Here is a little of what is going on with Villagers For Veterans...
A Message From Our Founder
As we look forward to an exciting summer, here are a few things that I would like to share with you.
We have officially begun Phase Two of our campaign "A House Built With Love" .
We have secured all necessary permits, lined up all our contractors and the building has begun!
This summer not only promises to be hot it is also on target to be very busy. As we continue to secure the additional funds and in-kind donations needed.
The Service Dog Graduation was amazing and our adorable Bradley went home with a terrific veteran named Mark.
We look forward to seeing many of you throughout the summer at our many planned events. We wish you all great times with family, lots of adventures as many of you travel the world and many sunny days and cool nights.
Marie Bogdonoff
Service Dogs Save Lives!
Service Dogs can reduce stress and anxiety levels and help veterans mitigate the symptoms of PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) and TBI (traumatic head injury) that often arise when these brave men and women return home from the battlefield.
There is much confusion around the term service dogs that can lead to discrimination against our veterans. To address this issues, the American Humane Society and Mars Petcare have joined forces to put together two videos that can assist employers in training their employees to better accommodate veterans and their service dogs.
There are two questions that can be legally asked of a person with a service dog.
** Is this dog required due to a disability?
** What service or task is this dog trained to do?
One , however, cannot ask:
** What is your disability?
** Do you have proof that this dog is licensed as a service dog?
If a service dog is acting inappropriately, a business can deny access to the dog but never to the veteran. All people should note that a service dog is working therefore all attention and questions should be directed to the owner of the service dog. In addition a service dog should not be touched, petted, fed or distracted as this could result in needs of the veteran not being met.
For many veterans suffering from PTSD or TBI, a service dog is a life saving means for recovery. It enables veterans to navigate public spaces and lead a more independent life.
April, The month of The Military Child
April is designated as the month of the Military Child, underscoring the important role military children play in the armed forces community. Sponsored by the department of defense military community and family policy, the month of the Military Child is a time to applaud military families and their children for the daily sacrifices they make and the challenges they overcome.
The Month of The Military Child is part of the legacy left by former defense secretary Casper Weinberger. He established the Defense Department commemoration in 1986.
DoDEA joins the Department of Defense and the military community in celebrating April as The Month The Military Child. In DoDEA communities around the world, our most essential strategic imperatives are establishing an educational system that progressively builds the college and career readiness of all DoDEA students, and establishes the organizational capacity to operate more effectively and efficiently in the school system. The aim is to challenge each student to maximize his or her potential and to excel academically, socially, emotionally and physically for life, college, and career readiness.
Throughout the month, DoDEA will encourage schools to plan special events to honor military children and have administrators and principals incorporate the themes of this month into their every day duties and responsibilities. These efforts and special events will stress the importance of providing children with quality services and support to help them succeed in their mobile military lifestyle.
May, Month Of The Military Caregiver
The Month of the Military Caregiver is observed in May, to honor more than five million caregivers in the United States. Paying tribute to the people who care for more than two million veterans is an important part of supporting troops and military families. But for some, it's also about recognizing the work they do that qualifies them as caregivers even if they don't think of themselves that way.
A Rand Corporation report on military caregivers reflects this sentiment. " Those caregivers often toil in relative obscurity, and they are challenging to count or describe." They are spouses, parents, children, and relatives of the wounded veteran, but many coworkers, neighbors, and friends also talk on responsibilities. They provide care and assistance, promoting faster recovery for their loved ones and thus saving our nation millions of dollars in health care costs.
Unlike some other military themed observances, Month of The Military Caregiver is not a federal holiday, military bases do not give their military members time off, etc. It is an observance that primarily acts as a way to raise awareness of both wounded warriors and the people that care for them.
It is a good thing to honor those who provide much needed care for wounded warriors, veterans with service connected and non-service connected disabilities. That's the reason why there are multiple observances each year for those who offer their time and effort to provide care for our nations's military.
Assisting a Military Caregiver is not just about giving a few days of rest and time away from their daily responsibilities , but it's about uplifting morale of those involved and of fostering a sense of community support.
Anyone regardless of training or not cam help a caregiver by grocery shopping, running errands, taking the veteran to medical appointments, meal preparation and many more needed tasks.
Military caregivers often succumb to their own bouts of depression and are one of the most vulnerable to suicide.
June 14, Honoring Old Glory
Fun Facts About Our Flag
*Congress adopted the stars and stripes on June 14, 1777
* US added stripes and stars to welcome new states.
*Red symbolizes hardiness & valor
White symbolized purity & innocence
Blue represents vigilance, perseverance and Justice
*First Flag Day Observance June 14, 1885
*In 1894 NY Governor Directed All Public Buildings to display flag on June 14
*When a flag can no longer be repaired, it must be destroyed in a dignified manner
Happy 4th Of July!
from Villagers For Veterans!
Villagers for Veterans 2518 Burnsed Boulevard, Box 303 The Villages, FL 32163 EIN 47-1817320 Contact Usat: villagersforveterans@gmail.com