VR Veterans Club Secretary

Feb 3, 2018

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes From January 11, 2018

Our Sunday meeting opened at 1600 with 80 members, guests and community residents in attendance. Total club membership is now 184.

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. It was noted that the five year total of our donations to the Wounded Veteran's Relief Fund is $58,934.00.

The President's Report was presented. Several new members were introduced, including our first female veteran member. Guests and family members attending were welcomed. The results of last month's election were reviewed, and it was noted that the funds that we have raised for the Wounded Veteran's Relief Fund were making a real difference to the veteran's receiving them. Last year $10,600 was raised by our Veteran's Day Party, along with $3,800 at our Car Show.

Our President noted that our Veteran's Club was now the only group responsible for handling the South Florida National Cemetery holiday and special event flag raisings and lowerings. Members were encouaged to participate. Information on flag raising and lowerings at the cemetery will be promulgated well in advance of the scheduled date.

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. Several cars have already been registered for the event, and publicity for the show is in progress. 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, and coordination with the VR Car Club is in progress.

Jerry Gumpert discussed upcoming Honor Flights for World War II and Korean veterans. These events are usually held in the late afternoon or early evening. At the last event approximately 1,500 people participated, providing a warm welcome for the veterans returning from their Washington, DC visit. Information on upcoming Honor Flights will be provided as it becomes available, and members were encouraged to participate in the events.

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.

Goody also discussed our upcoming BBQ scheduled for Saturday April 21st in the Social Hall. Cost will be $27.00 per person.

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

Dennis Flier briefed on plans for our upcoming January 23rd field trip to the Navy and Marine Corps Reserve Center at West Palm Beach. Participants will meet with active duty Sailors and Marines, review current equipment and armament, see how parachutes are rigged and get an update on current events. Members interested in attending should sign up on our website. Participants will meet at 0930 near the mailboxes in the Clubhouse parking lot, and car pool to the Reserve Center.

Goody Morrison noted that preparations are underway for our Spring BBQ and Dance to be held on Saturday, April 21st in the clubhouse. Details will be promulgated when they become available.

Dennis Flier introduced Lisa Leslie, today's guest speaker. Lisa, a professional woman's basketball star for 13 seasons with the LA Sparks, winner of 4 Olympic Gold Medals, 1 Bronze Medal, and 4 World Championship Gold Medals discussed her career in sports, broadcasting, and real estate. Her interesting, informative and inspring presentation was well recieved by all hands and guests, and was followed by a lively question and answer period.

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

--Field Trip to Palm Beach Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Center: Tueday 23 January, 2018

--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 February 8, 2018

--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 February 8th at 1600 in the Social Hall.

The Meeting concluded at 1645.

Minutes Submitted by Tom Nowak, Veteran's Club Secretary

Dec 21, 2017

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes From December 10, 2017

Our Sunday breakfast meeting opened at 0900 with 45 members and several guests in attendance. Total club membership is now 184.

An informal "Meet and Greet" with breakfast was held from 0900 to 0930.

Formal business commenced at 0930 with the "Pledge of Allegiance".

Vice President Goody Morrison chaired today's meeting since our President was on travel.

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 cash balance on hand of $3,732.00, with a sales tax liability of $647.00 outstanding. A total of $8,703.00 was generated from the Veteran's Day Party, bringing the five year total of our donations to the Wounder Veteran's Relief Fund to $56,784.00.

The Vice President's Report was presented. Members werre thanked for attending the Veteran's Day Flagpole Ceremony.

It was noted that our Blood Drive on December 1st was a great success, with 76 donors giving 64 pints of blood. Plasma was also collected. Blood Drive Chairman Tom Conklin, assisted by Steve Metzger, were thanked for running the program, as were those who donated.

Dennis Flier noted that at our January 11th meeting the speaker will be Lisa Lesle, a four time Olympic Basketball Gold Medal Winner and former Air Force Captain who hales from a military family.

Dennis also briefed on plans for our upcoming January 23rd field trip to the Navy and Marine Corps Reserve Center at West Palm Beach. Participants will meet with active duty Sailors and Marines, review current equipment and armament, see how parachutes are rigged and get an updated on current events. A flyer with details will be promulgated in the near future. Members interested in attending should sign up on our website.

Goody Morrison noted that preparations are underway for our Spring BBQ and Dance to be held on Saturday, April 21st in the clubhouse. Details will be promulgated when they become available.

Elections of Officers and Board Members were conducted, and the entire slate was unaimously approved by all members present. President Jules Harper and Secretary Tom Nowak were re-elected, as were Board Members Nelson Cusher, Dennis Flier, Mike Silverman and Tom Wood. Mark Schwartz's appointment to the Board was also confirmed. Goody recognized Elections Chairman Norm Beck for his good work coordinating the elections.

Veteran's Club Secretary CDR Tom Nowak, USNR (Ret.), spoke about Prisoner of War experiences throughout our country;s history, based on a tour of active duty as a Naval Intelligence Officer at the Navy Prisoner of War Studies Center in San Diego. Tom discussed what the Navy has learned about the long term physical and psychological impact of exrtended captivity as a POW, and what lessons have been learned to better prepart high risk service members to survive a future POW experience. The presentation was well received by all hands and was followed by a lively question and answer period.

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 January 11, 2018

--Thursday February 8, 2018

--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 Vice President noted in his concluding remarks that our next meeting would be on January 11th at 1600 in the Social Hall. He also wished all a great new year.

The Meeting concluded at 1045.

Minutes Submitted by Tom Nowak, Veteran's Club Secretary

Nov 11, 2017

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes From November 9, 2017

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes From November 9, 2017.

Our meeting opened at 1600 with 31 members and 4 guests in attendance. Total club membership is now 184.

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 Treasuer's Report was presented. It was noted that we currently have a cash balance of $12,230.00. A total of 332 people have signed up to attend our Veteran's Day Party, resulting in incoming payments $9,628.00. After party expenses are paid out, it is anticipated that we will be able to donate $3,000 or more to the Wounded Veteran Relief Fund, in addition to the funds raised by our auction at the event. These donations will bring our total donations to the Wounded Veteran's Relief to an amount exceeding $50,000.

The President's Report was presented. New members and visitors were introduced. Norma Hersh, our first female veteran, was welcomed to the club. She is an Army veteran who worked in miltary hospitals from 1954 to 1958.

President Jules Harper noted that at our December meeting we will be conducting our annual elections for selected Officer and Board Member positions. Positions to be voted upon and incubants running for these positions are indicated below:

President: Jules Harper

Secretary: Tom Nowak

Board of Directors Members: Nelson Cusher, Dennis Flier, Mike Silverman and Tom Wood. Mark Schwarz will also be running to fill the Board seat vacated by Mike Tremper. Any additional members interested in running for these positions should contact our Elections Chairman Norm Beck.

It was announced that Dennis Flier has arranged for a club visit to the Palm Beach Navy and Marine Corps Reserve Center on January 23, 2018. The Reserve Center is located near the Palm Beach International Airport, and will provide a variety of briefings and displays during our visit. Details of the event including transportation arrangements will be provided as they are finalized.

Our President reminded members that a Veteran's Day Recognition Ceremony will be held on Saturday, November 11 at 9 AM at the flagpole in front of the clubhouse. During the ceremony Joe Franz, the Chairman of our Flag Committee, will replace the current flag with a new flag. Jules will give a short talk on the meaning of Veteran's Day, a soloist will preform patriotic songs, and music will be provided by our Valencia Reserve band. The ceremony will last approximately 30 minutes. In the event of rain the event will be held in the clubhouse. All of our members and their spouses are invited to attend, as well as the entire Valencia Reserve community. Members are requested to wear their club hats and shirts.

Jules read a note from Mel Cantor advising that the West Palm Beach Veteran's Medical Center will now provide complementary valet parking to veterans who have a scheduled appointment at the facility.

President Jules Harper advised that beginning on November 11, 2017 all veterans will beome eligible to utilize the online PX system where reduced prices are offfered on a variety of merchanise with no sales tax. Veterans can register to take advantage of this service on line at vetverify.com.

Members were reminded that our next flag lowering event at the South Florida Veteran's Cemetery would be on Tuesday, November 14. Participants will meet at 9 AM in the clubhouse parking lot near the old mail boxes and car pool to the cemetery. Members were encouraged to participate. Lowering the flags usually takes approximately one hour or less, depending on the number of participants.

Board Member Mike Heiserman provided a briefing on the recent Honor Flight event, noting that the flights are usually done from our area four times a year. All who participated found it to be a rewarding experience. The next event may be in the spring. Additional details will be provided when they become available.

Blood Drive Chairman Tom Conklin provided an update on our upcoming Blood Drive on Friday, December 1st. Additional volunteers were solicited to help during the event.

Vice President Goody Morrison provided an update on preparations for our Veteran's Day Party. Doors will open at 6:15 PM on Friday. Food will be available upon entry. The program will include brief remarks by our President, a performance by the Kings Academy Choir, and a live auction followed by desert and dancing. Goody provided thanks to members and their spouses who volunteered to help with the event. Members at the meeting were invited to help finalize the party set up immediately after today's meeting.

Kevin Ridgeway, the Acting Director of the South Florida National Cemetery, presented an interesting and informative presentation about the cemetery and the Veteran's Administration Cemetery Administration. He provided many interesting facts about the cemetery, discussed the criteria for internment for veteran's and their spouses and explained the associated administrative processes, He highlighted the advantages of filing an "Application for Pre-Need Determination of Eligibility for Burial in a VA National Cemetery" for both veterans and their spouses and made the pre-need determination forms available to our members. A question and answer session followed the presentation, which was well received by all hands.

Karen Forrest and Erol Atamer of the Palm Beach National Chapel Funeral Home made an interesting and informative presentation about the services provided for veterans by their facility. Their establishment is the closest funeral home to the South Florida National Cemetery and provides services for many veteran's funerals prior to interment in the cemetery. They also made available to members a complementary Funeral Planning Guide. A question and answer session followed the presentation, which was well received by all hands.

President Jules Harper reviewed the schedule of upcoming Veteran's Club events for 2017.

The 2017 Projected Schedule of Veteran's Club Events is indicated below:
--Veteran's Day Dance: Saturday November 11, 2017 (3-11 PM)

--Veteran's Day Flag Ceremony: Saturday, November 11, 2017 (9-9:30 AM)

--Blood Drive: Friday December 1, 2017 (9 AM-4 PM)

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meeting dates for 2017 are indicated below:
--Sunday December 10, 2017 (Annual Meeting)
All Sunday meetings will be held in the Social Hall from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon,

The President noted in his concluding remarks that our next meeting will be a breadfast meeting that will be held on Sunday December 10 in the Social Hall.

The meeting concluded at 1715

Minutes Submitted by Tom Nowak, Veteran's Club Secretary

Nov 6, 2017

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes From October 12, 2017

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes From October 12, 2017 Our meeting opened at 1600 with 32 members in attendance. Total club membership is now 184. 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. New members and visitors were introduced. Norma Hersh, our first female veteran, was welcomed to the club. She is an Army veteran who worked in miltary hospitals from 1954 to 1958. Our returning Snow Birds were welcomed back. The President noted that there will be a Board of Directors meeting immediately following today's general meeting. The Board will discuss the details of our upcoming Veteran's Day Party at the meeting. Mike Tremper has resigned from the Board of Directors, and the President thanked him for his hard work as a Board member. Mark Schwarz has agreed to serve on the Board on an interim basis, and will run for election as a Board member in our December elections. Our Veteran's Day Party will be held on Friday November 10th instead of Saturday November 11th. This change was necessary so that we could schedule the King's Academy Choir again this year. The choir is by far our biggest "draw" for the event. Jules noted that we need some big ticket items for our live auction at the Party. He encouraged members to be on the lookout for suitable items that could be inculded in the auction. Members with suitable items for auction should contact either President Jules Harper or Vice President Goody Morrison. Vice President Goody Morrison briefed on the details of our Party preparations. It was noted that we are going to have a Flag Ceremony on Veteran's Day at 0900 in our flag pole area in front of the clubhouse. Carole Kantor will be singing a few songs, our Valencia Reserve Band will play some patriotic music, our President will give a short talk on the meaning of Veteran's Day, and a Rabbi will also give a short talk. Dave Wessman will arrange for some sound equipment and speakers for the outside ceremony. In the event of rain the event will move inside of the clubhouse. It was noted that Blood Drive Chairman Tom Conklin will coordinate our Blood Drive which will be held on December 1st, 2017 from 0900 to 1600. Members who are interested in helping with the event should contact Tom Conklin. President Jules Harper noted that at our December meeting we will be conducting our annual elections for the selected Officer and Board Member positions. Positions to be voted upon and incubants running for these positions are indicated below: President: Jules Harper Secretary: Tom Nowak Board of Directors Members: Nelson Cusher, Dennis Flier, Mike Silverman and Tom Wood. Mark Schwarz will also be running to fill the Board seat vacated by Mike Tremper. Janet Hoose, Vice Chair of the Southeast Florida Honor Flight Program, made an intersting and informative presentation explaining the program and soliciting participation by our members. The presentation was well received by our membership. President Jules Harper reviewed the schedule of upcoming Veteran's Club events for 2017. The 2017 Projected Schedule of Veteran's Club Events is indicated below: --Veteran's Day Dance: Friday November 10, 2017 (6-11 PM) --Blood Drive: Friday December 1, 2017 (9 AM-4 PM) Scheduled Sunday breakfast meeting dates for 2017 are indicated below: --Sunday December 10, 2017 (Annual Meeting) All Sunday meetings will be held in the Social Hall from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon, Scheduled Second Thursday of the month meetings for 2017 are indicated below: --Thursday November 9, 2017 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 held on Thursday November 9th in the Social Hall. Members were reminded to sign up to attend on the Veteran's Club website. The meeting concluded at 1733. Minutes Submitted by Tom Nowak, Veteran's Club Secretary

Aug 13, 2017

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes From June 11, 2017

Our Sunday breakfast meeting opened at 0900 with 36 members in attendance. Total club membership is 183.

An informal "Meet and Greet" with breakfast 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 cash balance of $3,266 and a sales tax liability of $225.00. The required IRS form 990 has been filed.

New members in attendance were introduced by the President.

The President's Report was presented. It was noted that a Board meeting will be held immediately following today's general meeting, and that a schedule of next year's meetings has been posted on our website.

A discussion on the start time for future breakfast meetings was held, followed by a vote to keep the start time at 0900 rather than changing it to 0830.

Preparations for our November party were reviewed, and the President noted that details of the party arrangements would be further discussed in detail at today's Board meeting. Due to the availability of the King's Academy Choir the date of the event has been moved from Saturday November 11th to Friday November 10th. The exact cost per person for the event is to be determined, but a survey of meeting attendees suggested that a cost of up to $29.00 per person would be reasonable and would allow for a generous donation to the Wounded Warrior's Relief Fund.

Also discussed was that we were not including a silent auction at this year's party due to the difficulty of obtaining items for auction. However, the live auction will be featured again this year. We are actively exploring the possibility of getting the day trip on Earl Stewart's yacht as an auction item this year, as well as the day with the Sheriff's Office and the included flight on the Sheriff's department helicopter.

Voluteers were solicited for the next flag raising event at the Veteran's Cemetery. The President is continuing his coordination with both the Cemetery and the Motorcycle Club for the event.

Board member Mike Heiserman discussed the Honor Flights for World War II veterans, and noted that the program has been extended to include Korean and Vietnam War veterans as well.

Mike also discussed that we are having a plaque made to recognize the Valencia Reserve Car Club for their contributions to our annual Car Show. We also provided both the Car Club and the Del Ray Buick Dealer with copies of our hard copy book of photographs from the show. The dealership appreciated the books and requested additional copies for their showroom which we provided. They indicated that they are eager to support our Car Show again next year.

President Jules Harper advised that he is looking into booking a 105 year old Lieutanant General who is the oldest living graduate of West Point as a speaker for one of our upcoming meetings.

Jules also distributed forms for the Veteran's Cemetery "Pre-Need Program" and noted that forms could be filled out in advance to guarantee the availablity of internment in the Veteran's Cemetery.

The President also joted that the origin of the 21 gun salute is the sum of the digits in the year "1776".

Vice President Goody Morrison reminded members of the availability of our new Veteran's Club logo athletic shirts and encouaged interested members to place their orders for this new offering.

An interesting and informative presentation was made by Dave Weisman on the World War II Battle of the Bismark Sea. The presentation was well received by our members.

President Jules Harper reviewed the schedule of upcoming Veteran's Club events for 2017.

The 2017 Projected Schedule of Veteran's Club events is indicated below:

--Veteran's Day Dance: Friday November 10, 2017.

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meeting dates for 2017 are indicated below:

--Sunday September 10, 2017

--Sunday December 10, 2017 (Annual Meeting)

All Sunday meetings will be held in the Social Hall from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon.

Scheduled Second Thursday of the month meetings for 2017 are indicated below:

--Thursday October 12, 2017

--Thursday November 9, 2017

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 10th. He wished all a great summer.

The meeting concluded at 1015.

Minutes submitted by Tom Nowak, Veteran's Club Secretary

Jun 6, 2017

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes From May 11, 2017

Our meeting opened at 1600 with 40 members and several guests 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 a $3424.00 cash balance, with a net cash balance of $3214.00 after adjusting for sales taxes due. Our Annual Car Show netted a donation of $3469.00 for the Wounded Veteran's Relief Fund, and our BBQ Party yielded a surplus of $138.00.

Several new members were introduced and welcomed to the Club. Several guests were also welcomed to our meeting.

Slide presentations from our Car Show and Fleet Week were shown and narrated by Mike Heiserman and Jules Harper.

The President's Report was presented. It was noted that our Veteran's BBQ Party was a great success with 125 individuals in attendance.

Although a total of 47 members and their spouses signed up for ouir Fleet Week ship visits, only 17 were able to be accomodated on board the USS New York (LPD 21) since most of the other ships scheduled to be present were deployed on shourt notice. Many of those attending joined officers from the crew at a buffet sponsored by the Navy League after the shipboard tours.

It was noted that Mike Durkee of the Wounded Veterans Relief Fund was preparing a plaque of appreciation for our Car Club in recognition of their support for our Car Show. The Veteran's Club has also sent a letter of appreciation for their efforts to the Car Club.

Jules advised our members that our annual Veteran's Day Party has been changed from Saturday November 11th to Friday November 10th in order to accomodate the availability of the King's Academy Choir.

Our President indicted that only four of our members participated in the most recent HOA Hurricane Emergency Preparation meeting. Additional members were urged to participate in future meetings.

A sign up sheet to help with the Veteran's Club flag raisings at the South Florida National Cemetary was circulated. Flags will be raised on Thursday May 25th for the Memorial Day weekend, and taken down on Tuesday May 30th. Members were encouaged to participate.

Members were informed that our Veteran's Club website has been updated to reflect the Wounded Veterans Relief Fund name change, along with updated photos of the Club officers and Board Members.

Jules noted that the Blood Drive was a huge success with 65 pints of blood donated along with platelates from 13 donors. Our next Blood Drive is scheduled for October.

A letter from the HOA CERTS president was read thanking our Club members who participated in the recent emergency preparation training session.

LTCOL Ronnie Goode, USMC presented an interesting and informative presentation on his tours as an advisor to the 31st Georgian Light Infantry Battalion both in pre-deployment training in the Republic of Georgia and on a 13 month combat deployment in Afghanistan. A lively question and answer period followed the presentation.

President Jules Harper reviewed the schedule of upcoming Veteran's Club events for 2017.

The 2017 Projected Schedule of Veteran's Club Events is indicated below:
--Pool Party with HOA: Sunday May 28, 2017 (Memorial Day)
--Veteran's Day Dance: Saturday November 11, 2017 (3-11 PM)

--Blood Drive: Thursday October 26, 2017

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meeting dates for 2017 are indicated below:
--Sunday June 11, 2017
--Sunday September 10, 2017
--Sunday December 10, 2017 (Annual Meeting)
All Sunday meetings will be held in the Social Hall from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon,

Scheduled Second Thursday of the month meetings for 2017 are indicated below:
--Thursday October 12, 2017
--Thursday November 9, 2017
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 breakfast meeting that will be held on Sunday June 11th in the Social Hall.

The meeting concluded at 1745.

Minutes Submitted by Tom Nowak, Veteran's Club Secretary

May 10, 2017

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes From April 9, 2017

Our breakfast meeting opened at 0900 with 30 members and one non-veteran guest in attendance. Total club membership is now 183.

An informal "Meet and Greet" with breakfast was held from 0900 to 0930.

Formal business commenced at 0930 with the "Pledge of Allegiance".

The Secretary's Report was presented by the President since Tom Nowak was on travel. The minutes of the last meeting were voted upon and accepted by the membership.

The Treasurer's Report was presented.

The President's Report was presented. It was noted that the Car Show was a great success. There were 110 cars in attendance and our resulting donation to the Wounded Veterans Relief Fund was $3,644.00. Car Club members were invited to attend today's breakfast meeting and were recognized for their participation in the Car Show. Present were six Car Club members, including three who were also Veterans Club members. Car Club members have also been invited to attend our Veteran's Club BBQ later this month. Car Show Chairman Michael Heiserman was recognized for his role in orchestrating the event. To date twelve individuals have volunteered to help with next year's event.

Our annual Canned Food Drive, chaired by Mike Tremper, was held on March 24th and as usual it was a great success. In addition to our collections on the 24th, a large box was set up in the clubhouse from March 20th through the 24th for residents to leave canned food donations. Mike Tremper was recognized for his role in managing the event. Norm Beck has volunteered to assist Mike Tremper with advertising next year's event.

Our Blood Drive, chaired by Tom Conklin assisted by Steve Metzger was held on March 31st. Sixty-six pints of blood were collected, along with more platelet donations than in previous years. Both Tom and Steve were recognized for managing the event.

Our Veterans and Car Club BBQ party will be held at the clubhouse on April 22nd. The cost is $24.00 per person which will include dinner catered by Lucilles BBQ. To date we have 101 paid admissions. Members were encouraged to talk the event up with other Veterans and Car Club members. Dennis Flier provided additional information about the event and on next month's speaker.

It was noted that Fleet Week is coming up on May 2nd. The departure time from the clubhouse has been changed to 1330. Participating members were reminded to make sure that their guests are advised of the departure time change.

President Jules Harper noted that the Men's Club at Valencia Shores sell their any bagels left-over after their meetings. It was decided that we would do likewise, selling anything left-over for one dollar for four bagels, and a like amount for left-over cookies.

Dan Brizel discussed the Mentor Program being run by Palm Beach County and invited interested individuals to call him for more details.

Jules discussed the flag raising and lowering program at the National Cemetery which is conducted in conjunction with the Valencia Point veterans. Members were invited to contact Jules if they would be interested in helping with the work of our flag raising committee.

An interesting and informative presentation about the POW Accountability Program was made by Vice President Goody Morrison and was well recieved by all hands.

President Jules Harper reviewed the schedule of upcoming Veteran's Club events for 2017.

The remaining 2017 Projected Schedule of Veteran's Club Events is indicated below:

--Veterans and Car Club BBQ Party: Saturday April 22nd, 2017

--Fleet Week in Fort Lauderdale: Tuesday May 2nd, 2017

--Pool Party with HOA: Sunday May 28th, 2017 (Memorial Day)

--Veteran's Day Dance: Saturday November 11, 2017

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meetings for 2017 are indicated below:

--Sunday June 11, 2017

--Sunday September 10, 2017

--Sunday December 10, 2017 (Annual Meeting)

All Sunday meetings will be held in the Social Hall from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon.

Scheduled second Thursday of the month meetings for 2017 are indicated below:

--Thursday May 11, 2017

--Thursday October 12, 2017

--Thursday November 9, 2017

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 held on Thursday May 11 in the Social Hall. He also noted that March was a busy month for us, and encouraged members to join in on as many of our activitites as possible.

The meeting concluded at 10:45.

Minutes Submitted by Tom Nowak, Veteran's Club Secretary.

Mar 27, 2017

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes From March 9, 2017

Our meeting opened at 1600 with 33 members in attendaance. Total club membership is now 180.

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 Treasureer's Report was presented. It was noted that we currently have a cash balance of $2,980.00, with an adjusted cash balance of $2960.00.

The President's Report was presented. It was noted that to date 78 people have signed up for our upcoming Veteran's Club BBQ on April 22nd. The per person cost is $24.00. We have invited Valencia Reserve Car Club members to participate in the event in recognition our our partnership with them in our annual car show. The event will be catered by Lucilles. In addition to BBQ, roasted chicken and salads will available. Efforts will be made to accomodate individuals with special meal requirements. A DJ will provide music for the party. Jules also noted that Lucilles is offering an "all you can eat" special on Tuesday afternoons for $25.00 which also featured an additional 'take out" portion after the meal.

Thirty-one members and their guests participated in our recent visit to the Navy SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce. The museum tour was preceeded by a luncheon at the Harbor Cove Restaurant that was enjoyed by all. The pictures of the SEAL Museum trip shown during today's "Meet and Greet" were taken courtesy of Cal Hunter. Thanks to Cal for his great photo work.

Our next field trip will be for Fleet Week in May.

Car Show Chairman Mike Heiserman presented an update on preparations for our upcoming Car Show on Sunday March 19th. To date 22 individuals have pre-registered cars to date. The relatively large pre-registration is a good indication of a potentially strong turn out. Mike Durkey, the Executive Director of the Wounded Warrior's Relief Fund will be in attendance. The US Army may also have representatives in attendance. Signage has been prepared, window cards have been pre-printed and dash plaques have been secured. Goody bags will be filled at the upcoming Saturday morning Car Club meeting. Additional volunteers were solicited to help during the event. The event will be held at Del Ray Buick located at 2400 Federal Highway. The event will commence at 0830 and it is anticipated that trophies will be presented at 1430.

Canned Food Drive Chairman Mike Tremper presented an update on preparations for our upcoming Food Drive on Friday March 24th. He noted that ads will be going out over the next two weeks. POD Captain designations were finalized, and additional volunteers were solicited to help with the event. Food collections will take place between 1000-1100 and 1300-1400. Food donations will be dropped off at a trailer located at Mike's house. Members were encouraged to talk-up the event with their neighbors.

President Jules Harper provided an update on our upcoming Blood Drive on Friday, March 31st, since Blood Drive Chairman Tom Conllin was on travel. Additional volunteers were solicited to help during the event.

Vice President Goody Morrison provided an update on Fleet Week. This year's event will take place on Tuesday May 2nd. Ships present will include the guided missile cruiser USS Monterey, the amphibious ship USS New York, a nuclear submarine and two Coast Guard Cutters. The bus will depart the clubhouse at 1500, and the ship tours will be given between 1600 and 1800. After the tours the Navy League has invited us to a buffet from 1800 to 2000 at a local pub, with junior officers from the ships in attendance. Thre bus will return to the clubhouse after the buffet.

Board Member Mike Silverman presented an interesting and informative presentation on the atomic bomb missions to Hiroshima and Nagasaki that ended World War II in the pacific. A lively discussion followed the presentation, which was well recieved by all hands.

President Jules Harper reviewed the schedule of upcoming Veteran's Club events for 2017.

The 2017 Projected Schedule of Veteran's Club Events is indicated below:
--Car Show: Sunday March 19, 2017: (Rain Date March 26, 2017)
--Blood Drive: Friday March 31, 2017 and Thursday October 26, 2017
--Canned Food Drive: March 24, 2017
--Fleet Week in Fort Lauderdale: Tuesday May 2nd, 2017
--Pool Party with HOA: Sunday May 28, 2017 (Memorial Day)
--Veteran's Day Dance: Saturday November 11, 2017 (3-11 PM)

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meeting dates for 2017 are indicated below:
--Sunday April 9, 2017
--Sunday June 11, 2017
--Sunday September 10, 2017
--Sunday December 10, 2017 (Annual Meeting)
All Sunday meetings will be held in the Social Hall from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon,

Scheduled Second Thursday of the month meetings for 2017 are indicated below:
--Thursday May 11, 2017
--Thursday October 12, 2017
--Thursday November 9, 2017
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 breadfast meeting that will be held on Sunday April 9 in the Social Hall.

The meeting concluded at 1733.

Minutes Submitted by Tom Nowak, Veteran's Club Secretary

Mar 7, 2017

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes From February 9, 2017

Our meeting opened at 1600 with 41 members in attendance. Total club membership is now 185.

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 $2834.00 cash balance, and an adjusted cash balance of $3,049.00. To date 22 people have signed up for our
Veteran's Club BBQ, and 8 Car Show registrations have been filed.

The President's Report was presented. It was noted that April 22nd is the date for our upcoming BBQ, and that four new members have joined since our last meeting. The new members present briefly introduced themselves and were welcomed to the Club. The president requested that our members encourage other members who do not usually attend our monthly meetings to join us at the meetings whenever possible.

The President noted that to date 22 members and guests have signed up for our February 28th visit to the Navy SEAL Museum. The admissions fee at the museum will be $8.00. Drivers for our car pool to the museum were solicited. The plan is for us to meet at the clubhouse at 0915, and to depart promptly at 0930. We will stop for lunch at 1100 at the Harbor Cove Restaurant located at 1930 Harbortown Drive in Fort Pierce, and we anticipate touring the museum from approximately 1215 to around 1500, after which we will depart for home. Members are encouaged to wear their club shirts and hats.

Canned Food Drive Chairman Mike Tremper provided an update on the event scheduled for Friday March 24th. POD Captains were solicited for several PODs where coverage was not yet firmed up.

Car Show Chairman Mike Heiserman, joined by Car Club President Barry Zeleski provided an update on preparations for the Sunday March 19th event. This year the show will be held at the Buick dealership in Del Ray. The dealership has provided $650.00 for trophies which have been ordered, and will also provide grilled hot dogs and hamburgers at no cost to our club. !,000 flyers have been ordered and are being distributed. Volunteers were solicited to help with the event, and members were encouraged to identify businesses that could contribute items for door prizes and for the "goody bags" that will be given to all registrants. To date 8 registrations have been submitted, with the bulk of registrations typically taking place on the day of the event. A number of Canyon Town Center businesses have committed to contribute money or goods to support the event.

President Jules Harper noted that our next Blood Drive is scheduled for Friday March 31st, with Blood Drive Chairman Tom Conklin along with Steve Metzler coordinating the event. Volunteers to support the event were solicited.

Jules requested that any members interested in helping with the holiday flag raisings at the Veteran's Cemetary send an E-Mail to him indicating their interest in participating.

Jules also noted that he has invited Valencia Cove veterans to attend our Veteran's Club meetings.

The President also reminded our members that the "Wounded Warriors of South Florida" have changed their name to the "Wounded Veteran's Relief Fund".

He also reiterated that membership in our Club is open to all US Armed Forces veterans with a DD214.

Our President discussed the displayed "Eagle Poster" donated to our Club by Joanna. A preliminary discussion followed focusing on options for either displaying, donating, selling or auctioning the poster. It was agreed that our next step would be to look into the possibility of mounting the artwork. A member volunteered to look into mounting options, including approaching Michaels to see if they would consider mounting the poster at a reduced cost for the club. Additional discussion is planned for our next meeting.

Board Member Nelson Cusher presented an interesting and informative presentation on the Ten Best World War II War Movies, the Ten Best Vietnam War Movies, and the Ten Best Post Vietnam War Movies. The presentation featured film clips and was particularly well received by our members. It was followed by a question and answer period.

President Jules Harper reviewed the schedule of upcoming Veteran's Club events for 2017.

The 2017 Projected Schedule of Veteran's Club Events is indicated below:
--Car Show: Sunday March 19, 2017: (Rain Date March 26, 2017)
--Blood Drive: Friday March 31, 2017 and Thursday October 26, 2017
--Canned Food Drive: March 24, 2017
--Fleet Week in Fort Lauderdale: May 2017 (exact date TBD)
--Pool Party with HOA: Sunday May 28, 2017 (Memorial Day)
--Veteran's Day Dance: Saturday November 11, 2017 (3-11 PM)

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meeting dates for 2017 are indicated below:
--Sunday April 9, 2017
--Sunday June 11, 2017
--Sunday September 10, 2017
--Sunday December 10, 2017 (Annual Meeting)
All Sunday meetings will be held in the Social Hall from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon,

Scheduled Second Thursday of the month meetings for 2017 are indicated below:
--Thursday March 9, 2017
--Thursday May 11, 2017
--Thursday October 12, 2017
--Thursday November 9, 2017
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 Thursday March 9 in the Social Hall. Members were reminded to sign up to attend on the Veteran's Club website.

The meeting concluded at 1735.

Minutes Submitted by Tom Nowak, Veteran's Club Secretary

Feb 5, 2017

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes From January 12, 2017

Our meeting opened at 1600 with 42 members in attendance. Total club membership is 176.

An informal "Meet and Greet" with 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 $3,067.00 on hand. To date we have donated a total of $44,400.00 to the Wounded Veteran's Relief Fund.

Jeff Greenhut briefed our members on the "Vietnam Veteran's Compensation Program" which can provide eligible veterans with tax free monthly disability payments for various medical conditions which may have been a result of military service in Vietnam or Thailand. He also noted that the process to apply for disability for various medical conditions and agent orange exposure has been considerably streamlined and the criteria for eligibility has been expanded. Anyone interested in exploring this further can view the Disabled American Veterans website for detailed eligibility requirements. The DAV will also help veterans with application form completion. Additional information is also available from local chapters of the DAV, or by googling "Vietnam Veteran's Disability". Eligibility has also been expanded to include Navy veterans who served in waters adjacent to Vietnam.

Michael Heiserman reminded members that Palm Beach County residents with a 100% military disability can get an exemption from county property taxes.

Board Member and Car Show Chairman Michael Heiserman provided an update on preparations for our annual Car Show. The show will be held on March 19, 2017, with a rain date of March 26, 2017. The Del Ray Buick dealership is supporting us this year. In addition to providing the venue at their dealership that will include over 100 parking spaces for participating vehicles, they will cover the costs for trophys and related materials. They will also provide a grill with free hamburgers and hot dogs during the event. The Buick dealership venue should lead to greater participation from the public. Flyers and posters advertising the event have been printed and are being distributed. Mike also solicited volunteers to help with the event. Members interested in volunteering should contact Mike to let him know of their interest. Jules has prepared a letter soliciting raffel prizes from businesses, and members were requested to solicit prizes from local businesses and vendors.

Steve Osterman noted that free Honda Classic tickets are available to veterans. Interested veterans can find details on line by googling "Honda Classics Free Military Tickets". The event will be held from February 20 to 26, 2017. Veterans with free tickets will also be provided with a free lunch.

Veteran's Club Food Drive Chariman Mike Tremper noted that the date of the Food Drive has been changed to Friday March 24, 2017. A box will be set up in the clubhouse for food donations for the week before the Food Drive. Volunteers were solicited to help with the event. Members interested in helping should contact Mike and let him know of their interest. Mike requested that members talk-up the event with their neighbors to help increase the level of community participation.

The President's Report was presented. Jules asked if any members were having difficulty accessing the Veteran's Club website. He also requested that members sign up on the website to attend the next Veteran's Club meeting scheduled for Thursday February 9, 2017.

Jules noted that the date of our Navy SEAL Museum trip has been changed to February 28, 2017. The cost will be at the group rate of $8.00 per person. We are planning to have lunch at a local Fort Pierce restaurant prior to the SEAL museum visit.

Our Blood Drive is scheduled for March 31, 2017. Tom Conklin is our Blood Drive Chairman. Members interested in volunteering to help during the event should contact Tom to let him know of their interest.

Jules reiterated that the "Wounded Warriors of South Florida" has officially changed their name to the "Wounded Veteran's Relief Fund". Members are advised that checks should be made out to the "Wounded Veteran's Relief Fund" to get the tax deduction. Treasurer Steve Rosenthal noted that a reciept is not needed for tax purposes unless the donation amount is greater than $150.00.

Jules reminded all that reservists with a DD214 are eligible for membership in our club, and reiterated that the club imposes no dues.

President Jules Harper noted that the Veteran's Club places an article in "Reflections" every two months. Jules has submitted several articles to date, and both Tom Conklin and Bob Goldenberg have also submitted articles.

Vice President Goody Morrison thanked our members and their wives who helped with the Veteran's Day Party, and solicited volunteers to help with this year's event.

Goody noted that a BBQ for Veteran's Club members and their spouses will be held on April 22, 2017 in the clubhouse. The cost is anticipated to be approximately $20.00 per person. The event will be catered by Lucilles. Volunteers to help with the event were solicited. Those interested in helping should contact Goody to make him aware of their interest.

Fleet Week this year is scheduled for May 2017, with the exact date TBD. Additional information will be promulgated as soon as it is available.

Goody reminded all that Veteran's Club hats are available for purchase for $10.00, and Club shirts for $21.00. Those interested in purchasing these items should contact Goody.

Guest speaker World War II USMC veteran Norman Haber presented an interesting and informative presentation about his experiences as a Marine corporal in the Pacific from 1943 to 1946. His service brought him to Tarawa, the Marshall Islands, Siapan, the Phillipines, China and Japan during and after the war. His presentation was well recieved by our members and a short question and answer period followed.

Guest speaker 91 year old World War II US Navy veteran Bob Chiaria presented an interesting and informative presentation about his experiences as a sailor on board the SS Red Oak Victory during the war. His service took him across the Pacific and included attacks by kamikazi aircraft. His presentation was well recieved by our members and was followed by a short question and answer period.

President Jules Harper reviewed the schedule of upcoming Veteran's Club events for 2017.

The 2017 Projected Schedule of Veteran's Club Events is indicated below:

--Car Show: Sunday March 19, 2017: (Rain Date March 26, 2017)

--Blood Drive: Thursday March 31, 2017 and Thursday October 26, 2017

--Canned Food Drive: March 24, 2017

--Fleet Week in Fort Lauderdale: May 2017 (exact date TBD)

--Pool Party with HOA: Sunday May 28, 2017 (Memorial Day)

--Veteran's Day Dance: Saturday November 11, 2017 (3-11 PM)

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meeting dates for 2017 are indicated below:

--Sunday April 9, 2017

--Sunday June 11, 2017

--Sunday September 10, 2017

--Sunday December 10, 2017 (Annual Meeting)

All Sunday meetings will be held in the Social Hall from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon,

Scheduled Second Thursday of the month meetings for 2017 are indicated below:

--Thursday February 9, 2017

--Thursday March 9, 2017

--Thursday May 11, 2017

--Thursday October 12, 2017

--Thursday November 9, 2017

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 on Thursday February 9 at 1600 in the Social Hall. Members were reminded to sign up to attend on the Veteran's Club website.

The meeting concluded at 1720.

Minutes Submitted By Tom Nowak, Veteran's Club Secretary

VR Veterans Club Secretary Secretary Reports