Read the January 2022 Newsletter from the Delaware Valley Veterans Consortium to stay informed about events and issues happening in the area.
Join the January 21, 2022 quarterly meeting and read other news in the newsletter from the Delaware Valley Veterans Consortium to stay informed. Find out what’s happening in the area in the month of January and read other “News You Can Use” and updates from the Executive Committee.
Attend the DVVC Winter Quarterly Meeting on Zoom
The DVVC Winter 2022 Quarterly Meeting will be conducted on Zoom on Friday, January 21, from 8:45 to 10:30 a.m.
Hear the report on progress since last January regarding the strategic plan, then move to Breakout Rooms for committee discussions.
Committee work is the core of DVVC. Please come and participate in the committee of your choice: Marketing, Membership, or Programming. Each committee will give a short introduction to help you choose which committee to join.
Come help plan 2022! RSVP here.
Check Your Organization’s Info on the DVVC Website
The DVVC Website Committee needs your help. We have been working on the Directory search function, and need Member and Supporter Organization representatives to do some testing.
Visit dvvc.org and select Directory / Search for Services. Check to be sure your organization is listed on the page and check the hyperlink to be sure it’s going to the correct website or Facebook group. Then do a search or two to ensure that your organization comes up in the correct categories. Let us know of any issues (dvvcinfo@gmail.com).
Note: the Member Portal is still in progress; we will send instructions once it’s ready.
The Website Committee is seeking members! If this is an interest area of yours, either as a builder or as a user/tester, please consider joining the group at the Winter Quarterly meeting.
NEWS FROM OUR MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS
Take Flight with Team RWB
This January, Team RWB is inviting Veterans to soar into 2022 with Eagle Nation. Set aside time during these 31 days to work toward individual goals and “Take Flight!”
Fitness plans, special guest inspiration, and more are available through the Team RWB App. New this year: a Nutrition track with great recipes, tips and more by Purdue University Global. This is a virtual event. Visit the webiste to register and select a track (or mulitple tracks), then go to the Team RWB app to join the activity group(s) and download the training plan(s).
Registered participants who stick to their goal every single day in January and check-in through the Team RWB App will be eligible to redeem a free Take Flight patch (shipping included).
Career Support Available from Great Careers Groups
Join in on the adult career online education topics and networking available in January 2022 from the Great Careers Groups community.
Check out the website at greatcareersphl.org to get all the details. Go to the EVENTS page to register for events and the CONTACT US page to connect on social media, join the MeetUp group, and subscribe to the weekly newsletter. And read the blog post about their new logo and rebranding effort!
Subject matter expert speaker topics this month include:
- Beating the Applicant Tracking System
- Career Portfolio and Vision Board for 2022
- Cover Letters
- Job Search Strategies & Resumé Best Practices
- Interviewing Techniques
- LGBTQ+ Career Support
- LinkedIn Strategies
- Networking & Net-giving
- Nonprofit Business of Giving Away Money & annual conference
- Revenue Growth for Entrepreneurs and Fast Path to Revenue
- Transferable Skills and Transition Planning
- Video Career Profile and Video Marketing
Reminder: Any meeting with a $5 fee is free for unemployed veterans by arranging in advance that you want to attend – director@greatcareersphl.org.
Chapel of Four Chaplains Annual Banquet Starts 80th Anniversary Count-Down
The Four Chaplains Memorial Foundation is planning their 54th Annual Four Chaplains Banquet, slated for Thursday, February 3, 2022, at the IATSE Ballroom, 2401 S. Swanson St., Philadelphia, from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
This event will start the one-year count-down to the 80th Anniversary of the Four Chaplains story, recognizing the Four Chaplains who “lived their call” on February 3, 1943, when they helped save 230 passengers on the sinking U.S.A.T. Dorchester. All banquet ticket-holders and sponsors will be invited to preregister for the 80th Anniversary event.
NOTE: The staff is monitoring COVID-19 protocols for the City of Philadelphia. All purchases are final, and no refunds will be given in the event of a delay or cancellation. However, all purchases will be honored for a future event. Current contingency plans include:
- All individual ticket holders and table sponsors will receive free tickets to the Armed Forces Day dinner and the 2022 Holiday Concert at the Chapel.
- All ads will appear not only in the banquet book but also in the Armed Forces Day and Fall Open House programs; three times the exposure for the same price.
Register for the 54th Annual Four Chaplains Banquet on the website or Facebook page, or by contacting Michelle at 215-218-1943 or michelle@fourchaplains.org.
VA UPDATE
Veterans & Gold Star Families Get Free Entrance to National Parks & More
The Interagency Annual Military Pass was expanded in 2020 from covering current military servicemembers to include Veterans and Gold Star Families. This benefit provides free access to approximately 2,000 public locations spread out across more than 400 million acres of public lands, which host activities to fit any lifestyle, from serene to high octane, including hiking, fishing, paddling, biking, hunting, stargazing, camping, and much more.
The program waives entrance fees for the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and standard amenity recreation fees for the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sites. The entrance fee waiver does not cover expanded amenity or user fees for activities such as camping, transportation, special recreation permits, reservation fees or special tours.
For purposes of this program, a Veteran is identified as an individual who has served in the U.S. Armed Forces, including the National Guard and Reserves, and is able to present an Interagency Military Pass or a DoD ID card, a Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC), a Veteran ID Card, or a Veterans designation on a state-issued U.S. driver’s license or identification card.
Free access is for the Veteran as well as travelling companions who are occupants of a single, private non-commercial vehicle OR the Veteran and three persons (16 and older) where per person fees are charged. The voucher is non-transferrable and void if altered.
Interagency Passes can be obtained in person while visiting a participating site. Veterans can also obtain an annual Military Pass online with a $10 online processing fee.
Learn more at on the National Park Service website.
This newsletter serves DVVC member organizations by providing information to share with Veterans they serve.
Member organizations can also use our LinkedIn group, www.linkedin.com/groups/12177627/ and Facebook page, www.facebook.com/dvvcorg to get the word out!
Let us know how we can help!
NEWS FROM THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Hello Friends,
I sincerely hope you have been enjoying the holiday season. As we prepare to open our new calendars and step into 2022, your Executive Committee thanks you for your contributions to the outstanding Veteran ecosystem in the Philadelphia region. We wish you peace, health, and prosperity in the coming year.
Since the arrival of a new year often signals fresh beginnings, I would encourage you to embrace the opportunities available in our Veteran community, and to share your organization’s plans for getting a bright start in 2022. As shared elsewhere in this newsletter, there are comprehensive activities to support achieving personal goals available from member organization Team RWB, and outstanding programs and networking for professional development offered by member organization Great Careers Groups. We look forward to sharing more news about events and opportunities throughout the year.
Note that these events, like many others being planned for early 2022, can happen regardless of any updated pandemic mitigation measures which might occur in our area. We encourage all DVVC member organizations and supporters to plan for a successful launch to your new year’s programming with an open mind; we’re all a lot more flexible now than we were at the outset of the pandemic! Here at Saint Joseph’s University, we’re planning our Veteran entrepreneurship program for either a physical or virtual delivery in the spring – the focus is on making it happen!
DVVC is proceeding with our annual planning program and January quarterly meeting in a virtual format. Each of our committees will review their objectives for the year and set about to achieve them. Your input during these discussions would be impactful and valuable. Please make plans to attend from the comfort of your home or office and help us shape the coming year at DVVC!
I’m looking forward to a year of opportunity and surprises – how about you?
With appreciation for your service,
Hank Gillen
Member at Large, Executive Committee
Director, Office of Veterans Services
Saint Joseph’s University
Do you have news to share or upcoming events? Send an email to the editor, mo_gillen@yahoo.com by the 25th of the month. Send DVVC questions to dvvcinfo@gmail.com.