AMVETS Riders October 4, 2009
National Headquarters
Riders,
I am writing this letter to bring every AMVETS Rider up to highway speed about our AMVETS Riders National Program for the year 2009-2010. This will be our first National Program after becoming an Organization and I feel it is an important one.
This year’s program is for CAMP HOPE, also known as Chris Neal Farm, located in Farmington, Mo., which is approximately 80 miles south of Saint Louis. The story of Camp Hope is in itself fascinating and extremely heartbreaking. It is a story of love at its purest between a son, his parents, their Country, and the Disabled Veterans which they dedicated themselves to serve.
Christopher Neal White went off to war as a young United States Marine in January, 2006 to serve the country he loved. By the end of June of that year he would pay the ultimate sacrifice. His loss would not be in vain. His death would give others the chance to heal and live again. His father and mother would bury their beloved son with full Military Honors in the fertile grounds of Missouri. From those grounds would spring the beginning of hope and help for those Veterans who didn’t die, but had suffered the wounds of war.
Mike White and his wife founded, with the money they had received from the death of their son, a place for Disabled Veterans called Camp Hope. Land was purchased, some building was started and Disabled Veterans from all over AMERICA were invited to enjoy the great outdoors and heal. It wasn’t easy and it didn’t happen overnight and the work isn’t finished as Camp Hope continues grow.
We are all aware a project of this magnitude requires a tremendous amount of time and money. Time for our Organization to go there and work is generally out of the question. But time to support fundraisers for Camp Hope at the local Chapter level is totally within our reach. I will tell you up front we need to raise $ 15,000.00 by the 1st of August 2010 for the construction of a handicap accessible cottage for Disabled Veterans who can go to Camp Hope and find peace and healing in its programs.
The National Executive Board and I have committed to finance only one of the six (6) cottages which are planned. I wish we could build them all, but that is out of reach at the present. I am asking, and if necessary I will plead for your help and support in making this Project a success. I know we all have programs which we support already at the local level and I am not asking you to take anything away from them. I am asking for an additional effort to raise this money for the cottage at Camp Hope. If you have doubts go to www.chrisnealfarm.com and check it out,
and see for yourself the need as well as the work these Patriots do for our Disabled Veterans. If you
need to hear it from other AMVETS Riders contact Chapter 48 in MO. They are already onboard with
Camp Hope. You can also contact the AMVETS Riders National 2nd Vice President Bruce McElhaney at victoryridnvet@aol.com.
As each Chapter raises the funds for this project please keep track of your time and amount raised for program
reporting and report it as CAMP HOPE on the National Program Reporting form under Riders Programs. If you don’t
know how to do reporting contact the 2nd vice, 1st vice or I and we will help you.
All checks should be sent to Bruce McElhaney 2nd vice, made out to AMVETS Riders, note on check Camp Hope.
A monthly running total will be sent to all POC’s
In closing I want to thank you for your support of Disabled Veterans and Camp Hope. Should you have any
questions, please contact me.
LRB,
Victor (Dutch) Stivason
AMVETS Riders
National President
