Celebrate 60th Anniversary

Gerard Kelly, deputy executive director of the Queens-based Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association (EPVA), received a 30-year service award from the organization last month.

At EPVA, Kelly’s duties include overseeing growth in programs, staff, and the budget of the organization. In 1971, when he joined, EPVA had a budget of approximately $200,000 and a staff of five employees. Today, the association has 160 employees and a program budget in excess of $21 million.

Kelly is a United States Army veteran. While serving in the Republic of Korea, he became paraplegic as the result of a failed operation that was suppose to correct neurological problems.