Collier County

Veterans Council

Chief William Carl (President)

239.370.5428 

WCARL1722@aol.com

SSG Wilfredo Vasquez 

(Vice President)

blkhawk611@hotmail.com

SSG Brian Sorrels

(Asset Control NCO)

239.821.0647

sgtsorrels3@yahoo.com

SGT Frank Kerr (Communications NCO)

239.877.2926

fkerr7079@gmail.com

Cpl Ted Moore (Treasurer)

239.848.8508

ted.moore@collier-county-veterans-council.org

SrA Sarah Cox (Secretary)

239.478.7441

slcox7@gmail.com

Pastor Hayes

shayes@fbcn.org

Website Email:

 CCVCVets@gmail.com

Membership

Please complete the online application form.   "Voting Memberships" are open to groups consisting entirely of veterans such as VFW, American Legion, MOAA, and the ROA. If you do not fit in this category, please check the "Associate Member" box. 

Then, mail your annual membership dues to our mailing address:

Collier County Veterans Council

527 107th Ave N

Naples, FL 34108

You will be contacted once your application has been registered.  If you would like to introduce yourself to the Council, please contact us to have your name place on the upcoming meeting agenda. If you have immediate business for our attention, we will add it to the agenda as well.    

Veteran Suicide Prevention

If you, or a veteran you know, may be thinking of contemplating suicide please call The Veterans Crisis Hotline at:

1-800-273-8255 and Press 1

or go to their website at:

Veteranscrisisline.net

Helpful Suicide education is also provided here.

“Suicide doesn’t stop the pain.  It just transfers it to someone else!”

-Unknown

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The Veterans Council of Collier County is the umbrella organization of the 13 veterans groups that exist in Collier County, Florida.
 

The Veterans Council is comprised of representatives from each group and meets the 3rd Wednesday of each month.

We bring all groups together for networking and fellowship in an otherwise fragmented community.  We each have our allegiances, but are fighting the same battle.  United we stand.

Meetings are open to all veterans.

For additional information call 239.848.8508

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April 12th, 2017

Members of the Collier County Veterans Council,

This is the third quarter newsletter and like all our previous ones, I am very proud to be part of this great experience with you. I wish all of you and your families the very best that life has to offer. “Thank You”, to every volunteer who helped in this year’s Memorial Day Ceremony.  It was a very considerable success. Our ceremony was noticed in Washington D.C.  Your hard work is deeply appreciated from the Gold Star families around the nation for paying respects to our fallen heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice. If you would like a copy video of the 2017 or 2016 Memorial Day ceremony you may contact Sarah Cox the council secretary on our ”About Us” web page. For a donation of $10.00 or more we will send you a copy. Every donation to the veterans council is deeply appreciated. Without the donations, we would not be able to have these respected events.

Last month I traveled to Boston.  While I was away, I assigned four of our board members with a mission. In this newsletter, I would like to give the highest appreciation in putting together a highly respected National Flag day ceremony on Jun 14^th at Fred W. Coyle’s Freedom Park Naples Florida. The board members are Frank Kerr, Brian Sorrels, Sarah Cox and Ted Moore. The ceremony went as planned and was quite the educational experience for all who attended. With that, I “thank you.”

This past January, a few of our members have asked me a question which seems to come up over and over again. Respectfully I will answer it again. “Do the board members get paid?” To clarify this question, they do not get paid and our organization operates on a strictly volunteer basis. Our board members step up on a daily basis to keep the CCVC running. They do so only for the benefit of the greater veteran community. The secretary receives a small stipend for recording and transcribing our meeting minutes. The council survives on the few donations we receive from outside clubs and individuals as well as member dues. These funds are used for supplies and equipment for our events and ceremonies. Without the generosity of the Veterans Service Office, Moose Lodges, Shula’s Steak House, Hilton and the Daughter of the American Revolution, we would have very few resources. I want to thank each of our supporters for all they do to keep the council working.

Another question at the beginning of the year was “Why doesn’t the website have a donation button?”  This allows expedited contributions. Another question asked, “Is the Council a 501(c)(3) which makes my donation a tax deduction?” We are working on these questions presently. We have been working diligently to get the 501 (c)(3) completed, and we are very close to getting this done. I will update you as soon as possible.

The Veterans Council has a lot to offer our civilian and veteran communities. We are the biggest communications hub in the South West Florida region. Our monthly meeting has grown in size and we always provide new and updated knowledge to educate the veteran community.

I want to take a moment to bring up a topic that is sensitive but serious.  Post traumatic stress disorder is an epidemic that is sweeping our country.  PTSD does not discriminate.  It is an issue for active duty, veterans, reservists, AND family members.  CCVC wants to bring this issue to light.  We want to help end the stigma surrounding PTSD and provide resources for the men and women suffering from this invisible wound.  By addressing the whole family unit, we can help end the war that people face on a daily basis.  There are many organizations locally that are also working very hard to make life worth living.  If anyone has thoughts of suicide, or has a family member in crisis, please call the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1.  You can also text 838255 or go on the website at www.veteranscrisisline.net to chat.  We need to be there for one another, and we vow to never leave anyone behind.

With warm regards,

William Carl, CCVC President

239-370-5428

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The next meeting is October 18th 2017.  This meeting will be held at our normal location at City Hall in Naples at 7pm.

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The Power of Attitude:

"Our lives are not determined by what happens to us, but by how we react to what happens; not by what life brings to us, but by the attitude we bring to life.  A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events, and outcomes.  It is a catalyst...a spark that creates extraordinary results."