The mission of The Lori Fund is to support the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, along with other veteran groups who have sacrificed so much for our country.

$1.325M Donated in 5 Years

$1.325M Donated in 5 Years

The Lori Fund is a nonprofit organization, all donations to The Lori Fund are donated to the organizations below.

Celebrating Lori’s Life And Giving Back!

When Lori Sullivan passed away from a heart attack on April 11, 2019, the shining light went out in Frank Petruno’s life. Understandably, he was devastatedat losing his cherished wife. That light, however, wasn’t completely extinguished. It flickered. As Frank grieved, his world was newly illuminated by an idea of how to remember Lori in a special way.

“My life changed overnight,” said Petruno. “I lost my best friend, my balance, my person. I needed to keep Lori’s legacy of love and kindness alive. We were a military family; our son was an Army Ranger and now a Captain in the Green Berets. He has done numerous tours overseas throughout the Middle East. During each deployment I watched Lori bake and shop, to put together care packages and worry about his safety. Luckily, he returned home safely all seven times. Amid his grief and his family’s strong military connection, Frank Petruno snapped into action. He and Lori had been residents of the Hammock Beach community in Palm Coast, FL for six years. Enlisting the aid of their many friends there, Frank created a charity golf tournament at the Troon managed, Jack Nicklaus designed, Ocean Course at Hammock Beach.  The event would keep Lori’s memory burning bright and also benefit the Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF), a non-profit organization that provides fully funded education and other benefits to the surviving children of fallen Special Operations personnel, as well as for the children of all Medal of Honor recipients. SOWF also provides financial assistance to severely wounded Special Operations personnel.

“What better way to honor Lori, support our military and those who aren’t as lucky?” asked Petruno. “I started the Lori Fund to support the Special Operations Warrior Foundation and other military groups who sacrificed for our country. Taking my personal tragedy and helping others has been instrumental in my healing process.” The Lori Fund supporters gathered at Hammock Beach Resort on September 30, 2021 to present a generous check of $50,000 to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. This is in addition to the $100,000 that we donated to SOWF at the annual event this past May. A highlight of the 2021 event was a concert on the practice range that featured Pryor Baird and Kaleb Lee, contestants on the NBC-TV show, “The Voice,” funded by boutique women’s clothing company By Alexa Rae, a sponsoring partner with The Lori Fund. Add in an awards ceremony banquet at the Hammock Beach clubhouse, where speakers include Gold Star families, retired military brass, and U.S. Congressmen, and The Lori Fund event has it all — entertainment, patriotism, and charity. A silent auction at the dinner raised more than $80,000, thanks to donated items such as golf rounds at Winged Foot, Butler National, and Michael Jordan’s new Grove XXIII.

The Lori Fund Weekend will take place at Hammock Beach Resort on May 20th and May 21st. The event will be enhanced entertainment and more players, necessitating the use of Hammock Beach’s second course, the Tom Watson designed Conservatory. We will kick off the weekend with dinner and an open bar at the South Tower on Friday night May 20th starting at 6 pm. Golf will take place May 21st starting at 9:00am, followed by the concert on the driving range that night at 6 pm. “We have zero overhead expenses at The Lori Fund,” said Petruno, “so all monies raised go directly to helping the families of our fallen Special Warriors. In less than two-and-a-half years, The Lori Fund will have donated over $365,000 to Special Operations Warrior Foundations and other military groups. I know how proud Lori is of all of us!”  

Please visit www.thelorifund.com to donate and help support the children of our fallen heroes who defend our freedom.

View the Article