ABOUT VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICAFounded in 1978, Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) is the only national Vietnam veterans organization congressionally chartered and exclusively dedicated to Vietnam-era veterans and their families. VVA is organized as a not-for-profit corporation and is tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(19) of the Internal Revenue Service Code.
VVA currently has approximately 630 chapters across the United States including 18 chapters in Florida; but, organized in 1983, VVA Big Bend Chapter 96 is the only VVA Chapter active from just above the Tampa/Orlando areas, east to Jacksonville and beyond, west to Panama City; northeast to Hinesville, Georgia; and north to Warner Robins, Georgia. So... Chapter 96 is the only VVA Chapter within 120 miles of Tallahassee in any direction, and only to the west (Panama City, Florida and Daleville, Alabama) is Chapter 96 closer than approximately 150 miles in any direction to another chapter of VVA. Within Florida, except for Panama City, we are 200 miles or more from all other VVA Chapters.
In that light sent letters to every other local veterans organization whose address we could find, located within approximately 100 miles east and west, and 60 miles north and south, inviting their participation as co-sponsors in this event. No donation or fee is required as part of co-sponsorship. If you represent such an organization (or one further away), did not receive a letter, and are interested in participating, please contact us at: wall@vva96.org or (850) 224-8838 (leave a message).
So far, locally in Tallahassee, a variety of organizations (or in some cases individuals and individual members of organizations who they may not officially represent) including the American Legion Sauls-Bridges Post 13, the American Legion Memorial Post 241, the American Legion Axillary Unit 13, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3308, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4838, Daughters of the American Revolution Fort San Luis Chapter, Knights of Columbus, Tallahassee Vet Center, Vietnam Veterans & Legacy Veterans Motorcycle Club, and the local high school and college Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) units have expressed interest in participating in one manner or another.
This year, 2008, is VVA Chapter 96's 25th anniversary, and is also the 20th anniversary of construction of our meeting hall, The HOOTCH, which is located across Lake Ella from Fred O. Drake Jr. Park and adjacent to the Sauls-Bridges American Legion Post 13 hall (behind the willow tree at the left of the park photo). We will be recognizing these "milestones" in separate activities at the HOOTCH at 2:00 p.m. on November 11th (Veterans Day). The HOOTCH will open informally more or less continuously in the daylight hours from November 6th through 11th. The Space Coast War Dogs Association will present a WAR DOGS tribute in and around a tent they will erect on the lakeside behind the Hootch and the American Legion Hall from November 7th through November 10th.
On November 11th Don Stock will exhibit his Vietnam War paintings in the Hootch all day. At 2:00 p.m. on November 11th Vietnam Veterans of America, Big Bend Chapter 96 will hold a brief ceremony observing it's 25th anniversary as a VVA Chapter and the Hootch's 20th anniversary. Immediately thereafter it's chow time, and approximately the first 300 or so to stand in line get to eat. If you arrive after that, you can watch everyone else eat or maybe find a few scraps... We don't have anything like enough chairs for 300 folks to sit simultaneously, so some will either have to bring their own chair, eat standing, or wait in line for a chair. There is no requirement to bring food, but if you wish to please bring salads, desserts and/or beverages.
The photo above and to the left shows the peninsula into Lake Ella at Fred Drake Park. The right wing of the Traveling Wall will run approximately down the pictured sidewalk, and the Wall will face roughly east.
The
photo above shows the HOOTCH as it stands now in October 2008. The HOOTCH was built with Chapter 96
members' "sweat equity" and contributions from the community, especially American Legion Post 13
and the area building trades. The Hootch "officially opened" on 11 November 1988:
"Dedicated to the memory of those who did not come
home, in service of those who did."
members' "sweat equity" and contributions from the community, especially American Legion Post 13
and the area building trades. The Hootch "officially opened" on 11 November 1988:
"Dedicated to the memory of those who did not come
home, in service of those who did."
LINKS:
VVA Chapter 96 web site: http://vva96.org
Florida State Council of VVA web site: http://vvafsc.org
VVA National web site: http://vva.org
VVA Big Bend Chapter 96
241 Lake Ella Drive
Tallahassee, FL 32303-5572
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This page was created on 21 June 2008
and was most recently revised on 23 October 2008.