April 2008 - Delivered 50 "Family Friendly" DVDs and VHS tapes to the Fisher House in Minneapolis. DVDs and VHS tapes valued at $250. The Chapter runs an ongoing DVD and VHS tape drive for the Fisher House. Families of wounded soldiers stay free of charge at the Fisher House, while soldiers undergo therapy and treatment. There is a lot of "down time" and the movies help pass the time, especially for small children who stay there from time to time.
February 2008 - On January 18, 2008, a check for $500 was presented to SSG Nathan Vacho Memorial Scholarship Fund. SSG Vacho was killed in action in Iraq on May 5, 2006. The check was presented to CSM Vacho and his wife Carol by Les & Linda Hanson, founder of the Toys4Military Children program.
January 2008 - The Vessey Chapter sponsored a Christmas Party for 18 injured military personnel recovering at the Poly-Trauma unit of the VA Hospital. This is significant because some of these soldiers and their families at the Fisher House are dealing not only with the injury to soldier but displacement and possible financial hardship over the Holiday Season. For 3 year the Vessey Chapter has had a Holiday presence at the VA but this year we were able to expand and provide for families at the Fisher House, $ 200 gift bags for 18 military personnel. Coordinating of the event was done by a volunteer, Mary Kaess. Mary contributes 2 weeks of her personal time to communicate with the VA, shop, and host the party. Attended the party: President LTC Curt Cooper, Executive President Steve Grublesky, Coordinator of Toys Program Souts Manivanh, Toys Fundraiser Les Hanson, VA Party Coordinator Mary Kaess, and member Amber Cramer.
On December 20, 2007 the General Vessey Chapter hosted a Christmas party at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center for the Soldiers and their families. Besides gifts for the recovering Veterans family members were each given $100 Mall of America Gift Cards, even made a mother and daughter cry at the thought that they could get away to the mall and have a nice retreat together. A five year old girl received a gift card and she was ecstatic that she got a "credit card" as she called it! She was literally jumping up and down. The cards were distributed to families with recovering Soldiers in the 4J ward after the party and were taken and distributed at the Fisher House, along with poinsettias from Bachmann's Floral. The party and gift card distribution was attended by the Chapter President LTC Curt Cooper, Executive President Steve Grublesky, Coordinator of Toys Program Souts Manivanh, Toys Fundraiser Les Hanson, VA Party Coordinator Mary Kaess, and Chapter member USAR Ambassador Tom Haugo and SSG Amber Cramer who is a regular visitor to the wards. Numerous hours were spent coordinating this event with both the VA and the families; the total cost to the Chapter exceeded $1200.
August 2006 - The Chapter invited Sew Much Comfort to set up a display at our annual Golf tournament. Members were asked to bring new boxer shirts or T-shirts to the event, or to make cash donations. Sew much comfort is one of our Corporate members. They make custom clothing for wounded soldiers whose wounds make conventional clothing hard to put on and take off. They raised several hundred dollars and received dozens of T-shirts and boxers.