VA & R HAPPENINGS
ISSUE 4, February 2010
FROM: LYNN BASH, VA & R CHAIRMAN
AMERICAN LEGION AUXILIARY,
DEPARTMENT OF ALASKA
(907) 486-6807
TO: ALL UNITS, DEPARTMENT OF ALASKA
FEBRUARY IS AMERICANISM MONTH
WHAT BETTER WAY TO SHOW YOUR AMERICANISM
THAN TO DO SOMETHING FOR OUR VETERANS
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OUR DEPARTMENT GOALS THIS YEAR ARE TO SUPPORT RIDE 2 RECOVERY, CREATIVE ARTS FESTIVAL AND ASSIST OUR HOMELESS VETERANS IN OUR COMMUNITIES. REMEMBER THEY SERVED US, NOW WE SERVE THEM!!
RIDE 2 RECOVERY: Remember, the Ride 2 Recovery Program benefits mental and physical rehabilitation for our wounded warriors that features cycling as the core activity. Thus the name of the Program is Ride 2 Recovery or R2R to make it shorter. On February 27th participating health clubs nationwide, will be hosting two one hour indoor cycling classes. There is a minimum $75 donation to ride, which you can pay out of pocket or fundraise. R2R must receive the donation before February 24th in order for you to be included on the Spinning Nation roster on the event day. If each session is filled, there will be a $1.4 million dollar donation to R2R. The objective of the American Legion Auxiliary is to sign up members, friends and neighbors to fill the available slots. Log on to www.spinningnation.org to find the location nearest you. Register as a participant. Begin fundraising to sponsor your ride. All proceeds received are used exclusively to purchase spin cycles for wounded warriors and for the spin cycle labs at military and veterans hospitals.
If you want to send a donation direct to R2R, please send it to Ride 2 Recovery, 23679, Calabasas Rd. #420, Calabasas, CA 91302.
HOMELESS VETERANS Remember, our service to our homeless veterans is every day THERE SHOULD BE NO VETERAN IN NEED IN ANY COMMUNITY.
See what your Unit can do for your Veterans in your communities throughout this New Year. Something as simple as a good hot home cooked meal can be priceless to a homeless veteran. A smile and a thank you are also priceless and dont cost a penny.
Other ideas are to donate food baskets, clothing, hats, coats, blankets, personal items, etc. Find out what is needed at your local shelters and assist in getting those items. Hold food drives; get your Juniors involved. Cook a nice meal, not only on holidays but any day. Visit those that are hospitalized or home bound. Take a Veteran to the hospital, store, shopping or Post Office. Pay their rent. Sign them up as a member and pay their dues. Involve them in your Post and Unit activities; you might be surprised how much they might want to help also. Volunteers are always needed at local shelters or food pantries. Contact your local legislators and discuss the issues that affect your community.
NATIONAL VETERANS CREATIVE ARTS FESTIVAL - This festival showcases the artistic achievements of veterans from across the country. They perform in a variety of categories from the performing arts division of music, drama and dance as well as creative writing. Remember, donations to the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival is one of our VA & R goals this year. The Department of Alaska donated $775.00 to this program and we have achieved our Department goal for this program. However, anyone wanting to donate to this very worthy cause may do so by ___________________________________________________________________
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BE A BLOOD DONER: Auxiliary members are encouraged to give blood and host blood drives at Posts as part of The American Legion effort to help a life-saving cause. Contact your local Red Cross or local medical doctors. Donors must be 17 years old in most states and weigh at least 110 lbs.
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BE AN ORGAN DONOR AND GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE: As of December 9, 2009, 105,165 candidates were waiting for organ and tissue transplants with 21,422 transplants performed from the list of 10,916 donors. If you are interested, please go to www.organdoner.gov . They can answer any questions you might have. You can also become a designated donor when you renew your drivers license. THIS IS TRULY A GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING.
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FISHER HOUSE PROGRAM They build/provide comfort homes at military and VA hospitals across the country. These are homes away from home that enables military family members to be close to loved ones during hospitalization. They also have customized web pages for their patients, scholarship programs for military children and free airline tickets for military men and women undergoing treatment. This is another wonderful way to support our veterans and their families. Please go to the Fisher House website at www.fisherhouse.org and find out what they are all about and the location of their homes. This is a wonderful program for a Unit to also donate to.
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AND IN CLOSING, IF YOU WANT TO BOOK TRAVEL, do it through ALA Travels. We now have our own online travel booking site similar to Orbitz and Travelocity. Just go to www.ALAtravels.com to book all your travel needs airlines, hotels, car rentals, cruises, tours and more. You can book travel anytime 24/7. If you use ALA Travels, commissions earned will help fund the Auxiliary programs and services benefiting veterans and their families in every state. So, go to www.ALAtravels.com and check it out .
If you have any questions in regard to the above, please feel free to contact me. See you next month!!!