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Child Welfare
Youth Sports
Nurses Training
Carville Star
Americanism
(VAVS)
Box Car
POW/MIA
George B. Boland
Trust Fund
Charles W. Ardery Trust Fund
National Past Chef De Gare Club
Child Welfare
The Voyageurs Militaire (Military Travelers) founded a Child Welfare
Program in 1923 to ease the pain and suffering of those children whose
fathers never returned or who were unable to care for their needs after the
"Big War." Today, this program has grown to include all children with
emergent needs, and our efforts amount to over eight millions of dollars
annually.
Youth Sports
The Youth Sports Program was established in 1994. Through this program,
the 40/8 provides financial assistance in the form of grants to individual
athletes or teams who lack the funds required to attend and participate in
amateur sports programs. This program encompasses all amateur sports
programs for all youths from 7 to 20 years of age.
Nurses Training
In 1955, the Voyageurs Militaire, recognizing the shortage of Registered
Nurses, adopted a program to provide financial assistance, in the form of
scholarships, to those individuals who enrolled for this training. With
2,131 students receiving over $1,100,000 in scholarships this past year, the
FORTY & EIGHT has granted in excess of $20,000,000 and graduated over 23,000
Registered Nurses since the inception of this program.
Carville Star
As one of their ongoing programs, the Voyageurs Militaire offer
continuing support of the publication, "The Carville Star," which
disseminates the information regarding the research into Hansen's Disease
(Leprosy) taking place in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. There they have been
successful in isolating, controlling and soon, through their research, the
development of a vaccine to prevent Hansen's Disease. "The Star" is
published at the former United States Public Health Service Hospital located
in Carville, Louisiana. This patient-published publication carries the
research works of not only this center, but those of the rest of the world,
and is translated into and forwarded to 128 countries in addition to a
circulation of more than 60,000 in the United States.
Americanism
By virtue of being veterans who have served their country in its time of
greatest need, the fun-loving, hard-working Voyageurs Militaire maintain a
strong commitment to the American way of life. Americanism projects, respect
for the flag, Constitution, Law and Order and the proven willingness to
defend these principles is evident in the day-to-day activities of members
of our society.
(VAVS) Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service
The Forty & Eight, as are most Veterans Organizationas, is an active
member and participant in the VAVS program. As part of this program,
Voyageurs (called Deputy Representatives) visit the Veteran Administration
Medical Centers on a regular basis, where they give comfort and assistance
to, or just visit with, the hospitalized veterans. The Forty & Eight has
adopted an additional program for these veterans, called "Keep Those
Wheelchairs Rolling." Under this program, the VAVS Representative writes a
brief letter outlining a "need" of the patients. These "needs" may cover a
project, equipment or comfort and convenience items needed by the
hospitalized veterans. The entries are then judged on the need and benefit
to the patients, and those selected receive the item(s) requested, courtesy
of the National Box Car Association.
National Box Car Association
The National Box Car Association (NBCA) is an independent association
within the Forty & Eight which raises funds by selling Crew or Associate
Membership Cards. All funds raised by the Association are used within the
year they are obtained. The National Box Car Association supports several
special projects at Promenade Nationale (National Convention). Each year, a
party for special children is planned at the host city. These special
children and their escorts are treated to lunch, train rides and
entertainment provided by HOBO Clowns and bands. The entire cost of this
party is paid by the NBCA from the funds collected in their annual
membership drive. Another project at Promenade Nationale, is a monetary
donation made to the local VAVS Hospital or Clinic. This contribution
usually goes to the Patient Services area. The NBCA also contributes large
amounts to the various programs of Voiture Nationale (National
Headquarters), such as the Boland Nurses Training Trust Fund and the Charles
Ardery Child Welfare Trust Fund. Monies are also given to the other programs
which may require assistance, such as the Membership Committee, Forty &
Eighter Magazine, Law Officer of the Year Program and many others.
POW/MIA Program
The purpose of the National POW/MIA Program is to raise funds in Honor of
the Servicemen & Women who were Prisoners of War, or are considered Missing
in Action while serving in the defense of the United States of America, or
its allies during times of armed conflict. The funds are raised to
facilitate the formation and continuance of a Scholarship Trust Fund for the
direct descendants of verifiable POW/MIA Servicemen and Women. Scholarships
are limited to the Veteran, the Spouse of the veteran, children, and
grandchildren of the veteran.
To get full information on this program or to apply for a scholarship
click
Here for the POW/MIA web page.
George B. Boland Nurses Training
Scholarship Trust Fund
The Boland Nurses Scholarship Trust was founded to provide additional
scholarship support to those Voitures Locale who have exhausted their
scholarship funds but who still have qualified individuals applying for
scholarships. The trust is administered by Voiture Nationale, and all
determinations regarding the awarding of scholarship grants are made by the
Boland Trust Committee consisting of three (3) members of La Societe. Only
those Voitures Locale who have an official Nurses Training Program in place
may apply to the Boland Trust for further assistance, as the Trust Fund is
intended as a supplement to, and not a replacement for, a local nurses
training program.
Charles W. Ardery Memorial Child
Welfare Trust Fund
The primary function of the Charles W. Ardery Trust Fund is to provide
reimbursements of funds expended by a Voiture Locale or a Grande Voiture in
meeting the emergent needs of children 17 years of age or younger. Emergent
is defined as: A situation which has developed of a serious nature demanding
prompt attention." This situation may arise out of natural disasters, i.e.,
floods, tornadoes, hurricane, fire, etc. Emergent cases are given prime
consideration and are undertaken by the Local Voiture where established
agencies, (Red Cross, churches, welfare, etc.), are unable to move rapidly
or cannot act at all. However, this aid is not intended to replace or
supplement that assistance which may be available through established
agencies.
National Past Chef De
Gare Club
The object of the organization of the club are as follows;
To honor, thru membership, those voyagers who have served their Voiture
Locale and/or Grand Voiture as Chef De Gare.
To directly support the Forty & Eighter Magazine with a $25,000.00 per
year donation derived from membership dues, memorial donations, gifts and
other special fund raising projects that the club may undertake.
To Increase comradery between club members who have common bonds, and who
are "Etiam Servans". (Still Serving)
To submit your membership application on-line click
Here
To print the membership application form click
Here.
For additional information on the National Past Chefs Club, contact the
National Secretary;
Rene Vanmulem
171 Harwood Circle
Rochester, NY 14625
Phone (585)586-6986 E-Mail mrv41@aol.com
OR
Voiture Nationale
Attn: Butch Miller
777 N Meridian Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone (317)634-1804 Fax (317)632-9365 E-Mail
voiturenationale@msn.com
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