President’s 2023 Year End Recap and Message


  • We held twelve “First Friday” Brunches, and most recently at our new
    location, (Mimi’s Café at 5090 Kietzke Lane). Our most recent breakfast
    (05JAN24) we were at capacity of over 44 diners.
  • Held ten Board Meetings and several “Special Finance” meetings and a
    Board “Retreat.”
  • Held ten VVA Sierra Nevada Chapter 989 meetings at the Bunker.
  • Held ten AVVA meetings at various locations and several “special venue”
    meetings prior to events.
  • Participated in two parades: Virginia City on 04 July and Reno on 11
    November, and two for Hot August Nights Color Guard “parades.”
  • Our Flag Trailer and Chapter numbers were once again “front and center”
    for the opening of the Military Appreciation Day at the final (and farewell)
    Reno Air Races at Stead Field.
  • Held our annual Vietnam Veterans Remembrance Day Event (VRE) at the
    Nevada Veterans Memorial Plaza (NVMP) for the first time in Sparks. Our
    Lt. Governor, the Honorable Stavros Anthony, was the guest speaker and
    the event was also attended by US Senator Katherine Cortez-Masto and US
    House of Representatives member, Mark Amodei.
  • We also supported the Homeless Veterans Stand-Down with lunch at the
    VA’s Capitol Hill location in Reno.
  • We Co-Sponsored with the Reno Aces Military Appreciation Night at
    Greater Nevada Field and once again rededicated our POW/MIA Chair of
    Honor in Section 118. During this Night, VVA 989 (collaborating with local
    military recruiters and the Aces), orchestrated a group “on field” taking the
    Enlistment Oath for 17 new recruits from all branches of the service.
    …Including three new “Coasties.”
  • We sent representatives to both State AND National VVA functions
    including VVA’s National Convention in Orlando, FL.
  • We continued to do our “outreaches” at by-monthly Gun Shows in Reno
  • We supported the Memorial Day Remembrance at the Northern Nevada
    Veterans Memorial Cemetery (NNVMC) in Fernley
  • We decorated three wings and the Town Center of the NNSVH with no less
    than 13 fully decorated Christmas trees and holiday decor.
  • We again decorated four Christmas trees at the Veterans Guest House.
  • We provided Chapter Color Guard support for various events including
    closing ceremonies for Hot August Nights and the Region 9 VVA Conference
    at the Silver Legacy in Reno
  • We were recognized by leadership at the Nevada Veterans Memorial Plaza
    (NVMP) for our Chapter’s continued monetary support and our monthly
    maintenance of the memorial and surrounding grounds.
  • We held our third, “From Camos to Classrooms” Scholarship Fundraising
    Gala this year and we were back at the National Automobile Museum venue
    where we raised over $20K for future veteran scholarships.
  • We presented four $3,000 Veteran Scholarships to deserving University of
    Nevada, Reno (UNR) and Truckee Meadows Community College, (TMCC)
    students.
  • Again, this year and working with Comstock Lode Quilters Assoc., we
    presented 50th Anniversary Commemorative Pins when they presented
    “Quilts of Valor” to residents at the NNSVH.
  • Our Chapter’s 989 Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America (AVVA)
    members were honored with the Governor’s Award as Nevada’s “Veteran
    Supporter of the Month” in October 2023.
  • We continued the annual work of the Gary Meckler Memorial Holiday Gift
    Basket Program serving twenty-two Nevada Guard families in need while
    working through the Army Guard Family Support Center in Reno.
  • We helped pick up the old wreaths from “Wreaths Across America, 2022”
    in January 2023, and we helped place new wreaths in December 2023
  • We were honored by the Nevada Veterans Coalition for our continued
    support of both the Coalition and for support of Wreaths Across America.
  • Sadly, we also said “Good-Bye” and honor the memory of Chapter Brothers
    and Sisters including Jack Logan, Nikki Casey, Jesse (Jay) Hoch, David
    Levine, Michael Haines, Everell Hayes, Jay Leavitt, and Eric Hobson,
  • The Chapter’s website, VVAreno989.org, continues to provide valuable
    information to our Chapter membership and to veterans of all eras.
    Although our Webmaster, Rick Kaufmann, moved to Las Vegas he has
    continued as our “Webmaster” while assuming that role for VVA Chapter
    1076 too. Any failures to post pictures and stories on a timely basis on our
    website are “on me” and I am hopeful Rick will continue to be patient with
    my contributions.
    Here are a few of the things for the upcoming the first quarter of 2024…
  • We continue our First Friday (of the month) Brunches at Mimi’s Café; our
    Second Tuesday AVVA Meetings at Mini’s; our Second Thursday Baard
    Meetings; and our Third Thursday Chapter Meetings at the Bunker.
  • We take down the Christmas decorations at the NNSVH, 08JAN24, 1000.
  • Pick up the old wreaths (goat food) in Fernley, Friday, 26JAN. 0900
  • Continue planning for, and then put on, a Vietnam Veterans Remembrance
    Day Event on Saturday, 23MAR23 at Truckee Meadows Community College
  • Continue the search and nominating process for our April Chapter elections.
    As some of you know, we are always looking for a few good men or women to
    fill in the projected vacancies every year.

The bottom line here is VVA Sierra Nevada Chapter 989 is one of the busiest and
one of the most recognized Veterans Service Organizations (VSO) in the Reno
area. The Chapter’s work (and play) is something that comes with your
membership, and it is up to you as to what you choose to contribute.
“I am honored to be your President and thank all of you who participated in
many of the events the Chapter took on during 2023. I also look forward to
your continued support in the coming year.”


Wishing you all a Happy New Year.

Semper Paratus,
J. R.