Local Chapter News and Events

VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA
CHAPTER NEW JERSEY 899
NEWSLETTER WINTER 2011
“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’
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Vietnam Veterans of America
N.J. Chapter 899
P.O. Box 263
Bordentown, N.J. 08505


  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..
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TREASURES NOTES: JULY  2011
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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 23RD AT THE GERMAN AMERICAN CLUB. PLEASE GIVE BETTY A CALL TO LET HER KNOW YOU ARE COMING AND THE NUMBER OF ADULTS AND CHILDERN. REMEMBER THAT THE COST IS $10.00 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
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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
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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.