Inside What`s

CORD
July 2011
T he N ewsletter
of the
WORD
N ew E ngland C hapter P aralyzed V eterans
a member chapter of the paralyzed veterans of america
–
of
A merica
Vol. LXI, #7
chartered by the congress of the united states
20th Annual NEPVA Sebastian DeFrancesco Golf Classic
President’s
Report
3
Government
Relations Report
4
PVA & NASCAR
5
Sports &
Recreation
6
New England
VAMC News
9
Washington
Update
12
PVA NEWS
13
S
ummer-like weather settled into New
England for the 2011 Memorial Day
weekend, and continued into Tuesday,
May 31 for the 20th Annual NEPVA Golf
Tournament. With warm temperatures,
bright sun, and a clear blue sky, golfers were
anxious to get out on the course at beautiful
Blue Hill Country Club in Canton, MA. As
usual, golfers registered at 11:30 am, received
complimentary shirts, fleece jackets and hats,
and then proceeded to the buffet luncheon
before the 1:00 pm shotgun start. Tournament
Coordinator Frank Furber did another
outstanding job running the tournament,
even though sponsorships were down again
this year due to the still struggling economy.
Special guests at this year’s tournament included
Honorary Chairman New England Patriots
Hall of Fame Quarterback Steve Grogan, New
England Patriots Tight End Rob Gronkowski,
and Comedian Steve Sweeney.
Throughout the luncheon and later during
dinner, our customary prize drawing attracted a
lot of interest with some very special prizes this
year. These included: three sets of two American
Airlines tickets for travel in Europe and the U.S.
(compliments of Jesse Faulkner); four tickets
to see Kenny Chesney at Gillette Stadium with
VIP parking; and a Tom Brady autographed
football (both were compliments of the New
England Patriots); Green Fees and Carts for
foursomes at Maplegate Country Club and
Blue Hill Country Club; an overnight stay and
Sunday Brunch at the Holiday Inn, Mansfield,
MA; a Men’s mountain bike; and gift certificates
to the Blue Hill Country Club pro shop.
Additional prizes were auctioned off at dinner
time. These prizes were generously donated by
the New England Patriots organization: Four
tickets to see Taylor Swift at Gillette Stadium
with VIP parking, and 2 Regular Season tickets
to a New England Patriots football game. Our
Honorary Chairman, Steve Grogan, donated
an autographed football jersey, which was also
auctioned off. A 50/50 Drawing was also held
during dinner, with the winner walking away
with over $400.
After lunch, golfers headed out to their starting
holes. Out on the course, there were some
special prize holes. Several holes featured prizes
continued on page 7
photo: Harley Freedman
What’s
Inside
NEPVA President Craig Cascella presented Frank
Furber with a plaque in appreciation for his 20 years of
directing the NEPVA Annual Golf Tournament.
July 2011
Cord Word
PARALYZED VETERANS of AMERICA
NEW ENGLAND CHAPTER
NEPVA ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE
1600 PROVIDENCE HIGHWAY-SUITE 143
WALPOLE, MA 02081
TEL: (508) 660-1181, 1-(800) 660-1181
FAX: (508) 668-9412; e-mail: [email protected]
web: www.nepva.org
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00am-4:30pm
NEPVA OFFICERS
EXECUTIVE BOARD
President, Craig Cascella
Vice President, Debra Freed
Secretary, Debra Freed
Treasurer, Charles Schena
National Director, Craig Cascella
John Brako
Brad Carlson
Walter Farrington
Peter Moore
Wayne Ross
Dustin Soroka
Jim Wallack
Neal Williams
PROGRAM DIRECTORS
Development Director, Craig Cascella
Membership Officer, Craig Cascella
MS Liaison, John Brako
Community Outreach, Mike Guilbault
NEPVA Peer Mentor Rep., Mike Guilbault
Scholarship Chairman, Craig Cascella
Sports Director, Brad Carlson
Assistant Sports Director, Mike Guilbault
Bass Trail Liaison, Jim Wallack
Web Master, Thomas Dodd
Women Veterans’ Liaison, Debra Freed
Volunteer Chairman, Judy Goldstein
Hospital Liaisons
Brockton, MA VAMC, Craig Cascella
West Roxbury, MA VAMC, Craig Cascella
Northampton, MA VAMC, Tim Kelly
Providence, RI VAMC, Craig Cascella
Manchester, NH VAMC, Walter Farrington
West Haven, CT VAMC, Richard Frano
White River Jct, VT VAMC, Al Fenton
Togus, ME VAMC, Neal Williams
STAFF
Cord Word Editor, Judy Goldstein
Government Relations Director, Debra Freed
Administrative Assistant, Judy Goldstein
Bookkeeper, Jeri Farinella
Cord Word Design, Harley Freedman
Monthly meetings are held every first Wednesday of the month at the
NEPVA office in Walpole, Ma. The executive board meets at 10:30 a.m.
Followed by the regular membership meeting at 1:00 p.m.
Cord Word is published twelve times a year by the New England
Chapter Paralyzed Veterans of America, 1600 Providence Hwy.,
Suite 143, Walpole, MA 02081 in the interest of Chapter members.
Membership in NEPVA entitles you to a free subscription to Cord
Word. Articles published in Cord Word do not necessarily reflect
the views of the Paralyzed Veterans of America, New England
Chapter. NEPVA neither endorses nor guarantees any of the
products or services advertised herein. Postmaster: send changes
of address to NEPVA, 1600 Providence Hwy., Suite 143, Walpole,
MA 02081
2
9 MONTH DRAWING
JUNE Winners
$50
Marie Brako
Acton, MA
$25
Jeffrey W. Swain
Chichester, NH
$25
Donald A. Pelkey
Fort Fairfield, ME
REMEMBRANCE
IN
We deeply regret the passing
of our Chapter Members:
John G. Hickey
Leon K. McKenzie
and extend our heartfelt sympathy
to family and friends.
NATIONAL SERVICE OFFICE
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA
BOSTON VA REGIONAL OFFICE
J.F.K. FEDERAL BUILDING - Room - 1575 C
BOSTON, MA 02203
TEL: (617) 303-1395 & 1-800-795-3607
Fax: (617) 723-7467
Sr. Benefits Advocate, Joseph E. Badzmierowski
Senior Secretary, Ann Marie Wallace
PVA National Service Office
Togus, VARO, 1 VA Center
Bldg 248, Room 112
Augusta, ME 04330
Serving Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont
TEL:(207) 621-7394, Fax: (207) 621-4829
Toll Free: 866-795-1911
National Service Officer II, John Stansbury
Secretary, Wendy Glidden
www.nepva.org
Cord Word
July 2011
President’s Report
by Craig C. Cascella
he warm weather appears to
finally have arrived! I hope
all of our members and
friends had an enjoyable Memorial
Day Holiday and have an enjoyable
summer. Memorial Day is a time for
remembrance, reflection, and respect
- for honoring the men and women who
gave their lives in service to the Nation.
From parades to somber ceremonies
and moments of silence, Americans
honor the sacrifices of military men and
women who paid the ultimate price in
their service to our nation.
ocean and what better place to be
a try. For more
than beautiful Newport. Many other
information visit
NEPVA members were in attendance
their web site
for the event (see photo), which was
www.sailtoprevail.
sponsored by Sail To Prevail. Sail To
org.
Prevail, formerly known as Shake-ALeg Newport, is a non-profit 501(c)(3)
In other local
charitable organization founded in 1982 news, the
that has helped over 10,000 individuals Department of
with disabilities. Their name was
Veterans Affairs (VA) has awarded a
changed to Sail To Prevail in 2009,
grant totaling $4,362,599 to the State
but the mission
of New Hampshire.
It was a great and exhilarating The grant is for
remains the same.
Each summer, over
Federal assistance
time, the instructors were
1,500 disabled people
on board for assistance and toward the cost
learn the skills of
of performing
suggestions,
but
they
let
you
sailing in their fleet
infrastructure
and your partner maneuver upgrades and
of specially adapted
sailboats. Sail To
the boats on the open water. constructing a multiPrevail programs are
purpose emergency
operated during the summer months
operations center at the State Veterans’
at Fort Adams State Park in scenic
Home in Tilton, New Hampshire.
Newport, Rhode Island. Their program
is available to first time and experienced As always, feel free to visit NEPVA’s
sailors, as well as individuals with
web site (www.nepva.org), PVA’s web
various disabilities. I look forward to
site (www.pva.org), and the VA’s web
sailing with Sail To Prevail and our
site (www.va.gov) for up to date and
Chapter members many more times
recent news. If you have any questions,
this summer and would absolutely
comments, or concerns please contact
recommend that our members give it
our office or your local NSO.
T
On June 15th, I attended a Chapter
sponsored pizza party at the West
Roxbury VA on the SCI Unit. As usual,
there was a great turnout. It is always
a good time to socialize with the inpatients, volunteers, and the VA Staff,
as well as to listen to or address any
concerns they may have.
On the 18th & 19th, I was fortunate
to attend a two-day sailing event in
Newport, RI. I have of course been a
passenger on boats many times, but
have never actually sailed before. It
was a great and exhilarating time, the
instructors were on board for assistance
and suggestions, but they let you and
your partner maneuver the boats on
the open water. I must admit that on
the first day, NEPVA member and
boat-mate George St. Hilaire, made
me nervous a couple of times with
his fast and swift maneuvering of our
boat on the choppy seas. I thought
for sure that we were going to take a
bath in the Atlantic Ocean more than
once! We had two great days on the
www.nepva.org
NEPVA President
3
July 2011
Cord Word
Government Relations
by Debra Freed
Government Relations Director
Veterans’ Appreciation Day
O
n May 27, I got up extra
early to drive down to Quinnipeac University to participate in the Veterans Appreciation Day
hosted by Assistant Principal Mr. Dan
Levy. Mr. Levy came up with the idea
to provide awareness to junior high and
high school students who didn’t quite
grasp the reasons why they got a “free”
day off from school. Now in its seventh
year, Mr. Levy provides the students
with little booklets of questions to ask
the the people who have presented
booths of information about what they
do. Most booth participants provide information on what happened in WWII
or Vietnam. One booth shows what
fighter pilots had to wear during WWI.
It is quite impressive.
For the most part, NEPVA is the only
veterans’ service organization providing
information on spinal cord injury and
disease and the programs and services
we provide. Do we get many students
who stop by? Yes, well it helps to bring
my handcycle and something to give
away. Whether the students actually
read what they take or bring it home to
parents, I can’t answer that but somewhere, somehow the information is getting out there.
4
On another matter that continues to
baffle me is why institutions, whether
public, private, or government seem to
believe there is a “grandfather clause”
when it comes to the Americans’ with
Disabilities Act (ADA). Actions that
can be taken to limit changes are
called variances. It is already written
that if changes would exceed a specific
threshold in the cost of the work, then
accessible upgrades may not be forced
to go forward. But please, do not call it
“grandfather.” There is no such thing. It
does not behoove any institution, public, private, or government to try and
thwart the system especially since the
Department of Justice (DOJ) oversees
the ADA.
Believe it or not,
they may not be
aware of it. Then if
that doesn’t work,
try working with
the Town’s Disability Commission if you have one. Working together can be a lot less expensive
that filing a complaint outright.
Moving onto a recent Association of
Chapter Government Relations Directors (ACGRD) conference call, it was
There have been steps in place for a
learned that Senator Mark Begich has
number of years to try and work these
proposed S.1146:
issues out
“A bill to establish
without first
…as someone who has
a pilot program
going to the
used VA healthcare
under which vetDOJ. Beerans in the State
tween 2005
exclusively since 1988,
of Alaska may
and 2007,
I’ll still stay with my VA
receive health care
it took the
benefits from the
Framingham
healthcare. Please write
Department of
Disability
your legislators opposVeterans Affairs at
Commission
non-Department
nearly two
ing this legislation.
medical facilities,
years to
and for other purconvince the
poses” (www.thomas.gov.) PVA opposes
town that by not having a Self Evaluathis legislation because should it pass in
tion and Transition Plan in place, the
Alaska, how long would it be before it
DOJ can come in and force changes
passes elsewhere. There are good things
that could cost the Town much more
and bad things about VA healthcare
than having a plan in place. Now,
but it goes without saying the same is
Framingham has a plan in place, a livvery true for public and private health
ing, breathing document that has a set
institutions. For my part, as someone
of priorities for each year for the next
who has used VA healthcare exclusively
ten years and beyond.
since 1988, I’ll still stay with my VA
If it is at all possible, and you see some- healthcare. Please write your legislators
thing that may not be right to you, first opposing this legislation.
go to the manager of the establishment.
www.nepva.org
Cord Word
July 2011
Going Green with PVA at NASCAR
by Mike Savicki
I
f you have ever watched a
NASCAR race on television then
you know from experience that
seeing the 43 cars pass under the green
flag to begin a Spring Cup race in tight
formation at well over 150 mph is an
incredible sight. Catching the start of
a race from under the green flag on pit
road is another experience entirely. The
speed, power, energy and roar of the
750 hp engines that power the cars is
enough to make the hairs on your arm
stand on end. On top of it all, the noise
is deafening.
It was Memorial Day weekend 2011
in Charlotte, NC, America’s home
of NASCAR, and I had been invited
to experience the Coca Cola 600
as a guest of PVA and the Mission:
ABLE campaign. Joining honorary
spokesperson, Richard Petty, in
promoting the Mission: ABLE
campaign for the current NASCAR
season, are Sprint Cup drivers AJ
Allmendinger, Brad Keselowski and
Martin Truex, Jr.; Marcos Ambrose and
Kurt Busch also joined as supporters of
the cause during the 600.
Every driver pulled out the stops to
make our race experience as memorable
as possible. Before the race began, we
had meet and greets with both Ambrose
and Keselowski in the driver’s village,
toured the garage and Shell/Penzoil
team hauler with Kurt Busch, joined
the official NASCAR driver’s meeting,
watched the pre-race patriotic festivities
from pit road alongside Allmendinger
and Keselowski, then moved to pole
www.nepva.org
setter Keselowski’s pit for the start of
the race. After the race began, we were
escorted to Richards Petty’s trackside
condo to catch all the action of
NASCAR’s longest and most grueling
race.
To put it all in perspective for Boston
sports fans who might not be familiar
with NASCAR, experiencing the race
like we did would be like catching a
Red Sox vs. Yankees game from the
locker room, dugout and owner’s box
or watching the Patriots beat the Colts
while standing alongside Bill Belichick
for the kickoff then joining Bob Kraft
high above the 50 yard line.
The Coca Cola 600 was the
culmination of a string of race related
events across the Queen City. Earlier in
the week, the third annual King’s Cup –
Karting for a Cause brought together 26
sponsored teams from across the racing
community who competed in a series
of relay styled go kart races at Richard
Petty’s Victory Lane Karting Indoor
Center. The charity event, complete
with driver appearances and a silent
auction, raised over $130,000 for PVA.
Earlier in the spring, PVA also made
an appearance just north of Charlotte
to film a PSA for Mission: ABLE.
The staff at Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s
Hammerhead Studios organized a
day long photo shoot and film session
to help spread the word about PVA’s
unique campaign. The goal of the PSA,
as Petty, the drivers and I explained
it, was to inform America that PVA’s
Mission:
ABLE
campaign
helps
paralyzed
veterans
rebuild
our lives
and
receive
the care, benefits and job services we
have earned through our service and
sacrifice.
In the last few years, PVA has tightened
its bond with many of NASCAR’s top
drivers and teams. PVA has also become
a fixture at many of the tracks across
America. If you look closely at the
cars, you might catch either a PVA or
Mission: ABLE logo at the front of the
pack and if you look even more closely
alongside the track, you might catch
a PVA member or two cheering for
drivers like Keselowski, Allmendinger,
Truex, Jr., Ambrose and Busch from
right in their pits.
NASCAR racing is uniquely American
so it goes without saying that America’s
paralyzed veterans should be front and
center when the green flag drops.
5
July 2011
Cord Word
Sports & Recreation
NEPVA Bass Tournament, POINT SEBAGO RESORT, Casco, Maine, May 21, 2011
By Jim Marino, photos by Bob Abbott
P
oint Sebago Resort (www.
pointsebago.com) stepped up to
support this year’s New England
Paralyzed Veterans of America Bass
Trail, Maine Tournament. The Point
Sebago Resort sponsored the tournament along with the American Legion
Post #155, and the Maine B.A.S.S. Federation Nation (www.Mebass.com). The
Nation members volunteered their time
as boat captains and helped with the
loading and unloading of the anglers.
As a Federation, Maine’s members have
continued to assist us. They have participated in Federation functions and
have continued to expand their membership. Their Charter of the B.A.S.S.
Federation Nation is not the largest, not
the richest, but it is one of only a handful that is financially viable and has
retained its membership numbers. The
Maine BASS Federation Nation knows
when it comes to opportunities within
the State of Maine that are beneficial to
others such as NEPVA, Shriners, Camp
Sunshine and other excellent organizations, the members pull together to get
the job done!
In addition to hosting the event, Point
Sebago donated lodging and a barbecue
lunch for tournament participants. This
lunch, in combination with a breakfast
donated by Post Commander Catherine
Merrill and members of the American
Legion Post #155, left the veterans and
event volunteers well-fed before, during and after the tournament. Water
and soda for use at all the tournaments
was donated by the TARGET store in
Meriden CT. Having hosted dozens of
fishing tournaments, Point Sebago has
proven to be an ideal location for such
events. With its on-site boat launches,
powered boat slips, and access to 35
square miles of crystal-clear Sebago
Lake water, Point Sebago knows a thing
or two about fishing tournaments.
Fifteen New England PVA anglers were
paired with boat captains in the “Boater
Division”, and several anglers were in
the “Bank/Pontoon Division”. Tiny LaFontaine, tournament director for the
NEPVA Bass Trail, said “Our Bass Trail
is the number one sporting event for the
New England PVA with a Free Entry
Fee”. Presently we host tournaments
in Connecticut, Maine, Massachu-
setts, Rhode Island, Vermont and New
Hampshire.”
The day began with breakfast served
by the American Legion Post #155, the
pairing of the anglers, and the hand-out
of complimentary tournament towels
and tee shirts for the fishermen. After a
short fog delay, Steve Wilson, President
of the Maine Federation Nation, and
the boat captains along with the help
of the NEPVA staff, loaded the New
England Paralyzed Veteran Anglers
onto their assigned boats, and all were
underway safely by 8:30 am.
The tournament started with cloudy
skies, temps in the low 50’s and a
chance of a thunderstorm. The rain
stayed away until 2:30 pm when a scattered shower soaked most of the contestants on their way to the weigh-in area
at the Grove Pavilion building.
Because of the fog delay, the tournament check-in and weigh-in time was
moved back to 2:30 pm along with the
awards ceremony. This tournament was
a “Catch, Measure and Release” tournament. From Mother’s Day to Father’s
Day you cannot keep a fish when it is
caught. It must be released right away.
The anglers kept a weigh-in slip with
the length of each fish they caught. Using a conversion chart, they determined
the fish’s weight, and then added up
their best five fish.
After unloading the boats, the contestants and guests headed to the weigh-in
area held inside the Grove Pavilion to
6
continued on page 10
www.nepva.org
Cord Word
July 2011
Golf
continued from page 1
for “Closest to the Pin” shots. Other
individual holes featured a “Betting
Hole,” “Longest Drive Hole,” and two
holes offered a chance to win $10,000
for a “Hole in One.” One $10,000 prize
hole was sponsored by Frank Furber,
John Wagner and Dennis Sullivan;
the other was sponsored by NEPVA.
Once again this year, the “Volvo Hole
in One” hole offered a two year lease
on a 2011 Volvo, courtesy of Village
Automotive Group. Unfortunately,
there were no “hole in one” winners.
However, one golfer came within eight
inches of winning a $10,000 hole in
one.
Following the drawings and auction,
NEPVA President Craig Cascella came
to the podium to express his gratitude
to all of the event sponsors and
volunteers. Craig then presented Frank
Furber with a plaque in appreciation for
his 20 years of directing the NEPVA
Annual Golf Tournament. Craig spoke
briefly about how this annual event
has funded advances in spinal cord
injury research at Yale University and
expressed his thanks to the companies
who have supported us year after year.
We would especially like to
thank this year’s
Platinum Sponsors
Adtran
Alcatel/Lucent
Corning Cable Systems
Fujitsu Network
Communications, Inc.
Telco Systems,
A BATM Company
With the great weather, everyone
seemed to enjoy their day. Our thanks
go out to everyone who attended for
their support and participation.
photo: Harley Freedman
At about 5:30 pm, golfers returned to
the clubhouse for the cocktail hour
and dinner. As guests sat down with
dinner, Frank Furber took the podium
and introduced a returning special
guest, comedian Steve Sweeney. Steve
did a short comedy routine which
everyone enjoyed. Following this,
Frank and Mary Furber announced the
tournament winners. These included:
Third place, Brett Chambers and
his foursome from Fujitsu Network
Communications, Inc; Second Place,
Matt Piekarski and his foursome from
the New England Patriots organization;
and First Place, John Gibbs and his
foursome from Adtran. All winners
received engraved silver trophy bowls.
The 50/50 Drawing winner was then
announced, followed by the Prize
Drawing, and a live auction was then
held for the additional prizes mentioned
earlier.
Left: (l to r) Former New England Patriots Quarterback and Honorary Chairman Steve Grogan, Craig Cascella, and current New England Patriots
Tight End Rob Gronkowski; Right: Frank Furber (far right) and tournament volunteers. Top: A foursome from Platinum Sponsor Alcatel/Lucent.
www.nepva.org
7
July 2011
Cord Word
Wheelchair Users at Risk of Bone Fracture
By Leslie R. Morse, DO
Bone Health Research Program
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
People diagnosed with osteoporosis (a
weakening of bones) are told to increase
weight-bearing exercise – walking,
running, even jumping up and down.
That’s not so easy if you’re in a
wheelchair. Yet having a spinal cord
injury greatly increases your risk of
developing osteoporosis, a condition
that can result in broken bones. In fact,
people with serious spinal cord injuries
run a 50% risk of breaking a bone 7 to
9 years after injury.
It’s a risk that remains largely under
the medical radar. Many medical
professionals continue to think
osteoporosis is limited to postmenopausal women. There are no
established practices for monitoring the
bone health of people with SCI. Even
the programming and equipment for
measuring bone density is not designed
for the SCI population. For instance,
bone density scans routinely focus
on the spine and hip. But the bones
directly above and below the knee are
the ones most likely to lose density and
fracture in people with broken backs.
If bones are weak enough, a break can
happen even during a simple transfer
or when turning over in bed. The
fracture may go unnoticed, adding to
a list of possible complications – poor
healing, increased pain, pressure ulcers,
long hospital stays and, in some cases,
amputation.
But there are doctors investigating this
significant health issue. For instance,
a major study to see if adapted rowing
can affect bone density among people
with SCI has just gotten underway at
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. It
is directed by Spaulding’s Bone Health
Research Program and Cardiovascular
Laboratory in collaboration with
Veteran Affairs Healthcare-Jamaica
Plain, Boston. (See accompanying
notice).
Well Deserved Honor
We are pleased to announce that Marika Hess,
MD, the Assistant Chief of the Spinal Cord Injury
Service at the VA Boston Healthcare System, is
People with SCI Wanted for Exercise Study
this year’s recipient of “The Best Teacher of the
Year Award”. This is an honor bestowed by the
If you are a man, age 20-40, with a spinal cord injury that left your
Tufts graduating seniors and current residents. Dr.
legs paralyzed, you may be eligible for a new exercise-focused
Hess graciously accepted the award and thanked
research study. Based at Boston’s Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital,
everyone at the Tufts Medical School Graduation
the study aims to see if electrically-stimulated rowing can slow down
Dinner on June 2, 2011 at the Dedham Hilton
or reverse the weakening of bones in some people with SCI. The
Hotel. The physicians of the Spinal Cord Injury
rowing program – 3 days a week for 12 months – is free of charge.
Participants receive up to $300 to help pay for transportation/parking.
They also receive a physical, bone scans, and blood tests. For more
information on this study, funded by the Department of Defense,
contact [email protected] or call Cathy, 617-573-2197.
Service attended this festive event. It began with
a cocktail hour followed by dinner. After dinner,
the evening consisted of speeches, videos and
words of praise for the graduating residents.
It was an evening filled with excitement and
sorrowful good-byes. Congratulations Dr. Hess
on this well deserved honor!
8
www.nepva.org
Cord Word
July 2011
New England VAMC News
MANCHESTER SCI-D CLINIC 5th
ANNUAL BARBECUE
JULY 21th 2011 5pm
It’s that time of year and Paul will be
at the grill again! There will be both
indoor and outdoor seating. No matter
the weather, the show will go on. You
are invited to REGISTER, SAVE THE
DATE and bring along the family or a
companion. As always, a sincere thankyou goes to NEPVA for supporting this
event.
LIVE MUSIC
Manchester’s Dr. Dave Hallinan, in
addition to a non-stop podiatry clinic,
keeps a busy musician’s schedule. We
are thrilled to announce that he and Jim
Settle agreed to entertain attendees as a
guitar duo.
Ken Lipton, PVA New England
Vocational Rehab Counselor is also
in the guest line-up. Along with job
development and placement for Vets or
family members, Ken also assists with
career counseling, resume preparation
and much more. He is looking forward
to meeting NH Vets!
So we can plan enough food:
PLEASE REGISTER by
FRIDAY July 15th
at 603-624-4366 Ext 6054
Early registration and a return call if
you need to cancel appreciated!
www.nepva.org
MS Update
At the May 19th MVAMC luncheon,
18 Vets and spouses gave Dr. Cabot,
an MS specialist, a warm welcome.
She did a Power Point presentation
that covered MS, MS symptoms and
treatments. Many of the new and
emerging therapies, the potential
benefit/risk profiles as well as the varied
individual patient responses that can
occur were discussed. Several Veterans
shared their personal experiences
with past and current treatments,
participation in drug trials and living
with MS. There were many questions
answered. Three National MS
Society representatives discussed their
community programs and provided
handouts. The cure is not here yet, but
the new developments over the past 15
years offer reason for hope and cautious
excitement.
Our appreciation and thanks to
Manchester’s award winning Red
Arrow diner who once again provided
a generous donation of homemade
chicken soup!
Paul will be at the grill again on July 21st.
From left: Walter Farrington, NEPVA
MVAMC Clinic Liaison; Michelle Dickson,
NMSS Advocacy Manager/Public Policy; and
David “the light” LaLumiere
NEPVA
President Craig
Cascella presents
a plaque to
Diane Daley
who retired on
June 3, 2011
after caring for
SCI patients for
30 years.
9
July 2011
Cord Word
fishing
continued from page 6
check in with the staff and tally up the
weigh-in slips. While waiting for the
results, the fishermen enjoyed a cookout
provided by the Point Sebago Staff, and
proceeded to eat and brag about their
day on the water.
Tiny LaFontaine, and Gary Clawson
started off the weigh-in results with the
following: 3rd Place: Captain Eric Lowe
and Rick Maynard with 3 fish weighing in at 7 lb 2 oz. Eric and Rick caught
their fish with Lucky Craft www.luckycraft.com crank baits and tube baits,
they fished drop offs and rocks 20’ to
shallow water on points and humps.
Rick is a first time competitor and
came all the way from Vermont for this
tournament. He says that he is looking
forward to the VT tournament on Lake
St Catherine and would like to thank
Eric for a great day on the water despite
the conditions.
2nd Place: Captain Matt Jannarone
and Steve Carpenter, with a 5 fish limit
weighing in at an even 12 lbs. They
targeted their fish with Berkley Chigger Craw’s www.berkley-fishing.com in
shallow water around rocks and docks
where they saw schools of smallmouth
hiding out. Matt again came in 2nd as
he did last year at North Pond. He is
quite the fisherman as Steve pointed out
when he thanked him for an enjoyable
day of fishing.
1st Place: Went to Captain Clayton
Grimm and Dave Sawyer with a 5 fish
limit for 14lbs 15 oz. Clay and Dave
fished Senco’s and Chigger Craws in
very shallow water targeting docks and
large rocks with smallmouth schooling
among them. It would seem like Matt
and Clay were on the same pattern and
had it figured out as they had the only
limits brought in to the scales.
The Bank / Pontoon Division winner
this year was George St Hilaire with a
nice 14” Salmon.
Lunker of the day was a nice 4lb 2oz
smallmouth caught by Captain Matt
Jannarone off of one of those shallow
docks that he was targeting all day.
The members of the Tournament committee, President Tiny LaFontaine,
Executive Director Jim Marino, Director Bob “Soupy” Campbell, Director
Gary Clawson and the New England
Paralyzed Veterans of America would
like to thank: the B.A.S.S. Federation
Nation of Maine; the staff of the Point
Sebago Resort, especially Ruth York;
Commander Catherine Merrill and the
members of the American Legion Post
#155 for all their hard work, dedication
and support for this tournament.
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Cord Word
July 2011
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PVA. NEPVA is cur-
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Bowlers gathered at Westgate Lanes for their end of season “banquet.”
11
July 2011
Cord Word
Washington Update
SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
HOLDS HEARING ON PROPOSED LEGISLATION
On May 3, the House Committee on
Veterans’ Affairs, Subcommittee on
Economic Opportunity held a hearing
to discuss several new bills introduced
in the 112th Congress. Representative
Marlin Stutzman (R-IN) serves as
Chairman of the Subcommittee and
Representative Bruce Braley (DIA) serves as the Ranking Minority
Member. The Subcommittee
subsequently marked up and approved
the bills on May 5, 2011. “These bills
are fiscally responsible, meet the needs
of our veterans, and are supported by
both sides of the aisle,” stated Chairman
Stutzman. Although PVA did not
testify at the hearing, we did submit a
statement for the record.
Included in the hearing and markup
was H.R. 1383, the “Restoring GI
Bill Fairness Act of 2011,” introduced
by Representative Jeff Miller (FL),
Chairman of the House Committee on
Veterans’ Affairs. PVA does not support
H.R. 1383 as it is currently introduced.
We support the concept of H.R. 1383
that will temporally preserve higher
rates for tuition and fees for programs of
education at non-public institutions of
higher learning. However, PVA opposes
Section 3 of H.R. 1383. This section
will limit the cost of living increases
of the monthly stipends for veterans
who rely on this funding to support
themselves and their families while they
prepare for a career. With the cost of
fuel rising each month, which effects
the cost of living, PVA believes the GI
Bill’s monthly stipend must be adjusted
12
each year to help these veterans remain
in school.
PVA supports H.R. 1657, which
calls for enforcement penalties for
misrepresentation of a business
concern as a small business owned and
controlled by veterans or, owned and
controlled by service-disabled veterans.
PVA also supports H.R. 802, a bill to
direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
to establish a VetStar Award Program
to recognize businesses that exceed
established goals in hiring veterans.
Iraq combat veteran and PVA member,
Andrew Connolly from Dubuque,
Iowa, was invited to testify for the May
3 hearing by Ranking Member Braley.
He spoke in favor of H.R. 1671, the
“Andrew Connolly Veterans’ Housing
Act.” Connolly had many months of
difficulty and delay using the adaptive
housing grant after his diagnosis of
a tumor in his spinal cord. With the
support of Congressman Braley, he
eventually gained access to the housing
grant. H.R. 1671 would extend the
specially adapted housing assistance
to individuals residing temporarily in
housing owned by a family member for
five years. PVA supports the extension
of this benefit.
All four bills were voted out of the
Subcommittee on May 5 and will soon
be addressed by the Full Committee on
Veterans’ Affairs.
Produced by PVA
Government Relations Department
See www.nepva.org for more
FREE TO MEMBER
“Joey Lift” by Bruno
(VSL 4000)
Installs in back of van.
Like new.
Available in Chicopee, MA
Call the NEPVA office
Quickie Manual Wheelchair
Like new; pick up in Westfield, MA.
Call NEPVA.
Motorized Wheelchair
in good condition;
used 6 months;
for average size person.
Pick up in North Tonawanda, NY
Call NEPVA- 508-660-1181
Motorized Wheelchair
red with gray seat
never used, brand new; has bracket
for oxygen tank; power cord for
recharging; padded legs and foot rest.
Pick up in Taunton, MA.
Call NEPVA.
Quickie 225 Power Chair
Clean, excellent shape,
with charger
3 year old battery,
needs seat cushion
Pick up in Westford, MA.
Call NEPVA.
Trus-T-Lift
Lift for outdoors, roll on and off
Goes up a few feet
or a flight of stairs
Available in East Haven, CT.
For more info, visit the website:
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www.nepva.org
Cord Word
July 2011
PVA News
New Report Shows Cutting Social Security Will Hurt Veterans
A
new report titled Social
Security: Serving Those Who
Serve Our Nation shows the
critical importance of Social Security to
the nation’s veterans and their families.
The report was prepared by Social
Security Works and the Strengthen
Social Security Campaign, and
cosponsored by 10 veterans service
organizations, including Paralyzed
Veterans of America.
Featuring case studies of retired
veterans, severely disabled veterans,
and young widows and children, all of
whom depend on Social Security for
between 40 percent and 70 percent of
their income, the report highlights the
personal stakes that veterans and their
dependents have in the program.
Paralyzed Veterans’ Acting Associate
Executive Director of Veterans Benefits,
Sherman Gillums, is featured in
the report, highlighting how Social
Security’s disability benefits and Ticket
to Work program served as a family
lifeline, helping him return to school,
find work and return to self-sufficiency.
with disabilities and their families. Nor
do they understand how important
Social Security is and will be for retired
veterans. This is not just a political
issue; it’s personal for millions of
Americans.”
In the report, veterans and family
members of service members make
the strong case that political leaders
should restore fiscal discipline without
going back on this country’s promises
to veterans, including the promise of
Social Security. Every dollar of their
Social Security benefit counts, and any
reduction would mean real sacrifices
in their standards of living and income
security, they stated in the report.
“Social Security remains a vital promise
made to all Americans, veterans and
nonveterans alike,” said Doug Vollmer,
Paralyzed Veterans’ associate executive
director of Government Relations.
“Policymakers willing to consider
benefit cuts simply to not understand
the role that Social Security disability
insurance plays in support of veterans
The report was released May 26 at a
press conference hosted by Senator
Mark Begich (D-AK) and Senator
Jon Tester (D-MT). They were joined
by Carl Blake, Paralyzed Veterans’
national legislative director, who spoke
at the press conference on behalf of
Paralyzed Veterans of America, as
well as Dabney Montgomery, a retired
Tuskegee Airman who spoke about how
after having lost retirement savings to a
market turndown in earlier years, Social
Security currently provides 70 percent
of his and his wife Amelia’s retirement
income.
(For a link to the full report, visit www.
pva.org and follow links to News)
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13
Cord Word
14
July 2011
www.nepva.org
Cord Word
July 2011
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www.nepva.org
15
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Leominster, MA
Permit No. 17
New England PVA
1600 Providence Highway, Suite 143
Walpole, MA 02081
tel: 508 660-1181
800 660-1181
fax: 508 668-9412
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00am-4:30pm
Make a Donation Today!
100% of your tax deductible donation goes to Chapter programs.
Mail your check payable to NEPVA to:
1600 Providence Hwy., Ste 143 Walpole, MA 02081
2011 NEPVA Bass Trail Schedule
July 23 Slatersville Res @ the Island Club, Smithfield, RI.
August 20
Lake St. Catherine, Wells, Vermont
Sept. 10 & 11 Lake Winnipesaukee, Camp Robindel
Moultonborough, NH & TOC
Sept. 16–18 National PVA Bass Tournament
Lake Winnipesaukee, Camp Robindel
Moultonborough, NH
Any questions may be directed to:
Tiny LaFontaine (H) 781-935-2480 (C) 978-479-8147
Jim Marino (H) 978-365-3112 (C) 508-523-5668
Bob Soupy Campbell (H) 781-935-2266
See www.nepva.org for other bass trail info or to sign up.