35 cents
VOL. 0/ISSUE 3
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2013
Toys for Tots seeking help for families in need Patrick McCallister For Veteran voice
patrick.mccallister@yahoo.com
Mitch Kloorfain/chief photographer Kirsten England of Babies R Us in Tradition assists Staff Sergeant Nathaniel Wells, Toys for Tots coordinator with a purchase of Christmas presents to be presented during the holiday season to children. is looking for donations, volunteers, and collection sites. On Saturday, Nov. 23, volunteers and employees from Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties will be on hand from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to accept toy donations at the St. Lucie County Emergency Operations Center, 15305 Midway Road, Fort Pierce. The donation collection is more than just an exercise in good
cheer. It’s also points-of-distribution practice for St. Lucie’s and Indian River’s emergency-management teams, the American Red Cross of the Treasure Coast, and Florida Department of Health agencies in Martin and St. Lucie. Wells said every year there seems to be more families who need help giving their children a Christmas.
“I do remember us serving more than 5,000 children (last year),” he said. “That’s the number that sticks out to me.” Wells works with the Marine Corps League’s Jack Ivy Detachment, 666, to coordinate Toys for Tots. He said there are more than 100 locations to donate toys in St. Lucie this year. Most
See TOYS page 8
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“Merry Christmas,” the girl called to the Marine Corps veteran. Nathaniel Wells was unloading some late Toys for Tots donations at his home when a woman and young girl passed by. It was Christmas afternoon. He replied the holiday greeting to the lass, and asked what Santa given her. Turned out that a walk with Mom was pretty much her Christmas present that year. Oh, no, not on Wells’ watch. “I had a bicycle perfect for her size,” Wells said. He’d find out that it was the first bike the girl would ever own. Wells pressed and found out the woman had five children. None was getting tangible presents that year. But, the woman wasn’t looking for any handouts. She didn’t get that her family was now the Marine’s mission. “I loaded up a big bag of toys for them,” he said. “I asked where they lived. They lived two blocks away from me.” Wells ended up getting the biggest gift that day. With a voice rich in emotion, he described the moment. “The little girl said, ‘Mister, can I pray for you?’ Wells said. He paused, audibly gathering himself. “She thanked God for a man she’d never met before.” Wells is the coordinator for the Toys for Tots in St. Lucie County. All along the Space and Treasure coasts, Toys for Tots
2 • NOVEMBER 22, 2013 • VETERAN VOICE • THE VOICE OF EXPERIENCE
anD our obJeCtIVe
Veteran Voice is a weekly publication designed to provide information to and about veterans to veterans and to the broader community. Veterans are an integral part of their Florida communities, which currently have individual organizations of their own, such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Vietnam Veterans of America and many other groups with a narrow focus, but no convenient way to connect to a wider population of veterans and to the community in general within a limited geographic area, their community. The mission of Veteran Voice is to publish a weekly source of information that will provide, in one place, a listing of resources available to veterans, articles about changes in policies or organizations affecting veterans and events of interest to veterans as well as articles about veterans of interest to the general public. Veteran Voice LLC is organized as a partnership of experienced newspaper executives with an interest in veterans and in the communities of Florida veterans and friends. Veteran Voice is a start-up intended to address a perceived lack of information readily available to veterans on programs and policies affecting them and objective reporting of veteran affairs to the public. To our knowledge, and based on comments from leaders of local veterans organizations, there was no media or website currently meeting this need until the launch of Veteran Voice. We hope you agree, and will support this publication with your subscription. Without subscriptions there will be a limited number of people we can help, without which this mission will not be realized. As part of our commitment to supporting local veteran communities, we will donate 10 percent of our profits each quarter to qualified veteran charities recommended by you, our readers and subscribers. Please let us know what you think by emailing news@veteranvoiceweekly.com or mailing your comments to us at 1919 S.W. South Macedo Blvd., Port St. Lucie, FL 34984.
County Veterans Service Officers St. Lucie County, Wayne Teegardin Phone: (772) 337-5670 Fax: (772) 337-5678 veterans@stlucieco.org Dorothy J. Conrad Building (formerly the Walton Road Annex Bldg.) 1664 S.E. Walton Road, Suite 205 Port St. Lucie, FL 34952 By appointment Mon., Tues, Thurs, Fri * 8:30 am-4:30 pm Wed * 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. St. Lucie County Community Services Bldg. (Corner of Avenue D and 7th Street) 437 N. Seventh St., Fort Pierce, FL 34950 Walk-ins Mon. and Fri. * 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Brevard Veteran’s Services Office 2725 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, Bldg. B, Suite 102, Viera, FL 32940 Office: (321) 633-2012 Fax: (321) 637-5432 Mon., Tues. and Thurs., 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Wed. and Fri, 8 a.m.-noon Manager: Glenn McGuffie Indian River County Joel Herman Vero Beach 2525 St. Lucie Ave., Vero Beach, FL 32960 Ph: (772) 226-1499 Fax: (772) 770-5038 Sebastian Square 11602 U.S. 1, Sebastian, FL 32958 Ph: (772) 589-6597 Fax: (772) 581-4988
Veteran Voice The Voice of Experience
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Martin County Tony Reese, Veterans Service Office Supervisor Nick Ciotti, Veterans Service Officer (772) 288-5448 Veterans Services Office Martin County Community Services 435 S.E. Flagler Ave., Stuart, FL 34994 Office Hours: Mon-Fri, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. VA Life Insurance Ctr., Phil., PA 1-800-669-8477 VA Regional Office - 1-800-827-1000 VA Medical Ctr, W. Palm Beach 1-800-972-8262 Pharmacy, VA Medical Center 1-800-317-8387 Military Retired Pay Activities, Cleveland, OH - (Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force ONLY) 1-800-321-1080 Military Retired Pay Activities, Topeka, KS - (Coast Guard ONLY) 1-800-772-8724 Survivor Benefits (SBP), Denver, CO - 1-800-435-3396 Stuart VA Clinic - (772) 288-0304 Okeechobee County Veterans Services office (863) 763-6441, Ext 5. Fax: (863) 763-0118. Orlando VA Medical Cente 5201 Raymond St., Orlando, FL 32803 (407) 629-1599 or (800) 922-7521 Telephone Care (407) 599-1404 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon. - Fri. (800) 645-6895 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Mon - Fri (321) 637-3625
West Palm Beach Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 7305 North Military Trail, West Palm Beach, FL 33410 (561) 422-8262 or (800) 972-8262 Telephone Care (561) 422-6838 (866) 383-9036 Open 24 hours - 7 days Viera VA Outpatient Clinic 2900 Veterans Way, Viera, FL 32940 Phone: (321) 637-3788 1 (877) 878-8387 Mon. - Fri. - 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. St Lucie County PTSD Clinical Team (PCT) Outpatient Program 126 S.W. Chamber Court, Port St Lucie, FL 34986 Phone: (772) 878-7876 Fort Pierce Community Based Outpatient Clinic 727 North U.S. 1, Fort Pierce, FL 34950 Phone: (772) 595-5150 Fax: (772) 595-6560 St Lucie Community Based Outpatient Clinic 128 S.W. Chamber Court, Port Saint Lucie, FL 34986 Phone: (772) 344-9288 Stuart Community Based Outpatient Clinic 3501 S E Willoughby Boulevard, Stuart, FL 34997 Phone: (772) 288-0304 Fax: (772) 288-1371 Vero Beach Community Based Outpatient Clinic 372 17th St., Vero Beach, FL 32960 Phone: (772) 299-4623 Fax: (772) 299-4632
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VETERAN VOICE • THE VOICE OF EXPERIENCE • NOVEMBER 22, 2013 • 3
Mitch Kloorfain/chief photographer Alicia Chavez, (79) of Stuart, Abby Batchelor (33) of Indiantown and Anna Quesada (470) of Palm City pass the runners heading in the opposite direction as they make their way to the finish of the Veterans Memorial Bridge 5k Run before the opening ceremonies Saturday, Nov. 16. The bridge is scheduled to officially open to auto traffic before the end of the year.
Veterans Memorial Bridge dedicated, near completion For Veteran voice
patrick.mccallister@yahoo.com
The Veterans Memorial Bridge between Palm City and Stuart spans far more than the St. Lucie River’s South Fork and
Okeechobee Waterway. Hundreds headed to dedication ceremonies on Sat., Nov. 16, and saw it connecting veterans and civilians, Republicans and Democrats, state and federal legislators and local-government commissioners. “Naming the bridge for veterans who’ve (sacrificed much) could
not be more appropriate,” former Florida Senate President Ken Pruitt said to those gathered. Pruitt is now St. Lucie’s property appraiser. Numerous speakers at the dedication largely credited his persistent efforts at the state capitol years ago for the once proposed Indian Street Bridge’s
readiness to get federal funding when the Congress enacted the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, ARRA, in 2009. There was the hue and cry for “shovel ready projects.” Martin County
See BRIDGE page 5
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Patrick McCallister
4 • NOVEMBER 22, 2013 • VETERAN VOICE • THE VOICE OF EXPERIENCE
Veterans Day at the Kane Center
St. Joseph’s Catholic school students perform for the Adult Day Club. Photo courtesy of Adam Levenson Honor Guard members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Hal Bryan Post 10132, Hobe Sound retire the flag during ceremonies at the Council on Aging in Stuart Friday, Nov. 8
Members of the Adult Day Club’s Veterans Choral Group, James Conway, Roy Lenz, Pernell Green, Ralph D’Annolfo, and Charley Dry performed during Veteran’s Day Weekend ceremonies at the Council on Aging in Stuart Friday, Nov. 8
Adult Day Club veterans with third-graders from St. Joseph’s Catholic School.
Photo courtesy of Adam Levenson
veteran voice The Voice of Experience
Theodore Wilson Publisher Steve Erlanger Partner
Veteran Voice is a newspaper for veterans, active military, their families and their friends.
Tammy Raits Managing Editor
Veteran Voice is published weekly by Veteran Voice, LLC. 1919 SW South Macedo Blvd., Port St. Lucie, FL 34984 (772) 204-2409 Office • (772) 204-2940 Fax
Debbi Denning Advertising Consultant
SUBSCRIBE TODAY $18 YEAR (52 weeks) $12 Veterans or Active Military For more information on distribution and subscriptions of this newspaper, please call our main office (772) 204-2409 or contact us by email at: info@VeteranVoiceWeekly.com POSTAL STATEMENT Veteran Voice (USPS# 9749, ISSN 23302267) is published weekly by Veteran Voice LLC, 1919 SW South Macedo Blvd, Port St Lucie, FL 34984. Periodicals Postage Paid at Ft Pierce, FL POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Veteran Voice, 1919 SW South Macedo Blvd, Port St Lucie, FL 34984
Kelly Delprete Advertising Consultant Patrick McCallister Staff Writer Nicole Rodriguez Staff Writer Shelley Koppel Staff Writer Mitch Kloorfain Chief Photographer Eric Macon Graphic Designer Phil Galdys Director of Operations Donna Marinak HR/Accounting Manager
Photo courtesy of Adam Levenson Margaret Noe pins veteran Jack Timmerman, while Adult Day Program Manager Crystal Edmunds looks on during ceremonies at the Council on Aging in Stuart Friday, Nov. 8.
VETERAN VOICE • THE VOICE OF EXPERIENCE • NOVEMBER 22, 2013 • 5
BRIDGE from page 3 had one, and got about $65 million to build it. “This was the largest what we call ARRA project in the state,” James Wolfe, district secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation, said. The Martin County Board of County Commissioners in 2011 voted to rename the project Veterans Memorial Bridge. The Veterans Council of Martin County proposed the name, along with former Martin County Veterans Service Office supervisor John Haddox. He’s now the county commissioner representing Palm City. The Navy veteran emceed the dedication ceremony. Troy McDonald, Stuart city commissioner, said the bridge was a fitting tribute to veterans who’ve bridged their military experience to civilian lives. “Many times veterans have returned home to use the skills they learned in the military to
build a stronger, better nation,” he said. Wolfe said future drivers will likely not realize that the bridge took decades to fund. “It’s going to seem like it was inevitable that it was here,” he told the audience. “But, there were many times it seemed impossible.” Planners believe the bridge will affect traffic patterns mostly for Martin and St. Lucie commuters. Many who live in St. Lucie work in Stuart and have only a couple routes to get to and from work. Many traverse State Road 714, Martin Downs Boulevard, in Palm City to and from the Ronald Reagan Turnpike, or surface roads. But there’s the bottleneck they face: the Palm City Bridge. Crossers jostle with about 45,000 drivers a day on the 1,900-foot, four-lane bridge. In other words, more than a
See BRIDGE page 7
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Mitch Kloorfain/chief photographer Paul Meola of Palm City makes his way across the newly dedicated Veterans Memorial Bridge connecting Old Palm City to Indian Street in Stuart during the Veterans Memorial Bridge 5k Run before the opening ceremonies Saturday, Nov. 16. The bridge is scheduled to officially open to auto traffic before the end of the year.
6 • NOVEMBER 22, 2013 • VETERAN VOICE • THE VOICE OF EXPERIENCE
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The National Navy SEAL Museum and Memorial was the host to thousands of veterans, museum and family members, and the public at large who had the opportunity to watch a dramatic demonstration of what our Navy SEALs are capable of doing to protect Americans. Five Naval Special Warfare operators have received the Medal of Honor, our nation’s highest award. The museum also honored them with a memorial statue that was dedicated at the event. The statue was made possible by a generous donation from H. Ross Perot. As St. Lucie County Commissioner Tod Mowery said to the
crowd, “Take a picture with your cell phone or camera, send it to your friends or post it on Facebook and say ‘Wish you were here’, so next year at our 29th Annual SEAL Demonstration and Live Music Festival, even more people will be here to support our dream, the one and only national Navy SEAL Museum in the world, right here in Fort Pierce.” After the ceremony and demonstration, those in attendance were treated to free passage through the museum, and food, drink was available for purchase and two great bands provided music. Rick Kaiser, retired Master Chief Navy SEAL and the executive director of the museum (who arrived by parachute) noted, “It was a great day for all.”
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“Lose 3-9 inches of stubborn fat while you lie on your back and listen to music” Mitch Kloorfain/chief photographer Ken Pruitt spoke of the process of getting the Veterans Memorial Bridge to become a reality when the groundwork was started when he was the Senate president for the state of Florida. The groundwork of substantial progress for the bridge was started in the 1990’s with property acquisition along its corridor. The $65 million bridge is scheduled to open to traffic before the end of the year.
BRIDGE from page 5 four-lane bridge can reasonably handle. Back in the ‘90s, planners feared upwards to 65,000 trips a day on the Palm City Bridge within a decade. Terry Rauth, Martin County’s deputy county engineer, explained that didn’t happen. “It went to 44,507,” she said in a previous interview. “The reason is the 43,300 (trips) is more than a four-lane road can handle. People start finding other ways. They start avoiding it.” And Rauth thinks she knows how drivers are avoiding the Palm City Bridge until Veterans Memo-
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Mitch Kloorfain/chief photographer Joan Klostreich earned her spot in history as the first woman over the new bridge in the Veterans Memorial Bridge 5k Run before the opening ceremonies Saturday, Nov. 16. The bridge is scheduled to officially open to auto traffic before the end of the year. Klostriech finished with a time of 20:06.8 and seventh overall.
rial opens. “What ended up happening is (Interstate 95’s State Road 76 — Kanner Highway — interchange) ended up reaching capacity. We feel that happened because of a lot of people avoiding going over the Palm City Bridge.” Rauth said much of that avoidance traffic is likely heading to and coming from the southern and western ends of Palm City, and many of those drivers will head to Martin Highway to use the 3,100-foot Veterans Memorial when it’s opened. Projections are that’ll be by Christmas. Commuters from the north will also likely alter their driving behaviors, taking pressure off the Kanner interchange and Palm City Bridge. State Representative Gayle Harrell, Stuart, told the audience she vividly recalls trying to cross the Palm City Bridge back in the 1960s. Boats often interrupted traffic on the old turn bridge. “We sat for over an hour and a half trying to cross the wooden bridge,” she said. Then that bridge was replaced with a two-lane arching bridge in the early ‘70s. Things were better, Harrell said. For a little while. By the early 1990s, the Palm City Bridge had two lanes added. “Pretty soon, we again had to wait and wait and wait to cross that bridge,” Harrell said. In addition to adding four lanes directly connecting Palm City and Stuart, the bridge’s 120-foot girth will sport 10-foot shoulders for pedestrians and bicyclists. Fishing will be prohibited, because of a lack of parking. The bridge gives boaters 55 feet of clearance. George Denti, project manager, said that when the bridge opens to traffic, there’ll be little fanfare. “A couple guys will go out there and move the barricades,” he said.
8 • NOVEMBER 22, 2013 • VETERAN VOICE • THE VOICE OF EXPERIENCE
TOYS from page 1 of the collected toys will be given to families through local social-service agencies. However, for the second year, the St. Lucie County Toys for Tots is taking some direct requests for toys through the Harvest Food & Outreach Center, 2520 Orange Ave., Fort Pierce. “Those individuals arrange a time to come pick up their toys,” Wells said. Bobby “Master Sgt.” and Lorrie Barnes coordinate Toys for Tots in Brevard. The two Marine Corps veterans work though the Marine Corps League De-
tachment 918, Barefoot Bay. “Master Sgt.” is Bobby’s’ Toys for Tots moniker. He said last year Toys for Tots Brevard gave more than 40,000 presents to almost 12,000 children. “Last year was a good year,” Master Sgt. said. “More kids than we’ve had in the past. It seems every year the number of kids are growing.” Those children are much more than numbers to the couple. “One Christmas Eve, I got a call from (the Florida Department of Children and Families),” Master Sgt. said. “They had just removed a couple children from their home and placed them in
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a foster home. They asked if we could do anything for them for Christmas.” Turned out the cash-strapped foster mother already had three children that weren’t getting much for Christmas. “We pulled toys for them, the wife and I, we pulled some toys we had left and took them to them on Christmas Eve,” Master Sgt. said. “It’s heartbreaking to know they had to spend Christmas away from their parents.” The Barnes said that they find out about children needing presents through about 60 social-service agencies. Volunteers set up a drive through site
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SeeTOYS page 9
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for families to pick up the toys. Master Sgt. said volunteers, Lorrie and he have seen folks whose cars hint that they were doing well not too long ago. Others whose cars evidence lifetimes of financial problems. Then there are the people who don’t have cars. “There’s a couple times when we’ve actually had somebody come down to pick up the toys with a shopping cart,” Master Sgt. said. He added, “That’s really tugged at my strings over the years. How people are persistent
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VETERAN VOICE • THE VOICE OF EXPERIENCE • NOVEMBER 22, 2013 • 9
TOYS from page 8
HUMANE SOCIETY
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Mitch Kloorfain/chief photographer Babies R Us employees Kirsten England, store manager Al Hylton, Staff Sergeant Nathaniel Wells, Toys for Tots coordinator and store manager Gina Ladoucer show off their purchases that will be used for the Toys for Tots children this Christmas season. goes along with each one of the participants. They actually get to select the toys for their children. It’s a dignified way to do it.” Recipient families are able to select one large and two small toys for each child. Additionally, they can get unlimited stocking stuffers. Along with the toys, families will receive food raised by area Boy Scouts through the recent Scouting for Food drive.
“This year, they collected 16,000 pounds of food for us,” Vojcsik said. So, how’d Toys for Tots, one of America’s most venerated charities, get started? Back in the ‘40s, Maj. Bill Hendricks was a Marine Corps reservist looking forward to Christ-
See TOYS page 11
The Humane Society of the Treasure Coast (HSTC), 4100 S.W. Leighton Farm Ave., PalmCity, has these and other animals available for adoption Monday-Saturday 10 am-5 pm; Wednesday 10 am-7 pm and Sunday 10 am-4 pm. For more information, please call 772/223-8822 ext. 3242 or go to: www.hstc1. org to see all of our animals available for adoption. All senior pets 7 years and older are ½ price to ANYONE looking to adopt him/her. Any Senior (62 and older) will have an adoption fee waived only if the pet is 7 years and older at the time of adoption. Tell your friends that the guest room’s taken—foster a pet; save a life. Help us help more pets by caring for those in need in your own home. Contact Bitsy McKay, bmckay@hstc1.org, 772-600-3217, to apply. Please consider adopting wonderful animals available at the HSTC…...you may just find the love of your life!
The Humane Society of the Treasure Coast
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enough to come and get the toys, because they’re down and out that particular year.” Toys for Tots has about 160 drop off locations in Brevard, which will likely nearly double in December. Collections continue until Dec. 19. In theory. In practice, late toy donations continue right to Christmas Eve. Toys for Tots coordinators urge donors to act sooner rather than later. Carol Hodnett, United Way of Martin County, is the coordinator for Martin. She was unavailable for comment by press time. However, Jim Vojcsik, executive director, said the Martin United Way has organized the toy drive for about 10 years. “It’s about 1,200 families a year, which equates to about 3,000 children for the Toys for Tots,” he said. Martin, which has about 160 drop-off locations, is unusual in the way it distributes donated toys. Partner agencies refer screened families to the United Way program. The United Way gives them appointments to select appropriate toys at a temporary shop. “The toys are set up on tables by age group,” Vojcsik said. “The families are pre-screened. They’re given a time. A volunteer
4100 S.W. Leighton Farm Ave. Palm City, has these and other animals available for adoption Monday-Saturday 10 am-5 pm; Wednesday 10 am-7 pm and Sunday 10 am - 4 pm. For more information, please call 772-223-8822 ext. 3242 or go to: www.hstc1.org to see all of our animals available for adoption.
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10 • NOVEMBER 22, 2013 • VETERAN VOICE • THE VOICE OF EXPERIENCE
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U.S. Air Force veteran Todd Hogan of Port St. Lucie is one of the first to race across both spans of the Veterans Memorial Bridge during the 5K race held before the bridge dedication Saturday, Nov. 16 in Palm City. The bridge is scheduled to officially open to auto traffic before the end of the year.
Mitch Kloorfain chief photographer
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AD
CLUES ACROSS 1. Bawled out 10. Former “Today” host 12. Shape anew 13. Skulls 15. Renting dwellers 16. Choose to refrain 18. Anno Domini 19. Old French small coin 20. Carry out 21. Dashes 24. Expresses suspicion 27. Followed the trail of 30. The highest point of something 31. Geological times 33. Cartilaginous structure 34. Hill (Celtic) 35. Bura 37. Center of a wheel 39. __ de plume 41. String, lima or green 42. Greek goddess of discord 44. Move back and forth 47. Britain’s Sandhurst (abbr.) 48. Comedian Carvey 49. Public promotion 50. Federal residential mortgage insurer 52. Location of White House 53. Gives an answer 56. Populates 61. Fires a weapon 62. More tense 63. An outstanding achievement 65. Annotations CLUES DOWN 1. Buddhist monk of Tibet 2. Egyptian sun god
3. Soft roe 4. Garden planting areas 5. Atomic #89 6. Soul and calypso songs 7. Large European flatfish 8. Expunction 9. Impression in a surface 10. PBS filmmaker Burns 11. Former OSS 12. Draft an edict 14. Assistant 15. Proclamation upon finishing 17. Slight head bend 22. Asian ethnic hill people 23. SE Asian goat antelope 24. Aware of the latest trends 25. Person of Arabia 26. Industrial process to produce ammonia 28. Expressed pleasure 29. The plural of crus 32. Old Thailand
sudoKu
36. Riboneucleic acid 38. One who assembles books 40. Cosa Nostra member 43. Pouchlike structures 44. Violent action 45. ___ of March 46. Slum area of a city 51. Valuable, useful possession 54. Philemon (Biblical abbr.) 55. Shaped bread 56. Fruits of the gourd family 57. Copyread 58. Double curve 59. Photographs (slang) 60. Side sheltered from the wind 64. Atomic #86
TOYS from page 9
6961
mas like everyone else. His wife, Diane, made a doll and asked him to find a charity that’d give it to a girl for Christmas. He found none, so Hendricks did what any good Marine would. He organized a group of Marine Corps reservists to become Santa’s helpers. They collected and gave out about 5,000 toys in 1947. But mighty as Marines are in getting missions accomplished, Hendricks was also the Director of Public Relations at Warner Brothers Studios. He used the position to get some star power behind the novel project. Few remember that Walt Disney designed the Toys for Tots logo that’s used to this day. Marine Corps reservists used drill weekends to collect and distribute toys from 1948 to 1979. The Total Force Program introduced in the late ‘70s reduced the drill time the Marines could commit to toy collection and distribution. By 1991, with the Secretary of Defense’s blessing, the Marine Corps officially recognized the Toys for Tots Foundation to carry on the annual work. Nationally, the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is directed by the Commander of the Marine Forces Reserve. However, the toy drives and distribution are
local campaigns that may or may not involve Marines, or Marine Corps veterans. The foundation designates coordinators for local campaigns. Wells said coordinators and volunteers appreciate anything people donate, but he had some suggestions. “Each year we run short in the age group of the older girls, the young teens,” he said. “Both boys and girls, but we tend to run out of girls (items) before the boys.” So, toys for young teens. Mostly for the girls, thank you. Then there’s the little, little ones: infants and toddlers. “We tend to never have enough for some reason,” Wells said. So, add infants and toddlers to the need-donations list. “One of the things people love to purchase — we’re always in an abundance of — is the 4 to 6 age group,” Wells said. “The baby dolls. When we’re down to the bones of donations, my walls are pink.” And stuffed animals? “We get gobs and gobs,” Wells said. “We twist people’s arms to take stuffed toys.” To find out about donating to or volunteering for Toys for Tots, visit toysfortots.org. Click on the “Donate a Toy” tab, and select Florida. Then scroll to the desired county.
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12 • NOVEMBER 22, 2013 • VETERAN VOICE • THE VOICE OF EXPERIENCE
Treasure Coast Toyota
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