PATRIOT BULLETIN - Military Order of the Purple Heart

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PATRIOT BULLETIN
Chapter Notes
COMMANDER’S MESSAGE
WE THOUGHT WE WERE TAKING A
SUMMER BREAK, BUT YOU
WOULD NOT KNOW IT FROM ALL
THE EVENTS REPORTED IN THIS
ISSUE, AND NOTHING WE DO HAS
MORE SYMBOLIC MEANING THAN
OUR UPCOMING OBSERVANCE OF
“PURPLE HEART DAY,” SATURDAY,
AUGUST 7th. DON’T MISS !
Greetings Patriots: It looks like the Chapter 1919
summer will be ending soon. Our last major event
was Saturday, May 1, 2010, when we were partners
with ―The Wheelers for the Wounded – San
Antonio‖ at Hidden Falls Park near Marble Falls. It
was a family event and there was plenty to eat, lots
of entertainment and adventure rides with the
Wheelers. The majority of the guests were Wounded
Warriors from Ft. Hood and Brooke Medical Center.
Each wounded warrior and their family members
were assigned a Wheeler Patriot / Driver to show
them the scenery, or take them up the side of a
mountain. There were a few skeptics, but once they
became involved, they were hooked. The Guest
Speaker was Patriot Jay Kimbrough. You have got
to see his motorcycle! I have never seen one as
patriotic and with a beautiful personal tribute to a
fellow Marine / friend that was killed in combat.
Jay's presentation focused on returning Veterans and
their educational benefits. We were able to sign up a
few Patriots and were asked to come to Ft. Hood to
make a Purple Heart Presentation to several Combat
Wounded Warriors assigned to the Resiliency
Center. Patriots Tony Moore and Jim Brown joined
me and we provided information to the group and to
each one individually. We met several wonderful
Wounded Warriors, who have many of the same
problems and needs each of us had when we returned
from combat. It was wonderful to personally thank
them for their service; offer them support and assist
them as they transition back to their duty stations.
Several are among those named later, who have joined
us as new members of Chapter 1919. The Wheelers
for the Wounded are now preparing another, smaller
event for our new Patriots. It is currently planned for
Saturday, August 28, 2010. We will have more
information on this event in a few weeks. It will be a
family event and we will need Patriots to assist. Jay
Kimbrough has accepted the challenge of coordinating
Texas’ portion of a new fund raising event. The funds
will be used toward the construction of "The Education
Center - at the Wall (Vietnam Memorial.)‖ Currently
the project is in the grassroots stage and in need of
Patriotic volunteers throughout Texas. There are
over 58,000 names on the wall, of which 3,416 came
from Texas. I proudly accepted the challenge of
coordinating the Capital Area - Region 12, which has
130 Patriots named on the wall. Mission Statement: to
preserve the legacy of the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial, to promote healing and to educate about the
impact of the Vietnam War. The project will cost
approximately $85 million, of which over $25 million
has been raised. Texans have been offered a challenge
by San Antonio Spurs Chairman, Peter Holt, who will
donate matching funds up to $1 million. Please go to
the website: www.buildthecenter.org for additional
information and donations. Contact Jay or me to assist
in this venture and let us know of events in your area
where we may be allowed to make informative
presentations. Remember our next meeting is Purple
Heart Day and will be held at American Legion Post
76, just behind Run-Tex located at Mopac and Lake
Austin Blvd. We will begin at 11:00 a.m. and have
a presentation by a Video-Biographer whose firm
documents Life Experiences. Their website is:
www.SaveTheirStory.com . We will be serving a
BBQ lunch following our meeting, so come hungry.
THE PATRIOT BULLETIN IS PUBLISHED, NORMALLY MONTHLY, BY THE TEXAS
CAPITAL CHAPTER 1919, The MILITARY ORDER of the PURPLE HEART of the U.S.A.,
Inc., 5701 PAINTED VALLEY DRIVE, AUSTIN, TEXAS, 78759, FOR ITS MEMBERS.
TO SUBMIT MATERIAL, OR COMMENTS, OR TO REPORT CHANGES OF ADDRESS,
NOTIFY EDITOR, MILT CARR, (512) 343-7940. THE CUTOFF DATE TO SUBMIT
MATERIAL FOR PUBLICATION IS EXACTLY 3-WEEKS PRIOR TO THE DATE OF
THE NEXT CHAPTER MEETING. YOU CAN VIEW OUR NEWSLETTER IN COLOR,
GO TO WEBSITE www.purpleheartaustin.org , FIND NEWSLETTER IN THE MENU.
JOHN BURKHARDT
Commander— Chapter 1919