Attendees: NC Edwin Robins OH; VAVS Chairman Jerome Berns IL; VSO Director Michael Winnick NJ; Jerry Blum CT; Julian Cohen CA; Don Feldman PA; PNC Warren S. Dolny; Gil Fogel NV; Jesse Gersten SW; Mort Friedlander NV; Larry Holman PA; PNC David Hymes IL; Joe Kraut SE; PNC Monroe Mayer NY/VT; CAPT Marilyn McKay FL; Larry Payne TX; Dick Rosenzweig DC; Bernhard Storch NY; Henry Wedell SW; Miriam White CA
Staff: NED Herb Rosenbleeth; Larry Richardson; Cheryl Waldman; Greg Byrne
Subject: Veteran Benefits, Hospitals and VAVS
VAVS
- JWV members have good record in showing up for VAVS meetings and in volunteering in hospitals
- Examples of JWV VAVS activities in hospitals
- Patients' appreciation days
- Holiday lunches for outpatients and spouses
- Support for stand-downs for homeless vets
- Busing Jewish patients to holiday events at synagogue
- Soup for the Soul (special program to provide hot homemade soup to veterans
- Christmas Eve events
- Busing patients to concerts outside of hospital
- Bingo with raffles and coffee
- Participating in Veterans Day activities at hospitals
- In Pittsburgh, special boat trip that JWV helped to develop
- Working for all patients no matter their religion
- For certification, send names approved by Department Commander to Greg Byrne at National Headquarters who will pass information along to JWV National VAVS Certifying Officer
- Important to get information on JWV activities at hospitals into local press
Veterans Benefits
- National Service Officers are overwhelmed right now by number of cases from WWII veterans that are just coming to their desks
- More Service Officers are needed to help with workload
- Important to send names of people certified as Service Officers to Larry Richardson
