Customers, employees, and family at Coakley Ace and Carpet One, raised $2,000 in donations for the family of Aaron Howell of Parishville. Aaron is recovering from major combat wounds including the loss of both legs at the Walter Reed Armed Forces Medical Center in Washington, DC. Both Coakleys and Evans and White Ace Hardware have been raising funds for the family to help defray transportation and other costs incurred by Aaron and the family. Tom Coakley, recently retired from St. Lawrence University, represented the family business, presenting a check to David Howell, Aaron’s father. Tom and his wife Nellie share the Walter Reed experience with Aaron, where Tom recovered from the loss of his left leg from wounds received in Vietnam, and Nellie served as the head nurse of the Enlisted Amputee Ward after serving her own tour of duty in Vietnam. Today Tom works with various amputee organizations and Nellie continues to serve veterans as a war trauma counselor.