A MESSAGE FROM OUR President, Terry Johnson January 2018

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1 A MESSAGE FROM OUR President, Terry Johnson January 2018 The Christmas Party was extremely well attended. Bill Wojta ed the following to me for addition in the minutes, but it was after the meeting, so I will put it here as it echoes my feelings as well. "Over 100 members and friends were at the Christmas Party to celebrate the season, enjoy a wonderful meal and socialize. It was nice to see some of our members attend who live too far away to attend the monthly meetings. Dee and Valentine Zibung, Dale and Sue Schnicke, among others attended. It was also nice to see our grand prize raffle donor, Kathy and Tom Muench from Boelter's Jewelers. Marv Decker did a wonderful job of setting up the meal, the location was decorated so nice for Christmas and for us." Cathy Karl informed us that the tree in the entrance was specifically decorated for us with a patriotic theme. I was also told that the wait staff paused for the pledge of allegiance...very nice. I would like to congratulate our Member of the Year, Mike Laughrin and our co-associate Members of the Year, Cathy Karl and Marietta Johnson. All of you do so much and it is nice to know that we always have several possible choices for these awards. Everyone who receives these awards gives from their hearts and it is an honor to help choose them each year. This leads me to a request that will be reiterated in the newsletter; I would like to put together a list of all the people who have received Member of the Year and Associate Member of the Year. Briefly, I would like your name and the year or years you received either of these awards. You can call me or the information to me. I would like to have this information by the April meeting. Thank you in advance. Lastly, I have been enjoying Vietnam Vet Radio on the internet. The url is: vietnamvetradio.com/ There is also an app for it. You can connect to the app on the station's website. The app is TuneIn. Next regular meeting is 6:30 pm, Thursday, January 4th, at AMVETS Post 99, 4310 Conroe St., Manitowoc. If you see a $ next to your name on your mailing label, please pay your DUES or consider a lifetime membership!

2 VVA Chapter 731 Officers President (TJ) Terry Johnson Vice President Marvin Decker Secretary Bill Wojta Treasurer Harold Olson, Jr Past President Ken Decker Sergeant-at-Arms Chris Wagner Chaplain Ran Jansen Board of Directors Mike Laughrin Bill Pike Ron Wiesner Dave Wanek Ken Wentker Committee Chairpersons Color/Honor Guard Tom Hoffman Education Tom Hoffman Finance & Audit Harold Olson, Jr. Fund Raising Dale Schroeder Gold Star Gordie Strauss Lao-Hmong Alliance Membership John Salzman PR/Newsletter Cathy Karl/Marietta Johnson C: /M: Scholarship Dick Luchsinger Veterans Affairs Glenn Gilbert Find information at our website: Veterans Crisis Line: , Press 1 Or Text to Veteran Help Agencies Manitowoc County Veterans Service Office: Michigan Ave., Manitowoc Cleveland Community Based VA Clinic: or North Ave, Cleveland VA Health Care Clinic (Green Bay): or University Ave, Green Bay Aging and Disabilities Resource Center (ADRC): Michigan Ave., Manitowoc Upcoming Events January 4 Next Meeting 6:30pm AmVets Post #99 Jan. 30th & Feb. 27th SOUP For VETS! NOON at Elks Lodge # N. Rapids Rd. Manitowoc FREE to Vets, Guests $2.00 Soup, rolls, beverage & desserts Reservations: VVA Chapter 731- Savannah, GA Tour, April 21-April 29 Details can be found in the newsletter. Trip is limited to 54 people. Final payment is due April 1, 2018

3 VVA Chapter 731 General Membership Meeting Minutes, 12/07/2017, 6:30 pm - 42 members present Our meetings continue to be well attended. Please come to the meetings. Call to order: Ron Wiesner Pledge of Allegiance: Terry Johnson Moment of silence for POW, MIA and our fallen comrades: Terry Johnson Introduction: Don Kiel, USAF Minutes: Approved as printed. Treasurer's Report: Harold Olson reviewed the Report. Accepted as printed. Vice President's Report: Marv Decker reminded us that Christmas Party is at Branch River, Saturday, December 9th. Cocktails hour is from 5:30 to 6:30 PM and dinner will be served at 6: have signed up to attend. Wow! State Council: Mike Demske discussed suicide prevention with some of our members before the meeting. President's Notes: TJ presented several thank you notes: Charlie Heinzen for our thank you gift (where we store our vehicles), Retired Educators for our presentation at their October meeting, Realtors' Association and Relay for Life. Committee Reports: Color Guard: Tom Hoffman reported the following: Past Events include: 11/11-Fired at the Monuments, 11/11-MCUVC Banquet, 11/14-Sunrise Rotary Veterans Breakfast, 11/16-Realtors Banquet (we received a $100 donation), 11/22-Christmas Parade, 11/30 Fired for Peter Schuh. Education report: Upcoming Event: 12/18 Mishicot High School, one class in the AM and one in the PM. Membership: John Salzman- 181 members and 36 Associates = 217. Quartermaster: Roy Tegen - New T-Shirts are available. Old Business: Raffle preliminary report is a gross of $8209. Mucho Thanks to the Wentkers for a super, super job. Remember to patronize our kind raffle donors. Bell ringers: George Gottier needed one more ringer to fill a time slot and good old (young) Bill Pike volunteered. He took the last two hours at Copps. It is indoors. Ron Wiesner spoke about the "We do business - We support "- Vietnam Vets business display stickers. We passed a general approval of the costs involved. Tom Hoffman: said the trip to Savannah, GA info will be in the next newsletter. New Business: Mike Laughrin spoke about donating to the National VVA wall education center. Money is needed to build the center. Passed motion to donate $1,000 for this endeavor. TJ said that some of our members are mentioned in the national newsletter this month. Don Kiel spoke some very, very nice words about our organization (members), and about how he would like to donate $1500 to our chapter with the promise that we would present American flags to both his Wife and daughter when he "goes West". Passed and approved. Hopefully not for a LOOOOOONG time, Don. Thanks, Buddy. If you collect soda tabs, Wayne Huske will take them in order to donate to children's hospital. Adjourn: A $ /50 raffle was won by one of the great rocks of an associate member - Linda Peterson.

4 2017 Raffle - VVA Chapter 731 One last photo from this year's raffle: The winner of the Fire Pit Ring, Jim Lengling, was not able to accept in person. Accepting for Jim are: Kevin Krueger, Army Veteran and owner of KNM Machine along with Dale Schroeder, Fundraising Chair for VVA Chapter 731. Remember... And keep them in your thoughts and prayers: * Our members & their families receiving care * Our homebound and nursing home residents & their caregivers * Our widows & widowers and all who have lost loved ones * Our special friends & their families VA VETERANS CRISIS LINE CALL: (Press 1) VA's Veterans Crisis line has answered over 1,625,000 calls. It is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. It has sent over 45,000 rescues to assist callers with emergency services. It has provided over 261,000 referrals to local facility Suicide Prevention Coordinators. VETERANS COMPLAINT LINE This hotline is designed to give veterans an outlet to voice concerns about the VA and federal programs. The Crisis Line has as its goal to provide immediate crisis intervention. Other means to use the Crisis Line include: Text the Crisis Line at Visit the website:

5 Congratulations to Our Member and Associate Members of the Year! On the right: Member of the Year, Mike Laughrin, with President, Terry Johnson Tree at Branch River decorated in a patriotic theme for VVA Chapter 731 Christmas Party On the right: Associate Member of the Year, Cathy Karl, with President, Terry Johnson On the right: Associate Member of the Year, Marietta Johnson, with President, Terry Johnson

6 Looking for: All VVA Chapter 731 Members of the Year and VVA Chapter 731 Associate Members of the Year If you have been a VVA Chapter 731 Member of the Year or VVA Chapter 731 Associate Member of the Year or if you recall individuals who have received either of these awards, please call Terry Johnson and leave a message at: or him at: electromath1991@gmail.com. Information needed: Name and year or years of the award and whether it was Member of Year or Associate Member of the Year. Terry would like to create a reference list. Please get this information to him ASAP. Thank you for your help! Have an Appointment? Need a Ride or some company? Call one of these Chapter 731 Member Volunteers: Member Cleveland Milwaukee Green Bay Appleton Tom Hoffman ( ) X X X X Mike Laughrin ( ) X X X X Kent Reeves ( ) X X X X Tim Thiers ( ) X X X X Chris Wagner ( ) X X X X Ron Wiesner ( ) X X X X Charlie Wilsmann ( ) X X X X Mike Demske ( ) X X X Dave Wanek ( ) X X X Paul Francisco ( ) X X Harold Olson ( ) X X Ken Wentker ( ) X X Reuben Zimmer ( ) X X Dick Luchsinger ( ) X X

7 WE REMEMBER THOSE WE LOST IN January FROM OUR COUNTY IN THE VIETNAM WAR... Todd R. Jackson, CPL, Army, Manitowoc, January 30, 1968 William C. Behrens, SGT, Army, Two Rivers, January 31, 1968 James M. Gahagan, SGT, Army, Cleveland, January 17, 1969 Barry C. Kellenbenz, 2 nd LT, Army, Manitowoc, January 19, 1969 James R. Knox, SP4, Army, Newton, January 21, 1969 Gerald A. Gauthier, SGT, Army Manitowoc, January 20, 1970 VVA Chapter 731 Savannah, GA Tour April 21 to April 29, 2018 As of December 15, 2017, 30 of the 54 slots for this trip have been filled. Call Tom Hoffman for more information or to see if there are openings at: Cost: $1,095 per person/double occupancy Down payment of $100 is due when signing up. Final payment is due April 1, Day by Day Itinerary: April 21: Head to Elyria, OH for 1st night. April 22: Visit Pro Football Hall of Fame and Wilds of Ohio. April 23: Nascar Hall of Fame. Head to Myrtle Beach. See the show "One" at The Alabama Theatre. April 24: Brookgreen Sculpture Garden, guided tour of Myrtle Beach, evening show is "Legends in Concert". April 25: Head to Charleston. Carriage ride downtown. Visit Fort Sumter. April 26: Tour Paris Island Marine Corps Base. City tour of Savannah. Dinner is at Paula Deen's. April 27: Head to Biltmore Mansion in Ashville, NC. Self-guided tour of America's largest home. Lunch on grounds and a visit to the winery. April 28: Start trip home. Stop at Woodford Reserve Distillery for a tour and tasting. April 29: Head for home. Lunch stop at Fair Oak Farms in northern IN.

8 VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA, INC. CHAPTER 731 P.O. BOX 2131 MANITOWOC, WI NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE P A I D Manitowoc,WI Permit No. 21 welcome home MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA, INC. Address Change Name Address City State Zip Phone Individual Member: Veterans who served on active duty in the Republic of Vietnam between 2/28/1961 and 5/7/1975, or in any duty location between 8/5/1964 and 5/7/ year - $ years - $50.00 Lifetime Member (VVA only) Still $100 Indefinitely! Act NOW! ATTENTION NEW MEMBERS and NEW LIFE MEMBERS: You must submit a copy of your DD-214 form along with this application & dues payment. Associate Member (AVVA): All other veterans, family members, friends and others who wish to be part of VVA. AVVA Life Membership 1 year - $ years - $50.00 Contact John Salzman (920) Return application, dues payment and a copy of your DD-214 (if requested) to : Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 731, PO Box 2131, Manitowoc, WI