Membership :  New Members  /  Renewals   -  Oct. / Nov.
Members who have Joined or renewed their membership by renewing through Chapter 649

* * *        Please remember the Sweet Family, in your prayers.
Our condolences to the Sweet family on the loss of their mother Virginia

* * *   NOTICE ** MONTHLY MEETING LOCATION CHANGE
Chapter 649’s DEC. monthly meeting will be held at the Owensville Fair-Grounds.
Our monthly membership meeting will begin @ 6:00 Pm,
The annual Chapter 649 Christmas Dinner will be held Dec.12th beginning @ 6:15 Pm.
Our Guest- Speaker will be, ( Yep, you guessed it ) . . . Santa Claus.

Ham’s & turkeys are provided by the Chapter, all other side-dishes are provided by our
chapter members. If you have questions concerning what to bring, or how much to provide, please call AVVA member Joann Gregory - 513. 505. 5390.
Joann has a list of items needed and items accounted for.

Please remember to bring canned food / staples, to our food-drive for our Veterans in Need. Chapter 649 has 9 needy veteran families to provide items to.
Along with canned food supplies, we also try to provide each family with eggs, milk, bread, and fruit, for families who have small children, please bring small bags of apples & oranges, as well as hard-candy for those with children. also think about disposable razors, bath soap, laundry soap, paper towels,tooth paste, etc. etc. macaroni & cheese, spaghetti, dried beans, peanut butter, jelly, two liter soft-drinks, . . . the list is endless.
I guess the best way to explain it, " Our goal is to fill the food boxes with the type of supplies which we ourselfs are accustomed to having in our own households, on an everyday basis"  . . .  Please keep this in mind for those in need.

* * * November: Veterans Day Activities Chapter 649 Attended

Nov.  7 - Columbus, OH - “Class of 2013 Veterans Hall of Fame” Induction Ceremony,
Fifteen new members, including chapter 649 member, Bob Derr.  Congratulations to Bob Derr.
Nov.   8 - Milford Jr. High - Chapter Members speak with students, about what life is like, while serving in the military. 
Nov.   8 - Warren Co. Community College - “Thank You For Serving” Breakfast.
Nov.   9 - Newark, Ohio - 30 year Anniversary Dinner of VVA Chapter 55.
Nov. 10 - Bantam, OH - East Fork Lake - “Fallen Hero’s Memorial” Dedication.
Nov. 11 - 9:00 Am - Sam’s, Eastgate - “Thank You For Serving” Breakfast
Nov. 11 - 1:00 Pm - Union Twp. Memorial Park - Veterans Day Ceremony,
Nov. 11 - Mt. Orab, OH - Western Brown School
Nov. 11 - New Richmond - Batavia Veterans Day Parade
“Thank You”, to all who participated in these Veterans Day Ceremonies and Events.

* * *  Recognition Corner - Robert "Bob" Derr
                   Provide By Cliff Riley

                                                                           Chapter 649 Salutes - Robert “Bob” Derr

* * * Year’s End

The year 2013 is just about ready to close the door and step aside, allowing 2014 to make its mark in history. Reflecting back, over the past twelve months, it was a very good year for Chapter 649.

As a Chapter we were able to help many residents of Clermont County. We spoke with the people who attended our meetings and events, informing them of the Veterans Service Commission located in Batavia, reminding them that temporary funds are available if they are in a financial bind, how to contact the Veterans Service Office, who will research their qualifications for future Health Care at the VA - Hospital, along with other benefits that are available to all Veterans.

We were able to provided assistance during the 2012 Christmas holidays to ten veterans’ families in need. We donated $1,000.00 to various veteran organizations during 2012.

We have sat in the rain for hours at our Meet & Greets, in the blazing hot sun at our Fair Booth,
providing brochures to veterans, which informs them of benefits available.

Yes, we were glad to see them drop money in our donation box, but we were not there for the money. We were there because 649 members were not going to abandon another Veteran.

When the AVTT (Wall) came to Columbus (the last week of March), we braved standing in the
outside-weather, on snow covered ground in 20 mph winds, speaking with visitors, providing
information, and assistance to our comrades.

Our membership chairman Cliff Riley is constantly sending post cards to school-mates who themselves also served during the same time frame he himself served. He asks them to attend just one of our meetings and to think about becoming a member. They do return. They do join.
Chapter 649 now has over 200 members.
And our membership attendance averages 50 to 60 members per month.

Our Executive Board along with our Board of Directors is top notch.
We manage our chapter’s money well.
We have come a long way from having only $300.00 in the bank on any given month.

Our Delegates provide us with information from state council, keeping us well apprised.

Our members, be it VVA or AVVA, are not afraid to step-up and become the chair-person of an event. Our event committees work hard to make each event a success.
We also have members, who cannot attend each monthly meeting due to work related hours.
Yet they still find time to contribute their time and efforts to help make chapter 649 a better chapter.

V.V.A Ohio State Council has forty-three chapters located within the state of Ohio.
Chapter 649 has had the honor of being proclaimed “Chapter Of The Year” four separate times
(1993, 2007, 2010, and 2011).
We have shown both Buckeye State Council and V.V.A. National that we are an active chapter and that we do care about our community Veterans.

To All Our Chapter Members, On Behalf Of All 649 BOD Members,
“Thank You For Supporting Chapter 649”
We Wish You A  MERRY  CHRISTMAS   &   HAPPY HOLIDAYS !

Looking forward to seeing you at our Christmas Dinner on December 12th

Mark Brandon, President

* * *    V.V.A. Ohio State Convention - Hosted By Chapter 649
VVA Conventions are held each year.
National Conventions, are held in different States throughout the U.S.A. in years ending in odd numbers. 2013, 2015, 2017 etc.

State Conventions, are held in different Counties throughout the State of Ohio in years ending in even numbers. 2014, 2016, 2018 etc.

Ohio State Council has chosen Clermont County- Union Twp.-Chapter 649, as the location for the
2014 State Convention.  Chapter 649 has agreed to be the Host Chapter.
Holiday Inn (Eastgate) has agreed to provide rooms for all attendee’s lodging.
This is a four day event, with delegates attending from each of the 43 chapters within Ohio.

Beginning January 2014, State Council will visit with members of 649 informing us of various committees which our Chapter must provide an assist with, while complying with VVA Constitution Rules.
2014 Ohio State Convention will be held beginning May 8th - May 11th

As future information is provided to chapter 649, we will also inform you the member, with details and phone #’s, if you wish to participate on any committee’s / Color Guard, etc. etc.

Chapter 649 is Honored to have been chosen for this event.
Please consider volunteering to help make the 2014 State Convention a huge success.

Providing local area veterans and their families, assistance during the Holiday season.

Chapter 649 has been provided with a list of nine Clermont County Veterans families who are in need of assistance.  
Over the past few years local schools within Clermont County have assisted Chapter 649 by having food drives, with food and other items being donated to 649, so we may help our Veterans.

In early November,2013 the chapter was informed by many of the schools, they would not be able to provide assistance to Chapter 649 this year.
We scheduled December 15, as the date for delivery of food baskets to our needy Veterans.

Today's date is December 1st, and the current supply in our Food Pantry is not enough to fulfill our
goal !   WE  NEED  MORE  FOOD !

Chapter 649 ask You, as a member of chapter 649, please consider providing any items you may wish to donate to this worthy cause.
Keeping in mind, 9 families of which some of these families have small children to feed also.

Please bring your donations to our Christmas Dinner being held at Owensville Fair Grounds, 6:00 Pm.
You may also bring donation to our BOD Meeting Dec.10th,   @ Union Twp. Civic Center.
( Call Wayne, 513.505.5391 to confirm your delivery at BOD Meeting )

Items we have provided in past years:
Canned Goods, all verities - soups, vegetables, sauces, fruits
Dry Goods – Navy Beans, Corn Bread mix, Potato’s (small bag) or boxed, Peanut-Butter, Jelly,
macaroni & cheese, spaghetti etc. (pasta's)
Also, - Paper Towels, Bathroom Paper, Bath Soap, Laundry Soap, Dish Soap, Toothpaste, etc.
Soft Drinks (2 liter), Apples (small bag), Oranges (small bag), Hard Candy

Our Chapter supplies each family a Honey Baked Ham, or a Turkey.
We also supply Fresh Bread, Butter, 1 doz. Eggs, Fresh Milk, along with a Gift Card $300.

Our Chapter 649 Webmaster, will be taking photos of V.V.A. and A.V.V.A. members,
at our Christmas Dinner.
Photos of You and your significant other will be taken with the green back-ground,
which will allow your photo placed in the foreground, while have a Christmas Theme  showing in the Background.

Also : If you have a photo of yourself, taken while serving, during your time
in the military, please bring your photo, so it may be scanned and used to place on
our website.   ( Photo will Be Returned )  Please refrain from wearing articles of clothing containing the color of green.
FYI, by using a Green Screen, this allows different backgrounds for use of your photo.
Visit our "Then and Now" web page to view examples for using a green screen

* * *   HGSP  Reminders
If you have clothing or other house-hold item you wish to discard, please consider donating to the VVA by calling 888. 518.VETS ( 8387 )
View website and schedule a pick-up date for your donations.
Remember : If you are making your donation to support Vietnam Veterans, You MUST mark all containers used for your donation, to read V V A !  
By placing the letters VVA on the bag or box containing your donation, this will assure your donation to reach the correct container for VVA supplies to be resold.