|
VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA CHAPTER NEW JERSEY 899 NEWSLETTER SUMMER 2010 “Welcome
Home” All Vietnam Veterans know the power of those two words. Chapter 899 of the Vietnam Veterans of America invites all
veterans, their families and members of the general public to join us in our efforts to support veterans of all wars and conflicts. Our current mission is to live up to our national motto (below) by supporting our troops in harms way. When they go to war we offer support and comradeship as they depart from Ft. Dix and when they come home, we are there to shake hands and say thanks for a “Job Well Done”. In addition, we
spend several hours each week visiting our wounded soldiers. While they are far away from their families, we entertain their children by sponsoring the “Hearts Apart” programs on base and give gift certificates for food at the Post Exchange, along with phone cards during the Holidays. Our chapter awards scholarships to local students and offers help to veterans filing VA claims. We are a pro-active Veterans Service Organization, looking out for veterans and their families. If you would like to become a part of our growing non-profit, charitable organization or make a tax-free donation to help support our efforts,The Chapter meets the 4th Saturday of each month at 1 PM at the Senior/Community Center next to the Bordentown Township Town Hall. Please call, email, or write to:www.vva899.org Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter NJ 899 P.O. Box 263 Bordentown, NJ 08505 609-947-3726 ‘NEVER
AGAIN WILL ONE GENERATION OF VETERANS ABANDON ANOTHER’
.
Vietnam Veterans of America N.J. Chapter 899 P.O. Box 263 Bordentown,
N.J. 08505
Vietnam Veterans of AmericaN.J. Chapter 899P.O.
Box 263Bordentown, N.J. 08505 CHAPTER
REPORT JUNE 27, 2010
May 16, 2010 A
car show was held at a local restaurant and the sponsoring car club donated half of their proceeds to our chapter. We also
received additional donations from those attending. The Chapter presented the club with a plaque to show
our appreciation. May 22, 2010
Bishop Barbara Davis gave a speech at our monthly meeting about her work with the homeless veterans in Mt. Holly.
Chapter 899 gave her a donation of $100 and she also received many individual donations from Chapter members for her
dedication and worthwhile work. May 27, 2010 Delran High School had a Veterans Day and several Chapter 899 members
attended. They answered questions and spoke to the seniors who expressed genuine interest and concern to
hear about their experiences in the war. The students also put on a dinner for the veterans. Later, many of them wrote “touching” thank you
letters. May 30 & 31, 2010 We had two successful poppy drives at Wal-Mart, Lumberton which
raised money for our Chapter. June 7, 2010 The Mission of Honor meeting was sponsored by Chapter 899.
Chairman Fran Carrasco, Judy Kapp and well as Vice-Chairman Ron Hathaway conducted the meeting. The
attendance at these meetings is increasing as publicity about the MOH is becoming more wide-spread. The
new members were instructed as how to best work with the funeral directors as well as other details of this endeavor. June 24 –
June 27, 2010 The Fountain of Life Center, Florence, NJ sponsored the American
Veterans Tribute with the traveling “Vietnam Wall” on display. Chapter 899
Honor Guard was part of the opening day and closing day ceremonies. Other Chapter members
also volunteered for various duties. The Center honored veterans organizations,
Law Enforcement , Active Duty Military personnel and their families as well as other many other groups. Their mission was
to provide the community an opportunity to “Pay Respect” to our heroes. Chapter 899 donated $200. to the Bordentown Twp. Senior Citizens
organization to help in their project to purchase new chairs for the center. The center is used for all
our Chapter and Mission of Honor meetings and other Chapter events. SPECIAL
NOTE: Since our last chapter report dated April 25, 2010, Chapter 899 members have been at
Ft. Dix/Maguire for both incoming and Outgoing Flights of Soldiers either going to or returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.Of the Incoming Flights, Chapter 899 members greeted, and
Welcomed Home 1284 soldiers.Of the Outgoing
Flights, Chapter 899 members shook hands with 941 soldiers. SPECIAL NOTE: APRIL 25,2010, Since our last chapter report dated October 11, 2009, Chapter 899
members have been at Ft. Dix/Maguire for both Incoming and Outgoing Flights of Soldiers either going to or returning from
Iraq and Afghanistan. Of these Incoming flights, Chapter 899 members greeted, shook hands, and
“Welcomed Home” 5,752 soldiers.Of the Outbound Flights, Chapter 899 members shook hands with 1,781 soldiers.. .. TREASURES NOTES: JULY 2010
. WE CONTINUE TO THANK OUR SUPPORTERS THAT HAVE SUPPORTED OUR EFFORTS AT FORT DIX’S WTU. THANK
YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED GENOROSITY AND SUPPORT.VERY
IMPORTANT NOTE:PLEASE
NOTIFY OUR CHAPLAIN JERRY SKORCH 856-810-2568 OR ANY OFFICER IF YOU KNOW ANY MEMBER THAT IS IN THE HOSPITAL, RECOVERING FROM ILLNESS AT HOME, OR IN NEED OF HELP.THE CHAPTER MEMBERS ARE STILL GOING TO BRAVO CO
ATFORT DIX TO WELCOME HOME ALL OF THE SOLDIERS RETURNING FROM THEATER ON DEMOB AND FREEDOM FLIGHTS NO MATTER WHAT TIME THEY ARRIVE AND ALSO THE MEMBERS CONTINUE TO GO TO MCGUIRE TO SEE THE TROOPS OFF AS THEY DEPART FOR THEATER. THANKS TO ALL THE MEMBERS WHO HAVE SHOWN THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT IN BEING AT THESE EVENTS.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE MEMBERS THAT HELPED OUT WITH OUR POPPY DRIVES IN MAY, JUNE AND JULY. REMEMBER THAT OUR PICNIC
WILL BE HELD JULY 24TH AT THE SENIOR CENTER. PLEASE GIVE BETTY A CALL TO LET HER KNOW YOU ARE COMING AND THE NUMBER
OF ADULTS AND CHILDERN ATTENDING THIS WAY WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH FOOD AND REMEMBER THAT THE COST IS $5.00 PER PERSON
AND CHILDREN 10 YEARS OR YOUNGER ARE FREE. YOU WILL BE GIVEN TICKETS FOR FOOD AS YOU PAY SO REMEMBER NO TICKETS NO FOOD. THANK YOU.
DONALD
MOHR, TREASURER . Chaplains Corner God and the Spider(Author Unknown) During
World War II, a US
marine was separated from his unit on a Pacific island. The fighting had been intense, and in the smoke and the crossfi re
he had lost touch with his comrades. Alone in the jungle, he could hear enemy soldiers coming in his direction. Scrambling
for cover, he found his way up a high ridge to several small caves in the rock. Quickly he crawled inside one of the caves.
Although safe for the moment, he realized that once the enemy soldiers looking for him swept up the ridge, they would quickly
search all the caves and he would be killed. As he waited, he prayed, “Lord, if it be your will, please protect me.
Whatever your will though, I love you and trust you. Amen.” After praying, he lay quietly listening to the enemy begin
to draw close. He thought, “Well, I guess the Lord isn’t going to help me out of this one.” Then he saw
a spider begin to build a web over the front of his cave. As he watched, listening to the enemy searching for him all the
while, the spider layered strand after strand of web across the opening of the cave. “Hah,” he thought. “What
I need is a brick wall and what the Lord has sent me is a spider web. God does have a sense of humor.” As the enemy
drew closer he watched from the darkness of his hideout and could see them searching one cave after another. As they came
to his, he got ready to make his last stand. To his amazement, however, after glancing in the direction of his cave, they
moved on. Suddenly, he realized that with the spider web over the entrance, his cave looked as if no one had entered for quite a while.“Lord, forgive me,” prayed the young man. “I
had forgotten that in you a spider’s web is stronger than a brick wall.” We all face times of great trouble. When
we do, it is so easy to forget what God can work in our lives, sometimes in the most surprising ways. And remember with God, a mere spider’s web becomes a brick wall of protection. ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE
WITH GOD. Chaplain Skorch .
Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 899 Color Guard participated in the memorial services conducted at the Burlington
County Veterans Memorial Park on May 30, 2010. Members of the Color Guard are Donald Mohr, Ron Hathaway,
Lynn Gsell, Dale
Watson, Louie Kocsis and John Lesko, and Wally Noonan played taps. Vietnam Veterans
of America Chapter 899 President Donald Smieszek and Robert Lecato layed a Wreath at the Burlington County
Veterans Memorial Park. June 24th through June 27th the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 899, Color Guard participated
in the Opening ceremony on June 25th of the American Veterans Traveling Tribute Wall and again at the
closing ceremony on Sunday June 27, 2010. Members of Chapter 899 were also on hand to provide overnight security
for the wall on June 24, 25, and 26. Thank you Donald Smieszek, Lynn Gsell, Tony Laudicina, Louie
Kocsis, Donald Mohr, Freddie Watson, for security duty and all of the members of the Color Guard for making this a successful
event. Thanks to Bill West, Mo, and all the bikers for their escort of the wall on June 24th from the
Burlington Mall to the Fountain of Life and the ride bye on Sunday. A very special THANK YOU TO THE FOUNTAIN OF
LIFE CENTER AND PASTOR PAT MILLER FOR BRINGING THE WALL TO FLORENCE NJ.
|
