THE SPIRIT OF 776

APRIL 2013 NEWSLETTER VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA CHAPTER 776 Next Meeting April 24, 2013 at the American Legion Post 26 6:30 P.M. - 1830 hours
N E V E R A G A I N W I L L O N E G E N E R AT I O N O F V E T E R A N S A B A N D O N A N O T H E R .

Service Ofcers & Service Coordinators Clarke Barnes 309 944-3674 Ed Gaudet 563 343-9456 David Woods 563 326-8723 Ernest Ledjte 563 785-6182 Tom Lemon 563 359-3201 Chuck Morel 563 659-5512 Honor Guard Jett Bork 563 528-0636 John Lavelle 563 355-4213
President Marlene Marolf
Vice-President Roger Granbois
Treasurer Harold Hansen
Secretary John Lavelle Web Master Roger Granbois

Election Night
April 24th at American Legion Post 26
Please note location

Pizza will be served starting at 6:30 PM

Ofcers and Board of Directors
391-9621
650-4958 391-7776 355-4213
650-4958









Dir. Gary McDermott
Dir. Ed Gaudet Dir. Ed Gilmore Dir. Art Heyderman
Dir. Larry Witt

242-0501 343-9456 792-2415 359-4186 388-7179

702 W. 35th Street - Davenport

March Membership Minutes The meeting was called to order at 1900 hours by President Marolf with a pledge of allegiance and a moment of silence observed for POW/MIA and those still serving in harms way for our nation. Officers present Vice-President Granbois, Treasurer Hansen, and Secretary Lavelle. Members went through an introduction period as is our practice and guests were introduced. The members heard a presentation from Jackie Inman, USO director from the Rock Island Arsenal. The USO at the arsenal works with military personnel from both Iowa and Illinois Quad Cities. The biggest hurdle for the local USO is a lack of communication that limits the use by the local military. Ms. Inman offered volunteer opportunities to anyone in our chapter that would want to assist with the mission of the USO. The chapter voted to donate $100 to the USO. The members also learned that there will be a PTSD presentation at St. Paul Lutheran Church on Brady Street on April 2nd entitled Journey Home. Membership Chair Larry Witt announced that we have 60 Life members, 82 Individual members, and 19 AVVA members. The chapter honor guard continues to take part in military funerals along with Ch. 299 and MAVA. Members of the honor guard will take part in the opening day flag presentation at the QC River Bandits. VSO Ernest Ledjte continues to assist incarcerated veterans in the state of Iowa. A discussion continued concerning the length of time to get a claim adjudicated, at the time of the meeting that period can run from 273 days up to 3 years. The next Honor Flight of the Quad Cities will be August 29th and any Vietnam Veteran who would like to attend as a guardian will be pushed to the head of the list. The cost to serve as a guardian is $500. Community Service information from Lyle Peterson concerned Armed Forces Day on May 18th at Brady Street Stadium. The chapter will be doing the concessions from 10:00 A.M. until 3:00 P.M and a volunteer list will be distributed at the April meeting, members are encouraged to volunteer. Lyle also assisted with the Valor Program by having some furniture delivered to a veteran at a cost of $45 and the chapter voted to reimburse Lyle for that cost. The chapter also voted to donate $100 in gift cards to the family readiness group at the Brady Street Armory location. The Clover Sale in Iowa City has been set for April 20th. This is an effort to assist with the VSO office in the Iowa City VA Hospital. The annual chapter Clover Sale will be held in June. Sarah Stahmer, the daughter of member Bill Stahmer and a Psychology graduate from St. Ambrose University is working on an art project to honor the service of Vietnam veterans. The art project will be displayed at the Rox-Tox coffee shop in Rock Island. She is planning on creating a book based on the interviews with chapter members and also focussing on Zippo lighters, which became an icon of the war in Vietnam. Any members who have their Zippo from the war or their dog tags might consider meeting with Sarah. For more information please contact Sarah at sarahstahmer@yahoo.com Gary McDermott is working with the Davenport Civil Rights Commission on an ADA seminar on April 18th and 19th with ADA Where DO I Fit In? And with Attorney Training: What you need to know in Representing a Client in a Fair Housing Case, and Designing for Person With Disabilities. The next VA Hospital visit will be June 27th. Those attending will meet at the Machine Shed at 0700 and leave for Iowa City at 0800, the return time is approximately 1300 hours. The chapter voted to reduce the AVVA membership for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan for one year membership to $7.76 for these veterans. Minutes submitted by John P. Lavelle, secretary.

BIRDIES FOR CHARITY 2013

In this newsletter you will find two forms for the Birdies for Charity. This is a great opportunity for our chapter to raise money and you are asked to fill out one form and mail it to the chapter at Box 91, Bettendorf IA 52722, or you can give them to Martha Lavelle at the meeting. You should use the other form to offer a friend or neighbor the chance to win and to assist us in our efforts. Remember that we get back all of the pledge plus 5% up to a 10% bonus from John Deere. This is a great way to support our chapter. Our Birdies for Charity number is 567.

Candidates for Ofce President Vice-President Treasurer Secretary Greg Paulline Roger Granbois Chuck Morel John Lavelle

Board of Directors Meeting

The board members discussed the chapter awards and heard various recommendation for the Member of the Year, AVVA Member of the Year, VSO Award, Presidents Award, Community Service Award, and the New M e m b e r o f t h e Ye a r A w a rd . T h e m e m b e r s f u rt h e r d i s c u s s e d t h e possibility of moving the monthly meetings to the American Legion Post 26 and this was tabled. Greg Paulline asked the board of directors to allow $250 to add to the items in the chapter PX. The candidates for the VVA National Ofcers has been set as well as the various directors from all of the regions. This information will be published in the VETERAN.

Candidates for Board of Directors Ed Gaudet Art Heyderman Gary McDermott Larry Witt Harold Hansen Bill Mathews Lyle Peterson

National Delegates (We are allowed three) On the election night anyone wishing to run for an ofce, or the board of directors or for a spot as a delegate to the National Convention may make their desire known from the oor.