Leave a reply
Tag Archives: Veteran
Accessible Preparations for Memorial Day
Hosting a Memorial Day Party is the perfect way to kick off your summer adventures, and here are some tips on how to make sure your gathering is accessible and fun for all!
Choose Your Location
To ensure all of your guests are able to easily maneuver around your party and its surroundings, make certain there are ramps, lifts or unobstructed entryways available for guests in wheelchairs. Another thing to consider is parking. If some of your guests will be arriving in wheelchair accessible vans, they might need a little bit of extra room to deploy a lift or ramp.
You can host an accessible Memorial Day party if your home or apartment is less than wheelchair-friendly. Local parks often rent out pavilions or picnic areas for gatherings, and these areas often boast open spaces and paved paths, making them a great bet for guests in wheelchairs.
Perfect Your Spread
From grilling up veggies and even fresh fruits, to stocking up on refreshing drinks to beat the summer heat, making sure you’re serving up tasty treats is perhaps the most important part of throwing a great, memorable party. When planning your party’s spread, always take into consideration any possible allergies or food restrictions your guests might have. If you’re sending out invites, it might be a good idea to ask guests of any food requirements right on the invitation, so you’ll be armed with the right information when it comes time to shop and prep.
Don’t Forget the Entertainment
Every good party needs some entertainment. That doesn’t mean you have to go out and hire a full band though—making your own fun is easy! You could set out the board games for some old school fun or create a dance floor on your deck or living room with plenty of room. Start a game of trivia, charades or bingo, you could even break out the karaoke machine and make some hilarious and potentially embarrassing memories.
Memorial Day is a day for honoring and remembering all of the brave men and women who served (and continue to serve) in our country’s Armed Forces. As such, if you have a disabled veteran attending your party, think of ways that you can honor him/her in some special way.
Veterans Inc. Volunteer Opportunities
Since 1990, volunteers have played a critical role in Veterans Inc.’s success and growth. As a non-profit organization, they simply could not provide the level of services that they do without your assistance. The countless hours of time and talent, in addition to monetary and in-kind support, ensure that Veterans Inc. can continue its mission to improve the lives of veterans and their families and, ultimately, save lives.
Here’s how you can you help our veterans and their families at Veterans Inc.:
Driver – Call (508) 791-1213 ext. 196 for more information.
Events & Programs for our veterans – Help by sponsoring events for the residents of their housing programs, including but not limited to seasonal/holiday parties, cookouts, as well as the annual Stand Down in June and their annual Holiday Harvest.
Facility & Maintenance Projects – They always need people to help with repairs and maintenance of their grounds and facilities.
Food Services – Help hand out food to our veterans and their families in Worcester County at their food pantry or help serve or sponsor a meal in the hot meals program. Their food pantry is open on the second and fourth Thursday of every month, 10:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. The hot meals program serves lunch and dinner 365 days a year.
Fundraising Events – Assist with the annual Freedom Song Festival, Golf Tournament, Pancake Breakfast and Road Races, as well as the biennial Gala Military Ball. Volunteers help with event planning, management and promotion.
Greeter – Be the first one to greet the donors and volunteers at their headquarter site in Worcester. Help log in donations and pass along others ways of how the community can help Veterans Inc.
Office Support – Help Veterans Inc. process seasonal donations, prepare bulk mailings, and manage other special projects.
Recreational Activities – Spend a few hours sponsoring a recreational activity for residents. Examples are movie nights, basketball or softball games, tennis, fishing, nature walks, and board game tournaments.
Run a Donation Drive – Collect items on their Wish List, which are needed for our veterans. Food, clothing, toiletry and gift card drives in particular are very helpful. PLEASE NOTE: If you would like to run a donation drive, please contact volunteer@veteransinc.org
Tutor/Teach – Have experience teaching a subject or activity? Tutoring individuals or teaching a class is an opportunity to change the outlook of another person. Conduct a class in health, wellness, nutrition, fitness and more. Background and experience in the subject matter are required.
Something else? If you have a talent, skill or even a NEW volunteer opportunity to share with Veterans Inc., please do not hesitate to contact them! Contact volunteer@veteransinc.org
All volunteers are required to attend an Orientation to qualify for participation at Veterans Inc. Orientation includes a brief presentation and overview of Veterans Inc. *GROUPS require the Group Leader to attend.*
*Please note: Veterans Inc. does not accept Court Mandated Community Service*
VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION SCHEDULE
March 31st, 2015 (Tuesday) Time: 6:00 pm
April 29th, 2015 (Wednesday) Time: 6:00 pm
May 27th, 2015 (Wednesday) Time: 6:00 pm
June 24th, 2015 (Wednesday) Time: 6:00 pm
Where: Veterans Inc. Headquarters, 69 Grove Street in Worcester
*Photo ID required at Orientation (MA License)
Space is limited, please register in advance by contacting:
(508) 791-1213 ext. 196
or emailing volunteer@veteransinc.org
VA Adaptive Sports Program
Mission Redefined
Your courage, your determination and your drive all led you to serve America proudly. Those same characteristics will also lead to satisfaction and success in adaptive sports. Disabled Veterans of all ages and abilities report better health, new friendships and a better quality of life when participating in adaptive sports. Disabled Veterans who are physically active simply have more fun! To get started, take some time to review the many sports opportunities available to you by reaching out to your VA clinical team.
Get started by learning how disabled Veterans can benefit from adaptive sports. If you have questions, contact them at vacoadaptiveSP@va.gov.
2015 Schedule of National Events
2014 Annual Report to Congress
The Grant Program
The Grants for Adaptive Sports Programs for disabled Veterans and Members of the Armed Forces (ASG Program) provides grant funding to organizations to increase and expand the quantity and quality of adaptive sport activities disabled Veterans and members of the Armed Forces have to participate in physical activity within their home communities, as well as more advanced Paralympic and adaptive sport programs at the regional and national levels. Learn more»
Training Allowance
Interested in becoming a Paralympic athlete?
The VA National Veterans Sports Programs & Special Events Office provides a monthly assistance allowance for disabled Veterans as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 322(d) and Section 703 of the Veterans’ Benefits Improvement Act of 2008 for qualifying athletes training in Paralympic sports.
Through the program, VA will pay a monthly allowance to a Veteran with either a service-connected or non-service-connected disability if the Veteran meets the minimum military standards or higher (e.g., Emerging, Talent Pool, National Team) in his or her respective sport at a recognized competition. Besides making the military standard, an athlete must also be nationally or internationally classified by his or her respective sport federation as eligible for Paralympic competition within six or 12 months of a qualifying performance.
Athletes must also have established training and competition plans and are responsible for turning in monthly and quarterly reports in order to continue receiving the monthly assistance allowance. The allowance rate for an athlete approved for monetary assistance is the same as the 38 U.S.C. Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (VR&E) rate, which in FY 2013 ranged from $585.11 up to $1,104.64 per month, depending on the number of dependents.
Download the VA Training Allowance Standards
Download the VA Training Allowance Briefing
To learn more about the specific sport standards or the monthly assistance allowance, email them at vacoadaptiveSP@va.gov.
Veterans Inc Wish List
