May 2016

May 2016
THE VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL
www.TheValleyBusinessJournal.com
13
Temecula Rotary Supports Local Military
The Rotary Club of Temecula welcomed
Col. Vance Cryer, outgoing
commander of the 15th Marine Expeditionary
Unit at Camp Pendleton as
speaker during their weekly meeting on
April 20th. Col. Cryer is moving on to
his new post as the military assistant to
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, which
will officially occur during the change of
command ceremony on 4/22/16.
The MEU, is part of the MAGTFs
(Marine Air-Ground Task Force) and is
comprised of about 2,200 Marines and
Sailors. Col. Cryer’s impressive military
service began in
1991 in Texas;
he was designated
a Naval
Aviator 20 May
1994. To learn
more about Col.
Cryer and the
mission of the
15th MEU go to
www.15thmeu.
marines.mil
The Rotary
Club’s Military
Committee supports
the MEU
by supplying
items needed by
families while
their Marines
are deployed.
The two main
events include
“Turkey and
Toys” providing
holiday food
boxes and gifts
for children. The
second project is
“Baby Shower
in a Box” which includes many necessary
items for new mothers. The club
gave a very warm welcome to Col. Cryer
and thanked him for his service to our
country.
During the same meeting the
club presented a donation of $1000 to
non-profit organization Operation Silver
Star for their Veteran Caregiver Support
program.
Founders Richard and Delia De La
Cruz were on hand to accept the “big
check”. They are dedicated to assisting
wounded and returning combat military
veterans of all eras, their website is www.
operationsilverstar.org.
The military committee also supports
Warfighter Made, a local Veteran
owned organization who’s mission is to
adapt, and customize a combat wounded
Veteran’s vehicle, so they can continue
doing the things they enjoy, while their
vehicle reflects their individual personality.
www.warfightermade.org/
Another great non-profit organization
the club supports is the WAVES Project,
Wounded American Veterans Experience
SCUBA. Their donation of $1600
has made SCUBA training possible for
3 veterans this year to help them recover
from service connected disabilities.
WAVES Project works with all levels of
injuries including brain trauma, paralysis,
double and triple amputees and PTSD.
Their website is www.wavesproject.org.
According to Jana Swenson, cochair
of the military committee “All of
us on the military committee are very
passionate about helping the military
in our community. This is our 3rd year
supporting All From the Heart’s Wheels
for Warriors program. We will present
their founder Judy Harter with a check
next week for $1200.00 which pays for
3 power wheel chairs to be refurbished
for veterans in need”. You can visit their
website at www.allfromtheheart.org
Rotary is a worldwide organization
of more than 1.2 million business, professional,
and community leaders. Members
of Rotary, known as Rotarians, provide
humanitarian service, encourage high
ethical standards in all vocations, and
help build goodwill and peace in the
world. Clubs are non-political, non-religious,
and open to all cultures, races,
and creeds.
The Rotary Club of Temecula was
founded in 1975 and currently boasts
more than 100 local business owners
and professionals that are committed to
Service Above Self. To learn more about
the many local, regional and international
projects the Rotary Club of Temecula is
involved in please visit rotarycluboftemecula.com.
Bio for Col. Vance Cryer available
here: http://www.15thmeu.marines.
mil/Leaders/tabid/8660/Article/545593/
colonel-cryer.aspx