To participate visit www.wyattswalk2022.eventbrite.com

Photos courtesy Shannon Catalano
Wyatt in his uniform.

By Robert Airoldi

Robert Airoldi

The Wyatt’s Walk 2022 fundraiser organizers had to make a quick change caused by COVID. For public safety, it is no longer an in-person community event held Nov. 6 at the Gilroy Sports Park but a virtual one.

Organizers encourage people to privately — with friends and family — find a location to take a stroll, ride their bikes or run. Bring children, strollers, dogs, or do it solo to join the mastocytosis warriors.

Wyatt, who turned 8 on Halloween, was born with a rare disease, diffuse cutaneous mastocytosis, that causes his body to produce too many mast cells. There’s a need for research, education, advocacy and resources. That’s why the boy’s family started the 5K walk/run in his name to help fund pediatric mastocytosis research through the nonprofit Mast Cell Disease Society.

“When my son was born with this rare disease, our family decided we had to do something,” said Wyatt’s mother, Shannon Catalano.

To participate visit www.wyattswalk2022.eventbrite.com

Al Alciati

Congratulations go to Al Alciati for a well-deserved honor. The local veteran was recently appointed aide-de-camp to VFW National Commander in Chief Tim Borland.

He recently received the honor because of his “outstanding service to the local p and the California VFW state-wide organization, going above and beyond the call of duty.”

Alciati, 73, served as commander of the VFW John A. Berri Post #6309 from 2018-2021. He also happens to be the second cousin of Berri, for whom the Gilroy VFW Post was named. Berri was the first veteran from Gilroy to give his life in defense of our country in World War II.

“It was an honor to lead the local VFW, especially the John A. Berri Post,” Alciati said.

A Morgan Hill resident, Alciati served in the U.S. Navy during Vietnam where he worked as an illustrator/draftsman for the Integrated Operational Intelligence Center.

He and his wife, Sharon, have two sons and he enjoys hot rods and golfing when he’s not serving the community.

Thank you, Al, for your dedication to democracy over the decades.