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CALLING ALL MEMBERS
We are planning to start doing
some fund raising and chapter promotion by selling our clovers at various
retail/grocery stores in the Sacramento Valley area.
The VVA500 Board has decided to make January the month in
which we will ask for donations for our programs by selling
our clovers. We need member help in doing this.
Days we will be selling will be on the Saturdays in January,
7, 14, 21, 28 from 10AM to 5PM. What days and for how long will you be
able to help? After we receive your responses, we will
try to schedule your time at a store as near to where you
live as possible. If you didn't sign up at the last
meeting, Please e-mail
vva500@sbcglobal.net
or call the office 916-481-6020 with the times and days you
can help.
VETERANS OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ACT OF
2011
While all of the details are not available
yet, this might be good news for "some" Vietnam Veterans and
original Gulf War Veterans who are looking for work or in
need of training for a new career.
The Act: "Directs the Secretary of Labor ,
from January1, 2012 to March 31, 2014, to provide for
monthly payments, through the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
(VA) of up to 12 months of retraining assistance, except as
specified, to certain veterans from 35-60 years of age
applying by October 1, 2013, who (1) were last discharged
from Armed Forces active duty service with an honorable
discharge, (2) have been unemployed for a designated period
of time, and (3) are ineligible for specified veterans'
benefit educational assistance. "
We will update when detailed information comes out.
REMEMBERING
"To be killed in
war is not the worst that can happen. To be lost is
not the worst that can happen. To be forgotten, is the
worst.
Pierre Claeyssens - 1909-2003
►►Remember! - December 7, 1941. Japanese planes
attacked the United State Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
Territory, killing more than 2,300 Americans. The
U.S.S. Arizona was completely destroyed and the U.S.S.
Oklahoma capsized, along with more ships beached, and
damaged, and more than 160 aircraft destroyed and 150 others
damaged.
►►Wreaths Across America - Across
the nation, wreaths will be laid simultaneously inon the
graves of service men and women resting in 600 locations.
You can participate in the ceremony at 9:00AM at
the Sacramento Valley VA National Cemetery located in Dixon.
Take the Midway exit off I-80 and go left.
►►Remember those still serving! Deadline
for most APO/FPO, (first class only) is December 10 for
Christmas delivery. To late for anything less
expensive. |
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VVA500 HALL SCHEDULE
►►Office hours are: Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri. 10-4PM
Wednesdays - Closed until counseling begins again
►►Every other Tuesday - 1:30-5:30PM - Bruce Jackson, Sac County
Veterans Representative available to file claims, provide information re:
claims and other benefits. (Best to call the office and make an
appointment).
The Hall is open for computer
use, TV, games, movies, conversation, exercise, etc. Drop in during open hours
to visit with each other. You can also use it as a meeting place for each
other or others that you need to meet with.
VVA500 SPEAKERS BUREAU
Article by Member Richard Fuller
As a very active Substitute
Teacher in three local school districts, I can attest to the VERY active
interest that current school children have in our experiences in, over, and
offshore of Vietnam. Whenever the subject comes up in class, the kids
frequently ask for war stories!
And, as a former member of the Vietnam Veterans of
Diablo Valley, headquartered in Danville, I recall with GREAT pleasure being
a member of their Speakers Bureau, which has made presentations to 30,000
students and community groups over the years. They have even been
commended by local and even State-level politicians.
Finally, I DO know that VVA500 has periodically
made presentations to schools and other organizations. But are we ready for
a full-time, on-going VVA500 Speakers Bureau?
No experience in public speaking is necessary, but it
might be helpful. No need for uniforms that fit, but it might be
appropriate if we wear at least some of our Vietnam regalia.
Are we ready to organize, develop presentation
guidelines, communicate with school districts and other organizations, get
publicity in local newspapers, and then use our POV to drive to speech
sites, most likely during the daytime during the work week?
The Danville group usually has 2-4 presenters each
time, with different kinds of experiences to share.
Remember, there are NO World War I Veterans, and the
number of WWII Veterans is declining every day. Should we VVA500
Veterans just steal away into the night, or should we share our stories
first?
If you are sincerely interested in making a commitment,
please e-mail me at mrmap@earthlink.net.
Thanks, Richard Fuller
Chapter note: Those who signed up at the last meeting to
participate in the Speakers Bureau will need to contact Richard again, as
someone escaped with the sign-up sheet. If you don't have e-mail call the
office with your for Richard.
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