VR Veterans Club Secretary

Jan 15, 2016

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes for January 10, 2016

Our Sunday breakfast meeting opened at 0900 with 50 members in attendance. Total club membership is 168. Vice President Goody Morrison is chairing this month's meeting since President Jules Harper is on travel.

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 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 $3,418 cash balance on hand. The total cumulative donations made to the Wounded Warriors of South Florida since the club's inception are $31,349.

The Vice President's Report was presented. It was noted that the Veteran's Administration is planning to present a special presentation to honor Korean War Veterans at our February meeting. In addition to our members Korean War Veteran's outside of our community are invited as well. All members are urged to pass this information along and invite Korean War Veterans that they may know from outside Valencia Reserve.

Members who came in early to set up for today's Breakfast Meeting were recognized by Vice President Goody Morrison.

Roger Ruddick and Mike Heiserman provided an update on preparations for the joint Veteran's Club/Car Club Car Show scheduled for Sunday March 20th. Volunteers were solicited to help with registration and parking.

Tom Wood briefed on preparations for the upcoming Blood Drive scheduled for March 11th. Eligibility to give blood was discussed. It was noted that individuals who previously had cancer were not automatically disqualified from donating.

Mike Tremper briefed on preparations for the upcoming Canned Food Drive scheduled for February 25th. The collection process was reviewed and volunteers were solicited to help with collections.

A brief discussion was held regarding Florida sales tax issues relating to Car Show admission charges. The issue will be reviewed by the President and the Treasurer to ensure that we are in full compliance.

Vice President Goody Morrison reviewed the schedule of upcoming events for 2016.

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meeting dates for 2016 are indicated below:

--Sunday April 10, 2016, 9:00 AM--12:00 noon

--Sunday June 12, 2016, 9:00 AM--12:00 noon

--Sunday September 11, 2016, 9:00 AM--12:00 noon

--Sunday December 11, 2016, 9:00 AM--12:00 noon (Annual Meeting)

All meetings will be held in the Social Hall.

Scheduled Second Thursday of the month meetings for 2016 are as indicated below:

--Thursday February 11, 2016, 4-6 PM

--Thursday March 10, 2016, 4-6 PM

--Thursday May 12, 2016, 4-6 PM

--Thursday October 13, 2016, 4-6 PM

--Thursday November 10, 2016, 4-6 PM

All meetings will be held in the Social Hall.

2016 Projected Schedule of Veteran's Club Events is indicated below:

--Car Show: March 20, 2016

--Blood Drive: March 11, 2016 and October 28, 2016

--Canned Food Drive: February 25, 2016

--Veteran's Polynesian Dinner Dance Party: April 30, 2016

--Fleet Week in Fort Lauderdale: May 5, 2016

--Pool Party with HOA: May 30, 2016 (Memorial Day)

--Veteran's Day Dance: November 11, 2016 (3-11 PM)

Board Member Michael Tremper's presentation on "The Life of an Infantry Soldier" originally scheduled to be presented at today's meeting is being rescheduled for a future meeting due to the malfunctioning of the clubhouse projection equipment.

The Vice President noted in his concluding remarks that our next meeting will be on Thursday February 11, 2016 from 4:00 to 6:00 PM in the Social Hall. It was also noted that the representatives of the Veteran's Administration will make a special presentation honoring our Korean Veterans at the meeting.

The 50/50 drawing was held.

The meeting concluded at 1000.

Minutes submitted by Tom Nowak, Veteran's Club Secretary

Dec 19, 2015

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes for December 12, 2015

Our Sunday breakfast meeting opened at 0900 with 47 members and 8 guests in attendance. Total club membership is now 167.

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

Formal business commenced at 0930 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 $3,709 cash balance on hand. The total cumulative donations made to the Wounded Warriors of South Florida since the club's inception are $31,315.

The President's Report was presented. It was noted that today's meeting is our formal
"Annual Meeting" as required by our By-Laws and that elections for selected Officer and Board Member positions will be held today.

Jules also noted that the Veteran's Administration is planning to present a special presentation to honor Korean War Veterans at one of our meetings early next year. In addition to our members area Korean War Veteran's outside our community would be invited as well. Additional details will be provided as they become available.

Vice President Goody Morrison provided an update on this year's Fleet Week. Our visit date will be May 5th, 2016 and at least six ships will be available for visiting, including two destroyers, a nuclear attack submarine, two Coast Guard Cutters and one additional vessel, the type of which is yet to be determined. All those attending the Fleet Week ship visits, both members and guests, must be cleared in advance by the Navy. The clearance information for those individuals who attended last years Fleet Week is still on file and does not have to be re-submitted by the member or guest. However, members or guests who did not attend last year will be required to submit clearance information in order to be pre-cleared for the visit. A form will be distributed to collect this information as we draw closer to the event. David Weissman is the Co-Chair of this year's Fleet Week event and can be reached at dlweissmancpa@msn.com to answer any questions.

Goody also noted that this year the Heat Wave dance will be replaced by a Polynesian Spring Dinner Dance on April 30th, 2016. Featured entertainment at the event will include Polynesian Dancers. Additional information will be distributed as soon as it becomes available.

Gene Doman discussed proposed By-Law changes that have been recommended by our HOA. The changes were voted upon and unanimously accepted as written by our membership in attendance.

Elections Committee Chairman Norm Beck solicited final nominations from the floor for today's selected Officer and Board Member elections, and no additional nominations were made. The slate of candidates was voted upon and accepted unanimously by those in attendance at today's meeting. As a result of the elections President Jules Harper and Secretary Tom Nowak, and Board Members Nelson Cusher and Mike Silverman were re-elected. Dennis Flyer was elected Board Member to fill Roger Ruddick's seat, and his ongoing contributions to our club were noted with appreciation.

Outgoing Program Planning Chairman Roger Ruddick was recognized for his contributions to our club during the last several years. Roger will be moving out of the Valencia Reserve Community in the near future.

President Jules Harper noted that contributions to the Wounded Warriors of South Florida will be solicited from the greater Valencia Reserve Community through an upcoming issue of the community Weekly Blast.

Jules also noted that a listing of our upcoming activities and events for the new year along with volunteer opportunities will be posted on our website in the near future.

Jules briefed the membership on his progress in writing a book about his experiences as a Navy combat carrier pilot during the Vietnam War.

The 50/50 drawing was held.

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meeting dates for 2016 are indicated below:
--Sunday January 10, 9:00 AM--12:00 noon
--Sunday April 10, 2016, 9:00 AM--12:00 noon
--Sunday June 12, 2016, 9:00 AM--12:00 noon
--Sunday September 11, 2016, 9:00 AM--12:00 noon
--Sunday December 11, 2016, 9:00 AM--12:00 noon (Annual Meeting)
All meetings will be held in the Social Hall.

Scheduled Second Thursday of the month meetings for 2016 are as indicated below:
--Thursday February 11, 2016, 4-6 PM
--Thursday March 10, 2016, 4-6 PM
--Thursday May 12, 2016, 4-6 PM
--Thursday October 13, 2016, 4-6 PM
--Thursday November 10, 2016, 4-6 PM
All meetings will be held in the Social Hall.

2016 Projected Schedule of Veteran's Club Events is indicated below:
--Car Show: March 20, 2016
--Blood Drive: March 11, 2016 and October 28, 2016
--Canned Food Drive: February 25, 2016
--Veteran's Dance Party: April 30, 2016
--Fleet Week in Fort Lauderdale: May 5, 2016
--Pool Party with HOA: May 30, 2016 (Memorial Day)
--Veteran's Day Dance: November 11, 2016 (3-11 PM)

Mike Heiserman made an interesting and informative presentation about his cold war active duty experiences as an officer in a Hawk anti-aircraft missile battery in Germany in the 1960s. His well prepared presentation featured pictures, charts and included memorabilia from his tour. The presentation was well received by all hands and was followed by a question and answer period which included a military quiz where prizes were featured for those providing the correct answers.

The President in his concluding remarks noted that our next meeting would be a breakfast meeting on January 10th, 2016.

The meeting concluded at 1035.

Minutes submitted by Tom Nowak, Veteran's Club Secretary

Nov 17, 2015

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes for November 12, 2014

Meeting opened at 1600 with 32 members and four guests in attendance. Total club membership is 165.

Army veteran Rubin Rosenthal of Valencia Cove attended the meeting as our guest. Rubin is exploring the possibility of starting a veterans club at the Cove. President Jules Harper met with him and provided background information on our Club that may be helpful in their efforts to establish a similar organization in their community.

An informal "Meet and Greet" with refreshments 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 300 individuals attended the Veteran's Day Dance, and both the auction and the 50/50 yielded significant funds for donation to the Wounded Warriors of South Florida. Total funds on hand after the party exceeded $7,500.00.

The President's Report was presented. It was noted that the Veteran's Day Party was a great success, and the President thanked all of our veterans who helped with the event. Financially, everything that we did at the Party exceeded our expectations. The silent and live auctions were especially profitable. The President reported that numerous letters of appreciation for the Party have already been received.

50/50 Committee Chairman Sol Kleinman and his assistant Morty Gray took in a total of $650.00, yielding $325.00 for the club. It was noted that Alan Weisberg donated his $45.00 third place winning back to our club, bringing the total funds generated by the 50/50 to $370.00.

We had 29 silent and 7 live auction items that brought in significant funds for the Wounded Warriors. It was noted that Bob Goldenberg did his usual fine job of handling the live auction. A vote was taken and it was decided to send a letter of appreciation to Bob in recognition of his exceptional efforts.

Roger Ruddick, Less Underleider, Michael Heiserman, Alan Weisberg and Les Melville were recognized for their efforts in obtaining items for auction. Special recognition was made for Mark Schwartz's efforts in obtaining tickets from South West Airlines that went for $600.00, and for Michael Golden who obtained 10 watches for us to sell that brought in another $600.00. The President noted that if we are able to get more of our membership involved in soliciting items for auction next year we should be able to raise even more funds for donation to the Wounded Warriors of South Florida at the auction.

The President noted that the Kings Academy performers were particularly well received, and many attendees indicated that they would like to see them perform at every year's dance. Much to the delight of the crowd the performers mingled with the party goers after their performance. A vote was taken and it was decided to invite them back to next year's dance. It was also decided to have them perform on the stage next year rather than on the dance floor as they did this year.

The possibility of establishing a Veteran's Club members picture board in the clubhouse featuring photos of our members during their military service was discussed and will be further explored to determine it's feasibility.

It was noted that due to lack of interest the Superbowl Party in the clubhouse originally planned jointly with PAP would probably be cancelled.

Jules noted that on November 11th, 2015 a brief changing of the flag ceremony was held at 0830 at the clubhouse. A new flag was raised to replace the old one which had become weathered from the elements.

Members interested in running for officer or board member positions being voted on in the elections to be held at our December annual meeting should contact Elections Chairman Norm Beck. Officers standing for re-election for two years at December's meeting include President Jules Harper and Secretary Tom Nowak. Board Members standing for re-election for two years at December's meeting are Nelson Cusher and Mike Silverman. It was noted that Board Members Marty Merluzzi and Roger Ruddick are moving, and a round of applause was given in recognition of their work as Board Members. Michael Heisserman and Joe Franze have indicated an interest in running for these two vacant positions.

The 50/50 drawing was held.

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meeting dates for 2015 are indicated below:

--Sunday December 13, 9-11:30 (Annual Meeting)

All meetings will be held in the Social Hall.

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meeting dates for 2016 are indicated below:

--Sunday January 10, 9:00 AM--12:00 noon

--Sunday April 10, 2016, 9:00 AM--12:00 noon

--Sunday June 12, 2016, 9:00 AM--12:00 noon

--Sunday September 11, 2016, 9:00 AM--12:00 noon

--Sunday December 11, 2016, 9:00 AM--12:00 noon (Annual Meeting)

All meetings will be held in the Social Hall.

Scheduled Second Thursday of the month meetings for 2016 are as indicated below:

--Thursday February 11, 2016, 4-6 PM

--Thursday March 10, 2016, 4-6 PM

--Thursday May 12, 2016, 4-6 PM

--Thursday October 13, 2016, 4-6 PM

--Thursday November 10, 2016, 4-6 PM

All meetings will be held in the Social Hall.

2016 Projected Schedule of Veteran's Club Events is indicated below:

--Car Show: March 20, 2016 (this date may be subject to change)

--Blood Drive: March 11, 2016 and October 28, 2016

--Canned Food Drive: March 17, 2016

--Veteran's Dance Party: April 30, 2016

--Fleet Week in Fort Lauderdale: May 2 to 9, 2016

--Pool Party with HOA: May 30, 2016 (Memorial Day)

--Veteran's Day Dance: November 11, 2016 (3-11 PM)

Secretary Tom Nowak made a picture presentation reviewing his experiences as the gunnery officer on board the aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga in the Pacific during the Vietnam war, including his experiences during the Easter Offensive of 1972, and the manned spacecraft recoveries of Apollo 16, Apollo 17 and the first manned Skylab mission, for which the Ticonderoga was the prime recovery ship. The presentation was well received by all hands.

The President in his concluding remarks noted that our next meeting will be a breakfast meeting on Sunday December 13, 2015 from 9:00 AM until 11:30 AM in the Social Hall. Our presenter will be Mike Heiserman who will discuss his active duty experiences in a Hawk surface to air missile battery in Germany.

The meeting concluded at 1800.

Minutes submitted by Tom Nowak, Veteran's Club Secretary

Oct 12, 2015

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes for October 8, 2015

Meeting opened at 1600 with 36 members in attendance. Total club membership is 165.

An informal "Meet and Greet" with refreshments was held from 1600 to 1630.

Formal business commenced at 1630 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 279 reservations have been sold to date for our November 11th Veteran's Day Dance, with 300 seats being the maximum available. Our cash balance on hand was $8,200.00, much of which were receipts for the dance reservations.

The President's Report was presented. Preparations for the Veteran's Day Dance were reviewed. It was noted that one sample of the ten watches donated for the Veteran's Day Dance silent auction is available for purchase by our membership at a discounted price. Our next regular meeting will be on November 12h, the day after the Veteran's Day Party.

Members were reminded that Table Reservation Forms for our Veteran's Day Dance are available on line on the Veteran's Club website under the "Upcoming Events" tab. The cost is $20.00 per person. Only 21 seats are still available.

Additional items are being sought for our auction at the Veteran's Day Party. Getting restaurants to donate dinners for two or four, or encouraging local golf courses to donate course fees are examples of ideal items for auction. Members can find a copy of our non-profit certification letter that potential auction prize donors will look for on our website under the "Bylaws" tab. In previous years the auction generated significant funds for donations to the Wounded Warriors, and we're looking to raise even more money at this year's event.

Tom Wood, Event Chairman for the Veteran's Day Superbowl Party, briefed on the preliminary preparations for the event being planned jointly with PAP. All proceeds would be shared on a 50/50 basis with the PAP Corps. Cost was anticipated to be $25.00 per person, with at least 150 attendees needed to make the event a success. Deli and refreshments will be served, and non-Valencia Reserve residents are welcomed as well as those from our community. The party is scheduled for Superbowl Sunday, February 7th.

Blood drive chairman Marty Merluzzi reminded all hands about our blood drive planned for Friday October 30 from 0900 to 1600, and solicited additional volunteers to help with the event.

Dennis Flier surveyed our members regarding possible interest in a day trip to the Kennedy Space Center. Preliminary planning for the event suggests a cost of approximately $92.00 per person with a 36 person minimum needed. Members only or members with spouses has not yet been decided. A tentative date in the February 2016 timeframe would be set and the members again surveyed to determine if there was enough interest to organize the trip.

President Jules Harper recognized the many contributions of Dennis Flier's daughter in providing prizes donated for our auction, as well as for her other numerous contributions and support for our Veteran's Club initiatives over the years.

Vice President Goody Morrison updated our members on plans for this year's Fleet Week scheduled for Tuesday May 3rd, with a 0830 departure from the clubhouse. Five ships will be available for boarding this year, their names and types yet to be announced. Additional details will be provided when they become available.

Goody Morrison also noted that the date of this years "Heat Wave" dance party will be moved to April 30th in an effort to increase attendance.

President Jules Harper advised members that the date of our next Car Show would be March 20, 2016.

Jules also noted that on November 30th, 2015 a changing of the flag ceremony would be held at 0830 at the clubhouse. A new flag will be raised to replace the current one which has become weathered from the elements. All members were invited to attend.

Members interested in running for officer or board member positions being voted on in the elections to be held at our December meeting should contact Elections Chairman Norm Beck.

The 50/50 drawing was held.

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meeting dates for 2015 are indicated below:

--Sunday December 13, 9-11:30 (Annual Meeting)

All meetings will be held in the Social Hall.

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meeting dates for 2016 are indicated below:

--Sunday January 10, 9:00 AM--12:00 noon

--Sunday April 10, 2016, 9:00 AM--12:00 noon

--Sunday June 12, 2016, 9:00 AM--12:00 noon

--Sunday September 11, 2016, 9:00 AM--12:00 noon

--Sunday December 11, 2016, 9:00 AM--12:00 noon (Annual Meeting)

All meetings will be held in the Social Hall.

Scheduled Second Thursday of the month meetings for 2015 are as indicated below:

--Thursday November 12, 4-6 PM

All meetings will be held in the Social Hall.

Scheduled Second Thursday of the month meetings for 2016 are as indicated below:

--Thursday February 11, 2016, 4-6 PM

--Thursday March 10, 2016, 4-6 PM

--Thursday May 12, 2016, 4-6 PM

--Thursday October 13, 2016, 4-6 PM

--Thursday November 10, 2016, 4-6 PM

All meetings will be held in the Social Hall.

Scheduled events for the remainder of 2015 include the following:

--Blood Drive: October 30: Chairman Marty Merluzzi

--Veteran's Day Dance: November 11: Chairman Goody Morrison

2016 Projected Schedule of Veteran's Club Events is indicated below:

--Car Show: March 20, 2016 (this date may be subject to change)

--Blood Drive: March 11, 2016 and October 28, 2016

--Canned Food Drive: March 17, 2016

--Veteran's Dance Party: April 30, 2016

--Fleet Week in Fort Lauderdale: May 2 to 9, 2016

--Pool Party with HOA: May 30, 2016 (Memorial Day)

--Veteran's Day Dance: November 11, 2016 (3-11 PM)

Roger Ruddick introduced guest speaker Tom Geary from "Standown", a non-profit veterans support organization dedicated to helping veterans successfully transition back to civilian life and obtain jobs. Tom made an interesting and informative presentation. He reviewed the history of his organization and the services that they provide to veterans. He noted that of the 135,000 homeless people in Palm Beach County, approximately 7,000 are veterans. His presentation was well received by all hands, and was followed by a lively question and answer period.

The President in his concluding remarks noted that our next meeting will be on Thursday November 12, 2015 from 4:00 to 6:00 PM in the Social Hall.

The meeting concluded at 1745.

Minutes submitted by Tom Nowak, Veteran's Club Secretary

Sep 17, 2015

Veteran"s Club Meeting Minutes for September 13, 2015

Meeting opened at 0900 with 34 members in attendance. Total club membership is 166.

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

Formal business commenced at 0930 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. It was noted that samples of the watches donated for the Veteran's Day Dance silent auction were on display at the meeting and were available for purchase by our membership at discount prices.

Larry Ogolbe, Chairman of the HOA Emergency Preparedness and Response Committee briefed on the role of the Committee and solicited volunteers from our membership to help out in the event of an emergency. He also discussed the 29 hour training program for those interested in obtaining a formal emergency preparedness certification that is scheduled to begin on September 29 featuring 8 classes conducted two evenings per week from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. Larry also noted that door hanger tags for use to indicate that help was needed in an emergency could be obtained at the box office at no charge.

Members were reminded that Table Reservation Forms for our Veteran's Day Dance are available on line on the Veteran's Club website under the "Upcoming Events" tab. The cost is $20.00 per person.

The timeline of events for our Veteran's Day Dance was reviewed as indicated below:

6:30/6:45 PM Doors will open

7:15 PM Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag

7:20 PM Opening Remarks by the President

7:30 PM Kings Academy will arrive

7:50 PM DJ Michael Rapposellii (the same DJ as last year) will begin the music

8:30 PM Dessert will be served

8:45 PM Winners of the Silent Auction will be announced

9:00 PM Live Auction will be held. Prizes will include airline tickets, 10 watches and more.

9:15 PM 50/50 Drawings will be held

10:00 PM Party will end.

For snacks at the event we will be serving Humus and onion dip with pita chips.

For dessert we will be serving fruit, cookies and Italian pastries.

Envelopes for individual donations to the Wounded Warriors of South Florida will be placed at each table and attendees will be encouraged to use them to make personal cash or check donations. A collection box will be provided for the envelopes at the party or people may drop them off at the Veterans Club mailbox at the clubhouse. This approach was used very successfully at the Wounded Warriors gala ball held last November.

Joe Franz was recognized by the President for his initiative in lowering the clubhouse flag to half-staff on Patriot's Day (September 11), one of the four officially designated days when flying the flag at half-staff is appropriate. The other three days are Peace Officer's Day (May 15), Memorial Day (May 30), and Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (December 7).

Marty Merluzzi will function as the "backup" person for our 50/50 program in the event that program administrators Sol Kleinman and Morty Grab are unavailable for any reason.

On September 2 we had an off-site trip to the Boynton Beach Veteran's Memorial Park chaired by Roger Ruddick and Les Ungerleider. Attendees viewed the numerous veterans monuments located on the park grounds, and witnessed the unveiling of a new monument to honor Purple Heart recipients. At the event representatives of the French government awarded the French Legion of Honor medal to several combat veterans who participated in the liberation of France during World War II.

Elections Committee Chairman Norm Beck discussed the upcoming December elections for the positions held by President Jules Harper, Secretary Tom Nowak, and Board Members Nelson Cusher, Marty Merluzzi, Roger Ruddick and Mike Silverman in accordance with our by-laws. Members interested in running for these positions should contact Norm. President Jules Harper reviewed the rationale for our "staggered" election process where only a portion of the Officers and Board Members would stand for re-election each year in order to prevent the changeover of the entire team at the same time and the loss of continuity that this would result in.

The 50/50 drawing was held.

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meeting dates for 2015 are indicated below:

--Sunday December 13, 9-11:30 (Annual Meeting)

All meetings will be held in the Social Hall.

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meeting dates for 2016 are indicated below:

--Sunday January 10, 9:00 AM--12:00 noon

--Sunday April 10, 2016, 9:00 AM--12:00 noon

--Sunday June 12, 2016, 9:00 AM--12:00 noon

--Sunday September 11, 2016, 9:00 AM--12:00 noon

--Sunday December 11, 2016, 9:00 AM--12:00 noon (Annual Meeting)

All meetings will be held in the Social Hall.

Scheduled Second Thursday of the month meetings for 2015 are as indicated below:

--Thursday October 8, 4-6 PM

--Thursday November 12, 4-6 PM

All meetings will be held in the Social Hall.

Scheduled Second Thursday of the month meetings for 2016 are as indicated below:

--Thursday February 11, 2016, 4-6 PM

--Thursday March 10, 2016, 4-6 PM

--Thursday May 12, 2016, 4-6 PM

--Thursday October 13, 2016, 4-6 PM

--Thursday November 10, 2016, 4-6 PM

All meetings will be held in the Social Hall.

Scheduled events for the remainder of 2015 include the following:

--Blood Drive: October 30: Chairman Marty Merluzzi

--Veteran's Day Dance: November 11: Chairman Goody Morrison

2016 Projected Schedule of Veteran's Club Events is indicated below:

--Car Show: March 20, 2016 (this date may be subject to change)

--Blood Drive: March 11, 2016 and October 28, 2016

--Canned Food Drive: March 17, 2016

--Veteran's Dance Party: April 30, 2016

--Fleet Week in Fort Lauderdale: May 2 to 9, 2016

--Pool Party with HOA: May 30, 2016 (Memorial Day)

--Veteran's Day Dance: November 11, 2016 (3-11 PM)

Dennis Flyer made an interesting and informative presentation on the International Space Station, including an exceptional video tour of the station by one of our astronauts. It was well received by all hands.

Stu Goodman made an interesting and informative presentation about a personal experience during his service as an Air Force aircrew radio operator during the Korean War on a medical evacuation flight from Tokyo to Midway Island in a C-54 transport aircraft in 1953. The aircraft lost two of its four engines over the Pacific while experiencing highly unusual phenomena that remain unexplained to this day. The presentation was well received by our membership.

The President in his concluding remarks noted hat our next meeting will be on Thursday October 8, 2015 from 4:00 to 6:00 PM in the Social Hall.

The meeting concluded at 1055.

Minutes submitted by Tom Nowak, Veteran's Club Secretary

Jun 19, 2015

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes from June 14, 2015

Meeting opened at 0900 with 37 members in attendance.

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

Formal business commenced at 0930 with the Pledge of Allegiance.

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

The Treasurer's Report was presented. A cash balance of $3,437 is on account in our treasury. The adjusted cash balance is $2,582 after deducting funds on hand for the August Heat Wave dance.

The President's Report was presented. Results of the HOA President's meeting to coordinate club calendars was reported. New club mailboxes have been installed in the clubhouse in the showcase area, and keys have been provided to our club officers. Club checks, correspondence and materials will no longer be collected at the box office--they are to be deposited in the club mailboxes instead. A new flyer rack has also been installed across from the mailboxes replacing the rotating rack formerly located next to the box office. Our club will have several slots reserved for our flyers.

The President provided an update on our Board of Director's meeting held on June 11th. The Board voted to purchase a flag case with a plaque to display our American Flag that was flown over the US Capitol in our section of the club display case.

The Board discussed the pros and cons of subscribing to Pay Pal to facilitate the collection of funds for club events. The board voted not to move forward with Pay Pal at the present time since currently we don't have the volume of activity to offset the administrative burden that it would entail, but to review the situation in the future.

Members were reminded that voting for several officers and Board members will take place at our December annual meeting in accordance with our by-laws. Norm Beck is handling the elections. Members interested in running should contact Norm as soon as possible. In accordance with our staggered election procedure designed to ensure that the entire board doesn't turnover at the same time the following individuals will be up for re-election this election cycle: President Jules Harper, Secretary Tom Nowak, and Board Members Roger Ruddick, Nelson Kucher, and Mike Silverstein.

A note of thanks from Greg Russell's widow Pat Russell was read. She expressed warm gratitude for the donation of $25 to the Wounded Warriors of South Florida in Greg's name and the commemorative certificate to the family that the club presented in accordance with our policy to honor the memory of deceased members.

It was suggested that we make some arrangement to make families of deceased members aware of the veteran's honor guard entitlement available to veterans buried in any cemetery. The club is looking into the best way to do this.

The possibility of arranging a bus trip to visit the Boynton Beach Veteran's Memorial and then continue on to the Fort Stuart SEAL museum was discussed and is being looked into.

Arrangements are being made to schedule an Officers and Board Members group photo session to update the group photo on display in our display case area.

Vice President Goody Morrison provided an update on preparations for the upcoming August 1st Heatwave dance.

President Jules Harper provided an update on preparations for our Veteran's Day Dance. There will be no silent auction at the event this year, but we will target a live auction if enough prizes are donated. The King's Academy choir is scheduled to perform at the event as they did last year. The dance will run from 7:00 to 10:00 PM and the cost is anticipated to be $25.00 or less.

Members are reminded that Veteran's Club shirts and hats are available for purchase. Those interested should contact Goody Morrison.

The PAP Corps has invited the Veteran's Club to participate in a joint event next year with the funds raised to be split 50/50 between each organization. Events ranging from a golf tournament to a dance were discussed. The most attractive option considered was sponsoring a Super Bowl party in the clubhouse if the technical and legal issues associated with such an event could be resolved. Preliminary discussion and exploration of this idea with the PAP Corps is being done to determine their interest and the overall feasibility of the concept.

In response to a members question the differences between the Wounded Warriors of South Florida and the national Wounded Warriors Project were discussed. It was noted that the WW of SF channels 92 cents of a dollar donated directly to assisting veterans, while the Wounded Warriors Project channels 62 cents of a dollar donated to veteran's assistance. The low administrative overhead of the WW of SF was a major consideration in our club's decision to make them the major beneficiary of our fund raising activity.

50/50 drawing was held

Tom Wood made an exceptionally interesting presentation on his tour of duty with the 701st Ordnance Battalion in Vietnam that included a discussion of his own experiences as well as a photo slide show. The presentation was well received and was followed by a question and answer period.

Scheduled events for 2015 include the following:

--Heat Wave Dance Party: August 1; Chairman Goody Morrison

--Blood Drive: October 30; Chairman Marty Merluzzi

--Veteran's Day Dance: November 11; Chairman Goody Morrison

Projected events scheduled for 2016 include the following:

--Car Show: March 6

--Blood Drive: March 11 and October 28

--Canned Food Drive: March 17

--Fleet Week in Fort Lauderdale: May (exact dates TBD by the Navy)

--Pool Party with HOA: May 30 (Memorial Day)

--Heat Wave Dance Party: August 6

--Veteran's Day Dance: November 11

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meeting dates for 2015 are indicated below:

--Sunday September 13, 9 AM-12:00 PM

--Sunday December 13, 9 AM-12:00 PM

--Sunday September 13, 9-12:00 PM

All meetings will be held in the Social Hall

Scheduled Second Thursday of the month meetings for 2015 are as indicated below

--Thursday October 8, 4-6 PM

--Thursday November 12, 4-6 PM

All meetings will be held in the Social Hall

Scheduled Sunday Breakfast Meeting Dates for 2016 are indicated below:

--Sunday January 10, 9 AM-12 PM

--Sunday April 10, 9 AM-12 PM

--Sunday June 12, 9 AM-12 PM

--Sunday September 11, 9 AM-12 PM

--Sunday December 11, 9 AM-12 PM

All meetings will be held in the Social Hall

Scheduled Second Thursday of the month meetings for 2016 are indicated below:

--Thursday February 11, 4-6 PM

--Thursday March 10, 4-6 PM

--Thursday May 12, 4-6 PM

--Thursday October 13, 4-6 PM

--Thursday November 10, 4-6 PM

All meetings will be held in the Social Hall

The President noted in his concluding remarks that consistent with our usual practice we will not have meetings during the summer months of July and August. Our next meeting will be a breakfast meeting on Sunday September 13 from 9--11:30 in the Social Hall.

The meeting concluded at 1030.

Minutes Submitted by Tom Nowak, Club Secretary

May 16, 2015

May 14, 2015 General Meeting

1600-1620, Meet and Greet".

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 on and accepted by the membership.

The Treasurer's Report was presented.

The President's Report was presented and it was noted that 43 members were in attendance.

Vice President Goody Morrison provided an overview of our Tuesday May 5th Fleet Week visit to the USS Wasp in Fort Lauderdale. The ship visit was made by 44 of our members and several spouses and was enjoyed by all who participated.

It was noted that our annual Pool Party with the HOA would be on May 25. Vice President Goody Morrison will be the Chairman for the event.

50/50 drawing was held

Board Member Marty Merluzzi made an exceptionally interesting presentation on the history of the military helicopter. Marty included some of his personal experiences as an Army helicopter pilot in Vietnam in his discussion. The presentation was well received and was followed by a lively question and answer period.

Scheduled events for 2015 include the following:

Breakfast Meetings: 9am-12 noon

Sunday, June 14, 2015

Sunday, September 13

Sunday, December 13, 2015 (Annual Meeting)

All other months the meeting dates will be the second Thursday of every month, 4-6pm in the Social Hall:

Thursday, October 8, 2015

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Meeting Dates for 2016

Breakfast Meetings: 9am-12pm

Sunday, January 10, 2016

Sunday, April 10, 2016

Sunday, June 12, 2016

Sunday, September 11, 2016

Sunday, December 11, 2016

All other months the meeting dates will be the second Thursday of every month, 4-6pm in the Social Hall:

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Thursday, May 12,2016

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Thursday, November 10, 2016

2015 Schedule of Veteran's Events:

Pool Party with HOA, May 25, 2015

August 1, Heat Wave Dance Party at Clubhouse Social Hall.

Blood Drive, October 30

Veterans' Day Dance, Wednesday November 11, 2015. (3-11pm)

2016 Projected Schedule:

Car Show: March 6,2016

Blood Drive: March 11, 2016, Friday, October 28.

Canned Food Drive: March 17, 2016

Fleet Week in Fort Lauderdale, May ?, 2016 (To be determined)

Pool Party with HOA, May 30, 2016 (Memorial Day)

August 6, 2016 Heat Wave Dance Party.

Veterans' Day Dance, Wednesday November 11, 2016. (3-11pm)

The President noted in his concluding remarks that our next meeting would be a breakfast meeting on Sunday June 14 from 0900 to 1130 in the Social Hall. He also noted that a Board Meeting is scheduled for June 11 at 1600 to plan for upcoming events for the balance of this year and into 2016.

The meeting concluded at 1130.

Minutes Submitted by Tom Nowak, Club Secretary

Apr 30, 2015

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes from April 26, 2015

Meeting opened at 0900 with 52 members in attendance.

An informal "Meet and Greet" with refreshments was held from 0900 to 0930. Photos from our recent food drive were screened during the "Meet and Greet".

Formal business commenced at 0930 with the Pledge of Allegiance. Vice President Goody Morrison chaired today's meeting.

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

The Treasurer's Report was presented. A cash balance of $3,432 is on account in our treasury. It was noted that 48 members were paid up for our Fleet Week ship visit trip, yielding a $79.00 surplus for our treasury from the event.

The President's Report was presented. Results of last month's Blood Drive were reviewed. A total of 66 pints were collected.

It was noted that this year's Canned Food Drive resulted in over 4,000 cans of food collected and donated to the Wounded Warriors of South Florida. Mike Tremper will be our Food Drive chairman for next year.

Vice President Goody Morrison provided an update on our Tuesday May 5th Fleet Week visit to the USS Wasp in Fort Lauderdale. Those participating should be at the Clubhouse not later than 0800 to board the bus. Members should wear their Veteran's Club shirt, hat and either khaki trousers or shorts. Plans call for us to board the ship between 1000 and 1015. Since there are no eating and drinking facilities on the tour you may want to bring a snack and some water to hold you over until we return. We will be returning to Valencia around 1300. All adults will be required to show a government-issued picture ID. Pants are suggested for women. A ship is an industrial environment with steep stairways/ladders, so avoid high-heels, open-toed shoes and sandals and wear shoes with low, rubberized soles. Also avoid necklaces that can get caught and bags that will impact your ability to climb steep stairs/ladders with both hands. Cameras are permitted.

It was noted that our annual Pool Party with the HOA would be on May 25. Vice President Goody Morrison will be the Chairman for the event.

Guest Tom Kaiser of the American Legion invited members to visit the Veteran's Memorial Park on Boynton Beach Boulevard and Federal Highway where monuments honoring veterans of many of our major conflicts could be viewed. He also briefed on the free Washington DC trips available to World War II and Korean veterans. He also provided information on how World War II veterans who served in France could file the paperwork to obtain a medal from the French Government recognizing their service. Similarly, medals could be obtained from the Philippine Government by those World War II veterans who served in the Philippine Liberation Campaign.

50/50 drawing was held

Treasurer Steve Rosenthal made an exceptionally interesting presentation on Marine Corps basic training that included a discussion of his own experiences as well as several well selected film clips from major motion pictures. The presentation was well received and was followed by a lively question and answer period.

Scheduled events for 2015 include the following:

--Fleet Week in Fort Lauderdale: May 5; Chairman Goody Morrison

--Pool Party with HOA: May 25; Chairman Goody Morrison

--Heat Wave Dance Party: August 1; Chairman Goody Morrison

--Veteran's Day Dance: November 11; Chairman Goody Morrison

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meeting dates for 2015 are indicated below:

--Sunday June 14, 9-11:30

--Sunday September 13, 9-11:30

--Sunday December 13, 9-11:30

All meetings will be held in the Social Hall

Scheduled Second Thursday of the month meetings for 2015 are as indicated below:

--Thursday May 14, 4-6 PM

--Thursday October 8, 4-6 PM

--Thursday November 12, 4-6 PM

All meetings will be held in the Social Hall.

The President noted in his concluding remarks that our next meeting would on Thursday May 14 at 1600 in the Social Hall. Our presenter will be Board Member Marty Merluzzi who will brief us on the history of the helicopter. Our next breakfast meeting will be on Sunday June 14 at 0900. Jules also noted that he would be giving his presentation "Taking the War to the Enemy" to the Men's Club at their meeting on Sunday, May 3rd.

The meeting concluded at 1030.

Minutes Submitted by Tom Nowak, Club Secretary

Mar 17, 2015

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes from March 12, 2015

Meeting opened at 1600 with 47 members in attendance.

An informal "Meet and Greet" with refreshments was held from 1600 to 1620. Photos from our recent car show were screened during the "Meet and Greet".

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 on and accepted by the membership.

The Treasurer's Report was presented. A cash balance of $3,888 is on account in our treasury. It was noted that over the past two years our club has donated over twenty-three thousand dollars to the Wounded Warriors of South Florida.

The President's Report was presented. It was noted that the CPR/AED class that was held on January 27 graduated 29 Valencia Reserve residents. The tennis club has requested that we arrange for another CPR/AED class and this is being scheduled. Two additional AED units are on order and these will be located in the clubhouse and in the pool area to complement the AED units now on hand in the gym and at the tennis courts.

it was noted that PAP has requested that any of our club members who plan to participate in the "walk" on March 22 wear our club blue shirts at the event.

Our car show raised approximately $2,500 on behalf of the Wounded Warriors of South Florida. A letter of thanks is being sent to the Car Club in recognition of their support of the event, and Car Club members will be invited to our next breakfast meeting on Sunday April 26.

Board Member and Blood Drive Chairman Marty Merluzzi briefed on preparations for our March 13, 2015 Blood Drive. Blood donations will commence on 0900 that day. Three bus donation units will be on hand to accommodate the anticipated volume of donors. Our last two Blood Drive events were very successful with 48 and 55 pints collected respectively. We hope to exceed these amounts at the March donation event. Additional volunteers were solicited to help with the event.

Our canned food drive will be this Thursday, March 19th. Those of you who are working with your pod captains will be picking up food between 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM. We will be taking pictures for the "VR Reflections" at 1230 PM at the clubhouse on the big, military truck that some of us saw at the car show. If you are available that day please come to the clubhouse dressed in your blue shirts and kaki pants (Shorts are fine). After the photo shoot we will do a short drive around the VR in the truck.

Vice President Goody Morrison provided an update on the May Fort Lauderdale Fleet Week shipboard visit preparations. The ship visits were opened up to spouses and member guests as well as members. All participants must complete a shipboard visit security clearance form in advance. New forms may be dropped off at the Box Office. Our ship visit trip will occur during the week of 4 to 10 May, 2015, with the exact dates to be determined by the Navy based on developing ship visit schedules. Cost for the bus trip to the event is anticipated to be $30.00 per person. Additional information will be provided as soon as it becomes available.

50/50 drawing was held.

Guest presenters Barbara Masi and Chuck Bisel from the Hounds for Heros and the Awesome Greyhound Adoptions organization were introduced by Vice President Goody Morrison and made a presentation about their program of acquiring and training greyhounds to serve as therapy dogs or fully trained service dogs for veterans. There is no cost to veteran's receiving dogs through this program. The dogs are specially trained to meet the specific needs of the veterans that they will be working with. A veteran who has received a dog through the program along with his greyhound were on hand to demonstrate the bond that develops between the veteran and their companion dog. A total of three of their trained greyhounds were on hand to demonstrate what they have learned. it was noted that it costs between $15,000 and $30,000 to fully train one animal, and that their program is funded entirely by donations. The presentation was well received and was followed by a lively question and answer period. Our club made a donation to Hounds for Heros after the presentation.

Scheduled events for 2015 include the following:

--Blood Drive: March 13; Chairman Marty Merluzzi

--Canned Food Drive: March 19; Chairman Steve Osterman

--Fleet Week in Fort Lauderdale: May 4-10 (exact visit date TBD); Chairman Goody Morrison

--Pool Party with HOA: May 25; Chairman Goody Morrison

--Heat Wave Dance Party: August 1; Chairman Goody Morrison

--Veteran's Day Dance: November 11; Chairman Goody Morrison

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meeting dates for 2015 are indicated below:

--Sunday April 26, 9-11:30

--Sunday June 14, 9-11:30

--Sunday September 13, 9-11:30

--Sunday December 13, 9-11:30

All meetings will be held in the Social Hall

Scheduled Second Thursday of the month meetings for 2015 are as indicated below:

--Thursday May 14, 4-6 PM

--Thursday October 8, 4-6 PM

--Thursday November 12, 4-6 PM

All meetings will be held in the Social Hall.

The President noted in his concluding remarks that our next meeting would be a breakfast meeting on Sunday April 26 in the Social Hall.

The meeting concluded at 1715.

Minutes Submitted by Tom Nowak, Club Secretary

Feb 14, 2015

Veteran's Club Meeting Minutes from February 12, 2015

Meeting opened at 1600 with 27 members in attendance. Two guests from the Viscaya community were also in attendance to observe our meeting and how our club functions. Viscaya is interested in establishing a veteran's club in their community.

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

Formal business commenced at 1620 with the Pledge of Allegiance.

The President noted the recent passing of two of our members: Greg Russell, who was our Membership Chairman for the first two years of our club and Abe Gellman, who was 100 years and six months old at his passing. A moment of silence was observed in their memory.

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

The Treasurer's Report was presented. A cash balance of $3,754 is on account in our treasury. It was noted that over the past two years our club has donated over twenty thousand dollars to the Wounded Warriors of South Florida.

The President's Report was presented. It was noted that the CPR/AED class that was held on January 27 graduated 29 Valencia Reserve residents. An additional AED unit is on order that will be located in the Clubhouse to complement the AED units now on hand in the gym and at the tennis courts.

PAP has requested that any of our club members who plan to participate in the "walk" on March 22 wear our club blue shirts at the event.

Two "Thank You" letters from the Wounded Warriors of South Florida have been received in recognition of our recent donations and were read to our members at the meeting.

Roger Ruddick briefed on the plans for the March 8 Car Show to be held in conjunction with the VR Classic Car Club. Volunteers were solicited to help with the event. It was noted that $2,800.00 was raised for the Wounded Warriors at last year's Car Show.

The Sunday morning breakfast meeting originally scheduled for the morning of the Car Show on March 8 has been rescheduled to April 26. Our regular March club meeting will be held on Thursday March 12 from 1600 to 1800 in the Social Hall.

The Flagpole Project has been completed with the final installation of the permanent LED lighting for the monument and the flagpole.

President Jules Harper provided an update on the May Fort Lauderdale Fleet Week shipboard visit preparations. The ship visits were opened up to spouses and member guests as well as members. All participants must complete a shipboard visit security clearance form in advance. Completed forms were collected at the meeting, New forms may be dropped off at the Box Office. Our ship visit trip will occur during the week of 4 to 10 May, 2015, with the exact dates to be determined by the Navy based on developing ship visit schedules. Cost for the bus trip to the event is anticipated to be $30.00 per person. Additional information will be provided as soon as it becomes available.

Vice President Goody Morrison is recovering at home from hip replacement surgery performed earlier this week. Members are encouraged to call him at home to express their best wishes for a speedy recovery.

President Jules Harper introduced today's presenter Mike Silverman. Mike presented an interesting and informative presentation on the history of the Medal of Honor. The presentation was well received and was followed by a question and answer period.

Scheduled events for 2015 include the following:

--Car Show: March 8; Chairman Roger Ruddick

--Blood Drive: March 13; Chairman Marty Merluzzi

--Canned Food Drive: March 19; Chairman Steve Osterman

--Fleet Week in Fort Lauderdale: May 4-10 (exact visit date TBD); Chairman Goody Morrison

--Pool Party with HOA: May 25; Chairman Goody Morrison

--Heat Wave Dance Party: August 1; Chairman Goody Morrison

--Veteran's Day Dance: November 11; Chairman Goody Morrison

Scheduled Sunday breakfast meeting dates for 2015 are indicated below:

--Sunday April 26, 9-11:30

--Sunday June 14, 9-11:30

--Sunday September 13, 9-11:30

--Sunday December 13, 9-11:30

All meetings will be held in the Social Hall

Scheduled Second Thursday of the month meetings for 2015 are as indicated below:

--Thursday March 12, 4-6 PM

--Thursday May 14, 4-6 PM

--Thursday October 8, 4-6 PM

--Thursday November 12, 4-6 PM

All meetings will be held in the Social Hall.

The President noted in his concluding remarks that our next meeting would be on Thursday March 12 from 4-6 PM in the Social Hall.

The 50/50 drawing was held.

The meeting concluded at 1730.

Minutes Submitted by Tom Nowak, Club Secretary

VR Veterans Club Secretary Secretary Reports