Cresswind At Lake Lanier Veterans Club
Minutes from the October 17, 2023, GENERAL Membership meeting
Board Members Present:
Amy DeVillez, Rosemarie Bower, Kandi Andrade and Kevin Pearson
Board Member Absent: Robin Dickson, JA Swartz and Carl Lambrecht
The meeting was called to order by Amy at 5:00 p.m. All joined in the pledge of Allegiance and John DeVillez gave the prayer.
We had 80+ members present for our meeting. Amy thanked Joanie Taylor for coordinating the food for our members.
ELECT New Board Member: We received word today that JA Swartz will be stepping down from the board due to health. Amy thanked JA for all his years of serving on the board. He will be missed. Amy nominated Carl Lambrecht to become a member at large on the board. Carl has been attending some of our monthly board meetings. Seconded from the floor and all members present approved. Welcome Carl! We still have one vacant seat on the board.
PRESENTATION OF CHECKS: The board presented Jack Prentice from Good News at Noon Shelter with a check for $1,500, Ron Crow from the VFW Post 8452 with a $500 check, Brenda Key from Helping Hands of Hall with a check for $700 to help them with food for the homeless camp. Julie Gilmer (wife of Veteran Douglas Gilmer) shared what has been going on in their family (3 children). Douglas is currently being treated in hospital for PSTD. The board presented her with a check for $1000 (payable to Jennifer Sandt) to help with their rent and a $300 gift card for groceries.
QUILT Presentation: Amy presented Don Burt with a quilt of thanks. Don has given generously to our Veterans Club. Even though he is not a veteran he has such appreciation for us. Don is now in an assisted living place. John DeVillez was kind enough to pick him up so he could attend our meeting. Don thanked us for the quilt and shared some stories with us. In closing he presented the club with a $10,000 check. We are so thankful.
ROTARY Club of Hall County: Nancy Cranford shared information of “Salute to Veteran Patriotic Marker Program”. Family of Veterans of Hall County can pay for a marker with their Veteran name and rank, for $100. For example, John got a marker for Amy, the marker says Amy DeVillez, CW3 on it.
FINANCIAL REPORT: Kandi shared that we had $58,519 at the end of September.
VETERANS IN NEED: Besides helping Douglas Gilmer’s family, we were also able to help Jose Herandez (Navy 2017-2022) with $1400 for past car payments. Amy did have to turn down three others who did not have all the necessary information for us to help them at this time.
HALL COUNTY MARKER PROJECT: Brenda Key presented information for new non-profit charity, she and her daughter go out to the homeless camp in Hall County, to give food, clothing, blankets, etc. Camp has homeless Veterans. One of the camps is behind Publix in Gainesville, behind the wood line.
NEXT GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING: Tuesday, January 16, 2024, at 4 p.m. in the clubhouse ballroom
Meeting Adjourned at 5:55pm
Respectfully submitted,
Rosemarie Bower
Rosemarie Bower, secretary
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