VAVS

Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service

Greetings FN and Brother SK All,

Vivat Jesus!

Four years ago this September, Vice-Supreme McLain expanded the VAVS program in the DeSoto Province. District Master Bob Grabasky asked and appointed me as the District VAVS Representative. Brother Grabasky asked me to review and expand the participation in the support of our Veterans and the four VA Medical Centers in North Carolina.

Reflecting on the past four years, I am happy to inform all that we have expanded tremendously the programs that you do in support of our Veterans in this State. As the Representative, I have had the privilege of traveling from the coast to the mountains, from So. Carolina, to Virginia to attend meetings with a purpose of promoting the many VAVS programs in our State. On behalf of the Veterans, VA Medical Centers and USOs of NC, I express their gratitude and thanks for your time, talent and treasures. THANK YOU, THANK YOU,& THANK YOU! The Patriotic Degree is alive and well in North Carolina.

Some of the major programs that we have participated in are as follows:

• National Wheel Chair Games—sending Veterans for Recreational Therapy and demonstrate their ability. 20 Veterans were sent with your help.

• Winter Coat Program—we have provided over 2,500 new coats since we began this program four years ago. We provided 150 coats last year with your help.

• VRQ roof replacement—Knights donated $9,500 to assist in the cost of replacing it.

• National Arts Festival—“Dollar per Knight” campaign donated $3,100.

• USO support by donating vans, supplies, food, cart dolly, maintenance on vehicles for RDU USO and assisting in Marine deployment at RDU.

• Jersey Care—out of Summersville, NJ under the leadership of SK Bob Yuzuik, Special VAVS Deputy NC. They have shipped merchandise and donations to all VA Medical Centers, USO and VRQ and HHC in North Carolina over the past four years totaling thousands of dollars.

• Patriotic Coupon Program—Councils/Assemblies/Individuals have delivered over two $2,000,000 in coupons to assist our Veterans. SK Joe Bailer, Chairman.

• No Veteran Dies Alone—many Brothers volunteer to assist Hospice in providing ending life comfort to our Veterans without families.

• Archdiocese for the Military Service—We make cash donations for the purpose of providing new Catholic Chaplains.

“The Fourth Degree-Our Patriotic Degree-embodies the great love and respect Knights have for our home country and for the brave men and women who defend it” …”We provided more than hundred thousand hours of service at 134 VA Medical Centers”. (2016 Annual Support of the Supreme Knight)

Leadership: VAVS Representatives/Deputy: would like to welcome SK Bill Bell as Deputy Rep for the Fayetteville VA Medical Center and Brother James Green as Deputy Rep to the Asheville VA Medical Center. Please provide support to these two new Representatives. SK Rodney Komlofsek is the Fayetteville VA Medical Center Representative. I still have need for Deputy Reps at the Salisbury,

Fayetteville, and Asheville VA Centers.

Girl Scout and Welch’s Fruit Snacks donated by Jersey Care:

Working in conjunction with Operation Jersey Cares (OJC) located in Somerville, NJ, Pope John Paul II Assembly No. 3017 and Holy Cross Council No. 8509 in Kernersville were able to donate Girls Scout Cookies (GSC) and Welch’s Fruit Snacks (Fruit Snacks) to the following:

Pope John Paul II Assembly No. 3017 Donations

Each of the following four USO centers picked up:120 Cases (1,440 boxes) of GSC and 17 cartons of Fruit Snacks (315 small .9 oz. packages) Total Value $23,292.00 (1,440 GSC Boxes X 4 skids X $4.00=$23,040 and 315 Fruit Snacks X 4 USOs X $.20=$252)

• USO of NC Raleigh-Durham Airport Center, PO Box 91443, Raleigh, NC 27675, POC: Patricia DeZetter

• USO of NC Charlotte Center, 5501 Josh Birmingham Parkway, Box 21, Charlotte, NC 28208, POC: Ellyn Brotherton

• USO of NC Jacksonville Center, 9 Tallman Street, Jacksonville, NC 28540, POC: Holly Coffer

• USO of NC Fort Bragg Center, Blg 4-2843 Normandy Drive, Soldier Support Center, 1st Floor, Wing L, Fort Bragg, NC 28310, POC: Renee Lane

Note: Chris Froeschner, his Staff and the National Guard Unit at 2051 National Guard Drive, Raleigh were Great to work with. Thanks to them, unloading of the OJC ‘s truck of the GSC & Fruit Snacks and then loading up the other vehicles was quick & efficient. Everything worked out just fine with no problems. The feedback from everyone there said it was a pleasure to deal with such professional people.

Knights of St. Francis of Assisi Assembly 3552 provided manpower and vehicles to transport these products to Oak City Outreach, Catholic Parish Outreach, Heroes United in Fuquay-Varina, VRQ in Asheville and Asheville VA Medical Center plus two women homeless shelters in Asheville. The Durham VA Medical Center was also covered. SK Michael Darrow, PGK provided a huge van at no cost to distribute all of these products. Mileage driven was 750.

Veterans Helping Veterans Heal (VHVH), Wilson-Salem, NC:120 Cases (1,440 boxes) of GSC and 70 cartons of Fruit Snacks (1,200 small .9 oz. packages). Total Value S6,012.00 (1,440 boxes X $4.00=$5,760 and 1260 Fruit Snacks X $.20= $252)

The total number of Welch’s Fruit Snacks small .9 oz. The figures and the $ value for 1 skid of Fruit Snacks should be: 18,650 small .9 oz. packages and have a value of $3,730.00. The figures and value for ½ skid of Fruit Snacks should be: 9,325 small .9 oz. packages and a $ value of $1,865.00.

So:

• For the four USOs, the correct valve for the 1 skid of Welch’s Fruit Snacks picked up is $3,730.00. So their total value should be $26,770.00 ($23,040.00-GSC + $3,730.00-Fruit Snacks)

• For the VHVH, their total value is $9,490.00 ($5,760.00-GSC + $3,730.00-Fruit Snacks).

• For St. Francis of Assisi Assembly No. 3552, their total is $10,025.00 ($8,160.00-GSC + $1,865.00-Fruit Snacks)

The corrected total dollar value donated is $50,696.

The USO of NC is a non-profit, self –sustaining 501(C)(3)(not funded by the government or the USO nationally that relies on the generosity of individuals, organizations and corporations to support their activities, allowing them to provide over 563,321 services to Active Duty, National Guard, Reserve Service members, military retirees, troops in transition and their families. They are rated as a 4-Star Charity by Charity Navigator and rated a platinum level of GuideStar, the two most widely recognize charities.

Fraternally, Brother SK Tom SK Thomas W. (Tom) DuPree Jr. PGK, PFN, VAVS Representative Durham VA North Carolina District VAVS Representative VA, N C State Council Veterans Affairs and VAVS Chairman St. Francis of Assisi Assembly # 3552 Faithful Navigator CELL #: 919-302-5550

#October2016