Fund for military families created

Erin Neff

Thursday, April 24, 2003 | 11:20 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn this morning announced the formation of the Nevada Patriot Fund to assist military families, including those of two Marines killed in action in Iraq.

Lance Cpl. Donald John Cline of Sparks and Lt. Frederick Pokorney Jr. of Tonopah were the main reasons the fund was created.

A number of business leaders pulled together in recent weeks to amass $75,000 in seed money for the fund, which is designed to assist the families of military personnel killed or seriously disabled in action.

The first families expected to receive help from the fund are those of Cline and Pokorney. Cline, 21, was confirmed dead April 13, about three weeks after he was killed March 23 during a battle which claimed nine fellow Marines. He is survived by a wife and two sons in Sparks.

"We certainly know that they need our help," Guinn said of Cline's family in Sparks.

Pokorney was the state's first casualty from the war in Iraq. He died March 23 during fighting near An Nasiriyah. Pokorney, a 1989 Tonopah High School graduate, is survived by a wife and daughter in North Carolina.

Both Pokorney's mother and grandmother died during his youth, and he was taken in by former Nye County Sheriff Wade Lieseke.

"It was Nevada people that stepped up for him," Guinn said of Pokorney, encouraging residents now to contribute to help his surviving family.

The seed money was donated by Harrah's, Jones Vargas, McDonald Carano Wilson, Newmont Mining Corp., SBC Communications, Sierra Pacific Power Co., Station Casinos, Wells Fargo Bank and American Nevada Corp., owned by the Greenspun family, which owns the Las Vegas Sun.

An advisory board, consisting of the governor, lieutenant governor and Nevada's congressional delegation, will oversee the fund.

Those working on the fund include former Lt. Gov. Joe Brown, an attorney in Las Vegas; Jerry Bussell, the state's Homeland Security director; Sylvia Samano of SBC Communications; Greg Ferraro, a Reno-based lobbyist representing numerous gaming and business clients; Perry DiLoreto, a Reno builder; Kirk Clausen, president of Wells Fargo Bank in Nevada; and Pat Shalmy, president and CEO of Nevada Power Co.

Residents wishing to donate to the fund can write a check to Nevada Patriot Fund using account number 6655843909. Donations are tax-deductible. Checks should be sent to: Nevada Patriot Fund, Wells Fargo Bank, 5340 Kietzke Lane, Reno, NV, 89508.