Who is going to fill their boots?
DID YOU KNOW?
Most of today’s veteran’s organizations are starving for younger members to become active members. Most younger vets can site any number of reasons to just pay their dues and not to volunteer much of their time.
Most of our active members are 50 years of age or older. In our small D.A.V Chapter 50 we have about 15 active vets with about 7 active non-vet volunteers. Our paid membership is in excess of 200 members . Only three veterans under 50 years of age are actually active. This means 1/2 of our active group are non-veterans.
Is it me or is there something wrong here? With just 15 or so active people this small group of dedicated people solicit and fund approximately $25,000.00 worth of events, outings, parties, gift and commissary cards, field trips, clothing, games and electronics, cooking items and food, equipment such as a kiln for their pottery club, air rifles (handicapped enabled), arts and craft items, and whatever is required for our sick and injured vets which our government DOES NOT provide. The vast majority of the funds are expended at the Brockton V.A. Medical Center. Who will carry the torch as our older members pass on and there is no one to step up? Will the future needs of our sick or injured veterans go unanswered?
I have been involved with Disabled American Veterans, the American Legion,V.F.W., U.S.V, Homes For Our Troops, etc. for over 45 Years and I’m now 71, an old gasbag with bad health and I’m very concerned and saddened by my younger brother and sister vets indifference to the custom of the young veterans and us older veterans caring forour brother and sister veterans in need.
If you are a younger veteran, PLEASE consider donating even twenty hours of YOUR time a year and help out at an area veterans organization. YOU are the answer for our future, if there is to be a future for veterans organizations!
In closing, we welcome our new members to our group. Please feel free to introduce yourselves to any member you have not already met. Not all members make it to all meetings and you might meet a potential new friend. Also, visit our website hereinafter listed below. It has helpful information for veterans. “Just thinking”! “IF NOT YOU, THEN WHO”?
David Curtin, Adjutant / webmaster
www.davchapter50.org