Author: Run for The Wall

Please join us as we present Navy HM3 Randell Leoncio with the keys to his new, specially adapted custom home in Escondido, CA.

DATE: Saturday, August 24, 2024
TIME: Check in begins at 9:30 a.m., Ceremony from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
LOCATION: 32520 Mesa Lilac Rd, Escondido, CA 92026

This event will be hosted outdoors under a tent (rain or shine), please dress accordingly. Join us after the ribbon cutting for light refreshments and an opportunity to tour the home.

Volunteers are needed at this event!

This is the last home RFTW supported due to the generous donations from our riders. If you can make this event, your assistance will go a long way to completing this very important mission.

Larry Medcraft is the RFTW focal point.

If you are in So. Cal. please plan to attend this important event to show support for our veterans.

HM3 Nathaniel “Randell” Leoncio

Escondido, CA

Originally from the Philippines, Nathaniel “Randell” Leoncio joined the Navy to serve as a corpsman with the Marines with aspirations to become a firefighter paramedic.

On Oct. 4, 2005, Doc Leoncio was on his first deployment, serving with 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, when his vehicle drove over an improvised explosive device (IED) in Ramadi, Iraq. The explosion flipped the vehicle over, pinning HM3 Leoncio underneath. Fellow HFOT Veteran Corporal Neil Frustaglio, who was riding in the vehicle behind Randell’s, was the first to rush over to help. Cpl Frustaglio rocked the vehicle back and forth so HM3 Leonico could crawl out. Randell lost his leg right leg, but before he was evacuated, he directed the other Marines on how to treat himself and others who were injured. HFOT Veteran Cpl Travis Greene was also serving with HM3 Leoncio at the time of his injury.

Medically retired, Randell is now a prosthetist at Balboa Naval Hospital, where he treats many fellow HFOT Veterans. He would like to take his education further and get his Ph.D. in a related field and get involved more with policy. “I love what I do, helping people like me walk and be active again,” he says.

Receiving a specially adapted custom home from Homes For Our Troops home will enable Randell to progress more easily in his career without the challenges of living in a non-adapted home. In his current residence, Randell often has to hop into the shower because it is too small for his wheelchair, and he has trouble reaching the cabinets in the kitchen. Though he currently manages these obstacles and is mobile within his home, Randell knows it will get more difficult as he ages and risks injuring himself further. “If I ever injured my left leg, I would struggle a lot to even get into our home,” he says.

In his free time, Randell enjoys spending time with his wife, Abreail, a Navy Nurse, and his stepsons. His main hobby is off-roading with his jeep, and he also likes camping, snowboarding, and working on cars.

When Randell moved to the United States at the age of nine, he settled in Southern California. He is choosing to remain in the state and build his HFOT home there to be close to family, healthcare, and his job.

Randell has seen the difference an HFOT home has made in the lives of his patients, enabling them to return to school, pursue careers, and start families. He is grateful to HFOT supporters for providing his fellow injured Veterans with this gift. “I want you all to know that you are making a difference and improving injured Veterans’ lives.”

Welcome Corey Lederer!

The Board of Directors is pleased to welcome Southern Route rider, Patriot Guard rider, and Gold Star family member Corey Lederer to the Board. Corey will be filling our vacant Secretary position. He brings a wealth of experience to the BoD, and we look forward to working with him as we move into the future.

The Board of Directors is looking to fill the position of Secretary.

The Secretary position is a critical, sensitive position with a 3-year commitment that requires certain skills to further the maintenance of administrative tasks and documents, and the Mission of Run for the Wall. We live and work in a hugely electronic environment, so knowledge and familiarity with computers, file/folder structures, etc., is paramount.

The successful candidate will have a background in the use of Microsoft Office products including Word, Excel, and similar tools like Zoom. Knowledge and experience in setting up and maintaining structured electronics records accounts is especially important. The ability to work in an online, collaborative environment is essential, as is having access to reliable internet services.

The bylaws describe the duties of Secretary as follows:  The Secretary shall: (a) record the minutes of the meetings of the members and of the BoD in one (1) or more books provided for that purpose; (b) see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these By-Laws or as required by law; (c) be a custodian of the corporate records and of the seal of the corporation; (d) keep a register of the post office address of each member which shall be furnished to the Secretary by such member; and (e) perform all duties incident to the office of Secretary and such other duties as from time to time may be designated to him/her by the President or by the BoD.

Appointment to the BoD places demands on your free time. We meet a minimum of once a month, often twice. There are occasional emergency online meetings with as little as 5 days’ notice. Occasional travel is required with certain travel expenses reimbursed. In July each year the BoD convenes Face to Face meetings where attendance is paramount. We also meet Face to Face each year in Ontario prior to the Run. You will be required to take and produce detailed minutes of each meeting, publishing minutes for review very soon after the meeting. There are online documents such as a roster of motions by month and topic that must be maintained. Additionally, the person filling this position is not only a Director, but also a corporate officer with certain duties and obligations specific to the corporation.

The successful candidate will submit a resume outlining their particular skills relevant to those listed here, along with a brief description of their Run experience, and the names of three references we may contact. Veterans are also required to submit an SSAN-redacted copy of their DD-214 that shows Character of Service (type of discharge). Once selected, the successful candidate will also have to submit to a Character & Fitness Examination (CFE), essentially a background check at the Board’s expense.

Those wishing to apply should submit their package to Secretary@rftw.us no later than 4 March 2024. Questions can be directed to President@rftw.us.

If you want to serve Run for the Wall, this is an excellent opportunity to impact the future of our organization. We look forward to hearing from you!

Help Run For The Wall Continue The Mission on Giving Tuesday!

Run For The Wall is taking part in the global 24-hour day of fundraising, Giving Tuesday, on Nov. 28, 2023! We hope you will join us to support the Run For The Wall Mission by donating to RFTW.

Share Your Generosity!

Share how you’re giving back on social media with hashtag #GivingTuesday #runforthewall and inspire others!

Run For The Wall® is a certified 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. All donations are tax deductible. Lookup the Run for the Wall® – GuideStar Profile for detailed information on our organization.

No one left behind is more than a standard we all live up to. It is a way of life. It is part of our Mission. If you or someone you know find themselves struggling with their mental health, please know you can contact the VA Veteran’s Crisis Line by dialing 988 then press 1 or text 838255 and speak or chat with a qualified responder.

Let us remember to keep our focus on the Mission. It is why we ride!