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271 Salem
AWARDS & PAST PROJECTS
March 11th 2010 Presentation of Honorable Service and Sacrifice Medallion to Troops of the 320th PSYOP Co
Chapter 271 presented 75 soldiers of the 320th PSYOP Co "Freedom Medallions,
thanking them individually for their Sacrifices and Honorable Service.
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Donors for the 2009 Christmas Trees for Vets & Families |
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Joel Neuschwander, Neuschwander’s Nursery |
(Photos will be here) Jim Erwin, Misty Firs Tree Farm |
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(Photos will be here) Dan Rickel, Rickels Tree Farm |
(Photos will be here) Ken Cook, McKenzie Farms |
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Palo Alto, CA Therapy Garden Shippers |
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Greg Brown, ? Hage, Larry Hage, and Ron Morgan, Pres, VVA Ch 271 Hage Bros., Woodburn, Oregon |
Truck Transport Service, Wilsonville, Oregon (Photos will be here) Gulick Freight Service Logistics, Vancouver, Washington |
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For extraordinary generosity, in providing transportation for perishable plant products needed to complete the Veterans’ Therapy Garden at the Palo Alto Veterans’ Healthcare Center in Palo Alto, California, the three companies represented here, are hereby commended for their service to veterans. |
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2009Trees for Veterans Christmas Project
By Jaycee Newman, Public Affairs Officer , VVA Chapter 271 Salem, Oregon
Membersof VVA Chapter 271 procured over 400 Christmas trees by Friday November 27th and delivered the first load of trees to the Army Reserve units 320th and 364th in Portland on Saturday November 28th. Two more loads were delivered Wednesday December 2nd at Camp Withycombe in Clackamas, where the trees will be passed out to Oregon National Guardsmen and their families.
The “2009 Trees for Veterans Christmas Project” was approved by Chapter 271 members at their November meeting. It is part of a pilot program called “Landscape Trees and Landscaping for our Veterans”, which assists primarily disabled Veterans at this time. The program will expand to all veterans returning from deployment as resources allow.
Ron Morgan, who is also Secretary of the Vietnam Veterans of America Oregon State Council, has been working with other VVA chapters, to give other Vietnam Veterans an opportunity to honor and serve the “new generation” of veterans and their families.
Christmas tree donors that helped make this Christmas tree project possible with their very generous gifts were Jim Erwin with Misty Firs, Dan Rickel with Rickels Tree Farm, and McKenzie Farms all from Estacada and Neuschwander Nursery in Hubbard.
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XTREME LANDSCAPE MAKEOVER |
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Chapter 271, with Associate Members embarked on a bold new project, to honor veterans. We will be doing an "Extreme Landscape Makeover" of the front yard of veteran homeowners as resources provide. Our first candidate was a disabled Vietnam veteran in Salem. His home is shown here. Mouse over the images to see what his yard looks like now. We are grateful for the magnificent support of many area nurserymen, Green Acres Landscaping, the Home Depot team on Cherry Street NE, and others who generously donated labor and materials to made this project a reality. Ron Morgan, President, Ch 271, chapter271president@vva-or.org or 503.931.9555, for information.
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At the left, are the members of the Salem/Keizer Home Depot Team that provided the final material to finish the job. Left to right, Lisa Hill, Anna Liese Barnes, James Silky, Courtney Dignam, Debbie Kibodeaux, and not pictured, is Mike Dawson. |
Project: Trees for PTSD/TBI Therapy Garden
See: http://www.palo-alto.med.va.gov/construction_paloalto.asp
On July 27th, 2009 the first of three semi trucks filled with Oregon Nursery Stock left to be planted at their new home, the Therapy Garden at the VA Health Care Center (VAPAHCS) in Palo Alto, California. VAPAHCS is one of 4 Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers and the National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). When Ron Morgan, Secretary of the Oregon State Council and President of Chapter 271 for the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) learned that Oregon Nursery stock would be used in this project he and Chapter 271 volunteered to help in the organizing of the plants needed and in arranging the shipment. Mr Morgan and Chapter 271 wishes to thank everyone who contributed, with special thanks to Truck Transporation Services of Wilsonville and Gulick Trucking of Vancouver, WA for donating the trucks and freight expense and making this contribution from Oregon possible.
We’re helping the veterans who are coming home wounded or disabled get the medical care they need. We’re also assisting Gulf War, Afghan War, and Iraq War veterans with benefits counseling and other essential services to help them rebuild their lives after wartime service.
And we’re making sure that VA healthcare and other benefits aren’t the victims of short-sighted budget cuts that forget the service of our new veterans, and neglect the sacrifices they continue to make even after they come home.
Construction on the Therapy Garden was completed in the fall of 2009. Chapter 271 will continue to lead in this effort to provide for the needs of veterans in treatment for TBI and PTSD.
Photos of the completed Garden are at the bottom.
Selection of Trees in Oregon Nurseries to be Shipped to the TBI/PTSD Therapy Garden
TBI / PTSD Therapy Garden -First Phase of Construction with Oregon Trees Being Planted
The Therapy Garden is in the background of the first photo, at the Middle Entrance to the Health Care Center
These are some views of the completed Therapy Garden showing the Oregon grown trees we provided:
Webmaster Ron Morgan rhmorgan@usa.net
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It is intended to be used by the public for viewing and retrieving information only. Unauthorized attempts to upload, download or change information on this service are strictly prohibited and may be punishable under Public Law 99-474 (The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986). Nothing on this site constitutes VVA endorsement to include the material on links to other sites. Nothing contained is to be considered the official opinion of any agency in the Department of Defense, the VVA Board of Directors, State Council, any VVA Chapters, or the AVVA. All information on this site is considered public information.
