Operation Open Arms of Southwest Florida

By MEGHAN McCOY (mmccoy@breezenewspapers.com) , Cape Coral Daily Breeze

Thanks to a St. James City woman, her best friend of 16 years was recently treated to a fun-filled day while home on leave.

Due to a letter Kory Herrin, a petty officer with the United States Coast Guard Reserve, sent to Operation Open Arms, Michael Wayne Moore received a special treat during his five-day leave here on the island. He arrived home Dec. 11.

“U.S. Marine Michael Moore was the 2,300th U.S. serviceman to visit Southwest Florida since 2005,” Operation Open Arms Founder Capt. John “GiddyUp” Bunch said this week.

Moore, who joined the United States Marine Corps in 2006, is a native Pine Islander. He is currently serving as a Marine Security Guard for the United States Embassy in Moscow, Russia. He has also served in Japan, Iraq, Belgrade, Serbia and Conakry, Guinea.

In a letter sent to Bunch, Herrin said, “This career is very demanding and does not allow him to return home or receive leave very often. Sgt. Moore was due to return home last year on leave, but two weeks before his flight home, his relief did not clear security, so, in turn, Sgt. Moore was not granted his time off.”

Although Moore’s family now lives in Orlando, Herrin said he does not think of home until he crosses the bridge and looks out and sees Matlacha Pass.

She said the only thing Moore wanted to do while he was in town was eat American food and go to the beach. While in town, he had dinner at Sandy Hook, an aerial tour of the island and limo services.

“Michael Moore, like the 703 U.S. Marines before him, had a very short list of wishes. Thanks to great OOA partners like the Sandy Hook, Affordable Limo Service of Cape Coral, Paragon Aviation and the Matlacha Hookers, young Moore returned to Russia a very happy U.S. Marine,” Bunch said.

Herrin said when she asked Moore what his favorite part was, he said, “The mahi mahi at Sandy Hook was to die for, the aerial tour was amazing and the limo and driver were so upscale that he felt like royalty.”

Herrin said she would like to say a big thank you to Nichole at Sandy Hook, Tim Kingfisher for the aerial tour and Mr. Orlando for his limo to and from Dixie Road House.

“Mike and I have been best friends for just over 16 years, he is one of my heroes and I thank you from the bottom of my heart with treating him like the American hero that he is,” Herrin wrote to Bunch.

Bunch said it has always been his belief that great charities look for reasons to approve benefits and not reasons to deny them.

“This is probably why Operation Open Arms was selected as the first Pine Island charity to be named Best Charitable Organization in Fort Myers for 2011-2012,” he said.

Bunch said OOA has extended every possible act of tangible kindness to all branches of the military to include limo service, lodging, great meals at fine restaurants, chartered fishing trips, free PTSD mental health counseling and, of course, the amazing achievement of 99 free full-service weddings.

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9/12/12 By MEGHAN McCOY (mmccoy@breezenewspapers.com), Pine Island Eagle

A Pine Island and Cape Coral resident were treated to a special surgery free of charge last month as a thank you for what they have done for their country.

Every year, Collins Vision of Fort Myers does a program called Giving Eyes, which this year focused on the men and women who have either served in the military or are currently in the service.

Travis Downes of Pine Island and Brett Pezzella of Cape Coral were the two recipients to receive advanced surface ablation eye surgery, worth $3,900, for free.

“No way I could have afforded it on my own  just a blessing,” Downes said. “I was fortunate I got picked.”

In 2000, he joined the Army and served for six years until 2006. Downes said he wanted to join the Army because of his family history, along with wanting the experience.

The marketing director of Collins Vision contacted Operation Open Arms because she knew it was a local charity that was also reaching out to the same people. Between OOA Founder Captain John “GiddyUp” Bunch getting the word out to people he knew, as well as through other advertised ways, applications and letters from friends and family were sent to Collins Vision to be considered for the free surgery.

Each member of the office chose his or her top two candidates for the procedure, which eventually dwindled down to the top two.

Bunch said he sent in the justification for Downes.

“I did so because if it wasn’t for Travis asking me to take him fishing back in 2005, the concept of Operation Open Arms wouldn’t have been there,” he said.

Downes said he was at lunch with his mom at Waterfront when he met Bunch. The next thing he knew Bunch took him and his father out on the boat free of charge so they could enjoy a day of fishing. He explained the gesture as “kindness out of his own heart.”

“I can’t thank him enough,” Downes said. “I will forever be in debt to him for all he has done.”

He said he hopes to see OOA continue, which can only be done by individuals donating to the cause. Downes encourages individuals to visit the website operationopenarms.org for more information.

One of the reasons Collins Vision chose advanced surface ablation, a blade-free surgery, as the procedure of choice is because it is the only laser approved eye surgery by most of the military branches because nothing happens at different altitudes or pressures, making it safe for the men and women.

Bunch said this is the first time OOA has played a helping hand in fixing U.S. troops eyes.

“Things we have done outside of our mission statement to me defines what a great charity is,” he said.

OOA mission statement is “to provide U.S. Service men and women visiting Southwest Florida every conceivable benefit during their two week combat leave or return from a foreign duty station.”

The Florida native and Pine Island resident since he was a young boy, wore glasses for 20 years before he had the operation on Aug. 17, which took only 5 minutes to complete. Downes said the first week was the hardest in terms of recovery because of light sensitivity and irritation of the eyes.

“I can see a big difference for sure,” he said about his vision.

Although he was nervous about the procedure, he said it was well worth it because of the clarity he can now see.

Downes said Dr. Collins is one of the best in the area, adding that he would recommend him to anybody.

“A real good guy,” he said.