Giving & Getting Back: Advisor Group, American Portfolios

“More than 40 years ago, my wife Kathy was successfully treated at the facility,” shared Curatolo. “So we started raising money and were just honored as one of their top 10 fundraisers over the last 20 years.”

He continued: “Our fundraising has also evolved to create programs that enhance the lives of childhood cancer patients at Roswell. It is greatly satisfying to see the struggles of these patients made a little easier because of our efforts.”

American Portfolios

American Portfolios CEO Lon T. Dolber at Mount Kilimanjaro with World T.E.A.M. adaptive athletes in 2007.

American Portfolios Financial Services CEO Lon T. Dolber has been involved with the World T.E.A.M. (WT) since 2007 and with The Center for Discovery for almost a decade. These experiences have changed him.

“Before WT and The Center, my point of view was not uncommon — prone to noticing differences or limitations of people I encountered,” he said. “I was transformed during a WT event assisting seven adaptive athletes climb Mount Kilimanjaro. As a result, I saw a reflection of myself in them. Everyone touching WT and The Center comes away changed … for the better.”

Dolber presents an award medal to an adaptive athlete from the Center for Discovery at a World T.E.A.M. Adventure Team Challenge closing ceremony.

In addition to donating effort and time, American Portfolios has a five-year commitment to fund Assistive Technology Laboratory, which is run by The Center on its campus in Harris, New York, and makes it possible to develop “cutting-edge technology that will better the lives of physically and developmentally disabled residents at the Center and beyond,” Dolber adds.

Next year, AP will be the presenting sponsor of the WT’s 2019 Face of America Bike Ride, which is a 110-mile cycling challenge from Arlington, Virginia, to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Participants of the ride will include “adaptive” military veterans, meaning individuals who live with the loss of a limb or limbs, paralysis, blindness, post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries.

American Portfolios affiliated financial advisor William Donahue and WWII veteran Charlie Elwertowski in Washington D.C., during an Honor Flight Long Island event.

William Donahue, an affiliated investment professional of American Portfolios based in Holbrook, New York, cherishes the country’s veterans by participating with and being a board member of Honor Flight Long Island, a local chapter of the Honor Flight Network, a non-profit organization that escorts U.S. veterans to Washington, D.C., war memorials free of charge.

After visiting the war memorials, Donahue said, “The veterans are welcomed home by a committee consisting of 500 people, including an honor guard, bagpipers, Girl Scout/Boy Scout Troops and local citizens who are there to show appreciation for their service and sacrifices.”

Donahue has been involved with Honor Flight since 2011. “Being a guardian is an immeasurable feeling; I’ve participated in 18 flights thus far — two each year,” he explained. “Knowing that after an event, each veteran goes to bed having been thanked by people of multiple generations for their brave service to our country is such a great feeling.”

— Check out Investment Advisor magazine’s other Giving & Getting Back stories.

Ginger Szala is executive managing editor of Investment Advisor. She can be reached at [email protected] Janet Levaux is editor-in-chief of Investment Advisor. She can be reached at [email protected]