VR Veterans Club Secretary

Jan 19, 2019

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes From January 10, 2019

Our meeting opened at 0900 with over 100 members and guests in attendance. Total club membership is now 200.

An informal "Meet and Greet" was held from 1600 to 1620.

Formal business commenced at 1620 with the "Pledge of Allegiance".

The Secretary's Report was presented and the minutes of our last meeting were voted upon and accepted by the membership.

The Treasurer's Report was presented. Our 2018 year end balance is $3,573.45. This was Tom Wood's first report as Treasurer.

The President's Report was presented. Jules recognized Mike Durkee, Wounded Veteran's Relief Fund Executive Director who was present at today's meeting. He also noted that we recently delivered a check for $15,000.00 to the Wounded Veteran's Relief Fund.

Vice President Goody Morrison provided an update on preparations for our upcoming Spring BBQ to be held on Saturday April 13th in the clubhouse. The cost is $27.00 per person. To date, 76 individuals have already sent in their reservations.

Board Member Mike Heiserman provided an update on Car Show preparations for our upcoming Car Show to be held on St. Patrick's day, March 17th.

Blood Drive Chairman Tom Conklin provided a briefing on the results of our December Blood Drive. He noted that of the 75 individuals who signed up to participate, 59 were eligible to donate resulting in 59 pints collected. He also thanked all who helped with the event. Our next Blood Drive is scheduled for Friday March 15th between 0800 and 1600. Volunters were solicited to help with the event.

Board Member Mike Heiserman introduced today's guest speaker Donald Mates.

World War II Marine Corps combat veteran Donald Mates made an interesting and informative presentation on his World War II combat exteriences as a 17 year old Marine with the Third Marine Division in the battles of Guam and Iwo Jima. He began with a 45 minute video presentation of a made for TV interview where his discussed his experiences. Following this he talked in more detail about the combat actions that he participated in, providing considerable specific details about defending against massed enemy attacks, close combat, and the severe wounds he survived from an enemy grenade. The presentation was well received by all hands and was followed by a lively question and answer period. Don recieved a standing ovation from the over 100 people present. After his presentation he spoke individually with a number of our members and guests, and posed for pictures with all of the Marines in attendance.

The 50/50 raffel was held.

Scheduled Veteran's Club Events for 2019 are indicated below:

--Veteran's Club Blood Drive: Friday, March 15, 2019

--Veteran's Club Car Show: Sunday, March 17, 2019

--Veteran's Club Spring BBQ Dinner: Saturday, April 13, 2019

--Fleet Week in Fort Lauderdale: early May, exact date TBD

--Veteran's Day Flag Ceremony: Sunday, November 11, 2019

--Veteran's Day Dance: Monday, November 12, 2019

--Veteran's Club Blood Drive: December, date TBD

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meetings for 2019 are indicated below:

--Sunday, March 10, 2019

--Sunday, June 9, 2019

--Sunday, September 8, 2019

--Sunday, December 8, 2019

All Sunday breakfast meetings will be held in the Social Hall from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM.

Scheduled Second Thursday of the month meetings for 2019 are indicated below:

--Thursday, February 14, 2019 (Arts and Crafts Room)

--Thursday April 11, 2019

--Thursday May 9, 2019

--Thursday October 10, 2019

--Thursday, November 14, 2019

All Thursday meetings will be held in the Social Hall from 4:00 to 6:00 PM unless otherwise indicated.

Scheduled 2019 General Meeting dates may also be viewed on our website under the "Upcoming Events" Tab.

The President noted in his concluding remarks that due to scheduling confilcts our next meeting would be on Thursday February 14th at 1600 in the Arts and Crafts Room instead of the usual Socal Hall location.

The Meeting concluded at 1710.

Minutes Submitted by Tom Nowak, Veteran's Club Secretary

Dec 28, 2018

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes From December 9, 2018

Our Sunday breakfast meeting opened at 0900 with 44 members in attendance. Breakfast was served. Total club membership is now 190.

An informal "Meet and Greet" was held from 0830 to 0920.

Formal business commenced at 0920 with the "Pledge of Allegiance".

The Secretary's Report was presented and the minutes of our last meeting were voted upon and accepted by the membership.

The Treasurer's Report was presented. A total of $15,057.00, including funds raised from our Veteran's Day Party, auctions and other donations was donated to the Wounded Veteran's Relief Fund. It was noted that to date our club has donated a total of $76,011 to the Wounded Veterans Relief Fund. This was Steve Rosenthal's last report as Treasurer since he is stepping down from this position at the end of the year.

The President's Report was presented. Jules thanked Steve Rosenthal for his years of exceptional work as Treasurer. New members were introduced. Members were encouraged to sign up for our monthly meetings in advance on our website so that we can ensure that the appropriate amount of refreshments are ordered for each meeting. Jules reviewed the quick and easy site sign up proceedure on our home page to familiarize all hands with the process, and thanked those who have been regularly registering on-line.

Jules provided an update on Car Show preparations for next March, and noted that our recent Blood Drive collected 59 pints of blood. He recognized Blood Drive Chairman Tom Conklin for his leadership in running our Blood Drive program, and thanked all those who supported the drive with their time in helping to manage the process, and all the members of the community who donated blood.

President Jules Harper provided a briefing on issues discussed at our December Board Meeting. He hoted at at next year's Veteran's Day Flag Pole Ceremony Bob Goldberg and the Valencia Reserve Chior will sing, and Gary Keppler and his band will return to provide music for the event.

He also noted that Steve Osterman, our Field Trip Chairman, has had some difficulty in arranging an appropriate field trip to a local military installation. As an alternative, the possibility is being explored of arranging for an afternoon or evening lunch or dinner cruise on the intracoastal for members and their wives. Members expressed a great deal of interest in the proposal, and it is being further explored.

Jules also provided feedback on our Veteran's Day Party. We received considerable positive feedback on the performance of the King's Academy Choir, and the Board voted to increase our choir donation from the $500.00 we gave this year to $750.00 next year. Some concerns were expressed by party attendees that the meal was relatively light for a dinner. Accordingly, next year we are considering going back to the more substantial deli sandwiches for the event.

Vice President Goody Morrison briefed on preliminary preparations for our annual Spring BBQ dinner to be held on Saturday April 13th, 2019 in the clubhouse. The cost will be $27.00 per person. The event flyer and table reservation forms will be promulgated soon.

Our annual December elections for Officers and Board Members were held. Goody Morrison was re-elected as Vice President, Tom Wood was elected as Treasurer, Dave Weisman and Mike Heiserman were re-elected to the Board, and Steve Rosenthal, who recently stepped down as Treasurer, was elected to the Board.

Mark Schultz made an interesting and informative presentation on his tour of duty from 1968 to 1970 as an Army Artillery Officer, including his year in Vietnam and the combat actions he experienced there. The presentation was well received by all hands and was followed by a lively question and answer period.

President Jules Harper urged all eligible Vietnam veterans to sign up with the Veteran's Administration so that in the event that they are afflicted by illnesses attributed to agent orange in the future they would be better positioned to expeditiously gain the benefits of VA medical coverage.

Board Member Dave Weisman also urged reservists or guardsmen who are not now eligible for VA benefits since they did not do active duty (other than for training). He noted that currently reservists and guardsman have to have completed at least one day of non-training active duty to be eligible. However, he urged these members to sign up with the VA to get into their database since the laws and regulations governing elgibility are constantly changing and they might some day be included.

Several members who were eligable and who are utilizing VA medical services noted that the care that they are receiving is excellent.

Members were encouaged to volunteer to talk about their experiences while in the service during our club meetings. Interested members can contact any club officer or board member to work out the details and schedule a presentation.

The 50/50 raffel was held, yielding $60.00 to be donated to the Wounded Veteran's Relief Fund.

Scheduled Veteran's Club Events for 2019 are indicated below:

--Veteran's Club Blood Drive: March, date TBD

--Veteran's Club Car Show: Sunday, March 17, 2019

--Veteran's Club Spring BBQ Dinner: Saturday, April 13, 2019

--Fleet Week in Fort Lauderdale: early May, exact date TBD

--Veteran's Day Flag Ceremony: Sunday, November 11, 2019

--Veteran's Day Dance: Monday, November 12, 2019

--Veteran's Club Blood Drive: December, date TBD

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meetings for 2019 are indicated below:

--Sunday, March 10, 2019

--Sunday, June 9, 2019

--Sunday, September 8, 2019

--Sunday, December 8, 2019

All Sunday breakfast meetings will be held in the Social Hall from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM.

Scheduled Second Thursday of the month meetings for 2019 are indicated below:

--Thursday, January 10, 2019

--Thursday, February 14, 2019 (Arts and Crafts Room)

--Thursday April 11, 2019

--Thursday May 9, 2019

--Thursday October 10, 2019

--Thursday, November 14, 2019

All Thursday meetings will be held in the Social Hall from 4:00 to 6:00 PM unless otherwise indicated.

Scheduled 2019 General Meeting dates may also be viewed on our website under the "Upcoming Events" Tab.

The President noted in his concluding remarks that our next meeting would be on Thursday January 10th at 1600 in the Social Hall. The guest speaker is scheduled to be World War II USMC veteran Donald Mates, who served in combat with the Third Marine Division on Guam and Iwo Jima. Jules also noted that due to scheduling conflicts our February 2019 meeting would be held in the Arts and Crafts Room instead of the usual Social Hall location.

The Meeting concluded at 1045.

Minutes Submitted by Tom Nowak, Veteran's Club Secretary

Nov 10, 2018

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes From November 8, 2018

Our meeting opened at 1600 with 37 members in attendance. Total club membership is now 190.

An informal "Meet and Greet" was held from 1600 to 1615.

Formal business commenced at 1615 with the "Pledge of Allegiance".

The Secretary's Report was presented and the minutes of our last meeting were voted upon and accepted by the membership.

The Treasurer's Report was presented. We have a total of $14,158.00 in our treasury, $10,150.00 of which is from the proceeds from our Veteran's Day Party registrations. To date, 290 individuals have signed up for the event. It was noted that to date our club has donated a total of $61,000 to the Wounded Warriors Relief Fund, and we anticipate that the addition of the donations from this year's Party will bring the grand total of donations to approximnately $75,000.

Treasurer Steve Rosenthal noted that after his current term expires next month he will be retiring as our Treasurer after six years of service in that position. He thanked our members for all of their support during his watch.

The President's report was presented. Jules thanked Steve for his service as Treasurer, and advised that to date two candiates--Dave Weisman and Tom Wood-- were running to fill the Treasurer's position upon Steve's retirement. Any other members interested in running should advise Jules as soon as possible. Elections will be held during our December meeting.

Jules briefed our members on his experience as an honoree on the October 13th Honor Flight, the first with Vietnam veterans participating. He presented a slide presentation with highlights of the event that was well received by all hands. He found the event to be a very positive experience, and encouaged eligible members to participate as either an honoree or an escort.

Jules noted that our annual Veteran's Day Flag Ceremony will be held on November 11th at the flagpole in front of the clubhouse at 0900. All members were encouraged to attend and are requested to wear their club shirts, hats and khaki pants. It is anticapated that the ceremony will last 20 minutes to half an hour. All members of the Valencia Reserve community are welcome to attend. Jules reminded all the the POW flag would also be flown on Veteran's Day.

Jules reminded all that our November Veteran's Party has been rescheduled from Friday November 8, 2018 to Monday, November 12, 2018 in order to accomodate the availability of the Kings Academy Choir. Doors will open at 1815, and an antipasto dinner and desert will be featured. He briefed on final party preparations, and solicited volunteers to assist with the 50/50 raffel at the event. A variety of items have been secured for our silent and regular auctions, and he thanked those who donated items for the auctions. He expressed particular thanks to Sandy Harper for her work in handling the extensive auction administrative preparations. Earl Stewart has once again donated a day aboard his 72 foot yacht for an intracostal cruise or ocean fishing, including a meal and unlimited drinks for the winner and their party. Bob Olderberg will call the live auction again this year. Jules solicited volunteers to help with the final party set-up arrangements in the clubhouse at 1400 on Monday. He anticipated that the final set-up should take only approximately one hour.

Jules thanked Joel for his efforts in preparing the Veteran's Picture Board on display in the clubhouse lobby for Veteran's Day.

Jules advised that the Veteran's Cemetery has not been putting up their flags on a regular basis for selected holidays as in the past, but they indicated that they would be in touch with us for our help the next time that they would be flying them.

Car Show Chairman Mike Heiserman advised that this year's Car Show would be held on St. Patrick's day, March 17th, 2019. He showed a poster that he had already developed advertising the event.

The 50/50 raffel was held, yielding $45.00 to be donated to the Wounded Veteran's Relief Fund.

Guest speaker Keith Johnson made an interesting and informative presentation on his experiences as a Navy Air Traffic Controller onboard the aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy, and his supsequent career as an Air Traffic Controller with the FAA. The presentation was followed by a simulated carrier landing demonstration with Keith acting as the carrier controller and Jules acting as the approaching carrier pilot. Both the presentation and the simulation were well received by all hands and were followed by a lively question and answer period.

Scheduled Veteran's Club Events for 2018 are indicated below:

--Veteran's Day Flag Ceremony: Sunday, November 11, 2018

--Veteran's Day Dance: Monday, November 12, 2018

--Veteran's Club Blood Drive: Friday, November 16, 2018 from 0900 to 1600

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meetings for 2018 are indicated below:

--Sunday December 9, 2018

All Sunday breakfast meetings will be held in the Social Hall from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM.

Scheduled Second Thursday of the month meetings for 2018 are indicated below:

--None remaining for 2018

All Thursday meetings will be held in the Social Hall from 4:00 to 6:00 PM.

Scheduled 2019 General Meeting dates may be viewed on our website under the "Upcoming Events" Tab.

The President noted in his concluding remarks that our next meeting would be a breakfast meeting on Sunday December 9th at 0900 in the Social Hall. He reminded all that our annual elections will be held at this meeting. He also noted that due to scheduling conflicts our February 2019 meeting would be held in the Arts and Crafts Room instead of the usual Social Hall location.

The Meeting concluded at 1715.

Minutes Submitted by Tom Nowak, Veteran's Club Secretary

Nov 6, 2018

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes From October 11, 2018

Our meeting opened at 1600 with 30 members in attendance. Total club membership is now 191.

An informal "Meet and Greet" was held from 1600 to 1620.

Formal business commenced at 1620 with the "Pledge of Allegiance".

The Secretary's Report was presented and the minutes of our last meeting were voted upon and accepted by the membership.

The Treasurer's Report was presented. We have a total of $13,018.88 in our treasury. To date, 265 individuals have signed up for our Veteran's Day Party.

Jules noted that our annual Veteran's Day Flag Ceremony will be held at 0900 on November 11th at the flagpole in front of the clubhouse.

Jules reminded all that our November Veteran's Party has been rescheduled from Friday November 8, 2018 to Monday, November 12, 2018 in order to accomodate the availability of the Kings Academy Choir. He noted that the cost of $35.00 per person reflected an increase of $6.00 over last year in order to increase the amount of our donation to the Wounded Veteran's Relief Fund.

Members were encouraged to solicit items from local businesses or service providers for our live and silent auctions at our November Veteran's Day Party. Alternatively, they were asked to consider purchasing and donating an item or gift card themselves to help make the auction a success. Jules advised that has sent a Veteran's Club solicitation letter to all hands that could be printed out and presented to potental auction item donors that highlights that proceeds from the event benefit the Wounded Veteran's Relief Fund. Members were reminded that the Veteran's Day Party and it's associated auction is our flagship event for generating funds for the Wounded Veteran's Relief Fund, and that our donations really make a significant difference in the lives of veterans and their families. Securing appropriate items for auction is critical to increasing the amount of our donation to help these veterans in distress. As a result of feedback from last year's event, members were encouraged to make a special effort to obtain auctionable gifts and services that would appeal to the women of our community.

Jules reported that 12 golf courses have donated 4 games each for this year's auction, and that the Aberdeen course has donated 4 lunches in addition to 4 games. Earl Stewart has donated for auction a day on his yacht again this year.

Volunteers were solicited to help with the gift raffel at the Veteran's Day Party. Members voted to use gift cards on hand as items for the raffel.

Volunteers were also solicited to man the three tables that would be set up at the Party--one each for gifts, gift cards and golfing related items.

Jules advised that Steve Osterman has volunteered to be our Field Trip Chairperson. Trips to Naval Air Station Key West, McDill Air Force Base and other locations are being explored for early next year.

Jules noted that the Honor Flight Program was now accepting Vietnam veterans, and that the October Honor Flight would be the first where more than half of the 82 participants would be Vietnam veterans. Jules noted that Jerry Gumpert participated as a guide/escort on last May's flight, and noted that guides pay their own costs, amounting to $400.00. He highlighted that those interested in signing up as either a participant or a guide should be sure to specify if they prefer a North Florida flight departing from Palm Beach International, of a South Florida group departing from Fort Lauderdale. Jules noted that both he and Korea veteran Lou Sarpoff would be participating as honorees in the October Honor Flight.

Jules reminded members that our annual elections will be held during our December meeting. Treasurer Steve Rosenthal has indicated that he will not be running again after six years as Treasurer. Candidates interesting in running for the Treasurer's position or any other position should make their intentions known to Jules as soon as possible.

Jules reminded members who have not already done so to submit photos for our Veteran's Day Photo Board. 8x10 boarderless pictures are preferred.

It was noted that all club materials have been removed from the clubhouse showcase while the case is being refurbished. The HOA has dictated new rules limiting the types of items can be displayed in order to reserve enough space so that all Valencia Reserve clubs could have some display space.

The 50/50 raffel was held, yielding $40.00 to be donated to the Wounded Veteran's Relief Fund.

Veteran's Club Vice President Goody Morrison made an interesting and informative presentation on "The 100th Anniversary of the Ending of World War I on November 11, 1918". The presentation was well received by all hands.

Guest speakersn Bill Rosenberg and Arlene Sysoff made an interesting and informative presentation on the Honor Portraits program. The progarm was founded in 2016 to take free portraits of Veterans as a way of thanking them for their service to our country. The portraits are taken by professional photographers who donate their time to the program. The organization is doing outreach to Veterans about the free service that they provide. The presentation was well received by all hands, and a contact list was circulated after the presentation for those interested in signing up to have their portraits taken. Those interested in learning more about the organization, scheduling a portrait session or making donations can visit their website at honorportraits@gmail.com.

Scheduled Veteran's Club Events for 2018 are indicated below:

--Veteran's Day Flag Ceremony: Sunday, November 11, 2018

--Veteran's Day Dance: Monday, November 12, 2018

--Veteran's Club Blood Drive: Friday, November 16. 2018 from 0900 to 1600

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meetings for 2018 are indicated below:

--Sunday December 9, 2018

All Sunday breakfast meetings will be held in the Social Hall from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM.

Scheduled Second Thursday of the month meetings for 2018 are indicated below:

--Thursday November 8, 2018

All Thursday meetings will be held in the Social Hall from 4:00 to 6:00 PM.

Scheduled 2019 General Meeting dates may be viewed on our website under the "Upcoming Events" Tab.

The President noted in his concluding remarks that our next meeting would be on Thursday November 9th at 1600 in the Social Hall. He also noted that due to scheduling conflicts our February 2019 meeting would be held in the Arts and Crafts Room instead of the usual Social Hall location. Jules also wished Vice President Goody Morrison good luck on his upcoming surgury on October 29th.

The Meeting concluded at 1715.

Minutes Submitted by Tom Nowak, Veteran's Club Secretary

Oct 8, 2018

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes From September 9, 2018

Our Sunday breakfast meeting opened at 0900 with 40 members in attendance. Breakfast was served. Total club membership is now 190.

An informal "Meet and Greet" was held from 0830 to 0915.

Formal business commenced at 0915 with the "Pledge of Allegiance".

The Secretary's Report was presented and the minutes of our last meeting were voted upon and accepted by the membership.

The Treasurer's Report was presented. We have a total of $12,579.00 in our treasury, $7,945 of which are from the proceeds from our Veteran's Day Party registrations. To date, 227 individuals have signed up for the event. Of the 33 tables available, 24 have been filled with only 9 remaining. It was noted that to date our club has donated a total of $61,000 to the Wounded Veterans Relief Fund.

The President's Report was presented. New members were introduced. Members were encouraged to sign up for our monthly meetings in advance on our website so that we can ensure that the appropriate amount of refreshments are ordered for each meeting. Jules reviewed the quick and easy site sign up proceedure on our home page to familiarize all hands with the process, and thanked those who have been regularly registering on-line.

Jules noted that our annual Veteran's Day Flag Ceremony will be held on November 11th at the flagpole in front of the clubhouse. All members were encouraged to attend. A Vietnam combat veteran has been secured as the keynote speaker and will share some of his experiences as a helicopter door gunner during the war.

Jules reminded all that our November Veteran's Party has been rescheduled from Friday November 8, 2018 to Monday, November 12, 2018 in order to accomodate the availability of the Kings Academy Choir. He noted that the cost of $35.00 per person reflected an increase of $6.00 over last year in order to increase the amount of our donation to the Wounded Veteran's Relief Fund.

Members were encouraged to solicit items from local businesses or service providers for our live and silent auctions at our November Veteran's Day Party. Alternatively, they were asked to consider purchasing and donating an item or gift card themselves to help make the auction a success. Jules advised that he is sending a Veteran's Club solicitation letter to all hands that could be printed out and presented to potental auction item donors that highlights that proceeds from the event benefit the Wounded Veteran's Relief Fund. Members were reminded that the Veteran's Day Party and it's associated auction is our flagship event for generating funds for the Wounded Veteran's Relief Fund, and that our donations really make a significant difference in the lives of veterans and their families. Securing appropriate items for auction is critical to increasing the amount of our donation to help these veterans in distress. As a result of feedback from last year's event, members were encouraged to make a special effort to obtain auctionable gifts and services that would appeal to the women of our community.

Jules noted that the Honor Flight Program was now accepting Vietnam veterans, and that the October Honor Flight would be the first where more than half of the 82 participants would be Vietnam veterans. Jules noted that Jerry Gumpert participated as a guide/escort on last May's flight, and noted that guides pay their own costs, amounting to $400.00. He highlighted that those interested in signing up as either a participant or a guide should be sure to specify if they prefer a North Florida flight departing from Palm Beach International, of a South Florida group departing from Fort Lauderdale. Jules will be particiating as one of the Vietnam veterans in the October 13th Honor Flight.

Jules noted that Vice President Goody Morrison would be having surgury in October, and all hands wished him well.

The issue of flying a POW flag on the clubhouse flagpole on Veteran's Day was discussed, voted upon and approved by the membership.

Jules reminded members who have not already done so to submit photos for our Veteran's Day Photo Board. 8x10 boarderless pictures are preferred.

The 50/50 raffel was held, yielding $60.00 to be donated to the Wounded Veteran's Relief Fund.

Veteran's Club Secretary Tom Nowak made an interesting and informative presentation on "The United States Navy and It's Potential Adversaries At Sea: Current Status, Trends and Issues In Naval Warfare". The discussion focused on the fleets of our potential naval adversaries and how they compare with current United States Navy capabilities. Recent trends in naval ships, aircraft and weapons systems were also discussed, along with an examination of key issues that confront our Navy today. The Russian, Chinese and Iranian navies were dicussed using unclassified materials developed by the Office of Naval Intelligence intended to provide the American public with an appreciation of current developments that will shape these navies and their operations in the 21st century. The presentation was well received by all hands and was followed by a lively question and answer period.

Scheduled Veteran's Club Events for 2018 are indicated below:

--Veteran's Day Flag Ceremony: Sunday, November 11, 2018

--Veteran's Day Dance: Monday, November 12, 2018

--Veteran's Club Blood Drive: Friday, November 16. 2018 from 0900 to 1600

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meetings for 2018 are indicated below:

--Sunday December 9, 2018

All Sunday breakfast meetings will be held in the Social Hall from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM.

Scheduled Second Thursday of the month meetings for 2018 are indicated below:

--Thursday October 11, 2018

--Thursday November 8, 2018

All Thursday meetings will be held in the Social Hall from 4:00 to 6:00 PM.

Scheduled 2019 General Meeting dates may be viewed on our website under the "Upcoming Events" Tab.

The President noted in his concluding remarks that our next meeting would be on Thursday October 11th at 1600 in the Social Hall. He also noted that due to scheduling conflicts our February 2019 meeting would be held in the Arts and Crafts Room instead of the usual Social Hall location.

The Meeting concluded at 1040.

Minutes Submitted by Tom Nowak, Veteran's Club Secretary

Aug 1, 2018

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes From June 10, 2018

Our meeting opened at 0900 with 40 members in attendance. Breakfast was served. Total club membership is now 190.

An informal "Meet and Greet" was held from 0900 to 0920.

Formal business commenced at 0920 with the "Pledge of Allegiance".

The Secretary's Report was presented and the minutes of our last meeting were voted upon and accepted by the membership.

The Treasurer's Report was presented. We have a total of $5,108.00 in our treasury, with an outstanding tax liability of $351.00, leaving an equity balance of $4,747.00. The Car Show yielded proceeds of $1,845.00. It was noted that to date our club has donated a total of $63,000 to the Wounded Warriors Relief Fund.

The President's Report was presented. New members were introduced. Jules reminded all that our November Veteran's Party has been rescheduled from Friday November 8, 2018 to Monday, November 12, 2018 in order to accomodate the availability of the Kings Academy Choir. He also noted that this would be our last meeting before the summer break for July and August, and that our next meeting after the break would be a breakfast meeting on Sunday September 9th at 0900.

President Jules Harper noted that the Veteran's Administration now covers a long list of cancers for veterans who have spent at least 24 hours on the ground in Vietnam. The VA will provide free treatment for life for eligible veterans. He urged eligible members to register to make sure that they are covered if related health issuses emerge late in life. The registiration process requires a fifteen minute interview and an additional 30 minutes to complete. Jules briefed our members on the steps involved in completing his own Agent Orange Exam Process registration, and noted that it was easily completed with a minimum of paperwork involved. He urged eligible members to register.

Jules also noted that the Veteran's Administration was now making shingles shots available at no cost to veteran's.

Members were advised that Cherese will be departing Valencia Reserve in the near future, and that a card being circulated for members to sign to express our appreciation for her help during her tenure here.

The Veterans Emergency Committee was discussed. The focus of the committee is to coordinate the efforts of volunteer members helping their neighbors in times of weather emergency. Our members were encouraged to volunteer, and a sign-up list was circulated.

Members were encouraged to solicit items from local businesses or service providers for our live and silent autions at our November Veteran's Day Party. Alternatively, they were asked to consider purchasing and donating an item themselves to help make the auction a success. Members were reminded that the Veteran's Day Party and it's associated auction is our flagship event for generating funds for the Wounded Warriors Relief Fund, and that our donations really make a significant difference in the lives of veterans and their families. Securing appropriate items for auction is critical to increasing the amount of our donation to help these veterans in distress.

The 50/50 raffel was held, yielding $45.00 to be donated to the Wounded Veteran's Relief Fund.

Vice President Goody Morrison and Treasurer Steve Rosenthal made an interesting and informative presentation on dogs in the military. They traced the history of dogs in the US military from World War I to the present. War dogs have served with our military in every war and every service. A segment on the portrayal of military dogs on TV was included. The presentation was well received by all hands and was followed by a question and answer period.

Scheduled Veteran's Club Events for 2018 are indicated below:

--Veteran's Day Dance: Monday November 12, 2018

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meetings for 2018 are indicated below:

--Sunday Septermber 9, 2018

--Sunday December 9, 2018

All Sunday breakfast meetings will be held in the Social Hall from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM.

Scheduled Second Thursday of the month meetings for 2018 are indicated below:

--Thursday October 11, 2018

--Thursday November 8, 2018

All Thursday meetings will be held in the Social Hall from 4:00 to 6:00 PM.

The President noted in his concluding remarks that our next meeting would be a breakfast meeting on Sunday, September 9th at 0900 in the Social Hall. He wished all members a good summer.

The Meeting concluded at 1700.

Minutes Submitted by Tom Nowak, Veteran's Club Secretary

May 12, 2018

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes From May 10, 2018

Our meeting opened at 1600 with 34 members in attendance. Total club membership is now 190.

An informal "Meet and Greet" was held from 1600 to 1620.

Formal business commenced at 1620 with the "Pledge of Allegiance".

The Secretary's Report was presented and the minutes of our last meeting were voted upon and accepted by the membership.

The Treasurer's Report was presented. Since our Treasurer Steve Rosenthal was on travel, President Jules Harper presented the report. Jules noted that to date, our club has donated a total of $63,000 to the Wounded Warriors Relief Fund.

The President's Report was presented. New member Irv Jacobson was introduced. Irv served in the Army Dental Corps in Korea with the 7th Infantry Division in the early 1970s. Jules reminded all that our November Veteran's Party has been rescheduled from Friday November 8, 2018 to Monday, November 12, 2018 in order to accomodate the availability of the King's Academy Chior. It was also noted that our Fleet Week ship visits were enjoyed by all who participated, with many of our members visiting several ships. Many of our members attended the reception and happy hour with the junior officers following the ship tours and they particularly enjoyed that event.

Jerry Gumpert briefed members on his experience as an escort for a recent Honor Flight to Washington, DC for World War II and Korean War veterans. He found the experience to be very rewarding and encourged our members to consider participating in future flights, either as an escort or as a greeter for a returning flight.

Board Member and Car Show Chairman Mike Heiserman thanked all those who helped to make the event a great success. Mike noted that a hard copy Car Show photo book has been produced and several copys have been distributed to the Buick dealer where they are displayed in their showroom. This is the second year that the book has been produced and it has been greatly appreciated by the dealership. Mike recognized Paula Nowak for developing the book and Howard Becker for taking this year's Car Show photographs. A copy of the book has been delivered to Mike Durkee at the Wounded Warrior's Relief Fund and a copy may be viewed in the Veteran's Club section of the showcase in the clubhouse. Mike also noted that the Corvette Club of Palm Beach, a participant in our Car Show, has donated $500.00 to the Wounded Veteran's Relief Fund. Over $1845.00 was raised at the show to support the Wounded Veteran's Relief Fund.

Following his briefing President Jules Harper thanked Car Show Chairman Mike Heiserman and our membership gave him a round of applause in recogniton of his outstanding efforts in managing the event.

A brief discussion was held examining the pros and cons of including a silent aution along with our live auction at our November Veteran's Day Party. Views of our members were solicited and it was noted that the issue would be further discussed at our next board meeting.

One of our members noted that veteran's discounts on a wide range of products and services were available through membership in the Veteran's Advantage Program. Interested members can obtain more information on the Veteran's Advantage website @VeteransAdvantage.com.

The 50/50 raffel was held, yielding $45.00 to be donated to the Wounded Veteran's Relief Fund.

Board Member Tom Wood made an interesting and informative presentation on "Bob Hope, The Ultimate Morale Builder". Tom traced Bob Hope's nearly 50 years--from World War II through Vietnam to the Gulf War--travelling the world, visiting remote outposts and isolated warships to put on USO shows. The presentation was well received by all hands and was followed by a question and answer period. Several of our members noted that they had seen one of his shows during their tours in Vietnam.

Scheduled Veteran's Club Events for 2018 are indicated below:

--Veteran's Day Dance: Monday November 12, 2018

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meetings for 2018 are indicated below:

--Sunday June 10, 2018

--Sunday Septermber 9, 2018

--Sunday December 9, 2018

All Sunday breakfast meetings will be held in the Social Hall from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM.

Scheduled Second Thursday of the month meetings for 2018 are indicated below:

--Thursday October 11, 2018

--Thursday November 8, 2018

All Thursday meetings will be held in the Social Hall from 4:00 to 6:00 PM.

The President noted in his concluding remarks that our next meeting would be a breakfast meeting on Sunday June 10th at 0900 in the Social Hall. The June meeting will be our last before our two month July and August summer break.

The Meeting concluded at 1700.

Minutes Submitted by Tom Nowak, Veteran's Club Secretary

May 8, 2018

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes From April 8, 2018

Our meeting opened at 0900 with 50 members in attendance. Breakfast was served. Total club membership is now 188.

An informal "Meet and Greet" was held from 0900 to 0920.

Formal business commenced at 0920 with the "Pledge of Allegiance".

The Secretary's Report was presented and the minutes of our last meeting were voted upon and accepted by the membership.

The Treasurer's Report was presented. It was noted that we currently have a $7,361 cash balance, $4,352 of which is going toward our upcoming BBQ event. Our adjusted cash balance is $3,009. $1845 was generated by our Car Show for the Wounded Warrior's Relief Fund, and we anticipate an estimated yield of $1,500 to $1,800 from our upcominig Party. To date, our club has donated a total of $61,000 to the Wounded Warriors Relief Fund.

The President's Report was presented. A new member was introduced, and Jules noted that our November Veteran's Party has been rescheduled from Friday November 8, 2018 to Monday, November 12, 2018 in order to accomodate the availability of the King's Academy Chior.

He also noted that our recent Blood Drive was very successful, yielding 55 pints of blood, and thanked all those participating in and supporting the event.

Jules recognized Fred Paul and his team for their efforts in organizing our meeting breakfasts.

Board Member and Car Show Chairman Mike Heiserman thanked all those who helped to make the event a great success. Mike noted that the new trophy placque presented to car owners who participated was greatly appreciated by them. Over $1845.00 was raised at the show to support the Wounded Veteran's Relief Fund.

President Jules Harper thanked Car Show Chairman Mike Heiserman and our membership gave hime a round of applause in recogniton of his outstanding efforts in managing the event.

Howard Becker was also recognized for taking the Car Show pictures this year.

Fleet Week event Chairman Dave Weisman provided an update on this year's Fleet Week event. The ship visits will be held be on Tuesday May 1st. It is anticipated that at least five ships will participate, including an amphibious assault ship, a littoral combat ship, and several Coast Guard Cutters. Plans call for our group to car pool to the event this year, and participants will have the opportunity to join crew members at a "Happy Hour" and a reception featuring a complementary buffet after the ship tours. All members and guests participating must register in advance in order to obtain a security screening as in past years. Participants are reminded to wear their club shirts and hats with khaki shirts or shorts. Members who have registered for the event can obtain their tickets from Dave.

Vice President Goody Morrison provided a update on our upcoming BBQ scheduled for Saturday April 21st in the Social Hall. Cost will be $27.00 per person. To date 145 people have signed up for the event. Doors will open at 1845.

Goody also noted that the new club shirts are available for order. Members interested in purchasing shirts should contact Goody.

Members were reminded that the Honor Flight Program is now accepting Korean War veterans.

The 50/50 raffel was held, yielding $55.00 to be donated to the Wounded Veteran's Relief Fund.

Board Member Nelson Cusher made an interesting and informative presentation on the defoliant Agent Orange that was used extensively during the Vietnam War. The entire Agent Orange program was discussed in detail, including the long term health impact on both the Vietnamese and Americans who where were exposed to the toxin. The presentation was well received by all hands and was followed by a lively question and answer period that included the perspective of one of our members experiencing long term health issues as the result of his personal exposure during his service in country during the war.

Scheduled Veteran's Club Events for 2018 are indicated below:

--Spring BBQ: Saturday April 21, 2018

--Fleet Week In Fort Lauderdale: Tuesday April 1, 2018

--Veteran's Day Dance: Monday November 12, 2018

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meetings for 2018 are indicated below:

--Sunday June 10, 2018

--Sunday Septermber 9, 2018

--Sunday December 9, 2018

All Sunday breakfast meetings will be held in the Social Hall from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM.

Scheduled Second Thursday of the month meetings for 2018 are indicated below:

--Thursday May 10, 2018

--Thursday October 11, 2018

--Thursday November 8, 2018

All Thursday meetings will be held in the Social Hall from 4:00 to 6:00 PM.

The President noted in his concluding remarks that our next meeting would be held on May 10th at 1600 in the Social Hall. Vice President Goody Morrison noted that next month's presentation will be given by Tom Wood and will focus on comedian Bob Hope's contributions to entertaining the troops across several wars.

The Meeting concluded at 1035.

Minutes Submitted by Tom Nowak, Veteran's Club Secretary

Apr 2, 2018

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes From March 8, 2018

Our meeting opened at 1600 with 32 members in attendance. Total club membership is now 187.

An informal "Meet and Greet" was held from 1600 to 1620.

Formal business commenced at 1620 with the "Pledge of Allegiance".

The Secretary's Report was presented and the minutes of our last meeting were voted upon and accepted by the membership.

The Treasurer's Report was presented.

The President's Report was presented. Several new members were introduced.

It was noted that our upcoming BBQ is scheduled for Saturday April 21st in the Social Hall. Cost will be $27.00 per person. To date over 145 people have signed up for the event.

Jules also noted that our next Blood Drive will be on Friday, March 16th, and encouraged all hands to participate. Tom Conklin is the Chairman.

He also noted that the Board of Directors has voted not to hold a canned food drive this year due to the decreasing level of community participation in the event and the lack of clarity about who the food collected was being distributed to.

An update was provided on this year's Fleet Week event. The ship visits will be on Tuesday, May 1st. Several ships will participate, including an Aegis cruiser, an amphibious assault ship, and two Coast Guard Cutters. Plans call for our group to car pool to the event this year, and participants will have the opportunity to join crew members at a "Happy Hour" after the ship tours. All members and guests participating must register in advance in order to obtain a security screening as in past years. David Weissman is coordinating the event.

Members interested in purchasing the new clulb shirts should contact Vice President Goody Morrison.

Members were reminded that the Honor Flight Program is now accepting Korean War veterans. Jerry Crumpert will be going on the Honor Flight that will arrive at the Palm Beach airport on April 14, 2018. Members were encouraged to attend the returning flight welcome event.

The 50/50 raffel was held, with the proceeds to be donated to the Wounded Veteran's Relief Fund.

Barry Levey made an interesting and informative presentation on the first United States drone program flights in 1958. The presentation was well received by all hands and was followed by a lively question and answer period.

Scheduled Veteran's Club Events for 2018 are indicated below:

--Spring BBQ: Saturday April 21, 2018

--Fleet Week In Fort Lauderdale: Tuesday May 1, 2018

--Veteran's Day Dance: Friday November 9, 2018

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meetings for 2018 are indicated below:

--Sunday April 8, 2018

--Sunday June 10, 2018

--Sunday Septermber 9, 2018

--Sunday December 9, 2018

All Sunday breakfast meetings will be held in the Social Hall from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM.

Scheduled Second Thursday of the month meetings for 2018 are indicated below:

--Thursday May 10, 2018

--Thursday October 11, 2018

--Thursday November 8, 2018

All Thursday meetings will be held in the Social Hall from 4:00 to 6:00 PM.

The President noted in his concluding remarks that our next meeting will be a Sunday morning breakfast meeting and will be held on April 8th at 0900 in the Social Hall.

The Meeting concluded at 1700.

Minutes Submitted by Tom Nowak, Veteran's Club Secretary

Feb 28, 2018

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes From February 8, 2018

Our meeting opened at 1600 with 42 members in attendance. Total club membership is now 187.

An informal "Meet and Greet" was held from 1600 to 1620.

Formal business commenced at 1620 with the "Pledge of Allegiance".

The Secretary's Report was presented and the minutes of our last meeting were voted upon and accepted by the membership.

The Treasurer's Report was presented. It was noted that we currently have a $3143.64 cash balance, and that our Federal Form 990 and our Sales Tax Forms have been completed and submitted.

The President's Report was presented. Several new members were introduced, and it was noted that as a result of our club's request an HOA policy change has been made that permits us to resume our 50/50 raffels. Accordingly, our 50/50 will resume this month enabling us to further increase our donations to the Wounded Warriors Relief Fund.

Board Member Dennis Flier briefed on our field trip to the Navy and Marine Corps Reserve Center at West Palm Beach on January 23rd. The twenty-three members participating met with active duty Sailors and Marines, reviewed current equipment and armament, saw how parachutes are rigged and recieved an update on current events.

President Jules Harper recognized Dennis Flier for his outstanding efforts in initiating and coordinating the Reserve Center event. He also mentioned that the Executive Officer of the Marine Corps unit, a Marine Captain and aviator, has agreed to be the guest speaker at one of our future club meetings.

Board Member and Car Show Chairman Mike Heiserman provided an update on preparations for this year's show. It will be held on Sunday, March 11, 2018. Mike reported that the Buick dealership is very excited about holding the show, and they have indicated that they will provide more spaces for show cars this year. They have also provided a check for $1,000 toward the costs of trophies and other administrative expenses. Several cars have already been registered for the event, and publicity for the show is in progress. A thousand flyers have been printed and are being distributed, and posters advertising the event are on display at high profile locations. A DJ has been lined up, and Treasurer Steve Rosenthal has volunteered to manage the registration desk. Plans call for a "Watch Bill" of volunteers and their assignments to be developed, so each member will know their assigned role in advance of the event. Volunteers were solicited from our membership to support the event. It was noted that the VR Car Club has decided not to participate in the Car Show this year. As a result, the show will be sponsored entirely by our Veteran's Club.

President Jules Harper recognized Mike Heiserman for his exceptional hard work in managing the Car Show, and thanked him for his continuing tireless efforts to make the show a great success. He also noted that the Car Show is second only to our Veteran's Day Party as a generator of contributions for the Wounded Warrior's Relief Fund.

Guest Steve Metzger was presented with a plaque In recognition of his years of service helping with our Club's semi-annual Blood Drive. He was thanked for his enormous contribution to the ongoing success of the program, and received a round of applause from our members.

Jules also noted that our next Blood Drive will be on Friday, March 16th, and encouraged all hands to participate.

All hands were reminded that the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center is now offering free valet parking to veterans with scheculed appointments.

Vice President Goody Morrison provided an update on this year's Fleet Week event. The ship visits will be held between April 28 and May 5, with the exact date to be determined. It is anticipated that at least five ships will participate, including one guided missile destroyer, an amphibious assault ship, a nuclear submarine and two Coast Guard Cutters. Plans call for our group to car pool to the event this year, and participants will have the opportunity to join crew members at a "Happy Hour" after the ship tours. All members and guests participating must register in advance in order to obtain a security screening as in past years. Additional details will be provided as they become available. David Weissman is coordinating the event.

Goody also discussed our upcoming BBQ scheduled for Saturday April 21st in the Social Hall. Cost will be $27.00 per person. To date 145 people have signed up for the event.

Goody also noted that the new club shirts are available for order. Members interested in purchasing shirts should contact Goody.

Members were reminded that the Honor Flight Program is now accepting Korean War veterans.

The 50/50 raffel was held, yielding $65.00 to be donated to the Wounded Veteran's Relief Fund.

Vice President goody Morrison made an interesting and informative presentation on the history of the Korean War. He overviewed the history of the Korean penninsula, the progress of the war, and concluded with a discussion of the relative strengths and orders of battle of the United States, South Korea, and North Korea in a modern day conflict. Goody also recognized our members who were Korean War veterans. The presentation was well received by all hands and was followed by a lively question and answer period.

Scheduled Veteran's Club Events for 2018 are indicated below:

--Car Show: Sunday March 11, 2018

--Blood Drive: Friday March 16, 2018

--Spring BBQ: Saturday April 21, 2018

--Fleet Week In Fort Lauderdale: Betwen April 28 and May 5, 2018 (exact date TBD)

--Veteran's Day Dance: Friday November 9, 2018

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meetings for 2018 are indicated below:

--Sunday April 8, 2018

--Sunday June 10, 2018

--Sunday Septermber 9, 2018

--Sunday December 9, 2018

All Sunday breakfast meetings will be held in the Social Hall from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM.

Scheduled Second Thursday of the month meetings for 2018 are indicated below:

--Thursday March 8, 2018

--Thursday May 10, 2018

--Thursday October 11, 2018

--Thursday November 8, 2018

All Thursday meetings will be held in the Social Hall from 4:00 to 6:00 PM.

The President noted in his concluding remarks that our next meeting would be held on March 8th at 1600 in the Social Hall.

The Meeting concluded at 1645.

Minutes Submitted by Tom Nowak, Veteran's Club Secretary

VR Veterans Club Secretary Secretary Reports