VIETNAM VETERANS

VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL COMMITTEE OF LORAIN COUNTY NEWSLETTER

FALL/WINTER 2008

WE WISH YOU PEACE AND JOY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.

A Different Kind of Christmas Poem was sent to us via email by Lyda. Thanks Lyda!

Save the Date!!!

Saturday evening, February 28, 2009, at the VFW Post #1079 in Elyria. This is an exciting evening that you will not want to miss !! We will be honoring our Memorial donors, and we will also announce the plans for Phase II of the Memorial !! Doors will open at 5:30 PM with a cash bar. Dinner is at 6:30 PM, and a very special program will follow. Further details to come! Watch for them in the next newsletter.

An Upcoming Event

Saturday, December 13 from 9 – 1. We will be accepting donations at the Memorial of gently used clothing, blankets, and non-perishable food. These will be given to those in need. Please come and give to this worthy cause.

Important Change in Meetings: Time and Date

The committee recently voted to change the monthly meetings from Sundays to the first Thursday of the month, at 7 PM. The meetings will still be held at the Amherst Police Station. Exception: January’s meeting will be held January 8^th due to the holiday.

Membership

New members are always welcome!! We have some new members and several others are in the process.

Welcome to:

Ray Ripley – Ray is a Vietnam veteran and the commander of DAV Post 49 in Elyria.

Vince Contini – Vince served in the U.S. Army for 7 years.

Joe Horvath – Joe is a Vietnam veteran and a recipient of the Silver Star.

Also, our sympathies go to the family of member Hal Moyle. Hal recently passed away.

New Officers

Congratulations to the newly elected officers:

President - Don Attie

Secretary - Brenda Snell

Treasurer - Linda Horvath

A special thank you to Kenny Layport for his many years of faithful and dedicated service as our president, and to Jim LaCourse with By-Laws.

Recent Events at the Memorial

Saturday, June 21 – Over 100 people attended the First Anniversary of the dedication of the Memorial. During the Reading of the Names, nearly 40 family members gathered in front of the Memorial to honor their loved ones. A special presentation was made to the Honorable David Taylor, mayor of Amherst, in thanks to the city for its role in the Memorial. Also, very special thanks go to the featured speaker John Lescher of Soldiers of History in Grafton who shared his Vietnam memories. Thanks also to participants: The Soldiers of History, Admiral King ROTC and Southview ROTC, musician Dennis Munoz, Chaplain Dale Smith, Tom Temerario, Ken Layport and Don Attie.

Saturday, September 27 – a Poker Run was held, “Ride 98 Miles for 98 Reasons”. The run began and ended at the Memorial and was sponsored by the Booze Fighters. Eighty-six riders signed up and $2,500 was donated to the Memorial. Special thanks to organizer Bill Ward, and also to the American Legion Post 118 in Amherst who provided hot dogs and hamburgers after the ride.

Saturday, October 4 – the Jim Frisina Memorial Ceremony. Jim recently passed away. His sister, Kathy Nord, organized the gathering of approximately one hundred of his family and friends for the purpose of honoring his life and dedicating a paver, which had been placed there in his honor. Jim, a steel mill worker, was a friend of the committee who worked in the background and was one of the founders of the vigil at The Wall in Washington, D.C. Jim honorably served in Vietnam, and his dog tags and a St. Christopher medal were placed under his paver. Thank you to the participants: Southview ROTC Color Guard, VFW Post 1079 Elyria Honor Guard for Taps and the 21 gun salute, DAV Post 49 Chaplain Dale Smith for the invocation and closing prayer.

Friday, November 7 – Boy Scout Troop 396, Amherst, visited the Memorial on a field trip. Don Attie and others, including the Commander of VFW Post 1662 in Amherst, were there to explain the Memorial. They also gave each scout a flag and a pin. The boys presented us with very special Veterans Day cards of remembrance.

Tuesday, November 11 – The entire student body of Harris School in Amherst visited the Memorial on an educational field trip. They arrived in 4 different shifts so the presenters were able to talk to small groups and to answer their very interesting questions. We thank the principal and teachers from Harris for bringing their students. It has always been our hope that the Memorial will become a place to educate those about the war, the sacrifices, and the effects of war. Thank you to the many helpers that day who brought the heaters and hot dinks, who helped with the traffic, and who answered questions. Each student was given a flag.

Adopt a Flagpole

Would you like to provide perpetual care of one of the flags at the Memorial? There are 8 flagpoles, and six groups and/or individuals have already stepped forward to “adopt a flagpole.” We need two more. “Adoption” means that you agree to provide the flag for your pole and to change it 3 or 4 times a year, depending on the weather and wind. A key to your flagpole will be provided to you so that you can change the flag when needed. The poles that remain available for adoption are: the state of Ohio pole (requires a 4’x 6’ flag) and the Coast Guard pole (requires a 3’ x 5’ flag). If needed, we can provide you with the names of flag companies where your flags can be purchased. We will publish the full list of the adopters in the next newsletter. Contact Don Attie at 440.288.7030.

A Huey

Senator Sherrod Brown, along with Congresswoman Betty Sutton, is working with the committee to secure a Huey to be permanently placed at the Memorial.

Gold Star License Plates

Norma Athey, sister of one of our 98 (Hector Ortiz), shared with us recently that she has purchased the newly issued special Gold Star license plates which are available to family members of those who died during military action. They are available through the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Ohio is one of 22 states that offer the plates, which feature a single star. Thanks, Norma, for giving us this important information.

Iraq

Since the last newsletter, 2 additional Lorain Countians have died in the war in Iraq:

Pfc. Jason Cox of Elyria on June 16, 2008.

Captain Michael Medders, Jr. of Avon Lake on September 24, 2008.

Please remember these families.

The Website

Is there someone out there with some computer skills who would like to volunteer for a worthy cause? We need some help with our website. Contact Brenda at 440.965.5802.

Have You Moved?

As a non-profit organization that comes by its money the hard way, we are sure you would understand that we do not want to waste any money. Each time a newsletter is returned to us as undeliverable, we must pay postage because we have requested return service to help keep our database accurate. You can help save us costs by telling us your new address in advance. Contact Joyce at 440.284.9992 with your new address. Thanks!!

Thank You

We continue to receive thank you’s and heartfelt notes locally, and from all around the country, from those for whom the Memorial has become a very special place. It is because of these positive comments that make us realize even more how very important the Memorial has become to so many as a place to mourn, to remember, and to heal.

Thank you to so many who have helped recently:

Riders MC $250

United Steel Workers $500

DAV Post 49 $100

VFW 1079 Elyria $100

B. F. $98

American Legion Post 397 Vermilion

We also want to thank the countless volunteers who have attended and assisted us at the recent events.

Engraved Pavers

There is always room at the Memorial for more pavers. Over 40 pavers have been recently installed. Some use the purchase of a paver as a special gift…..a birthday, an anniversary, Father’s Day, Veterans Day, a Christmas present, or a thank you for serving. They are also frequently placed in memory of a loved one. Recently 2 pavers were installed by Don Attie just in time for a special Veterans Day surprise. Several committee members happened to be there when a family group arrived to show the paver surprise ………there were grateful tears all around. Please consider buying a paver as a remembrance, and also as a way to show your support of the Memorial as a place of healing, and for its outreach to the community. Regular pavers come in 2 sizes and cost $50 or $100. There is also a much larger size available. Information is available through Don Attie at 440.288.7030 and forms are on the website.

How To Donate

If you wish to donate, please contact any member. All donations are tax deductible. As we begin our fundraising campaign for Phase II, we will appreciate all donations, large or small.

From the President

Don Attie along with the committee wish each of you a very happy and safe holiday season. Please remember those for whom there will be an empty place at the table this Christmas. And, take a moment to remember our POW’s and MIA’s.

To Contact Us

President – Don Attie 440.288.7030

Secretary – Brenda Snell email

Treasurer – Linda Horvath 440.233.6233

Fundraising/Public Relations - Don Attie 440.288.7030 or 440.288.1182 (fax)

Site Committee Chairman – Tom Temerario

98 REASONS WHY