In this Issue... From the President Page 1 Final Toast Page 3 Volume 1 Issue 9 From the President Hank Lewis virgill15@aol.com October 2017 Meet a Vet Page 4 TVC Elections Page 5 Membership Update Night out with Veterans Page 6 Page 7 Who am I? Page 7 TVC Variety Show Page 8 VFC Truck to Sweep Trilogy Page 10 Gift shop Page 11 Agenda Page 12 L et me begin this month s article with a hearty congratulation to Veterans Furniture Center. We have received a letter from the VFC Board of Directors, of which many are our own previous or current members of the Trilogy Veterans Club. VFC has reached the level of success that allows them to conduct their operations without the need of TVC soliciting volunteers each week. This is what we all hoped for from the beginning which is to have the VFC stand alone. We can now look for additional opportunities for our 140 active members to participate in. Your Board is working on that as you read this article. The VFC also wishes to take over the solicitation and scheduling of the volunteer Luke Airmen cadre that Richard Brown has so skillfully assembled. They plan to have the Airmen sign up on a website each week. This is problematic since the agreement with the United States Air Force to allow volunteers time off from work is between the TVC and LAFB and was achieved through permission granted at the highest levels. I m sure that there will not be any problem with VFC gaining that approval, but we must request that they seek that approval before soliciting Airmen who may not know they aren t under the agreement that was reached (Continued on page 2) Dates for monthly meetings (Meetings start at 4:00 pm) is a monthly newsletter for the members of the Trilogy Veteran s Club. If you have an article that you would like published, please send to Scott Duke at sid.duke@gmail.com October 31, 2017 March 27, 2018 November 28, 2017 April 24, 2018 December 19, 2017 May 22, 2018 January 23, 2018 June 26, 2018 February 27, 2018 July 24, 2018
Page 2 (Continued from page 1) with their command and TVC. I m certain, that VFC will also insure the safety of these Airmen as they log in with personal identification information (PII) on the VFC website. In our recent visit to LAFB, one of our Briefers acknowledged that the bad guys are right here in river city looking to get all the information possible on the F35 platform. None of us want to put these active military members at risk. So again, before we transfer contacts to VFC we respectfully request they seek the proper approval of Base and Wing Commanders at Luke. Upon receipt I will request that Richard make his contact list available to VFC. Until this is complete Richard will continue to schedule volunteers as requested by VFC. Remember, anyone can volunteer to assist the VFC and I anticipate that the usual crew will continue to regularly assist them with deliveries and pick-up. It just won t be a core mission of our club. We also hope that VFC will continue to brief up the command as to the number of missions each Airmen makes and provide documentation that will help our active military progress in their careers. Again, our congratulations to VFC on their success and kudos to the leadership of that Board of Directors. Brick News! We have a number of new brick to place in our memorial and Don Borland and Bill Garling will take care of that duty. With Board approval they will now move the bricks on the side to the top are of the memorial which will result in a more complete and finished look. We are planning a yard sale at Bill Garling s house just as we held last year, to benefit the VFC. We raised over $800 last year for a bunch of useless stuff I meant really useful stuff. Actually, there were some great tools and other items. VFC will also have at least one truck and hopefully two trucks to drive around at the conclusion of the sale and pick up donations of unsold furniture. The Women s Club was contemplating doing this but did not want to conflict with our efforts. They will instead conduct a clothing drive on November 10th. I will ask our Communications Director Scott Duke to let them know we would be happy to assist in their effort as needed. They are donating to an organization that also helps veterans. Don t forget to sign up for the Fall League Ball Game on the 10th of November. As of this article, 58 members and spouses are headed to the Peoria Sports Complex to enjoy the game and fireworks. We are also doing a raffle during our meeting this month to see what club member will throw out the first pitch! We are also assisting David Krichbaum with the Memorial Trail. He has given the flags we purchased to Bill Garling and we will need to establish a TVC mission to insure the Flag is properly cared for. David is not retiring, but we just want to lend a hand. We have so many things going on in the club, this is just a snapshot. Obviously, our upcoming social event at the Masonic Lodge, Toys for Tots, Food for Kidz and our ongoing missions mean there is plenty to do and an activity for everyone one of members! See you soon! We want to hear from you! Each issue, we will add a sound off section that will come from a member of the club. If you have an issue/complaint/compliment that pertains the club and its operation, you will now have space to voice that viewpoint. Send your sound off article to sid.duke@gmail.com.
Page 3 FINAL TOAST! Submitted by: Ian Gale T he following story is a significant part of American History. Although most of us were not born yet we should still hold this story and the brave men in reverence as they were willing to sacrifice their lives to protect America. Please read this story with interest and try to imagine what it was like back in 1942. God Bless America. They once were among the most universally admired and revered men in the United States.. There were 80 of the Raiders in April 1942, when they carried out one of the most courageous and heart-stirring military operations in this nation's history. The mere mention of their unit's name, in those years, would bring tears to the eyes of grateful Americans. After Japan's sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, with the United States reeling and wounded, something dramatic was needed to turn the war effort around. Even though there were no friendly airfields close enough to Japan for the United States to launch a retaliation, a daring plan was devised. Sixteen B-25s were modified so that they could take off from the deck of an aircraft carrier. This had never before been tried -- sending such big, heavy bombers from a carrier. The 16 five-man crews, under the command of Lt. Col. James Doolittle, who himself flew the lead plane off the USS Hornet, knew that they would not be able to return to the carrier. They would have to hit Japan and then hope to make it to China for a safe landing. But on the day of the raid, the Japanese military caught wind of the plan. The Raiders were told that they would have to take off from much farther out in the Pacific Ocean than they had counted on. They were told that because of this they would not have enough fuel to make it to safety. And those men went anyway. They bombed Tokyo and then flew as far as they could. Four planes crash-landed; 11 more crews bailed out, and three of the Raiders died. Eight more were captured; three were executed. Another died of starvation in a Japanese prison camp. One crew made it to Russia. The Doolittle Raiders sent a message from the United States to its enemies, and to the rest of the world: We will fight. And, no matter what it takes, we will win. Of the 80 Raiders, 62 survived the war. They were celebrated as national heroes, models of bravery. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer produced a motion picture based on the raid; "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo," starring Spencer Tracy and Van Johnson, was a patriotic and emotional boxoffice hit, and the phrase became part of the national lexicon. In the movie-theater previews for the film, MGM proclaimed that it was presenting the story "with supreme pride." Editor s note: Ian sent this to me and some other folks and I thought it was worth sharing with all the veterans of the Trilogy Veterans Club.
Page 4 O ur Meet the Vet this month is Paul Bernard, who serves as the mission leader for Soldier s Best Friend (SBF) and previously served as the Publicity Officer. With a desire to see the world, he joined the Navy after high school, going through boot camp at Great Lakes, Illinois, His advance training was in Ordnance in Jacksonville, Florida, and then assigned to NAS Guantanamo Bay for a year in the Weapons Department. That was followed with a year aboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Shangri La, CVA38. Upon discharge he began working for Weyerhaeuser Paper mills and found that job had no real future. His electronics training in the Navy helped him to land a job at Digital Equipment Corp. which led to a long career in the computer business. It offered him the opportunity to see much more of the world as an instructor for a unique technology in peripheral devices. As a result of a job offer, Paul and his wife, Anna moved from the east coast out to Seattle, Washington. After retiring at the age of 62 it seemed logical to Paul to spend some time in Arizona for the winter. That s how they discovered Trilogy where they have lived for 5 ½ years. When the Trilogy Veteran s Club formed, he was one of the original members and takes pride in what this club has been able to accomplish. It s only one of the clubs that he has joined, but it is by far the most rewarding. He loves working missions for the betterment of other veterans and finds it especially gratifying. Fellow veteran Richard Brown and Paul enjoy playing guitars and performing at local venues including the VA Hospital in Phoenix. Paul and Anna recently celebrated their 50 th anniversary and they both love to travel. They have two sons and three grandchildren. His favorite team
Page 5 TVC Elections Guidelines W ith the announcement that Hank Lewis will not be running for a second term, we thought it might be appropriate to go over the rules for electing club officials. This information can also be found in our club by-laws (located on our website). Any member in good standing may nominate another member for an officer position or may offer to have his/her name placed in nomination for any office. Nominations will be gathered before and during the October meeting. Elections will be held during the November meeting by secret ballot. Only members in attendance or submitted an absentee ballot prior to the meeting are eligible to vote. A majority of the tally for each office will justify an election for each office provided that the members present and absentee ballots are 30% of the entire membership. An electronic ballot will be sent to all members no later than November 15th with a deadline for voting of November 25th. The Secretary/Treasurer and the Membership Chair will tally the votes and announce the results at the November meeting. The new officers will attend the December board meeting as guests and assume their responsibilities on January 1st. In the event that there is a tie between two candidates for the same office, the final selection will be made by the Executive Board. During our October membership meeting, candidates that wish to run for office will have the opportunity to address the membership. The following board positions will be voted on President Vice-President Secretary Treasurer The other Board of Directors positions (Director of Communications, Social Director, Membership Direction, Member At-Large, Mission leaders (Madison Street, VFC, and Adopt-a-Street) will either resign or remain in their positions. As of this issue, only the Director of Communications will step down from his board position at the end of December. J ust a reminder for club members, due to the Christmas and holiday season, our December meeting has been changed to December 18th (Monday). Please mark your calendar so you can make plans to attend.
Page 6 New Membership Mike Ponting Michael.ponting99@gmail.com Veterans Club Membership P lease join me in welcoming new member Norman Freedman, Jack Dreyfus and Nancy Duke. I have been away for the past month, so I am getting slowly back into the swing of things. Our membership now stands at 139 and with our fellow neighbors returning, we look forward to increasing this number. With administrative stuff out of the way, there are many club events coming up. Everyone should find something to become involved in as a participant or spectator. Check our calendar on the website. 139 We look forward to seeing everyone at the monthly meeting or our events. We are doing something different this year as we begin to collect dues for 2018. We are asking everyone to go to our website and fill out a new membership form and return it with your dues for 2018. This will allow us to update our membership roster with accurate information. We have found some members have not been receiving our emails and newsletters due to changed email addresses. Sometimes we have misread the handwriting on the form. Please print neatly. There are two ways to access this form. First, our website: tvaveteransclub.weebly.com, and click on the Join tab, print out and send in with dues to the address on the form. Second, go to the My Trilogy Life website and access our website thru the Clubs tab. Follow the same instructions.
Page 7 Night Out with Veterans! Scott Duke Sid.duke@gmail.com W e cannot be more excited about the upcoming event at the Peoria Sports Complex (PSC). They are honoring all military veterans on the 10th of November by offering free admission to the ball park for a game between the Surprise Saguaros and the Peoria Javelinas! They are even having a fireworks show after the game. Game time is 6:35 pm. If the veteran brings a spouse, the extra ticket is $6 (less if you are senior citizen). When you think about it, if both attend the game, the tickets are $3 a piece (or less). You cannot beat that my friends! So, how do we get these tickets for the game? Arizona Fall League headquarters has mailed me 100 tickets for our veterans. I will pass those out during our October club meeting (31 Oct at 4:00 pm), but you need to sign up, first! Send me (sid.duke@gmail.com) your name and if your family/friend plans to attend. Now, you will get a ticket, but your spouse will have to purchase a ticket at the ballpark. Making the night even more special, we worked a deal with the PSC that our own Paul Bernard and Richard Brown will be singing the National Anthem before the game. They will arrive at the ballpark one hour before the first pitch is thrown out (6:30). Oh, speaking of first pitch? We also worked it out that a member of the Trilogy Veterans Club will throw out the first pitch. When you come to the meeting on the 31st, bring at least three, one-dollar bills. Write your name down on each bill and place it in the hat. During the meeting, the President will draw a name from the hat. Thanks to the Arizona Fall League HQs and the Peoria Sports Complex for celebrating Veterans Day (11 Nov) and recognizing those men and women who served in uniform or have served. Do you know who I am? I am a member of the Trilogy Veterans Club and served in the United States Marines.
Page 8 Variety Show Bob Meizinger boval51101@gmail.com P lease don t forget to mark your calendar for October 28 (Saturday) at 1830. This is the Variety Show of the Year at the Sun City Masonic Lodge #72. The lodge is located at 18810 N. 107th Ave, Peoria, AZ. The show will include members of the Veterans Club, the great Troubadours, some comedy skits, and even a 50/50 raffle. You will bring your own snacks, treats, and beverage of your choice. We will have mixers available for your drinks, and plenty of ice to make that perfect drink as you sit down and watch the show. A highlight of the show will be the announcement and presentation of the President s Award of Merit by Hank Lewis. This award is presented to two (2) club recipients. An award given by the outgoing President (concluding his full term) to a club member who has volunteered his/her time in a significant and consistent manner to either a club core mission or seasonal mission (Madison Street Outreach, Adopt-A-Street, Veterans Furniture Center, Toys for Tots, Soldiers Best Friend, Food for Kidz, or other volunteer action) and has contributed to an outstanding degree, their services, ideas, developments, or accomplishments in these core or seasonal areas as well as other relevant volunteer efforts for veterans in his/her community. Additional consideration may include this veteran s work in enhancing the overall ability of the club to carry out its missions. A nother successful month of club members volunteering their time in in support of the Madison Street Madison Street Outreach Center. As part of this core mission, we Outreach cook, deliver, and serve a homemade meal to military veterans in need. This month we had the entire meal Program cooked by a single veteran and his family. What a blessing to have so many club members in Trilogy that are willing to stepup and volunteer to either provide a full, home-cooked meal, or as is the case normally, several veterans volunteering to cook, deliver, or bring food items in support of this great mission for the Trilogy Veterans Club. We have gotten word that the main course for November will be provided by a veteran, but we will still need side dishes, drinks, drivers, and servers. Look for the link within the first two weeks of November. If this mission is something you are interested in supporting, make contact with the mission leader, Don Borland. The club supports Madison Street each month on the third Wednesday and departs at 1000 hrs from the lower parking lot at the Kiva Club.
Page 9 PRESIDENT Virgil Hank: Lewis Virgill15@aol.com VICE-PRESIDENT Mark Grindle jetsetter05@msn.com SECRETARY Jim Long jimlong13058@ TREASURER Les Kessler kesslerleslie@ gmail.com yahoo.com Membership Director Mike Ponting michaelponting99@gmail.com Communications Director Scott Duke Sid.duke@gmail.com Social Director Robert Meizinger boval51101@gmail.com Madison Street Outreach Donald Borland Donb173@cox.net TVC/Luke Volunteer Program Richard Brown rbrowntrilogy@cox.net Member-at-Large Will remain vacant until next election of board members.
Page 10 I t was Saturday afternoon some years ago at our mid-sized, mid-western airport. Things were hopping. Air Guard jets were shooting landings on the long runway, airliners were arriving and departing, two or three aircraft were in the pattern practicing, transients were coming and going, and then there was my friend and me in a 1945 65-HP J-3 Cub doing touch and gos. After four landings, blissfully unaware of the consternation our extremely slow speed was causing, we asked the tower on our handheld radio:... Cub 843 would like a right turn out of the pattern.... Controller (exasperated): Right turn, left turn or straight out approved. I don't care. Just please, please get out of my way!" Story submitted by: Joe Petter VFC Truck to Sweep Trilogy after Garage Sale chairs, tables, silverware, pots and pans, etc. The majority of the veterans we serve have NOTHING. A s we all know, on November 4th, Trilogy will have another community-wide garage sale. This is a great time for families to purge their belongings and sale them to others in and out of Trilogy at Vistancia. What you might not know is that the Veterans Furniture Center (VFC) will have their truck out after the garage sale to sweep the neighborhood for furniture that was not sold, and that can be donated to the VFC. The VFC provides donated furniture and household items to veterans who have newly acquired a place to live. Most of the veterans have come off the streets, from transitional housing (MANA house, US Vets, etc) or from a rehabilitation facility. Whatever the circumstances, these are veterans that need a great deal of help. With the support of our community and the Trilogy Veterans Club, The VFC can supply, when available, beds, sofa,
Page 11 T rilogy Veterans Club (TVC) shirts, hats, bricks, and coins are for sale. Prices are below. Hats and shirts have been increased in price. Bricks go up to $50 in January 2018. Coin remained the same in price. Polo Shirt Tee Shirt Customized Brick Club Coin Price increase January 2018
Page 12 H ere is a look at the agenda for this month s meeting of the Veterans Club. We hope to see you there at 1600 hrs. Meeting comes to order at 1600 Pledge of Allegiance Membership Update President s comments Floor Opens for Nominations Vice-President Comments Financial report Core Mission Updates OLD business New business Good of the Club Adjourn If you thought it was Bob Prow, you would be correct!