NEWSLETTER
Midway Chapter 16
P.O. Box 1774, Salina, Kansas 67402-1774
March 2022 Issue:3
OFFICERS: President – Gary Keil 785-822-4131; Vice President – Jason Bathon; 785-577-1659; Secretary - Bill Vinyard 785-827-8394; Treasurer - Roger Thull 785-827-7981; Chaplain – Moses Stewart 785-827-5956.
LOCATION/MEETING DATES: Salina Senior Center, Boardroom. March 11, April 8, May 13, June 10, July 8, August 12, September 9, October 14, November 18, and December 9.
MEMBERSHIP STATUS: We gladly welcome aboard new member Steven Murrison (Army National Guard Veteran), Salina, KS, who joined for three years. Total members: forty-seven.
GUEST SPEAKER: Mandy McIntire, Kansas Honor Flight group in Salina, will be our guest speaker. Since her father is a Veteran, she volunteers to help the veterans in Salina get booked on Honor flights and setup fundraisers to fund the flights.
WELLNESS: Dorothy Armster, Shirley Wagner, and James Jones. Pray for all our members experiencing physical, medical, dementia, and PTSD complications.
BIRTHDAYS IN MARCH: Please let us know if you have a birthday in March but failed to mention it.
FEBRUARY MEETING TIDBITS: The attendance drawing $20 gift card winner was Steven Murrison. Jessica Martin, President & Executive Director of Greater Salina Community Foundation. She spoke about the foundation's services and assistance available to communities and organizations such as grants, student scholarships, etc. Also, there are over 100 charities in Salina. J. Martin passed out informational pamphlets and answered questions. She received a chapter 16 Certificate of Appreciation. As most of you know, chapter 16 is the Only TREA Chapter in Kansas; in June, the chapter plan to get with other military organizations to have a meal/cookout to celebrate its 52 years (June 1970) of being an affiliate of TREA. Vice-President Jason Bathon informed the membership that he has set up chapter 16 on Facebook.
FROM THE AMERICAN RED CROSS: The American Red Cross is facing a national blood crisis – its worst blood shortage in over a decade, posing a concerning risk to patient care. Doctors have been forced to make difficult decisions about who receives blood transfusions and who will need to wait until more products become available. Blood and platelet donations are critically needed to help prevent further delays in vital medical treatments. Schedule an Appointment, Salina American Red Cross Blood Donation Center, 120 W. Prescott Ave, 800-733-2767.
COVID-19: The Department of Veterans Affairs topped 20,000 deaths connected to COVID-19 on February 15, just a few weeks before the two-year anniversary of the first pandemic case within the department. The totals equate to about 28 deaths a day from the virus over the last 23 months. VA officials have cautioned that their death totals do not represent all the veteran fatalities in America, but instead only a portion of that group with connections to VA medical care.
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (VA) TO OVERHAUL DISABILITY EVALUATIONS: The VA will change its disability ratings criteria for mental health conditions, sleep apnea, and tinnitus, part of a major overhaul of the review process to ensure that compensation matches veterans' medical conditions and needs. The VA plans to update its Schedule for Rating Disabilities -- its guide for determining how it evaluates and provides benefits for service-connected disabilities.
VETERANS QUOTE: "The willingness of America's veterans to sacrifice for our country has earned them our lasting gratitude.". — Jeff Miller.
