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Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc.CHAPTER 535 Serving the Gold Country From Nevada County, CA
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CHAPTER 535 OF NEVADA COUNTY The Beginning - Chapter 535 of Nevada County
California was incorporated in the state of California on March 2, 1992, but
that was not the beginning. Chapter 535 staled when a Vietnam veteran by the
name of Jim Reber had the nerve to take his American
flag and start marching in the 1989 4th of July parade in Grass Valley.
He wasn’t an official entry, but by himself he started down the street. He
managed to find other vets or should I say they found him, and Jim didn’t
finish the parade alone. By June of 1990 The early days were lean financially speaking but membership was growing. By the
end of May 1991 the Chapter had 53 regular members and 10 associate members. The
Chapter was soon busy with many of the activities that still mean so much to
both the members of Chapter 535 and the public. What we do - Each year the Chapter Color Guard turns out for the
4th of July parade. Members of the Chapter and anyone we can entice from the
sidelines follow the Color Guard down the streets of Grass Valley or Nevada
City. Before the parade, the Chapter gives those who gather to watch the parade
the opportunity to purchase an American flag to wave as the parade goes by. The
community benefits from the increased sense of patriotism afforded those who
wave the flags and from the finds the Chapter has to support local charities
with the profits from the flag sales. Later in the day the Chapter sponsors a
booth at the fair grounds where they greet the public, veterans and
non-veterans, and offer a wide array of merchandise for sale. When our Color Guard is involved in a parade and/or
presentation of the colors the general public has the opportunity to see the
members of the Chapter when they are dressed in the Color Guard uniform and
identifiable as Vietnam Veterans. This allows the Vietnam Veteran to be seen in
a positive tight. Besides the 4th of July parade, our Color Guard participates in the Constitution
Day parade in Nevada City during September and as a member of the Joe Cain
Society, we lead the Joe Cain Parade held in Nevada City during February. The Chapter uses the December general membership meeting to have a Holiday
dinner party for the members and their guests. This puts everyone in the
holiday spirit and is the official start of our December fundraising activities.
For three Wednesday nights and one Sunday afternoon in December the Chapter mans
our booth at Victorian Christmas in Nevada City. During those hours we greet the
public, give directions and enjoy the Holiday spirit that surrounds us. Oh yes,
we also sell gallons and gallons of Hot Apple Cider and Coffee and dozens of our
special Brownies. One of the entities receiving financial assistance from the Chapter is the
Mother Lode Special Olympics. Every year we provide a sizeable financial
contribution to this very important organization. However, that is not where our
commitment ends. Each spring when the various Special Olympics organizations
gather for the annual track and field competition, they hold opening ceremonies
just like the Olympics. Leading the gathered athletes into the stadium will be
the Chapter 535 Color Guard. Another project that we support financially is sending a
resident of Nevada County to the Sons and Daughters In Touch gathering, which is
held periodically on Father’s Day at the Wall in Washington D. C. Sons and
Daughters In Touch is an organization made up of the sons and daughters of those
who lost their lives in Vietnam. ‘[he Chapter finds a local resident who lost
a father or mother and pays most of the expenses for that person to attend the
gathering. For Father’s Day of June 2000 we sent two people to the wall. The
delegates were the little sister of a fallen soldier and her brother’s only
child, a daughter. This was a touching story, because these people really
had no contact with each other for over twenty years. This story was covered by
NBC and CNN. Not all of our activities have a financial bent or Color
Guard involvement. Our Speakers Bureau is a group of chapter members who speak
to middle school and high school history students, normally while their studies
are centered on the Vietnam War. This program allows the students of today to
hear from some actual participants ask questions and hopefully increase their
awareness of that time in history. The Chapter also started a scholarship program during
2000. This program awards two $500 scholarships to area seniors graduating in
June each year. Over the past several years the Chapter has provided
financial aid to the local Alzheimer Fund, Boy Scout Troup 787, Golden Empire
Flying Association, Habitat for Humanity, Hospice of the Foothills, Nevada
County CASA as well as Special Olympics and Sons and Daughters In Touch
delegates. We also offer help to other veterans who are currently experiencing a down turn
in their finances through our Christmas Year Round program and Christmas food
distribution programs. The next step - You should attend a meeting! Chapter 535 meets the
first Thursday of each month at the Grass Valley Veterans Building located at
244 South Auburn in Grass Valley. Our mailing address is: Vietnam Veterans of America Please join us.
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