MEMBER BENEFIT: FORD MOTOR COMPANY (February 1, 2012)

DAV joined the Ford Motor Company Partner Recognition Program many years ago. The
program offers members the opportunity to purchase or lease eligible vehicles at Ford Motor
Company's X-Plan pricing.

Eligible vehicles include virtually all Ford and Lincoln products (Certain vehicles may be
excluded). This can mean savings of hundreds, even thousands of dollars for our members.
Please visit www.fordpartner.com and login using our Partner Code (DAVET). Through this
website you can:

• Research vehicle specific X-Plan pricing and incentives
• Review the latest vehicle product information
• View the complete Partner Recognition Program and process, rules and helpful FAQs
• Generate Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) for exclusive X-Plan pricing

Please contact Ford Partner Recognition to receive the DAV’s X-Plan Partner Code by emailing
xplan@ford.com.

DAV Enterprises has New Leadership (January 30, 2012)

As of January 27, 2012 the DAV Thrift Operation has new leadership. Shauna Hutter has replaced the departing Business Manager George Ebbers. If you need to speak with Shauna or her staff, fax in drop delivery reports, schedule a donation drop etc. please use one of the contacts below:

Phone 651-487-2002
Toll Free 1-855-789-0993
Fax 651-483-1301

The Address for the new office is
1285 Cope Ave E Suite 600
Maplewood MN 55109

Shauna Hutter, Business Manager: Shauna@davmn.org
Charlie Burns, Driver Supervisor: Charles@davmn.org

Military Order of the Purple Heart (MN) Offers Eligible DAV Members Free Membership! (January 6, 2012)

Mark Browne, DAV member and Department Service Officer for the MN MOPH is inviting MN DAV members to join the MOPH accepting applications for free membership to eligible veterans. If interested in beginning the process, simply fax a copy of your dd214 to Mark at FAX# 612-725-2126.  If you have questions… call Mark Browne, his Cell is 612-232-6097, work 612-467-3247 or email blackhorse1951@msn.com.

You are eligible if you have been awarded the Purple Heart Metal by the government of the United States.

St. Cloud VA 2012 Physically Disabled Veterans Turkey Hunt (November 30, 2011)

St. Cloud, MN—The St. Cloud VA Medical Center, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Minnesota National Guard, Camp Ripley will hold the 8th Annual Physically Disabled Veterans Turkey Hunt April 24-26, 2012 , at Camp Ripley near Little Falls.

This special hunt is provided for physically disabled veterans who are currently receiving outpatient care or are eligible to receive health care from the VA and cannot hunt during the regular firearms season.

The Physically Disabled Veterans Turkey Hunt is sponsored by the Minnesota: American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America and their respective Auxiliaries. 

Applications will be taken January 17th through February 21, 2012. Applicants should contact Dennis Erie at the St. Cloud VA Medical Center’s Voluntary Service Office, (320) 255-6394, for application instructions.

MN Twins Team up with the DAV for the Winter Warm-Up Coat Drive (November 30, 2011)

Fans who donate will receive a 50% discount on a Twins premier jacket during the Nov. 25 - Dec. 23 coat drive     

The Minnesota Twins, along with Delaware North Companies Sportservice and the Minnesota Chapter of Disabled American Veterans, are hosting the Winter Warm-Up Coat Drive which will take place Nov. 25 through Dec. 23 at Twins' Pro Shop locations, and the Twins Majestic Clubhouse Store. The coat drive provides an opportunity for fans to join the holiday giving efforts of the Minnesota Twins by donating new or gently used coats for local disabled veterans and their families. Donated coats will be distributed to veterans and their families, or be sold in the Disabled American Veterans thrift stores to benefit disabled vets.

Fans who donate will receive 50 percent off a Twins premier jacket. The discount is limited to one per coat donated (can be used for multiple coats).

Minnesota Twins Pro Shops are located in Minnetonka, Apple Valley and Roseville. The Twins Majestic Clubhouse store is located at Target Field.

Disabled American Veterans (DAV) is made up exclusively of men and women disabled in our nation's defense, and is dedicated to one, single purpose: building better lives for the nation's disabled veterans and their families.

Coats can also be dropped off at the DAV Donation Center in Maplewood (http://www.davmn.org) and the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans centers in Duluth and Mankato (http://www.mac-v.org). However, discounts will only be given for coats donated at Twins' team stores.

Winter Warm-Up Drop Off Locations:

Apple Valley Twins Pro Shop
15050 Cedar Ave Ste 109
Apple Valley, MN 55124
(952) 891-2934

Minnetonka Twins Pro Shop
13037 Ridgedale Dr
Minnetonka, MN 55305
(952) 546-0815

Roseville Twins Pro Shop
2401 Fairview Ave N
Roseville, MN 55113
(651) 635-0777

Twins Majestic Clubhouse Store at Target Field
(612) 659-3963
Parking is available in Ramp A located directly across the street from the Majestic Twins Clubhouse Store on N. 7th Street. Free fifteen minute temporary parking is available next to the store along N. 7th Street

The Auxiliary Eligibility Amendment Has Been Ratified (November 18, 2011)

What does this mean? A new day has dawned for the DAV Auxiliary! Effective immediately, this amendment not only expands DAV Auxiliary eligibility requirements, it opens the door to a new horizon for our organizations (DAV and DAV Auxiliary).

What effect will this have on my Auxiliary unit? This change will cultivate membership growth and allow those new members to help with the mission of service to disabled veterans and their families. Our leaders are committed to the long-term stability and growth of our organizations and with new enthusiastic members we will be able to accomplish a great deal more.

Who is eligible for membership in the DAV Auxiliary? The good news is the DAV Auxiliary can now welcome those who were not eligible under the previous structure. Eligibility has been expanded to include:

Family and extended family members of any person who is or was eligible for membership in the DAV.

Family and extended family members of any person injured and may still be in active service in the armed forces of the United States of America and eligible for membership in the Disabled American Veterans.

Family and extended family members of any person who has served in the armed forces of the United States of America and has not been dishonorably discharged or separated from such service.

Family and extended family members of any person who served with the armed forces of any nation associated with the United States of America as an ally, who was honorably discharged, and became an American citizen.

Family and extended family of Auxiliary members who are not otherwise eligible for membership are eligible for membership in the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary.

What is considered extended family? Some examples of extended family are, but not limited to: step-children, step-grandchildren, step-siblings, step-parents, step-grandparents, uncles and aunts, great uncles and aunts, nieces, nephews, cousins, sons and daughters in law, fathers and mothers in law, brothers and sisters in law.

What’s next? Thanks to the wisdom of our voting members, the organization has turned the page to a new and exciting chapter. For starters, SIGN UP those who want to join but, until now, were not eligible for DAV Auxiliary membership. Membership applications are currently being revised. Until a new supply is available, feel free to use the current in-stock applications while you are signing up those extended family members. DAV Auxiliary brochures are being revised as well as the DAV Auxiliary Manual and the organization’s web site.

“More hands will make the load lighter” and improve the quality of services rendered to our Veterans. Please, everyone can help spread the word of this exciting change! Start signing up new members today!

DAV MN Fall Conference 2011 (September 1, 2011)

DAV of MN Fall Conference Flyer

 Tentative Agenda

DAV Fall Conference
October 7-8, 2011
Wildwood Lodge, Lake Elmo, MN

www.thewildwoodlodge.com

DAV Block $69 a night (includes $8 breakfast voucher),
Please make reservations before Sept 19th, the DAV discounted rooms will be released and the hotel will charge full price!!

Call 651-714-8068 (Toll free 866-294-6250) for Reservations

DAV Presents Second Vehicle to St. Cloud VAMC Transportation Program (August 31, 2011)

St. Cloud, Minn:Old Glory Run Number Two is now in service, transporting Veterans to their medical appointments at the St. Cloud VA.

The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Foundation of Minnesota purchased the vehicle with money raised by the Old Glory Run in Cold Spring, and presented the keys to St Cloud VA officials on Aug. 25.

The new vehicle will join Old Glory Run Number One, a 2010 Ford E350 Club Cab van purchased last year by the DAV with money raised by the Old Glory Run, in the DAV Volunteer Transportation Program.

The DAV Volunteer Transportation Program provides Veterans within a 50-mile radius of St. Cloud with rides to medical appointments at the St. Cloud VA who do not have other means of transportation due to financial or medical hardship.  Last year, volunteer drivers at the St. Cloud VA traveled over 167,000 miles and transported 2,768 Veterans to appointments.

"The new vehicle is a great addition to the fleet, and we deeply appreciate the support and generosity of the DAV and the Old Glory Run" said Barry Bahl, Director of the St. Cloud VA Health Care System.

The new vehicle can carry up to six passengers, and offers a very comfortable ride. "It's lower to the ground than vans and the seat level is great for ease of access," said David Valtinson, the state commander of the DAV.

Ann Erickson, a member of the St. Cloud-area Chapter 9 of the Minnesota DAV, pointed out that "the money for the vehicle was raised in central Minnesota, and the vehicle will stay in central Minnesota and serve our Veterans."

Veterans needing to arrange a ride with the DAV Volunteer Transportation Program should contact Ken Kelley at 320.252.1670 - Ext. 6676.

All Veterans are encouraged to enroll in the VA health care system. For information on enrolling for VA health care, contact the St. Cloud VA HCS Eligibility Office at (320) 255-6340.

 

Midwest Outdoors Unlimited looking for disabled Iraqi/Afghanistan Veteran (August 1, 2011)

Midwest Outdoors Unlimited is looking for a disabled Iraqi/Afghanistan veteran to participate in an Elk Hunt in Baudette, MN in early December of this year.

Applications and further information can be obtained from: www.midwestoutdoorsunlimited.comor MOU CEO Ron Welle @ 320-987-3526. Nominations will be accepted until October 1, 2011. All costs for the hunt will be donated by sponsors.

DAV Newsletter June 2011 (June 24, 2011)

The DAV Newsletter for June has been published.  It is currently at the printers and will be mailed shortly.  Until then, you can read it here!

Crystal Clothing Donation Center Opening Today at 10:00am (June 22, 2011)

 Come out to our New Clothing Donation Center in Crystal at 5222 Bass Lake Road! We are open at 10:00am Monday through Friday. Bring you new or gently used clothing and small household items! For directions visit our website at www.davmn.org/clothing_donation. 

Clothing Donation Program (June 13, 2011)

With donations down and expenses up, Twin Cities charities are working harder to get your used junk.

Wally Norlander gives his old clothes and household goods to whichever charity gets to his Edina house first.

There's a long list of them.

Norlander gets at least one solicitation a week from the Lupus Foundation, the Epilepsy Foundation, Vietnam Veterans of America, Disabled American Veterans, Salvation Army or the Courage Center. They're among at least 30 charities that offer curbside collection in the Twin Cities, according to Smartgivers.org, an independent charity review resource in St. Paul.

"It's a bit of a nuisance," he said. "For every 10 calls, I put out a bag to donate. I like getting rid of the stuff."

All that stuff has become big business for charities. It fuels 60 percent of the Salvation Army's revenues and 45 percent of the take for the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota.

But rising gas prices and increasing competition for castoffs are muscling some charities out of the business of picking up old pans, souvenir coffee mugs and outdated clothing.

In late May, Arc's Value Village pulled its famous blue trucks from residential streets. The charity, which serves children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, now only makes household stops when someone has a large donation they're unable to bring in themselves.

At the same time, the recession has put a crimp on donations. More people are holding onto their stuff or opting to sell it at garage sales or online sites such as eBay and Craigslist. And local charities have felt the hit.

Instead of finding four or five bags left at the curb, the Epilepsy Foundation often finds only one or two, said Vicki Kopplin, associate executive. "We have to be strategic if we want to collect the same amount or more than we used to," she said.

Being strategic for the Epilepsy Foundation -- and others still in the pickup business -- has meant adding trucks to expand their territories and guarantee quicker service to donors like Norlander.

This year, the Salvation Army added five trucks, bringing its fleet to 15, and has moved beyond the Interstate 494/694 beltline to collect in Buffalo, Monticello, Big Lake and Hastings, according to Bill Price, an administrator with the organization. Disabled American Veterans (DAV) of Minnesota also has added trucks.

"We're trying to make it as easy as possible for donors," said George Ebbers, business manager for the DAV in Minnesota. "If people spend a weekend cleaning their closets, they want to get rid of the stuff within a few days."

Charities are doing what they can to increase loyalty among donors and make donating more convenient. Some allow donors to arrange a pickup online. Those that don't offer collection services have increased the number of drop-off sites and extended their hours.

"Our donation centers all have added after-hours donation bins for donor convenience," said Laurel Hansen, Arc's business director. "You can donate 24-7."

Enter the middleman

Every donation counts, but those dropped at the charity's door produce more money than those picked up curbside. "It's the most cost-beneficial way to collect goods," said Martin Wera, program director at SmartGivers.org.

Many thrift stores with a single location and small budgets collect dropped-off donations during store hours. Charities with wider-ranging missions often form relationships with for-profit partners, such as Savers or Apogee Retail, which operate their own secondhand stores. The for-profits pick up, sort and sell donations given to a charity, then pay the charity as little as 30 cents per pound.

Still, the partnership can be a significant source of income for charities such as the Lupus and Epilepsy foundations, DAV and Vietnam Veterans of America, which don't have stores of their own. Those that do have stores, such as Arc, Goodwill and Salvation Army, can generate more cash by selling the goods at retail than selling it wholesale to Savers.

People who care that a charity gets the most out of a donation can cut out the middleman by taking donated goods directly to a charity that has a store, such as Goodwill or the Assistance League Thrift Shop in Richfield.

But when it comes to cast-offs, givers may not be so choosy.

"People view clothing donations as different from financial donations," said Kelly Buttler, director of in-kind giving at the Courage Center in Golden Valley. "Some just want to clean out their closets."

For the full article http://www.startribune.com/business/yourmoney/123757754.html

DONATE TODAY!!

DAV of Minnesota Announces New Executive Director (June 7, 2011)

The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) of Minnesota welcomes Martin Ludden as their new Deputy Adjutant and Executive Director of the DAV of Minnesota Foundation. Ludden brings a young and new perspective to the DAV with his experience and knowledge of the Veteran community here in Minnesota.

Ludden is a Veteran himself, having served nine years in the U.S. Army Reserves as a staff sergeant. During his time in the military, Ludden served with the 652nd Engineer Company where he completed two tours of duty in Iraq. Ludden has been active in the Veteran community since 2007, when he served as a Veterans Service Representative after college. Ludden joined U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s staff as a Constituent Advocate where he helped Veterans with benefit issues and continued to strengthen and build his network with service and non-profit organizations.

After returning from his second tour in Iraq, Ludden returned to his civilian life and rejoined Sen. Klobuchar’s staff as an Outreach Director. “I’m really looking forward to helping the DAV in Minnesota build on an already firm base,” said Ludden. “With the foundation, I’ll be maintaining many of the relationships Dean Ascheman and others before me have established, while branching out to some of Minnesota’s larger corporate circles. This is an exciting time for the DAV and we’re also looking to get the word out to a wider audience about the good things we do here in Minnesota.” Veterans organizations are looking forward to utilizing the skills and abilities the younger generation has to offer to help reach out to Veterans of recent conflicts more effectively. “I really believe that we’re in a good position to start bringing in some of my generation of Veterans to our chapters and eventually to leadership positions. We have a simple and direct mission - to build better lives for disabled Veterans and their families,” said Ludden.

 Article Published in the MNDVA June Newsletter

Trolling for Troops 2011 (June 7, 2011)

On Thursday, June 2nd and Friday June 3rd I had the privilege of attending, along with Commander Valtinson, Gary Valtinson, Gary Jarva (all of Chapter 13) and Mike Medhaug (one of our NSO’s) the first annual Trolling For Troops event held at Camp Ripley. This event was organized by the MN National Guard as a way to thank some recently deployed troops and hook them up with older, disabled vets. About 25 fishing pros from the FLW tour volunteered their time, talents and equipment to make the day an enjoyable one for all. Many thanks go out to the FLW tour pros like Kevin McQuoid of Isle, MN who captained Commander Valtinson’s boat and Chip Leer of Walker, MN who captained Adjutant Alger’s boat. They had enough patience so that both of us caught several walleyes while we were out in the wind on Mille Lacs lake. Several other boaters went out on the Mississippi River where they had an enjoyable day catching bass, walleye and northerns. The day ended with a cookout and trophy presentation.

It should be noted that neither your commander nor your adjutant won a trophy, but Adjutant Alger’s boat (which included Gary Jarva) caught 19 walleyes to Commander Valtinson’s boat which only caught 18. So the competition is on! Besides the fishing fun, this event allowed several of us to make connections with many of the recently deployed and injured MN National Guardsman. We talked to them about DAV’s mission of making better lives for disabled veterans. I want to thank the DAV Foundation for stepping up to the plate and funding this event. I look forward to many more years of successful Trolling For Troops events to go along with our turkey, pheasant and deer hunts.

Adjutant Jeff Alger

MN DAV Thrift Staff Move to New Office (June 1, 2011)

As of February 14, 2011 the DAV Thrift Operation has moved out of the Headquarters office in Saint Paul.  If you need to speak with George or his staff, fax in drop delivery reports, schedule a donation drop etc.  You will need to contact the new location:

Phone 651-487-2002
Toll Free 1-855-789-0993
Fax 651-483-1301

The Address for the new office is
1285 Cope Ave E Suite 600
Maplewood MN 55109

George’s email will remain the same: George@davmn.org

DAV Lakeland Chapter 31 (Detroit Lakes) Donates Funds to P.A.D. (Patriot Assistance Dog) Program (June 1, 2011)

Lucky Dog Boarding & Training Center of Detroit Lakes, MN , In conjunction with the Disabled American Veterans Lakeland Chapter 31, and the Becker County Veteran Service Office is starting a pilot program to train service dogs to assist area veteran who have been diagnosed with PTSD and other related psychiatric conditions. The Veteran Service Office has identified the need for PTSD assistance trained dogs in the local area, and trainers at Lucky Dog have researched the training protocols required to prepare the dogs. Presently, there are no facilities in Minnesota that are training and certifying dogs and handlers for this purpose. Lucky Dog will be the first and is currently in the process of certification for their PTSD service dog training program.