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DAV 9 & DAVA 9 During Our Sucessful 2017 Forget Me Not Drive
Fred Brings It Home Again
DAV 9 TURNS OUT FOR STAND DOWN 2017
It takes 5 disabled veterans to take a sign apart and stow it.
And it only took 27 minutes!
FRED'S TURKEY • LETS EAT
Dave Overman sent an email asking for this picture of Fred and his turkey harvest be put up on Facebook and DAV 9. Dave also asked if we knew of any other disabled veterans that would like to get a turkey. He says the land owner said there's more around the blind. Maybe one of you is interested or know of someone who might be, contact dav9.
Special Thanks to All Who Donated or Helped With
DAV 9's 2017 Christmas Project
On behalf of Chapter Commander Charles Till and myself, we would like to thank you for helping with the Chapter Christmas Wrapping Project. The goal of this project was to provide Christmas to the children of reservists, guardsmen, veterans and active duty personnel who were having a rough time during this Christmas season.
We really appreciate the enthusiasm you brought to the Christmas Project. You were a really big help and it was truly appreciated. Thank you. It was very kind of you to give up a Monday during a very busy time of the year to assist our veterans and their families. It is a great joy to observe you not only thinking about others, but translating that thought into concrete action. I commend you for your altruism and thoughtfulness.
Our project provided toys, candy, and nuts to 100 children in 32 families. Our families lived in Spokane, Sandpoint, Athol, Blanchard, Hayden, Coeur d’Alene, Rathdrum and Post Falls. Nearly all our families are veterans of the Gulf Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
We had a total of 70 donors, and they provided enough resources that we were able to provide over $15,500 in gifts and $6,500 in Walmart Gift Cards. We also paid for each family to go on its own schedule to Triple Play. The will have a full day doing whatever they want for free and we will purchase soft drinks and pizzas for the entire family. Our cost was $4,547.00 to do this.
The KROC Center provided ten boxes of the makings of a Thanksgiving meal. We took some of the Christmas donation money and gave each of the ten families enough money for turkeys and hams to go with the meal.
The St. George's Knights of Columbus provided food baskets to ten of our families. The Blue Star Mothers provided clothing and presents to five our teenage girls. Our chapter Auxiliary provided personal shopping and gifts for 17 children that were three years and younger. The Support from the Blue Star Mothers and our Auxiliary came to over $2,000 in expenditures.
Numerous chapter members donated cash and gifts to the project. the Kootenai County Veterans Assistance Fund, Dr. and Mrs. Cardarelli, Kevin Bennett, James and Doreen Terrill, Century Publishing were major contributors.
Mr. R.T. Smith, of the Lynne Ruffin – Smith Charitable Foundation donated $5,000 to the Christmas Project. After attending our November meeting, his local representative phoned him and recommended donating anther $5,000 to the Christmas project, which is why we are able to have given so much in Gift Cards.
Our Auxiliary provided a wide assortment of snacks during the wrapping and a first-class chili feed afterwards, which enabled all of us to sit back and relax in one another's company.
The Chapter and truck and drivers from Newby Ginnings turned out early in the morning to transport all the boxes to the church and set up the rooms for the wrapping. A total of about 60 volunteers wrapped the presents, filled Christmas stockings and assembled all the packages for delivery to each family.
We worked with the veterans section of St. Vincent de Paul taking on some of their veterans. Newby Ginnings had families for adoption in the Christmas Season. It was difficult to get families with 6 to 8 kids adopted. It was a piece of cake for us and we took all she had left into our program. The County veteran service officer was another source of families in need. At the program level, DAV, St. Vincent de Paul and the County VSO we examples of non-profits working in perfect harmony and support.
And for each of you who came and helped in any way you made music, good music.
All in all, it was a great effort on the part of all our members, auxiliary and our supporters. For those who delivered and got to see first-hand the impact of this project, you know exactly what happened and how good it was. Thank You.
For the Commander
Robert B. Hunt, QMC, USN (Ret.)
Chapter Adjutant - Past State Commander
Behind The Scenes Of The 2017 DAV 9 Christmas Project
Wrapping Party For The 2017 DAV 9 Christmas Project
Dale Stamper Gets a Six Point Elk
Dale Stamper displays his elk in southern Idaho. Dale lives in Hayden, Idaho with his wife Cora. He is a Vietnam Veteran. Dale's own words are the best explanation of this amazing shot, " I have attached the pictures from the elk hunting trip. Everyone likes the one of me straddling the elk and holding the antlers up. This was the disabled veterans elk hunt offered by the VA. Cora sent in an application for me. I was selected for the hunt. I did some investigating on methods for getting it done. I spoke to Lonnie Bedwell a member of the blinded veterans association from Missouri that is a hunter. He recommended the "I scope" a device that attaches to the scope on the rifle then I attached my Iphone to it. Using a special app what ever is seen through the scope shows up on the screen of the Iphone. It is then a matter of a spotter lining up the shot. My first shot hit the elk in the heart. Dale Stamper is a 100% disabled veteran and has been blind from wounds received in Vietnam in the late 1960's. Dale has served as Chapter Commander of Fort Sherman Chapter 9, Disabled American Veterans and is the current National President of the Blinded Veterans Association.
Changes to Internal Operating Procedures
When Chapter 9 had reason to spend its funds, the procedure was fairly simple. Except in dire emergencies, the supreme authority was and still is invested in the Chapter during a regular meeting. A motion passed by the Chapter was necessary to disburse funds.
The Commander and the Chaplain have on-going authority from motions authorizing them to spend up to limited amounts as they see fit to do so. They must account for their expenditures and provide receipts to the Chapter.
Every authorized expenditure must have receipts and/or cancelled checks.
We are required by our State and National Commanders to add one additional requirement to each expenditure. Before an expenditure is made (check written), there must be an accompanying voucher.
The voucher will be numbered, dated and signed by the Commander, Adjutant and Treasurer. The reason for the expenditure will be clearly stated. The Treasurer will assign the voucher an accounting code to show which internal fund the funds are drawn from. This code will assist the treasurer when making the annual financial report.
This is not a difficult or onerous change to our financial procedures and will be of great usefulness in our annual audit.
Commendation for Dr. Christa Copus, Au.D., CCC-A
30 October 2016
Director Ron Johnson
Mann-Grandstaff VAMC
N. 4815 Assembly
Spokane, Washington 99205
Subjection: Commendation for Dr. Christa Copus, Au.D., CCC-A
Dear Director Johnson:
Dr. Christa Copus of the Mann-Grandstaff VAMC Audiology Department gave a
professional and most enlightening presentation to members of this Chapter and its Auxiliary
on the evening of October 25th in Post Falls, Idaho.
Dr. Copus brought a large number of hearing assistance devices, pamphlets and state
of the art hearing aids. She gave a talk that expanded our knowledge of the new technology
now available to us. It was exciting to have our horizons widened. The knowledge and
enthusiasm Dr. Copus displayed was impressive. Most importantly, I could see that many
veterans were encouraged to examine their hearing status in light of information received
from Dr. Copus. For those with tinnitus, she provided information about ways to cope with
this troubling condition.
We had scheduled her for only thirty minutes. However, the information was so
important to us that the membership was delighted that she was able to continue for nearly
an hour and then remain for the rest of our meeting.
We commend Dr. Copus for going the extra mile. Numerous members of our chapter
have seen her at the VAMC and, to a person, they have been highly impressed. She is a credit
to the VAMC and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sincerely,
Robert B. Hunt, QMC, USN (Ret.)
Chapter Adjutant and Past Idaho State DAV Commander
Copy to:
DAV Idaho State Commander
DAV National Commander