chapters in action

Chapter Achievements

From the Field:

Northern Arizona Chapter
It’s hard to get everyone to attend meetings when a chapter’s jurisdiction covers 28,500 square miles. That’s why the Northern Arizona Chapter (www.moaa.org/chapter/northernarizona) has satellite chapters. The Payson Satellite serves MOAA members in the Star Valley, Ariz., area, while the new Mohave Satellite covers the Bullhead City, Ariz., region.

Northern Arizona Chapter President Lt. Col. Richard Jonas, USAF (Ret), says chapter and satellite leaders are recruiting new members through letters and phone calls. The chapter’s Flagstaff Satellite gained enough members to become in 2012 a full-fledged MOAA affiliate called the Grand Canyon (Ariz.) Chapter.

Greater Cincinnati Chapter
Supporting programs that help veterans is important to members of the Greater Cincinnati Chapter (www.cincymoaa.org). Earlier in 2014, chapter President Brig. Gen. Thomas O’Brien Jr., USA (Ret), and treasurer Lt. Col. Paul Fellinger, USA (Ret), presented a check for $490 to national MOAA member and former Army Capt. Nathan Pelletier, executive director of Joseph House in Cincinnati.

Members long have provided financial support to Joseph House, which provides inpatient and outpatient treatment to veterans suffering from addiction. This year’s contribution was funded through 50-50 raffles at chapter meetings.

Silver Strand (Calif.) Chapter
Members of the Silver Strand Chapter (www.cal-moaa-silverstrand.org) are cultivating patriotism among area schoolchildren. For 15 years, the chapter has run an annual Letters to the Troops program in Coronado, Calif.

The chapter’s most recent effort had students from five schools pen to deployed U.S. servicemembers more than 750 thank-you letters, which were delivered via military aircraft. Chapter leaders presented the top two letter-writers in each school with $25 gift certificates to a local bookstore, while second-place winners received $20 gift certificates.

First European Chapter
Members of the First European Chapter (www.moaa.org/chapter/firsteuropean) donated 12 new TVs worth $3,000 to the Fisher House at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany.

Chapter members Col. Charles Andrean, USA (Ret), and Lt. Col. John Purdy, USA (Ret), presented the TVs to Vivian Wilson, Fisher House manager. The Fisher House Foundation runs a network of homes where military and veterans’ families can stay at low- or no-cost while their loved one is receiving medical treatment.
MO

— 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.