Keep up with local veteran group events
A Holiday Market by the Disabled American Veterans Robert H. Cox Chapter 129, and the Utica-Shelby Township Rotary Club, is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday, Nov. 14-Dec. 12.
It is at the DAV barn at 47326 Dequindre Road, Shelby Township and features crafts, food, gifts, prizes and a visit with Santa.
Table rentals are: choice of $25 per eight-foot table per Saturday; or all five Saturdays $100. Space rental for a ten-foot-byten-foot area is $75. Make checks payable to the Utica-Shelby Rotary Club and mail to 53217 Garland St., Shelby Township MI 48316. Payment by credit card is available. For more information, contact weekendmarketshelby@gmail. com.
Proceeds from the rentals are split between the Rotary club and the DAV.
The Rotary club has supported MCREST, the CareHouse of Macomb County-Macomb County Child Advocacy Center, Inc., Macomb Family Services, and the Scholars and Jazz fundraiser for the Shelby Township Library.
Last year’s Rotary Team Turkey provided 315 turkey dinner packages to 271 families in Macomb-Oakland County areas.
Globally, Rotary clubs have helped finance the distribution of polio vaccine throughout the world for more than 30 years. As a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, polio cases have gone down by 99.9 percent since Rotary’s first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979. Now, more than 2.5 billion children in 122 countries have been vaccinated at a cost to Rotary of $1.8 billion. Polio remains endemic in Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan. If all eradication efforts stopped today, within 10 years, polio could paralyze as many as 200,000 children each year.
DAV Chapter 129 was established in 1966. Its hall, a barn on about five acres of land, was built in the late 1880s. It was originally used for livestock and feed storage but was known for its barn dances and is now used for fleamarkets on Sundays and Tuesdays. It can hold up to 250 people, and is for rent. Contact the hall manager at 248-977-7893 or dav129hallrentalscatering@gmail.com.
The chapter is making some major improvements to its grounds by installing a Walk of Valor Peace Garden along with a Flags ofHonor area, and Fire Pit of Reflection. There is a Bricks-R-Us website where people may order a brick paver to honor or memorialize a friend or family member. See bricksrus. com/donorsite/davchapter129.
The post is authorized to legally represent veterans before the Department of Veterans Affairs to file for benefits. Any veteran can go to the post for information and help.
DAV chapters fight for the interests of America’s injured heroes before legislators and educate the public about the sacrifices and needs of veterans transitioning back to civilian life. DAV provides a structure of volunteer programs where people can help veterans and veterans can help each other.
The chapter, supported by its auxiliary, helps veterans in need with a Forget-Me-Not canister drive.
Veterans who need assistance may contact the Chapter 129 commander at 248-977-7900 or davchapter129@gmail.com, or call the DAV Regional office at 313-964-6595. Donations to Chapter 129 may be mailed to: P.O. Box 183581, Shelby Township MI 48318.
Hospitalized veteran teams from the veterans service organizations cannot make their hospital visits or make homemade treats for the Veterans Affairs Voluntary Services program right now, but anyone can still provide certain things for patients at the Detroit VA Medical Center.
Welcome items are individually wrapped granola bars, health bars, fiber bars, cheese crackers, peanut butter crackers, pretzels, chips, all-chocolate candies, small bags of cookies, Jolly Rancher candy and mints. Also appreciated are: coffee pods or ground coffee, and 10to 12-oz. Styrofoam cups. Contact Camille Randle at camille.randle@va.gov for more information.
Utica Legion Post reopens bingo
American Legion Victor I. Rieck Post 351 at 46146 Cass Ave., Utica is back open for business.
“We have reopened our bingo,” event chairman Michael Weaver said. “Doors open at 5 p.m. and the first ball drops at 6:30 p.m. every Wednesday, and you get done between 9:30 and 9:45 p.m. Minimum to play is $12 and goes up from there as to howmuch you want to play.” Weaver is sergeant-at-arms and a past post commander. Call 586-726-6915 for more information.
Free care packages for vets on Oct. 10
The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency hosts an Operation Veteran Care Package event 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 10 at the Pontiac Vet Center parking lot, 44200 Woodward Ave., Pontiac. Veterans and National Guard and Reserve members may come pick up free care packages. They are valued at up to $40 and include handwritten notes of thanks from students across the country.
here will be some food boxes for those in need, and free flu shots for veterans and family members. (Fill out a form for flu shots at bit.ly/2HE8Tid.) Register for the event at bit.ly/2Ed2GbG.
There are free custom dog tags made with branch of service, blood type, and religion information. Bring proof of service. Other sponsors include Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1370, the Pontiac Vet Center, Walking with Warriors Veteran Navigator Program, Genoa Healthcare, and Caption Call.
For more information, contact Erika Hoover, Women Veterans & Special Populations Coordinator at MVAA, 517-230-6090 or HooverE2@michigan.gov or visit michiganveterans.com.