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Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America
By Mary Miller, AVVA President
I hope everyone will be able to come to Greenville, S.C., for VVA’s National
Leadership Conference and AVVA’s fifth Biennial Meeting. Since the beginning,
we have made great strides in helping veterans and their families. We have had
our meetings in Buffalo, N.Y.; Tucson; Nashville; Tucson again; and now we will
gather in Greenville.
Our Biennial Meeting will begin with a round-robin discussion,
followed by reports. On Thursday morning, the meeting will
reconvene, with reports and the election of officers and
Regional Directors. Our AVVA luncheon
will be held after the elections.
Thursday afternoon will be open to discussions about several
programs that are being looked into for AVVA. Friday morning
the new board will have its first meeting. On Saturday, we
will have our closing ceremonies, and that night will be
VVA’s Awards Banquet and 30th Anniversary celebrations.
One of our two Project Friendships is the Wounded Warrior
Project. One thing they do is provide backpacks with necessary
items when wounded military are flown to German hospitals.
The backpacks contain clothing such as sweats, t-shirts,
socks, and hygienic items. Each backpack costs approximately
$95.
Safe Harbor is our local Project Friendship. It helps
women and children in need. Our luncheon keynote speaker
will be Ret. Navy Capt. Tom Hovland, former interim executive
director of Safe Harbor.
The National Foundation for Veterans
and Families held its first election on April 11. Here are
the results: Mary Yeomans, Chair; Patsy Varnell, Vice Chair;
Kathy Andras, Treasurer; Nancy Switzer, Secretary. Additional
board members are: Felicia Catapano, Penny Meinhardt, and
Gregory Hamilton, Special Adviser.
There soon should be a link on the AVVA website for the Foundation.
See you in Greenville. VVA/AVVA Together Always
Kathy Andras, AVVA Elections Chair
If you feel that you can make a difference in AVVA, submit
you candidate’s form before June 16. That is also the
date for delegates to submit their state forms. Don’t
let your state lose its vote. Don’t sit on the
sidelines. Step up; get involved. Remember: We do not accept
candidates’ or delegates’ registration forms
at the Biennial Meeting. Submit them now.
Judy Bolio, Fellowship Award Committee Chair
The Fellowship Award Committee has had only one nomination
this year. The deadline for nominations is June 15. The Fellowship
Award is presented each year to people who volunteer, work
with the homeless, work with veterans and their families,
and with their chapters, state organizations, and communities.
The nominees are the people who either work behind the scenes
or are right there in the open but take no credit. Give credit
where credit is due and nominate, nominate, nominate.
Nancy Nix, Region 3 Director
Fundraising in Greenville during the Leadership Conference
will be the best ever. We’ll start on Tuesday with
the Chapter 523 Golf Game from about 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.,
with prizes for a hole in one and special prizes for two
in a row. AVVA will have tables at the Vendors Mall with
jewelry and other things for sale. We’ll also use the
tables for a Silent Auction. Anyone who would like to donate
to the Silent Auction will find the tables staffed at all
times.
We’ll be selling raffle tickets for a Deluxe
Olhausen Billiards set, including four McDermott handcrafted
cues, an eight-ball wood rack, BCA Rule Book, a complete
set of Aramith Billiard Balls, and a hand-crafted case. The
set is worth $1,500. Tickets are $5.
Kathy Andras, AVVA Scholarship Chair
Do you know someone who needs money for college? Go to www.avva.org
and read the qualifications for the AVVA Better Chance Scholarship.
If you know someone or if you qualify, submit your paperwork
before it is too late.
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2008, Vietnam Veterans of America. All Rights Reserved. 8605 Cameron
Street, Silver Spring, MD 20910