October 4, 2012 • Vol. 89, No. 8 It’s as easy as 1 2 3 !
1. Log onto wilegion.org and click on “Renew Online” 2. Enter your name and member ID number 3. Pay with MasterCard, Visa or Discover That’s it! You’re done. You will receive your new membership card in the mail. No more renewal notices. No more stamps.
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State Legionnaires Receive National Awards in VA Creative Arts Competition
Two Wisconsin Legionnaires have been recognized in the 2012 National Veterans Creative Art Festival. This annual event draws over 4,000 entries from across the country nationwide covering approximately eighty categories of the visual and performing fine arts. Veterans receiving their medical care through the VA healthcare system are eligible to compete. Jim Finnerty, a 44 year member and Past Commander of the Alonzo Cudworth Post No. 23 in Milwaukee has been awarded a First Place Gold Medal for a mixed media painting titled “UBLUIT.” The award will be presented at the Massachusetts State House in Boston on October 12. Also receiving recognition is Don Dorff of the Jacob Coppus Post No. 258 of Little Chute. Don was recently awarded a National Bronze (third
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Jim Finnerty of the Alonzo Cudworth Post No. 23 in Milwaukee painted the Gold Medal winning painting “UBLUIT.”
“UBLUIT”
place) Medal for his musical performance entry. Finnerty served with the 716th MP BN in Vietnam from March ’67 to March ’68. His battalion suffered 10% of the total casualities that the US suffered on the bloodiest day of the war; the first night of the TET Offensive, January 31, 1968. He started painting 6 years ago as part of his therapy for PTSD. Along with painting, he regularly attends group and individual sessions at the Milwaukee VA to help deal with PTSD related issues. Dorff placed first at the state level of competition which was held at the Tomah VA facility this past March and advanced to the national level of competion. Past Department Commander Denise Rohan of the Elmer Peterson Post No. 333 of Sun Prairie participated this year as part of the state judging panel at the Tomah VAMC. Jim Finnerty commented, “Any
vet who has signs of anxiety, depression, anger, stress, sleep disorders, nightmares or has ever considered harming themselves should get help from the VA immediately. They have experts in treating PTSD symptoms.” He went on to explain that you can never fully recover from PTSD, but you can learn how to deal with it. “Vietnam veterans who are in their sixties and retiring have more time on their hands to start thinking about their service years. This is not uncommon. So in many cases the memories that may have been pushed aside for years are now all coming back.” You can learn more about Jim by visiting his website; www.finnertyart.com. There you can see his Vietnam series and review his art along with reading about his service and professional career.
Don Dorff of the Jacob Coppus Post No. 258 of Little Chute is shown here with his bronze medal along with Jean Calhoun, music therapist at the Tomah VAMC and facilitator of the National Veterans Creative Arts Competition program at Tomah.