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View this email in your browser                                                                                          November 20, 2020
DAV MN HQ Update

Greetings DAV MN,

I wanted to keep you all updated on some transitions taking place at your Department Headquarters.

Earlier today the Executive Committee reappointed Stephen “Butch” Whitehead as the Department Adjutant effective immediately. This had been in the works for months, and Butch and I have been working closely to ensure there would be a smooth handoff of responsibilities. The Executive Committee also approved my hiring as the new DAV MN Foundation, Executive Director. I will also remain involved in Department Legislative and Services as a Director. So I will still be around, just in some different capacities.

Please direct all Adjutant related inquiries, complaints, and rants to Stephen “Butch” Whitehead at Stephen@davmn.org from this point forward.

I would like to thank you all for your support over the past 19 months as I did my best to fill some big shoes (Butch’s). I especially thank you for the past 8 months as we have dealt with the pandemic and all that has brought. We truly have an amazing organization.

Regards, 
Trent C Dilks, Executive Director DAV MN Foundation. 
Trent@davmn.org 

Mpls VAMC Wish List
St. Cloud VAMC Wish List
Chapter Officer Report
NSO Office Update 

Greetings fellow DAV MN members:

In the August E-News we introduced the New NSO Supervisor Matthew Jahn.  

We'd also like to announce another promotion to Assistant Supervisor in the Fort Snelling office.  Congrats to John Kalbach!  

I would like to introduce myself to everyone in the state. My name is John Kalbach, I’m the new NSO Assistant Supervisor at the Fort Snelling VA Regional Office and a Gulf War/War on Terror veteran. I am originally from Stuart Iowa and I served in the United States Navy, Iowa Army National Guard and United States Coast Guard as a Food Service Specialist I retired with 28 years of service. I served on a Navy Destroyer, three Coast Guard Cutters,  a Small Boat Station and was a Recruiter. I really look forward to providing the best possible service to all of our claimants and assisting our Department and Chapters on the National Level. As we would say in the Coast Guard Semper Paratus! Always Ready!

The Fort Snelling office can be reached at 612-970-5665 or via email: dav.vbaspl@va.gov

DAV MN Chapters Continue to Serve During Pandemic

I am the Commander of DAV Chapter 28 in SE MN (Rochester Area). We continue to respond to veterans in need and crisis is SE MN.  Chapter 28 has had a tradition over the past several years of reaching out to Veterans and their families during the Holidays. The Chapter works very closely with the all the CVSO in SE MN (Who by the way have been working overtime during COVID-19) for request for emergency funding over the past several months.

Last night at a special Executive meeting the Chapter again approved to supply the CVSO with gift cards for Veteran for meals for Thanksgiving meals and Christmas gift cards for meals and small items for Christmas for their families. DAV Chapter 28 approved $5500.00 for Thanksgiving and $11,000.00 for Christmas.  Chapter 28 will be helping 110 families for each holiday.

DAV Chapter 28 is very proud we can do something special for our veterans and their families above what we do every day.

Daniel M Pulford, Commander DAV Mayo Southeast Chapter 28

DAV Chapter 10 Lyle C. Pearson Sr. Chapter (Mankato)

Early in the pandemic, DAV MN Chapter 10 in the Mankato area, volunteered their clothing program bins to serve as collection points for their community to drop off donations of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at the local events center.

During the time they have been there, this collaboration has helped facilitate the donation of over 30,000 masks. The items collected were sanitized and re-packaged for distribution to long-term care facilities, front line volunteers, public safety, transportation personnel and other essential workers. As winter approaches the bins will be removed, but the major positive impact and community partnerships will last long after they are gone.

Excellent work by Chapter 10 in finding new ways to serve their community in these trying times.  Here is a link to a story about the end of the program and its impact: 

Hastings Veterans Home Purchases New Van
The DAV MN Foundation and Saint Paul Chapter 2 donated money to the Hastings Veterans Home to help provide 2 new vans to help transport their residents!  
Copyright © 2020 Disabled American Veterans of Minnesota (DAV MN), All rights reserved.


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