BAY RIDGE — The 2024 Patriotism Award Luncheon celebrated individuals and organizations that have supported veterans’ issues at the Bay Ridge Manor on the afternoon of Nov. 10. 

Award recipients included Vietnam veterans Frank Fazzio and Frank Naccarato, Gold Star Mother Emily Toro and the 715th Veterans Association, a not-for-profit federally recognized veterans membership organization.   

“This is something I am extremely proud of,” Naccarato said, upon receiving his award. “Freedom is something that’s very fragile; it’s something that has to be worked at, protected and defended. Once it’s lost, you never get it back. We want future generations to leave this place a better world than we found it.” 

Fazzio noted that his award is “payback to everyone for the goodness I had in my life. And I will continue to keep going until I can’t anymore,” he said.    

Toro said she was humbled and honored to receive her award and said “everything I do I do for my son, and I will never forget him.”