Cow Harbor Warriors Agree to Have Finances Audited

Northport veteran's charity group the Cow Harbor Warriors agreed to provide a full accounting of their books to Town and Village officials Wednesday amid accusations that the group has not been transparent with their finances.

The group has been under fire from the Northport American Legion since January for prolonging a donation to their national parent organization, The Wounded Warrior Project, and refusing to provide detailed bank statements, checks, and invoices.

"As a result and in an effort to finally put the matter of our finances to rest, the CHW has made the decision to have our 2012 financials audited and made available to the public," said CHW Founder and President Rocco Donnino.

CHW raised $164,539 from their Wounded Warrior Weekend event held in Northport last year, said Donnino, with $82,047 netted after costs.

Related: September Tribute to Honor Wounded Veterans Planned [VIDEO] l July 3 Declared 'Wounded Warriors Day' in Northport l Photos: Crab Meadow Comes Alive For Warrior Run

John Cooney, spokesperson for The American Legion, questioned why the CHW waited six months before donating the proceeds to the Wounded Warrior Project:

"First they said $50,000 had gone, then they retracted that and said it was allocated, then it became a van, then it became a van and cash equaling $50,000, and now it's $82,000 that they just sent. It's been about seven different changing stories."

Donnino said his organization had been working to obtain a customized wheelchair accessible van at a price that would allow the remaining $50k to be donated as cash. Most of the delay, he said, was due to the approval processes within the WWP and a joint effort researching the best way to purchase the van.

"We were not sitting on it. We were working with the Wounded Warrior Project on a van donation since December, that is documented," said Donnino.

Initially, the Cow Harbor Warriors planned to keep $30k as seed money for their 2013 event and donate $50k to the WWP. The group decided to scrap the van and make an $82,047 cash donation in March after they were contacted by the Wounded Warrior Project, said Donnino.

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Donnino said the WWP had seen a Newsday article in which he said his organization would donate 50 percent of their 2013 event proceeds to local causes:

"The WWP said that we told everyone in 2012 that the proceeds would benefit the WWP and that it wouldn't be right to keep those funds into 2013 if we were going to be working with others as well."

The CHW agreed in March to donate 50 percent of proceeds from this year's event to local charities after facing criticism from the American Legion. Cooney compared it to donating money to a Hurricane Sandy relief effort in Long Beach and finding out that all the money went to national recovery.

"Our initial inquiry was why did no funds go locally especially since the Northport VA golf course was used," he said. "When the Cow Harbor Warriors said that they had always intended to give the money to a national program, the Legion chalked it up to a misunderstanding."

The CHW did give $1,000 to the Northport VA, donations to the Lt. James Byler home rebuilding project, and $1,000 to the Sons of the American Legion.

This year, CHW plans to divide 50 percent of their proceeds between Heroes for Hunger, Canine Companions, Building Homes for Heroes, and discretionary local causes.

They have not yet received permission from the village to hold their 2013 Warrior Weekend event, however, as Mayor George Doll said he is waiting for the CHW to reach a resolution with the American Legion.

"I have the highest respect for those legionnaires and if they indicate that there's something wrong I listen to them," said Doll.

Permits for the 2013 Cow Harbor Wounded Warriors Weekend event are expected to come up for vote at the April 2 Northport Board of Trustees meeting.

Correspondence between the Cow Harbor Warriors, The Town of Huntington Veterans Council, and the Northport American Legion is attached.

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