DECEMBER 2008 - JANUARY 2009 NEWSLETTER
| VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA, INC. P.O. BOX 6608 TEXARKANA, TX 75505-6608 www.vva278.org
OFFICERS JOIN VVA and AVVA |
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| VVA # 278's NEXT MEETING |
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VVA # 278's next meeting will be Sunday, December 21, 2008 at the American Legion Post at 525 East Broad Street.
The meal will begin at 1:30 pm and will consist of: finger foods, soft drinks and coffee.. We ask all members to bring a snack type food and/or dessert to share. The business session will begin immediately after the meal is finished. Topics to be discussed will include: Veterans' issues updates; Committee reports: Replacement DAV van (local), Fundraising ideas; Upcoming events; Chapter election in April; Membership's plans and goals for VVA # 278; Chapter vests & patches; etc., etc. Remember: Sunday, December 21 at 1:30 pm at the American Legion Post at 525 East Broad Street. We hope to see you there! |
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| VVA # 278's JANUARY MEETING |
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VVA # 278's January's meeting will be held on Sunday, January 18, 2009 at the American Legion Post at 525 East Broad Street. The meal will start at 1:30 pm and will consist of: Mexican type foods, soft drinks and coffee. We ask members to bring a covered dish and/or dessert to share. The business session will start immediately after the meal. Topics to be discussed will include: Veteran's issues updates; Committee reports; Election of TAVC delegates; Upcoming events; etc., etc. Remember: Sunday, January 19 at 1:30 pm at the American Legion Post at 525 East Broad Street. We hope to see you there! |
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| THANKS!!! |
| I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the VVA # 278 members and AVVA members who assisted us with the gunshows and booths this year. We increased our funds a little and passed out a lot of information on VVA, AVVA, POW/MIA, Agent Orange, PTSD, VA claims and programs. Again this year we passed out over 700 VA Benefit booklets, where we placed an SF 180 and a VVA application in each one. A big thanks to Ernest King, Homer Harvin, Robert Row, Freddie Weathers, Bill Brockett, Fisher Plymale, Daniel Fedd, Merle Morris, Donna Carmeli, Larry David, Sarah Behringer, and any others I may have left off. Thanks!!! Thanks to those who supported our fundraising projects!!! Also, a big thanks to those who participated in our programs and services this year, especially those who took over while I was under the weather. A big thanks to Ernest King, Homer Harvin, Don Ruggles, Bill Brockett, Herb & Glenda Davison, Billy Walker, Freddie Weathers, Donna Carmeli, Merle Morris, Stacey Binning, Johnnie Gentry.
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| VVA # 278 CHAPTER ELECTIONS |
| At our April 19 meeting, we will conduct our chapter elections. The positions to be elected are: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and three Directors. We will also elect our delegates to the National Convention, either 2 or 3.
According to the VVA Constitution and chapter by-laws, there are three requirements to be able to run for one of these positions: 1. Must be a member in good standing (Dues paid up & copy of DD 214 on file with chapter). 2.Must sign a letter on intent for the particular position(s), and 3. Must sign an SF 180 to be placed on file with chapter. There are two requirements to be able to vote in this election; 1. Must be a member in good standing (Dues paid & copy of DD 214 on file with chapter), and 2. Must be present, no proxy voting. This is your chapter, please take an active part in it! |
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| VVA #278 MEMBERSHIP |
| As of November 1, 2009, VVA # 278 has 144 members: 63 Life members, 45 annual and/or three year members, and 2 Incarcerated members, with 13 Life AVVA members and 20 annual and/or three year AVVA members. Since last meeting we have gained three new members and we want ot wish them a warm welcome into the VVA # 278 family. They are:
Jimmy M. Roberts, Shirley King, and Lenita Weathers. WELCOME ABOARD & WELCOME HOME!!
Shirley and Lenita joined as AVVA Life members, and Ann Walker renewed as a Life AVVA member. Congratulations & Thanks!!! Since the beginning of the year we have had five members who haven't renewed. We would like to encourage them to come back into the VVA # 278 family! These five are: Mickey Wood, Michael White, Sidney Cooper, Larry Joe Edington, and Edward Schanefish. We want you, we need you!! And sadly, since the first of the year we have had four members pass away: Samuel Hannah, Paul Fisher, John Carmeli and Charlie M. Jones. We will always remember them! Join VVA & AVVA. |
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| VVA TEXAS STATE COUNCIL MEETING (TSC) |
| February 20-22, 2009 TSC meeting to be held in Tyler, hosted by VVA # 932.
Next meeting to be held in Houston, June 5, 6, & 7, 2009 hosted by VVA #353. February 2010 meeting to be hosted by VVA # 1000 in Killeen. June 2010 meeting to be hosted by VVA # 137 in Dallas. |
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| PRISONERS OF WAR/MISSING IN ACTION - POW/MIA |
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As of November 18, 2008, according to the National League of Families, there are still 1746 Americans unaccounted for from the Vietnam War, 1339 in Vietnam (North-479; South-860), 343 in Laos, 57 in Cambodia, and 7 in China. 20 from Arkansas, 24 from Louisiana, 36 from Oklahoma, and 113 from Texas. 572 are Air Force, 558 are Army, 213 are Marines, 369 are Navy and 34 are civilians. We will never forget!
There are 3349 Americans unaccounted for from World War I. There are approximately 78,629 Americans unaccounted for from World War II. There are 8133 Americans unaccounted for from the Korean War. There are 120 Americans unaccounted for from the Cold War. There is one American unaccounted for from the 1st Iraqi War (Desert Storm). There is one American unaccounted for from the ongoing Iraqi Freedom War. WE WILL NEVER FORGET!! |
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| VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA'S NATIONAL CONVENTION |
| Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc will hold its National Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, at the Galt House Hotel & Suites from July 27 through August 2, 2009. More information as it comes in. |
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| NEWS & VIEWS |
| We are going to give everyone one more chance, if your address label on the front has a red mark on it, this will be your last newsletter unless we hear from you as soon as possible, within the next month. We want to get this information out to as many as possible as cost effectively as possible, but we know that many move and don't let us know, or their address changes and they don't inform us, or they may even pass away without us knowing. Therefore, if you have a red mark on your address label contact us if you wish to continue receiving this newsletter. Even better, join VVA and/or AVVA and remain on this mailing list as long as your dues are current and you will also receive the Texas Vietnam Veteran and the VVA National Veteran newsletters, both award winners. |
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| KOREA/VIETNAM MEMORIAL 20th ANNIVERSARY |
| On Wednesday, November 12, 2008, the Texarkana Area Chapter # 278 of the Vietnam Veterans of America remembered our local brothers who gave the ultimate sacrifice while in service to this country, those who fought in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. This date was the 20th anniversary of the day VVA # 278 dedicated the local Korea/Vietnam Memorial. We built this Memorial so that these heros would never be forgotten and this ceremony was part of that!
Although it was a fairly small crowd attending, it was an emotional service. Several members of the local Korea War Veterans Association # 221 and several family members of those on the Memorial were there. along with many members of VVA # 278. Of course the most important part was the "Roll Call of Honor" where we read all the names of those who were killed in action or were declared Prisoner of War/Missing in Action and are still not accounted for, both from Korea and Vietnam. This Memorial covers an area within a fifty mile radius of Texarkana, 17 counties from Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas and three parishes from Louisana. As far as we still know, this is the only Memorial of this type covering parts of four states. WE WILL NEVER FORGET!! |
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| TEXARKANA AREA VETERANS COUNCIL |
| The next meeting of the Texarkana Area Veterans Council (TAVC) will be December 4 at 6:00 pm at the American Legion Post at 525 East Broad Street. Due to the first Thursday falling on New Years Day, the Council has elected to cancel the January meeting.
Planning the trip to Shreveport VA for the "Salute to Hospitalized Veterans" week (Feb 9, 2009); Planning for the annual Chili Cook-off (Feb 13, 2009); and planning for the 2nd Annual Fish dinner fundraiser (March 28, 2009). Each member organization is to elect their delegates at their January meeting and bring a letter stating who they are and how to contact them to the Council Secretary. At the February 5 meeting of the Council, Council officers will be elected. |
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| CALENDAR OF EVENTS
December 21 : VVA # 278 meeting January 18, 2009 : VVA # 278 meeting February 5 : TAVC meeting February 9 : TAVC trip to Shreveport VA February 13 : TAVC Chili Cook-off February 15 : VVA meeting February 20 - 22 : VVA TSC meeting March 5 : TAVC meeting March 15 : VVA # 278 meeting March 28 : TAVC Fish Fry April 2 : TAVC meeting April 19 : VVA # 278 meeting (elections) May 7 : TAVC meeting May 15 : Police Officers Day May 16 : Veterans Information Fair May 17 : VVA # 278 meeting May 24 : TAVC Memorial Day Services May 25 : Memorial Day Services at 11:00 am, 11:45 am & 1:30 pm June 4 : TAVC meeting June 5 - 7 : VVA TSC meeting June 21 : VVA # 278 meeting |
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