Recently, Yankees outfielder Johnny Damon and William Barthman Jewelers hosted a charity event to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP).

“Mr. Steinbrenner and the Yankees Organization have been very supportive of the WWP for many years,” said Al Giordano, Deputy Executive Director of WWP.

William Barthman Jewelers is the official jeweler of the Yankees and one of the oldest merchants in New York, opening its doors in 1884.

Almost 100 years later, Jerry Natkin took over the store in 1983, leaving the name intact. Building on Barthman’s reputation for quality merchandise, Natkin expanded its inventory to include prestigious watches, like Rolex, Baume & Mercier, Omega and Cartier, plus designer jewelry by David Yurman, Damiani, Chimento, Judith Ripka, Bulgari and Chopard.

Mr. Natkin brought his jewelry store to Brooklyn in 1998, right here on Kings Highway, where it caters to our community. The original store, in Manhattan’s Financial District, moved to a much larger space next door to the original location, at 176 Broadway, in November 2006.

Barthman Jewelers was proud to host the charity event in their beautiful store, in Manhattan, and they were happy to give 10% of all their jewelry sales that night to WWP. The night began with drinks and delicious appetizers by Ouri’s Catering. Everyone was thrilled to be supporting such a good cause, including Mr. Natkin.

“Whether or not you support the war,” he said, “you must support the soldiers. They are out there protecting our freedom so we can be here, throwing parties like this one. Everyone should make a donation to WWP. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Democrat or a Republican, whether you believe in the war or are against it. The soldiers are there, getting wounded and we must help.”

WWP is a not-for-profit organization aimed at assisting those men and women of the US Armed Forces who have been severely injured during the war on terrorism in Iraq, Afghanistan and other dangerous locations around the world. More than 22,000 troops have been injured in recent conflicts, many of them suffering traumatic brain injuries, amputations and severe burns.

Beginning at the bedside of the wounded, WWP provides services designed to ease the burdens of these heroes and their families, aid in the recovery process and smooth the transition back to civilian life.

WWP brings a message of hope, assuring our soldiers that America has not forgotten their sacrifices. It provides guidance about government benefits available to the injured and helps them navigate the awkward transitions between agencies; subsidize necessities for wounded service members and their families during rehabilitation, including housing, food, childcare and transportation. It gives injured soldiers a voice in local and national issues. With the WWP’s help, the Wounded Warrior Bill was passed, giving severely injured service members a one-time insurance benefit of up to $100,000 to help their families during the days immediately following their injury.

The aftermath of a severe injury is measured in years. The WWP Disabled Sports Project involves healing veterans in adaptive sports programs and helps them develop new opportunities for recreation and rehabilitation. And through outdoor activities like fishing and boating, the program provides lifelong lessons and hobbies that wounded warriors can enjoy without special equipment or ongoing training.

Those involved in WWP need help to continue their noble work. Johnny Damon was happy to lend a hand. His father, Jimmy Damon, was a career Army NCO and Vietnam Veteran, who instilled in his son a profound respect for the US military.
“I have deep gratitude for the men and women that have been severely wounded while fighting for our freedoms and way of life,” said Damon. To show his commitment he posed for pictures and helped auction off Yankees memorabilia.

Also on hand were fellow Yankees Mariano Rivera and Chien-Ming Wang. The event featured a silent auction, with 100% of the proceeds being donated to WWP. Items that were auctioned included signed Yankee memorabilia watches by Rolex, Cartier, Montblanc and jewelry by David Yurman, Judith Ripka, Chopard and Charriol.

If you'd like to help, visit www.woundedwarriorproject.org.