corps League Staten Island Detachment #246.  Also the investure of the 2015 Memorial Day Parade Grand Marshall Joseph DiGiovanni and Parade Chaplain Rev. Roy Cole.

    The evening’s proceeds will go towards the design and Completion of the monument in Honor of Staff Sgt. Michael Ollis Freedom memorial at Petrides School on Ocean Terrace in June. Past events have helped Afghanistan War Veteran, Army Specialist Bryan Dilberian, Iraq War Veteran Brendan Marrocco, and Staff Sgt. Michael Brown Afghanistan war Veteran. Also Proceeds help other Staten Island Veterans when necessary.

    Last year USIVO had over 600 people attending a spectacular event, this year we hope to top that. I hope you can attend this very patriotic event for a great cause. Please contact one of our Committee Members for more details of the event.

    For additional information on how to reserve your seat and/or table at this special event, download the form here: USIVO ETH VI PACKAGE, or navigate to the USIVO Facebook page.

    Deadline for reservations is by Friday, April 25, 2015. If you have any questions, please call  Jim at 718-987-1609 or 917-670-8742. Thank you for your support!

  • Polish baby named after Staff Sgt. Michael Ollis, hero soldier from Staten Island

    January 29, 2015 Author: Dave
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    Article Referenced From SI Live: http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/01/polish_baby_named_after_hero_s.html

    By Ryan Lavis | lavis@siadvance.com

    STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A newborn baby in Poland carries the name of a hero soldier from Staten Island who died two years ago saving the life of the infant’s father.

    U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Michael Ollis, 24, a lifelong resident of New Dorp, sacrificed his life on Aug. 28, 2013, while shielding Lt. Karol Cierpica from a suicide bomber in Afghanistan.

    Baby Michael Cierpica giving thumbs up

    Newborn baby Michael Cierpica lies with a teddy bear made from the Army fatigues of Staff Sgt. Michael Ollis, the soldier from New Dorp who sacrificed his life saving the infant’s father during an attack in Afghanistan. (Photo courtesy of Ollis family)

    Earlier this month, the Polish soldier became the proud father of a baby boy he named in honor of Ollis.

    Robert Ollis and his wife, Linda, called the tribute to their son “unexpected” and “wonderful.”

    “I thought of the baby as a grandson,” Ollis Sr. said “We are very happy and honored.”

    To thank Cierpica and his wife, the Ollis family sent the couple a teddy bear they had specially made out of their son’s Army fatigues. The gift comes from a charity organization — the Matthew Freeman Project — which offers the free service to families of fallen soldiers.

    They’re hoping to meet “Little Michael” in person next time Cierpica visits them in New York. Last summer, the Ollises traveled to Poland, where they visited with Cierpica and his wife and the Polish soldiers who’d served at the same base in Afghanistan with Sgt. Ollis and Cierpica.

    “We’d like to see them again soon with Little Michael,” Ollis said.

    Last year, Ollis and his wife started a charity in their son’s name — the Staff Sgt. Ollis Freedom Foundation, to help soldiers and veterans.

    “We just want to help a young man or woman going into the service like Michael,” Ollis said.

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