The Spirit of 776

August 2016

Meeting at Milestones on 53rd St.

August 24th at 1900 hours 7:00 P.M.

VIETNAM
VETERANS OF
AMERICA
CHAPTER 776
Never Again Will
One Generation of
Veterans Abandon
Another.

Volume 20 Issue 8

Veteran
Service Officers
&
Service
Coordinators
Clarke Barnes
309 944-3674
Ed Gaudet
563 343-9456
David Woods
563 326-8723
Ernest Ledjte
563 785-6182
Tom Lemon
563 359-3201
Honor Guard
John Lavelle
563 355-4213
Web Master
Roger Granbois
roger@granbois.net
President Greg Paulline
Vice-President Bruce Cheek
Treasurer Harold Hansen
Secretary John Lavelle
Trustee. Lyle Peterson

The chapter cooked and served the members of the

Iowa National Guard Unit from Brady Street Armory. Lyle
and Carolyn Peterson supervised Bruce Cheek, Steve
Satre,Jim Daxon, and Edwin Hildebrand, if anyone can
actually supervise that crew! This is another example of
how Never again will one generation of veterans
abandon another. We support our troops as often and
as well as we are able. In Service to America.
Officers and Board of Directors
563 650-3055
Dir. David Woods
563 349-4129
Dir. Ed Gaudet
563 505-9674
Dir. Bill Matthews
563 355-4213
Dir. Steve Satre
563 386-1286
Dir. Larry Witt

563 326-8723
563 349-9456
563 355-5618
563 289-1776
563 388-7179

Minutes for July Membership Meeting

The meeting was called to order by President Paulline at 1900 hours at Milestone in
Davenport. Officers present; President Paulline, vice president Cheek, treasurer Harold
Hansen, and secretary John Lavelle. The members recited the Pledge of Allegiance and
observed a moment of silence for POW/MIA's and also for those still serving in harms way.
A sheet was passed for members to sign and each member stated their attendance.
Members in distress includes Al Thede who had a trip to the emergency room. Chuck
Morrell is continue his comeback from surgery. Hawk was spotted driving in Davenport so
it is believed he is doing better. A letter from Kathy Jordan requesting assistance for the
Valor Program, a donation of $250 was made by proclamation of the chapter. Coin stories
this month included one from Bruce Cheek, he gave one at the car cruise-in to a Vietnam
Era veteran. Dave Thode gave on to a member and friend in the American Legion and also
one was given by Darrell Thode. Don Mackey presented a coin to a vet who was relocating
to Florida to begin a new life there. Larry Witt gave a coin to a vet wearing a veterans hat,
while he was getting his oil changed. Tom Taylor sent a coin to the USS Iowa along with a
donation from the chapter. Ed Guadet discussed this budget that was developed for the
coming year. After the discussion the budget was passed by the members. Larry Witt
informed the members that we currently have 45 individual members, 148 life members,
and 24 AVVA members in the chapter. Community Service Committee will meet August
6th at 10:00 to visit veterans at Palmer Hills Retirement Home. On the September 15th
Honor Flight 50th Commemoration pins will be handed out the Vietnam Veterans on the
flight. This month Ernest Ledjte will be visiting as a VSO to assist incarcerated veterans.
We currently have two members who are interested in becoming VSOs. Alicia Owen
shared her experience in attending a visit to the Iowa City VA Hospital. She felt that it was
well worth her time and the experience was quite awesome. The next trip is tentatively
scheduled for November. Craig Norris spoke about the Employment Fair to be held on
August 16th and asked if the honor guard could present the colors. Bruce Cheek spoke to
the members about the Mississippi Valley Fair and the Seabees table. He asked if we could
have members of the chapter assist with the table one in the A.M. and one in the P.M. from
August 2nd through the 7th. Tug Fest will be held in LeClaire and the chapter will be doing
clovers there. Members signed up to cook and serve at the Captain Calendar family picnic
for the Iowa National Guard combat engineers from the Brady Street Armory on August
14th. This is a project we have been involved with for a number of years. This will be held
at Marquette Park and will have approximately 175 people, Lyle Peterson is the point of
contact for this event. A donation of $100 was made to help with this project. This years
Welcome Home Dance at Jumers Casino will he held on Veterans Day and this year along
with chapter 299 and our own chapter, chapter 669 and MAVA will also be taking part. The
dance committee will be meeting on August 15th. The chapter committed to cook and also
to provide brats and hot dogs again this year for Stand Down of the Quad Cities. The
Trivia committee will be meeting at Jim and Alicia Owens home on August 2nd from 5:30
until 6:00. A motion was made to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed. Minutes
provided by John P. Lavelle, chapter secretary.
Quilts of Valor Foundation is a non profit organization dedicated to cover our
military service members and veterans that have been touched by war with a
comforting and healing quilt. The local group presented quilts on May 22nd. If
you want to learn more about this organization check the web site: http://
www.qovf.org/ You can nominate a veteran for a quilt.

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Welcome Home
Dance
The 11th Dance
The 11th Month
The 11th Day
November 11, 2016
Sonny Kempf, Greg
Paulline, Denny Queal,
Larry Witt, Maggie and
Ed Gaudet, Steve Satre,
and David Woods all
were in McCausland to
work in the War
Memorial there to help
spruce it up and the
area around it. A
number of these
chapter members have
names of relatives on
that memorial and
made the effort early in
the morning to get it
looking ship shape to
honor them and all
those whose names are
listed on it.In Service
to America.