GIG LINE
By Marsha M. Brown
Kudos are due to Tim White and the American Legion Post 26 ‘Hammerheads’ baseball team! When I contacted Tim about the team’s recent tournament win he was in the processing of preparing to leave Manteo for Hickory, N.C. with 14 players (accompanied by their parents) for the playoffs.
In next week’s GIG LINE, I’ll bring you an update summary regarding the ‘Hammerheads’ and their team accomplishments overall for 2015. Also, if you’re a baseball fan…and a veteran especially…please consider making a donation to the American Legion Post 26, P.O. Box 1683, Kill Devil Hills, N.C. 27948 earmarked for the ‘Hammerheads’. Baseball is a traditional American sport that we all know and love and these young men have done an outstanding job this summer representing our heroes of the American Legion. It costs money to initiate a team and to support one, so please think about what it means to the boys who will know you have their backs and that you’re supporting them too! More on that next week…Go ‘Hammerheads’ and go Tim!
If you’ve never attended a meeting of the Dare County Veterans Advisory Council…we really wish you would. The Council meets on the 4th Thursday of each month at the Dare County Administrative Bldg. (middle building, Dare County Justice Center complex in Manteo) in Rm. 168 at 3:00PM. The next meeting is scheduled for July 23rd and everyone would graciously welcome you as part of the group! Getting together with people (your brothers & sisters) who appreciate you and your sacrifice is just one aspect of it – please come if you can, O.K.? You’ll meet faithful Dare County veterans who serve as Council members; you’ll hear updates on veteran related activities and upcoming events for this coming November; learn about special celebrations for Veteran’s Day week and about a new project the Council has in mind for December! Yay!
Speaking of the next meeting of the D.C.V.A.C….Chris Sawin, Director of the Dare County Arts Council and avid veteran supporter will address the Council about the upcoming Veteran’s Writer’s Workshop events to take place only four months from now. Maybe you’ll have a suggestion, or maybe you’d want to volunteer for an event or maybe you know veterans who could benefit from the information you’ll gather…and…just maybe you know a veteran brother who could use a helping hand that we don’t know about!
Chris has been working on a special project that he’ll be sharing details about at the meeting and we can’t wait! In the meantime, if you want to whet your appetite…check out: National Initiative for Arts & Health in the Military…seriously, please try to make it. If you should have a suggestion or idea as a veteran that you’d like to share with Chris, he’d more than welcome your input at dareartsinfo@gmail.com
Also, if you haven’t received your Dare County Veteran I. D. Card, it’s a good time to do that too! Just bring your DD-214 to the meeting that shows ‘Honorable Discharge’ and your local Driver’s License…that’s it! Yay again! If you do come you’ll undoubtedly see and ‘feel the love’ as they say for veterans!
Lastly, NOW you can print off the list of businesses that honor you when you show them your Dare County (issued) Veteran I. D. Card at check out. The most updated list can be found on: www.darenc.com – after you’re in on the Desktop version, click on VETERANS and search for businesses that discount I. D. Card…you’ll be surprised! 🙂
F.Y.I. Everything that is being done to help our local veterans is not for publication. Personal situations that cause hardship or heartache to our vets and their families are of great importance and usually confidential but I can tell you this…our Dare County veterans are cared about and for whenever possible and when the problem comes to light so that help can be initiated…but…we have to know a problem exists. Many men, women and children love you, thank you and want to help you. PLEASE contact Rhonda Creef, Dare County Veterans Service Officer at (252) 475-5604 to schedule an appointment so that she can discuss potential help or at the very least call me cell: (252) 202-2058 or email: editor@giglineheroes.com Please…reach out O.K.?
Remember local veteran organizations where your brothers and sisters meet and talk and then talk some more…about helping each other their fellow veteran…who has seen it…felt it and bled it. Don’t feel alone. Let us thank you and tell you just how very much you and your service to this great nation really matter!
Please know that you (veterans) are in my prayers every single morning and night; know that I thank God for you; for your service and for your return home if you went to war; each and every one of you are my heroes and each of you are a blessing in my life. Until next time…be happy, be safe and be proud…mostly of yourselves. Our country is the greatest country on earth…thanks to you all who have fought to make it so. God bless you. Stay tuned.