Chapter 218 Newsletter - August 2011

[boardman]

SERVING VETERANS AND THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

HTTP://WWW.VVACHAPTER218.ORG

Veterans Memorial Building
VVA CHAPTER 218
112 W Cabrillo Blvd
SANTA BARBARA, CA. 93101

August 2011

Publisher/Editor: John Selfridge (johnselfridge218@hotmail.com)

The Santa Barbara Chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America is a tax exempt, non-profit, community service organization. Our members are Vietnam era (you need not have served “in country”) Veterans and associates (individuals from all walks of life who may or may not have served in the military). Our Chapter is successful because of the efforts of Vietnam Veterans, Vietnam Era Veterans, and associates, all of whom are equally welcomed and prized.

The Chapter meets the second Tuesday of every month at the Veterans Memorial Building at 112 W. Cabrillo Boulevard at 6:00 P. M. The meetings usually last around an hour. A light snack offered between 6:00 and 6:15. Members sometimes go out for an informal dinner afterwards. (Individual checks)

Definition of a veteran: A veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard or reserve, - is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America", for an amount of "up to and including my life." (Author unknown)

Acronym: MST = Morale Suppression Team

UP COMING EVENTS

Fiesta and all that Fiesta booth work days Aug 3,4,5,6
Additional setup and tear down working parties.
Don will be calling for working commitments at the fiesta booth.
Commitment to work the booth or donations in the chapter box…
Moving wall placed on East Beach including the foundation setup and removal. September 28 to October 5
There is also needed commitment to help with hours at the wall…
Veterans Day parade with fly over and all the extras.
These are all great reasons for all of us to be sure our chapter shirts are correct.



FROM THE PRESIDENT

Hello 218!

Here it's the eve of Fiesta, and I am asking you all to consider your opinion of where we are as a Chapter and where you fit into it all. As you are aware, we have few income sources other than our food sales at De La Guerra Plaza. We have some serious investments of effort and money in order to get to the point where we can sell food. If you haven't seen this operation before, it's quite a production, and it does require a big investment of muscle and brain power. Staging and transporting the Booth and equipment both before and after De La Guerra Plaza at Hillside House is a project in itself. We will basically be building and demolishing a house, along with it's electrical system and plumbing, every year.

During all of our operations, we are bound to keep a clean shop. We clean all the gear as we unpack it from last year, and we clean it
constantly while we cook. Just to open the booth, we will be inspected by the Health Department. People will eat the products that we sell them, and the quality of those products must be beyond any reproach.

Our goal isn't only to provide a product. We represent all Veterans of the Viet Nam Era to those who see us. Dress cleanly, preferrably with a Chapter Shirt and darker pants. Keep a good attitude toward everybody you will be working with. If you feel an argument coming on, work it out quickly, figure out a way to defuse it, or just leave if you must. We HAVE to look good to the Public. There is no place down there where you will not be in the Public Eye, so be on your best behavior. I know it's a party for Santa Barbara, but we dare not be intoxicated in public. Our image is WHO WE ARE to the rest of the world. Please protect it.

With those caveats out of the way, please let me invite you into the Most Work with the Most Fun thing that we do as a "Family". We will be straining over a hot stove with our friends, and it is a great pleasure. I remember what was good about my Army service, and I was happiest working hard, and proud of the work that I did. It made a difference back then, and this will make a difference now.

Again, grab your good attitude, find a time slot and join your fellow Veterans down at the Booth! See You THERE!

SGT Hap


FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT

218 Members....AttenHUT!!!!
LZ De La Guerra Plaza is upon is again. I originally had a MUCH shorter column than this one ready for publication, but I just received an e-mail informing me that two of the three major usually (read: always count on) Chapter members who work the Fiesta booth will not be there. We as Chapter members MUST that much more step up to the plate. This is our MAJOR fundraiser. Count on me to be in the booth Wednesday and Friday and for set up this Saturday (donuts on me) and if I can make three 70 mile round trips to Santa Barbara, so can you. And most of you are either retired or you get paid from your nomal job to work, sooo....make sure you wear your Chapter shirts and let's enter into Fiesta week at a full scale gallop with enthusiasm, not dread. The most help needed will be after the two parades and nightime. Help is also needed for this Saturday and teardown on Sunday the 7th.
I realize that none of us are as young as we used to be, but again, we need to really do more this year. If you can't physically be there for some reason, let your checkbook do the talking. Don's # until he leaves is 455-7478(cell) or 962-1688 for scheduling. Be there or be square.
Remember that's there's still a few of you that have NOT sent me their DD Form 214's. That'd be for any of you that are NOT LIFE MEMBERS.
Last meeting again proved how good a meeting can be (read: smooth) can be/should be. Hap has invented a new word "commiticize" and if it ain't a word it oughtta be. As of this writing I don't think ANYbody knows where our August meeting is going to be (building or Eelings Park). Check with Hap after Fiesta. Right now EVERYone has more on their mind.
Getting Hyped for Fiesta
Forward and Onward

EDITORAL COMMENT

This is the message I received from Don Matter and sent a flash traffic to e-mail members:
On Monday night 7/18, I received a call from Tom Palmeri. He advised me that he would not be coming to Fiesta this year as he was offered full time employment in Phoenix. He was going to be in charge of the booth while Cathy and I are in Nor Cal. The short story is he should take the job offer ahead of Fiesta. Cathy and I are still going to be out of town as well. That being said, we are going to need people to step up to the plate and hit a couple home runs if we want the booth to work this year.
I will be back at the helm in 2012 and, hopefully, Tom can come to SB as well. Again I apologize, but with the Wall coming, I need the time off.
Here is a brief schedule of our Fiesta jobs.
PoFriday 7/29 @ 5PM, Load the truck at Hillside House.
Sat. 7/30 @ 6:45AM, De la Guerra Plaza (DLG). Unload the truck and assemble the booth. Assembly will include installation of flooring, walls and the roof. Walls should be screened at this time and the roof completely sealed.
Sun. to Tues. 7/31 to 8/2. The booth and equipment need to be cleaned to pass the Health inspection. Everything needs to be "tweaked" so the booth may be up and running by Wed. AM.
Wed. to Sat. 8/3 to 8/6. Two people should be at the booth by 8AM to clean, refill oils as needed and to receive food orders from our vendors. Booth operating hours, per OSD, are 11AM to 11PM. There should be at least four Ipersons at the booth, six during peak hours.
Sun. 8/7. The day we've been waiting for!! At around 6AM, we need two persons at the booth to begin clean up such as emptying cooking oil and stowing away smaller supplies. The truck should get there early to secure a good parking spot. Other folks should be there around 7AM. When the truck is loaded, it is driven to Hillside House and everything is put away (neatly) until 2012.
I am in the process of putting together a booth operations manual and that should help out. Tom and I will both be available by phone to answer questions that may pop up.
One last note, I will be calling starting Tues. 7/19 in the PM. Again, I really appreciate you all who will be asked to help. In addition, ask family and friends if they'd be willing to assist...they do NOT HAVE to be veterans to help. Again, thank you.



FOR THE GOOD OF THE CHAPTER

Homeless Veterans Clothing Project Update – July 23, 2011

When we started this project in January 2011, there was some trepidation on the part of some members as to whether or not it would be supported by Vietnam Veterans Chapter 218. Most of that anxiety and apprehension has gone away. You have wholeheartedly supported this project and our veterans will be forever grateful for that.
Our multiple bags of clothing, shoes, and blankets, donations for this month along with six sleeping bags were due in part to the generosity of the following members: Marge Beavers, Beverly Ochoa, the Veterans Building Coordinators, Madeline Moreaux, Gerry Roberson, and Pattie Murdy.
On another note, a word of THANKS is due to Bill Connell, who generously donated a brand new commercial stainless steel sink for the upstairs kitchen. Bill mentioned that he would do this at the May meeting and he delivered the very next day. Thank you Bill for your kindness and generosity.
Our monthly dinner & dessert supplied by John and Hazel Blankenship was a delightful Italian repast with all of the trimmings.
Once again, our thanks to John and Hazel for taking care of us in a most delightful way.
See you at the FIESTA BOOTH in early August and THE MOVING WALL coming at end of September. Thank you for your service then and now.

Pattie Murdy, Chaplain



EMAIL OPTION:

If ANY body knows wants this newsletter e-mailed to you please let me know at (johnselfridge218@hotmail.com)






















Board Of Directors (Refreshed Every April)

Hap DeSimone, Pres. (SGTHAP218@yahoo.com)
(Army E-5 SGT Second Field Force, Long Binh, `69-`70)
Dennis Hartman, 1st Vice-President
(USAF E-5 Aircraft Crew Chief Bien Hoa, Da Nang `69 - `71)
Domingo Nuñez, 2nd Vice-President
(Army E-4 Reconnaissance Delta`69.)
Peter Bie, Recording Secretary
Gerry Roberson/ Domingo Nunez, Treasurer
William Frieburg, Master at Arms
Board Members:
William Frieburg, Director
(Army E-4 Small Arms Repair Germany ’68 - ’70)
Don Matter, Director
John Selfridge, Director
USNR-R (E-3 v-3 division CVA-43)
Hazel Blankenship, Director
Charlie Franco, Director
(Army E-5 Combat Engineer Delta - My Tho`68 - `69)

California State Council Representative: Hap DeSimone
Alternate: Hazel Blankenship (CIA South East Asia)
Santa Barbara Veterans Coordinating Council Representative: Gerry Roberson
Alternate: Hazel Blankenship
Membership Chairman: Dennis Hartman (805-965-2162) or (805-477-0083)
Chaplain: Patricia Murdy (life member)
Veterans Affairs Coordinator: Joseph Narkevitz (Army E-5 3rd Field Hospital, Saigon ’68)
PTSD & Agent Orange Coordinator: Hap DeSimone (962-5765)
Memorabilia: Is available at chapter meetings and at chapter events
Melinda Bie Program Director

Vance Memorial Fund
The Chapter’s Vance Committee distributes funds ($39,994 thru 01/11) to qualified disabled American veterans. Committee is refreshed every April.

John Kerr (Chairman) (Cambodianred@gmail.com) Dan Oroz
Madeline Moreaux Gerry Roberson
Fred Golin Dennis Hartman
William Stewart Don Matter
John Selfridge Patricia Murdy


Thank you for serving our country.
John Selfridge