Announcing the Beaver Island Veterans Project

[I'm Just The Messenger]

Announcing the Beaver Island Veterans Project:

The Beaver Island Veterans Project was founded in 2015 to establish and maintain connections between the Beaver Island and veterans communities in service to veterans needs. BIVP is associated with the Beaver Island Friends of Veterans, an auxiliary organization of local AMVETS Post #46.

Among the programs BIVP hopes to offer are sponsored island retreats for visiting veterans, public talks by local, state, and national figures in the veterans community, community gatherings of local veterans, and more. This BIVP Facebook page ( www.facebook.com/beaverislandveteransproject?fref=ts ) will serve as the go-to source for news, information, and updates on BIVP activities and events, and other topics related to its mission. For further information or to become involved with BIVP, contact:

Dick McEvoy
734-777-7391
mcevoy0403@aol.com

Jean Kinsley
231 448-2856
jlkinsley@yahoo.com

Donation checks to support BIVP programs can be made out to Beaver Island Friends of Veterans (with BIVP written into the memo space) and mailed to Jean Kinsley at PO Box 360, Beaver Island, MI, 49782. Additional donation options including digital payment will be made available on the BIVP Facebook Page and the sites of partnering organizations.

Please visit the BIVP Facebook page for ongoing updates from BIVP, and consider supporting our efforts as a volunteer and/or donor. We look forward to serving local veterans needs and fostering connections between them and the wider veteran community.

[John Bolton]

Recently folks have received a solicitation from the Beaver Island Area Wounded Warrior Project fund drive.
Though this may be a fine organization with best of intentions, everyone on Beaver Island should be aware that this organization IS NOT affiliated with our own local efforts:
The Beaver Island Veterans Project.
Local efforts by the BIVP are being spearheaded by Jean Kinsley and Dickie McEvoy.
This effort is currently engaged in bringing a disabled veteran of the Viet Nam war era to Beaver Island for what is being termed, " Rest and Relaxation."
This years candidate is Wes Spykes and his wife, Lillian
Though Wes is 100% disabled from his service to his country, he and his wife, Lil, work with the Muskegon County Veterans Court where Wes is serving as Chaplin and Lil is heading a support group for veteran's wives.
This local effort is being funded entirely by Beaver Islanders.
There will be a Pasta Dinner fundraiser at Peane Twp. Hall on November 28th from 5-7pm
If you would like to help out with donations or with the dinner, please contact Jean at 448-2856 or Dickie at 448-2799

[AEW]

Wonderful program and as a Man who served over 12 years active duty I want to thank those who started this. My donation will be on the way!

I am also glad to see the BIRHC trying to work with the VA to bring services to Island Vets.

I am a member of several VSOs (Veteran Service Organizations) in the Special Ops Community. I do want to advise people to please do a little research on what VSOs you are considering donating too. The vast majority of them do great work but sadly there are a few that are pretty much scams or so poorly managed that they are ineffective.

Here are some informational links

http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.c ... mit=Submit

http://themilitarywallet.com/military-v ... ity-scams/

http://www.military.com/daily-news/2013 ... s-end.html