chaptersinaction Chapter Achievements

From the Field: Venice (Fla.) Area Chapter Members of the Venice Area Chap- ter (www.venicemoaa.com) support needy servicemembers and their families through their Veterans’ Fund. This year, the fund provided $400 to local Army veterans Todd and Jessica Hughes and their two children after their home was lost in a fire. The chapter also provided $200 to the Vet- erans Scholarship Fund of the State College of Florida Foundation Inc. in Venice. The foundation matches do- nations dollar-for-dollar, raising the total donation to $400. The chapter’s Veterans’ Fund is supported through 50-50 raffles

at monthly chapter meetings and through members’ donations.

Lower Hudson Valley (N.Y.) Chapter Members of the Lower Hudson Val- ley Chapter (www.moaa.org/chapter/ NY18) honored two Westchester County, N.Y., officials for their work to help homeless veterans. Chapter member and former Navy Lt. Vito Pinto and Westchester County Execu- tive Rob Astorino each received a let- ter of appreciation and a MOAA coin. Before retiring in March 2015,

Pinto, who was the director of West- chester County’s Veterans Service Agency, and Astorino participated in

back-to-back challenges to find homes for 75 veterans in 100 days. In all, 247 homeless veterans secured housing.

Virginia Peninsula Chapter Members of the Virginia Peninsula Chapter (www.vipmoaa.org) recently launched an ROTC mentorship pro- gram. Earlier this year, chapter lead- ers Col. Jim Pauls, USAF (Ret), and CW3 Jim Flansburg, USA (Ret), met with eight senior Army ROTC cadets at Hampton University in Hampton, Va. The two offered advice and shared stories of challenges they faced as young officers. According to Col. Norm Merski,

USA (Ret), ROTC/Junior ROTC chair, the chapter will start ROTC mentor- ship programs this fall at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va., and Christopher Newport Univer- sity in Newport News, Va.

(clockwise from top) Coronado (Ariz.) Chapter leaders Col. Thomas Hessler, USA (Ret), left, and Col. John Black, USA (Ret), right, congratulate scholar- ship recipients. Virginia Peninsula Chapter members Col. Jim Pauls, USAF (Ret), right of center, and CW3 Jim Flansburg, USA (Ret), center, mentor ca- dets. From left, Venice (Fla.) Area Chapter Veterans’ Fund Chair Marjorie Loria Healey and chapter President Lt. Col. Dallas Jensen, ARNG (Ret), present a $200 donation to a State College of Florida Foundation Inc. representative.

42 MILITARY OFFICER AUGUST 2015

Coronado (Ariz.) Chapter Eight high school seniors received $1,000 college scholarships, thanks to members of MOAA’s Coronado Chapter (http://moaacoronado.org). Fifteen students applied for scholarships this year. Scholarship committee members interviewed the students and reviewed their ac- tivities, grade point averages, and volunteer work before selecting the awardees. This year’s recipients are Christopher Trey Blocker, Anika Faglie, Cody Iwertz, Suzette Jaggers, Sarah Milligan, Brandon O’Rahilly, Katelyn Scott, and Ashton Taylor.

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— Contributors are Col. Barry Wright, USA (Ret), director, Council and Chapter Affairs; Col. Brian Anderson, USAF (Ret), deputy director; and Kris Ann Hegle. For submission information, see page 6.