In memory of Vincent Bartone
The Adair Gellman & Vincent Bartone Endowment
A portion of every sale supports the two communities Vin loved most: veterans and animals.
Vin loved veterans and he loved animals.
He was the kind of person who'd quietly write a check to a rescue group, or buy lunch for the guy at the VA who looked like he hadn't eaten. When he died I knew I wanted those things to keep happening in both our names.
A portion of every sale of Honoring Their Wishes funds the Adair Gellman & Vincent Bartone Endowment. The endowment supports veteran organizations and animal rescue — the two communities Vin loved most.
What it actually looks like
Cherished things, second lives.
When Adair cleared out Vin's things after he died, almost nothing went in the trash. The endowment is the formalization of what she was already doing — finding the right second home for the cherished pieces of a life.
Vin's business clothes
Went to
A group in Washington, DC that helps men coming back from prison, homelessness, or divorce get back on their feet.
Six trips up and down the stairs to load my car. The gentleman who took them stayed late on a Friday to wait for me to make the drive. He was very happy to receive them.
Vin's books
Went to
The local nursing home library.
I built them a humor and science fiction section they didn't have before. Vin would have liked that.
Vin's oxygen concentrators
Went to
People who needed them.
This was the hardest donation to find a home for. One woman didn't think she'd ever be able to visit her son and his family again — Vin's portable Inogen opened the door so she could make the trip. Another needed a concentrator available while she slept. A third has gone to someone else who needed one. The handwritten thank-you notes that came back were beautiful. I'm still looking for the right home for the two floor-standing units.
Vin's train collection
Went to
People who'd actually use and love the trains.
I went to a train show at the Dulles Expo Center with a spreadsheet of everything Vin had, looking for the right hands.
Who the endowment supports
Veterans, animals, and the causes that mattered to us.
The endowment is established and Adair is personally funding these recipients while the formal structure is being set up with her financial team. A dollar from every book sale will flow into the endowment, and the full beneficiary roster will grow once it's operational.
Veterans
Fisher House
Builds comfort homes where military and veteran families can stay free of charge while a loved one is in the hospital.
fisherhouse.org ↗Semper Fi & America's Fund
Financial and holistic support to wounded, ill, and injured service members, veterans, and their families.
thefund.org ↗DAV Charitable Service Trust
Supports ill and injured veterans through the Disabled American Veterans network.
cst.dav.org ↗Project K-9 Hero
Supports retired police K-9s and military working dogs with healthcare and a dignified post-service life.
projectk9hero.org ↗
Animals
North Shore Animal League
The world's largest and longest-running no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization.
www.animalleague.org ↗The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee
A natural-habitat refuge for Asian and African elephants providing lifetime care.
www.elephants.org ↗Liberia Chimpanzee Rescue
The first and only chimpanzee sanctuary in Liberia, rescuing chimps from the illegal bushmeat and pet trade.
www.liberiachimpanzeerescue.org ↗Urban Bird Foundation
Protects, defends, rescues, and conserves bird life.
urbanbird.org ↗
Other causes
Susan G. Komen
Addresses breast cancer on multiple fronts to make the biggest impact against the disease.
www.komen.org ↗Autism Speaks
Promotes solutions across the spectrum for the needs of individuals with autism and their families.
www.autismspeaks.org ↗Easter Seals
Essential services to children and adults with disabilities, older adults, veterans, and their families.
www.easterseals.com ↗St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Families never receive a bill for treatment, travel, housing, or food.
www.stjude.org ↗
How to support
The easiest way is to buy the book.
A dollar from every copy of Honoring Their Wishesflows into the Adair Gellman & Vincent Bartone Endowment. Direct-giving options will appear here once the endowment is fully operational.
See where to buy the book →