The Official Voice of Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc. ®
An organization chartered by the U.S. Congress
May/June 2006
AVVA REPORTThe Fourth Meeting
BY MARY MILLER, AVVA NATIONAL PRESIDENT
Buffalo, Tucson, Nashville, Tucson. This summer marks our fourth Biennial Meeting and elections. We have a busy schedule at Tucson, but we will have time to see the sights on Thursday and Saturday afternoons. AVVA’s fundraisers this summer will be on the Putting Green (behind the hotel pool) on Wednesday evening. If it can be arranged, we will also have GI Joes again. The money raised from these two fun activities, as well as from our product sales table, will support AVVA and all its projects.We hope that each VVA state council and VVA chapter, as well as all AVVA members, will support our Project Friendship. The national project benefits the United Spinal Association, an organization that does a lot of work with spina bifida patients. All of us know that spina bifida can be caused by exposure to Agent Orange. The local Project Friendship in Tucson will be TIHAN, a group that helps sufferers of HIV/AIDS.
Every two years when AVVA has its elections, each state has one vote. When the corporation was formed in Orlando in 1999, those who were making the initial decisions for the corporation wanted only one vote per state so that all states had equal representation. That opinion has not changed. Our Biennial Meeting will be held on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning, finishing up with our luncheon when the newly elected Board of Directors will be sworn in.
Across the nation AVVA members are working alongside VVA members to support our returning military. Members are welcoming home veterans and supporting their families here at home. Symposiums are being held in nearly every state to help veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan understand PTSD, find employment, and cope with disabilities resulting from the action they saw. We all play a part in this, and each one of us counts toward helping veterans and their families.
Election Report
BY KATHY ANDRASBy now elections for your AVVA Chapter Representative should be over. Remember to notify your State Representative about the outcome of your elections. June 11, 2006, is the registration deadline for candidates and delegates. The election will be held on Thursday July 13, 2006, at the AVVA biennial meeting in Tucson. There will be no registration at the convention.
At press time, the following candidates had announced their candidacy:
President, Mary Miller
Vice President, Elaine Simmons
Treasurer, Sonja Holybee
Secretary, Patsy Varnell
Region 3, Nancy Nix
Region 7, Kathy AndrasIf you are planning to run for a position within AVVA, now is the time to submit your paper work. This is a very important election. Mark your calendars for the Biennial Meeting in Tucson. Your participation in our organization is essential.
Better Chance Scholarship
BY JUDY VARGOIn 1998, AVVA established the Better Chance Scholarship Fund as a way to improve the lives of veterans and their families through education. The program targets students who want to go to college but cannot afford the escalating costs. Typically, one $1,000 and two $500 scholarships are awarded.
A candidate must be an AVVA or VVA member; the spouse, child, or grandchild of a KIA or MIA Vietnam veteran. Interested? Visit the AVVA website, www.avva.org for details.
AVVA Project Friendship
AVVA/VVA has designated the United Spinal Association its charity for 2006. You may visit the group’s web site, www.unitedspinal.org to see what amazing work this organization does for veterans, for children, and for all people with spinal injuries.In addition, we have selected the Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network (TIHAN), a non-profit group that works with people with AIDS, as our local charity to work with. Many veterans have contracted AIDS; some, unfortunately, have passed the virus to family members. TIHAN’s wish list includes: personal-care products, paper products, socks, greeting cards, gift cards, candles, and cash.
Please be generous.
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