A publication of Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc. ®
An organization chartered by the U.S. Congress
October 2001/November 2001
Vietnam Veterans Assistance Fund Report
The Gift of Education
A VVA Staff Report
This year VVA LZ Bluegrass Chapter 88 in Florence, Kentucky, was able to continue its tradition of awarding educational grants to spouses, sons, and daughters of Vietnam-era veterans. The awarding of these grants began in 1995, after the chapter decided they wanted to establish a program with long-term meaningfulness and positive outcomes for veterans and their families. The first grant went to a Vietnam veteran. Seven years later, ten grants went to the children and spouses of Vietnam and Vietnam-era veterans, bringing the total number of grants to 39, with a cash value of $20,000.
This year’s grant recipients included: Rose Hatmaker, the spouse of a disabled Vietnam veteran; and Carrie Johnson, a third-year biology student whose father is a Vietnam veteran. They attend Thomas More College and have been awarded Chapter 88 grants in the past. Eight awards went to students attending Northern Kentucky University. Three previously received grants. Kristin Williams, a third-year education major; William Young, a first-year computer science major; Stacy Littleton, a second-year business major; and Maria Biron, a first-year psychology major are first-time awardees whose fathers are Vietnam-era veterans.
Grant recipients Dante Stanbush, a second-year finance major, and Chanelle Allari, a fourth-year industrial labor relations major, have also received grants in the past. Their fathers served in Vietnam. Recipients Timothy and Jamie Conboy are brother and sister whose stepfather served in the Vietnam War. Tim is a third-year student majoring in Theater Arts and a previous recipient of a VVA grant. He hopes to set the theatrical world on fire with his outstanding writing ability. Tim attends school full time, and also works part time. His sister, Jamie, a single mother, is a continuing first-year student majoring in business and a first-time recipient of the grant. Although Jamie has worked in the past, at present she is attending school full time and caring for her year-old son.
A VVAF grant enabled VVA Chapter 88 to award education grants. These grants tell the veterans and their families that someone cares, that their sacrifices have not been forgotten. Without the grant from VVAF, many of Chapter 88's grants would not have been possible.
Vietnam Veterans Assistance Fund (VVAF) is a 502(c)3 nonprofit organization founded by Vietnam Veterans of America in 1991. VVAF is organized and operated exclusively for scientific, charitable, and educational purposes. The major objectives are to assist disabled and needy veterans and the widows and orphans of veterans. VVAF is funded entirely by contributions from federal employees and members of the uniformed services who choose to support the organization through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), the federal government's workplace fund-raising drive.
E-mail us at TheVeteran@vva.org