November 2007
PARADE FOR HEROES
I HEARD THE BUGLE STRIKE UP THE TUNE TO THE COLORS
A CALL FOR EVERYONE TO GATHER
AS THE PARADE WAS ABOUT TO BEGIN
I STOOD THERE AND FELT PART OF A NATION
AS MY PRIDE SWELLED TEARS FORCED THEIR WAY FROM MY EYES
GUILT HUNG HEAVY AS IT ALWAYS DID JUST WHEN THE ORDER CAME
“FORWARD” OUR TROOPS THOSE THERE WHO SURVIVED
CHILDREN STOOD IN WONDER AS THEY HELD THEIR MOTHERS' HANDS
A FLAG THEY WAVED IN HONOR OF THEIR FATHER
BRAVE SHE WAS TOLD HE WAS
WHEN HE DIED FIGHTING IN ANOTHER LAND
CHEERS AND CLAPS SMILES AND THANK-YOUS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET
RAN THROUGH US LIKE LIGHTNING AS LUMPS IN OUR THROATS
CAUGHT US BY SURPRISE AND BITTER SWEET
WE WERE THE SOLDIERS OF BYGONE DAYS AND WARS THAT FORCED OUR HAND
NOW WE ARE THERE TOGETHER PRIDEFULLY MARCHING BEHIND THE COLORS
FOR THE NATION IN WHICH WE STAND
EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US CARRY WITHIN
THE MEMORY OF THE OTHERS WE LEFT BEHIND
WHEN THEIR LIVES ENDED AND OURS WAS DESTINED TO GO ON
THE JETS FLEW OVER THEIR POWER RUMBLED SKYWARD FOR THE MISSING MAN
ON THE CURB BOOTS HELMET AND RIFLES AT ATTENTION
MARKING OUR CITY'S LOSS OUR CONTRIBUTION BOLDLY DISPLAYED
THE PRICE FOR FREEDOM WHEN WE MAKE A STAND
THE STEPS OF MARCHING AND THE NOISE OF TANKS HAVE FADED
I HAVE BECOME AN OBSERVER NOW AND SEE THE STREETS NEAR EMPTY
WHERE ONCE I FELT MY BLOOD RUN WARM AGAIN
AND MY BACK BONE WAS STRAIGHT AND STRONG
OUR PATRIOTISM HAS BEEN DISPLACED TO A SIDE ROAD BEHIND THE CAPITOL
THE MAIN ROAD THROUGH TOWN RESERVED ON VETERANS DAY
FOR TRAFFIC TO PASS AND US NOT TO GET IN THE WAY
WE COME ANYWAY TO HELP THE WHEEL CHAIRS UP THE HILL
TO RECOGNIZE EACH OTHER WHEN NO ONE ELSE WILL
THERE MAY BE MANY YET TO RETURN NOT AS HONORED AS WE
TO THE LAST MAN WE PROMISE
WE WILL BE THERE FOR YOU WHEN YOU RETURN
THEN THEREAFTER TO DISAPPEAR
LEAVING YOU TO SHOW THE WORLD WHAT WE HAVE DONE
AND GIVE IT FOREVER TO POSTERITY
DEREK E. BOEVE
VETERANS DAY THIS YEAR
November 11th falls on a Monday this year so Veterans Day will be observed IN TALLAHASSEE on MONDAY, November 12th. American Legion Sauls-Bridges Post 13 will serve breakfast at 7:30 a.m. (if you want to help prepare show up at 6:00 a.m.). The parade will start at 11:00 a.m. VFW Post 3308 will have a free picnic lunch at noon, followed by a group visit to the VFW Cemetery at 1:00 p.m. The Hootch will be open.
WAKULLA COUNTY will have it's FIRST Veterans Day Parade down U.S. Hwy. 319 on SATURDAY November 10th at 10 a.m. in downtown metropolitan Crawfordville.
The Florida National Guard will have an INFORMAL seafood Luncheon at the Armory in Tallahassee at 11:30 a.m. on TUESDAY November 13th. Such luncheons are a regular, monthly, event.
UPCOMING CHAPTER 96 MEETINGS
November 15, 2007
- December 20,
2007
- January 20, 2008
On these dates the Board will meet at 5:45 p.m., and Members will meet at 7:00 p.m. on these dates
Unless otherwise determined by the board, monthly board meetings on the
first Monday of each month will resume on 2 January 2008.
REMEMBER TO BRING CANNED GOODS FOR HOMELESS VETS!
On these dates the Board will meet at 5:45 p.m., and Members will meet at 7:00 p.m. on these dates
Unless otherwise determined by the board, monthly board meetings on the
first Monday of each month will resume on 2 January 2008.
REMEMBER TO BRING CANNED GOODS FOR HOMELESS VETS!
As Veterans Day approaches I ask each
and every one of you to thank a veteran for his or her service in
protecting our country and the freedoms we enjoy and often take for
granted. Do this no matter their era of service from past to
present. It really makes one feel good knowing someone cares and
says thank you for your service.
I thank Commander LeCroy and all the members of American Legion Post 13 for all their support. It is a good feeling knowing that we can count on each other. Don't forget Veterans Day breakfast on Monday November 12th, at the Legion. They start serving at 7:30 am. Also the Hootch will be open on November 12th during the day so come by and visit.
One of Chapter 96’s major fundraisers, Bradley's Fun Day, is also coming up soon... on Saturday, November 17th. It's a lot of work and a lot of fun. Come out and join in for both. At our next meeting on Thursday, November 15th, we will prepare for Bradley's.
Charlie Yonts has set in motion a possible fund raiser with the Tallahassee Classic Car Club in March 2008. Stay tuned for further details.
The Tallahassee Veterans Outpatient Clinic is sponsoring its First Veteran Stand Down on December 1st at the Clinic, , 1607 St. James Court, Tallahassee, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. There will be medical check-ups and goods and clothes for needy veterans. If you know a veteran in need, homeless or otherwise, please let them know about this event.
I attended a Veteran Services Day on November 2nd, sponsored by Workforce Plus. November has been designated, “Hire a Veteran” month in Florida. This was put together to bring awareness to veterans’ needs and available services.
On the 14th of November at noon there will be a United Veterans luncheon at the Hootch. Show up with your brown bag lunch and sit in on an informal round table discussion from different veterans organizations as to what is happening in the veteran community.
I thank you again for letting me serve as your president.
Just in case you didn't notice the headline above... this is about MEMBERSHIP. Chapter 96 needs more members. Probably almost every member of Chapter 96 has a friend or acquaintance who is a Vietnam veteran but who is not a member of VVA Chapter 96. Need I say more...? A membership application form is enclosed. Give it to your friend or acquaintance! Twist his or her arm. That is all.
Chapter 96's web site is - http://vva96.org
I thank Commander LeCroy and all the members of American Legion Post 13 for all their support. It is a good feeling knowing that we can count on each other. Don't forget Veterans Day breakfast on Monday November 12th, at the Legion. They start serving at 7:30 am. Also the Hootch will be open on November 12th during the day so come by and visit.
One of Chapter 96’s major fundraisers, Bradley's Fun Day, is also coming up soon... on Saturday, November 17th. It's a lot of work and a lot of fun. Come out and join in for both. At our next meeting on Thursday, November 15th, we will prepare for Bradley's.
Charlie Yonts has set in motion a possible fund raiser with the Tallahassee Classic Car Club in March 2008. Stay tuned for further details.
The Tallahassee Veterans Outpatient Clinic is sponsoring its First Veteran Stand Down on December 1st at the Clinic, , 1607 St. James Court, Tallahassee, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. There will be medical check-ups and goods and clothes for needy veterans. If you know a veteran in need, homeless or otherwise, please let them know about this event.
I attended a Veteran Services Day on November 2nd, sponsored by Workforce Plus. November has been designated, “Hire a Veteran” month in Florida. This was put together to bring awareness to veterans’ needs and available services.
On the 14th of November at noon there will be a United Veterans luncheon at the Hootch. Show up with your brown bag lunch and sit in on an informal round table discussion from different veterans organizations as to what is happening in the veteran community.
I thank you again for letting me serve as your president.
Lest we forget
Rick Clevenger
Rick Clevenger
MEMBERSHIP, MEMBERSHIP, MEMBERSHIP!
Just in case you didn't notice the headline above... this is about MEMBERSHIP. Chapter 96 needs more members. Probably almost every member of Chapter 96 has a friend or acquaintance who is a Vietnam veteran but who is not a member of VVA Chapter 96. Need I say more...? A membership application form is enclosed. Give it to your friend or acquaintance! Twist his or her arm. That is all.
Richard White, Chair
Membership Affairs Committee
Membership Affairs Committee
Chapter 96's web site is - http://vva96.org