Yuletide Greetings
By the time you read this the chapter Christmas party will be a fond memory, I hope. A few people put a lot of effort into making it a success and I would like to thank all volunteers who made it possible.
All in all I think it has been a very good year for chapter 172 recently and quite often I receive compliments about how friendly the chapter is; and that is something we can all take pride in. No one person is responsible for the warmness that new members and seldom seem members receive when they attend a chapter social event.
This past year many new faces have stepped up to help with various projects that we have tackled as a group. Our generosity and community involvement have been paid back to us in dividends that far outweigh any financial rewards.
A lot of conversations this year was directed to the fact that we are a last man standing organization and what are we going to do when we finally tap our last keg. As I've said before, I don't really care or even worry about that eventuality. When the VVA is no more an especially chapter 172. I believe that we will leave a legacy of how a veterans organization should be run and how it should function in the community that will be legendary. At a time when so many other VSO's are shrinking up or even being closed all together, chapter 172 continues to grow with a dwindling pool veterans to draw from.
So pat yourself on the back and say well done but let's keep up the effort. And as the moon sinks slowly behind Haystack Mountain I hope that we all have the kind of Christmas or Holiday Season that we as a veterans and their families so richly deserve.
Peace.
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Re-Entry Returns
I doubt that we will ever know the reason why Martinsburg VAMC wanted to put Re-Entry out of business and send 150 veterans to the CBOC, but we should be happy that they have relented in part because of the pressure that was brought to bare by veterans and their families, letters to the directors of the VAMC, the newspapers and telephone calls to our elected representatives helped push the effort over the top. I know that Senator Mikulski also deserves a thank you for her effort on our behalf I can't think of a better Christmas present for Peggy and the rest of the crew at Re-Entry. I mean I probably could but that was pretty damn good. One more little comment to the VAMC remember the old saying "If it ain't broken don't fix it."
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Super Bowl
Once again the I have to remind you that the Super Bowl is the first Sunday in February. As always it will start one hour before kickoff and go till it's over.
Bill and Philomena Zappp will be our host for this gala event. Also, this is our a wild game feed, which usually means deer meat. How about some squirrel or rabbit this year may be some possum belly. Well anyhow Philomena will prepare too much great food anyway. And once again the Redskins--- well you know.
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3rd Floor Freedon Fighters Notice
The state legislatures in all their wisdom took the governor's lead and raised the tax on cigarettes by two dollars a pack the theory was that this will raise an additional 150 million a year in tax revenues. I wonder if any of these geniuses have ever looked at a map of Maryland I mean do they know where West Virginia Pennsylvania Virginia and Delaware are? I know that they are pretty close and that they all have slot machines. Watch for activity on the Potomac River as bootleggers bring boatloads of tobacco across the border.
Also, Jerry Danehart came in from Wheeling West Virginia with another box of cigars you can find them in the kitchen on the second floor.
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Why Carry A Gun?
This is the law; the purpose of fighting is to win, there is no possible victory in defense. " This sword is more important than the shield. And skill is more important that either. The final weapon is the brain. All else is supplemental." -- -- John Steinbeck
1. Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he's to old to fight he'll just kill you.
2, If you find yourself in a fair fight your tactics suck.
3. I carry a gun, because the cop is too heavy to carry (you got to love that one)
4. America is not at war the US military is at war. America is at the mall. (Ain't that the gospel truth)
5. When seconds count, the cops are just minutes away.(Yep, time it some time, but shoot first -- then call 911)
6. A reporter did a human interest story or the Texas Rangers. The reporter recognized the Colt model 1911 that the ranger was carrying and
asked him "Why do you carry a. 45?" The ranger responded with." Because they'll make a 46." (My favorite)
7. An armed man will kill an unarmed man with monotonous regularity.
8. The old sheriff was attending an awards dinner when a lady commented on his wearing his side arm. "Are you expecting trouble?"
"No ma'am, if I were expecting trouble, I would have brought my shotgun."
9. Beware the man who only has one gun. He probably knows how to use it.(Same thing if he always carries the same kind of gun.) Amen
10. God made man,Colt, made them equal.
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Chapter Office News
from Barb and Susan
Well Christmas time is upon us! Come check out our beautiful winter window seen. Everything is been going great here in the office and it is always a pleasure to see everyone smiling face. Just a reminder our store specials; the" Reflections" large print is on sale for $30 and the small print for $20," Reflections" T-shirts and sweatshirts at 25% off, CDs and DVDs are on sale for three dollars. The" Brightest Star" print is also on sale for $30. All mugs and hats excluding clearance at 25% off. The December special is our military Christmas tree ornaments one sale for six dollars a great addition to your Christmas tree. All sales are a good through December 31.
The store hours for the week of Christmas are as follows, December 24 we will open at 8 a.m. till noon December 25 and 26 the office will be closed. Normal hours will resume on the December 27 we will be closed January 1 for new years.
We would like to thank the officers, board of directors, members and their families for everything that you do for us. It is a pleasure working for you all.
Merry Christmas
and
Happy New Year
Jesus is the reason for the season
Thank you for a great year
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After The Ball is Over
It's history the 25th annual VVA Chapter 172 Christmas party is in the record books as a win. Approximately 390, members, guest and helpers were there.
The" Fabulous Hubcaps" plural world-class show. I would like to thank them for a great effort and high-energy performance.
I have heard nothing but compliments on the food and of all the compliments the most seem to go to the green beans. I'll do what you can do to green beans, but they did it right.
Also a big thank you to staff of Rocky Gap who could not seem to do enough to make this event a success.
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$12 billion a month
editorial opinion
I am all for helping out those in need. I am also aware of the old saying. " The only thing that is necessary for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing." I have heard all of the old tired quips and quotes and that's all they are old and tired. How about this one. " Charity begins at home." I don't seem to hear that one quite so much these days. Foreign aid can be good however it's seldom gets to the people who really need it. Remember the" food for oil" program at the United Nations which made a bunch of crooked politicians very rich and they are still running the UN. Meanwhile, 4000 Americans have died in Iraq and Afghanistan and there is no end in sight. Did you notice that this year there was none of the usual rhetoric about bringing the troops home before Christmas, so you know were in trouble.
We have done good in the Middle East, we have built schools and hospitals and put in some form of a democratic government. Now how about we spend a little or even a lot here at home? With the recent opening of Mountain Ridge high school, Allegheny County got its first new school with 50 years.
Many of our major cities are in various forms of crisis and decay. Thousands of bridges across this nation are literally crumbling. The state of Maryland just passed a tax on everything but air. Small businesses across this country are folding up at an epidemic rate. The average person cannot afford health insurance or medications for himself or his employees. And if you look down south our borders are a joke. Bring the troops home and put them on the borders, spend $12 billion a month while rebuilding our own infrastructure. Put a bunch of people back to work and clean up our own cities.
That would make it a great Christmas.
Steve Parsons
December 2007
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New Year's Eve
Dick Clark won't be here again this year, but everybody else will be. The party starts at 9PM and goes until it's over. Bring your party hats, noisemakers and flashy women. At midnight we'll go down on the mall and watch the ball drop and kiss strangers. Let's start 2008 off with a great big bash. See you there.