The Pennsylvania Wounded Warriors received a $20,207 donation recently from the Schuylkill County Coal Region Music Fest on Aug. 24 at the Schuylkill County Fairgrounds.

LaRae Hlavaty of Lehighton was on hand to receive the donation on behalf of the all-volunteer nonprofit organization that helps veterans from any war and their families when they faced with a financial crisis.

About two dozen bands performed throughout the daylong event, some coming from as far away as Nashville. None of the bands charged, all donating their time and performances.

Plans call for the concert to be a yearly event at the Schuylkill County Fairgrounds, which is in Summit Station.

Hlavaty’s husband, Ron, had been an Army tank commander, Specialist 5th Class of the Armored Division — Old Ironsides, stationed in Fort Hood, Texas, while his brother served in Vietnam.

Ron died in 2020 after suffering anaphylactic shock from a hornet’s sting.

The late Maj. Gen. Gerald Sajer and his wife, Helen, founded Pennsylvania Wounded Warriors in 2006 to support and assist soldiers and their families returning home from deployment in Afghanistan and Iraq.

PAWW has grown tremendously, thanks to the generous support of Pennsylvanians and volunteers like Hlavaty. The criteria for being eligible for the program’s assistance is to be a veteran and/or a veteran’s family in financial crisis.

Veterans must be a Pennsylvania resident for at least 12 months, served for at least a year and received an honorable discharge.

PAWW will also assist veterans to help them recover from physical, mental and emotional disabilities.

If a veteran or veteran’s family meets the requirements, he or she should contact a Department of Veterans Affairs medical center, Hlavaty said.

The music festival was hosted by The Coal Region Brotherhood of Schuylkill Haven and The Abandoned Miners of Cass Township.

Performers included Vince Rollins, Gillian Smith, Cody Ross Smith, Clifton Bryan Country, Zenith, IntoxXxication, Adrenalyn, The Jeremy Edge Project, Hooligan, Nick Trauer Band, JFK, Sadie Hawkins, Phazed, Wreconcile, Looker, Orox, Blank ID, Sterling Kotch, John Frye, Agustus Scott, Jon Stefen, Robert Ressler and Dynamics Department.