Collier County Veterans Council
"Honoring All Who Served"
Newsletter Archive
Our effort to chronicle the state of affairs in the Council, State, and Nation, has resulted in the CCVC President launching the tradition of the monthly newsletter. It is a way to share the thoughts of the President, his temperament, and viewpoint on matters. It is an ancient tradition to share open letters from a leader to his "family". It articulates our cultural traits and missions.
January 2017 Newsletter from President Chief Petty Officer William Carl
To All our Members of the Collier County Veterans Council,
This is the first of many newsletters that I will publish on our website. I would like to wish you and your family a prosperous, healthy, and happy new year. “Thank You”, to every volunteer who helped make this year such a success. Your work is deeply appreciated. I am proud to be in such a respected position with a Board of highly honored people I call family and friends.
2017 has a lot to offer our veteran community. This Board will keep you posted in areas of health, family events, and discounts offered to veterans as soon as we are notified. This is one more way we support our community. We invite you to scroll through our website. Both Frank and Ted are updating and improving it for your convenience. Click through the tabs and buttons to see how Frank and Ted have proudly spent hours adding and enhancing content throughout.
I have received more than a few calls about not having a meeting in December and I did listen to points that were conveyed to me about our members who are seasonal and spend Dec – April here in sunny Naples that want to attend our meetings before they return to their residence in another state. My reason for this break was to give our members and volunteers time to spend with family and friends to regroup with new ideas and plans for the New Year.
A few of our members have asked me, “Do the Board members get paid?” and “If so, why then would you take a break for a month?” To clarify for those who do not know, this is an all volunteer organization. The Board members have stepped up to the plate to keep the CCVC running. They do so for the benefit of the greater veteran community. None of the position are paid. 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 Veteran's Services Office, Moose Lodges, or 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 I’ve been asked is “Why doesn’t the website have a donation button” in order to expedite contributions. It is followed by “Is the Council a 501(c)(3) which makes my donation a tax deduction?” We are working on these problems presently. We hope to have some answers in the next few weeks.
I am excited to announce that the Mayor of Naples, Bill Barnett, will attend our January 18th meeting. He would like to share in honoring our friend, Joan Colosimo, with a commission of the Kentucky Colonel. The commission of Kentucky Colonel is the highest title of honor bestowed by the Governor of Kentucky. It is recognition of an individual’s noteworthy accomplishments and outstanding service to our community, state and nation. The Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels is a voluntary philanthropic organization. I hope many of you will attend. Together, we can make 2017 a great year!
With warm regards,
William Carl, CCVC President
2019 Second Quarter Newsletter from Council President Chief Petty Officer William Carl
To all our friends and Members of the Collier County Veterans Council,
Welcome to our second quarter newsletter of 2019. As always, I would like to take a moment to wish you and your families the very best.
Habitat for Humanity of Collier County is presently building 44 homes to help well-qualified, low-income families who have lived or worked in Collier County for at least a year, have a minimum income of $24,000 a year, are U.S. Citizens or legal residents and are willing to partner with Habitat Collier for an interest- free, affordable home mortgage. Habitat Collier has asked us all for help to find veterans who may need an affordable home. I am requesting for you to please keep a close watch for a veteran who may be searching for an affordable home. Time and time again, we watch families lose their battle to get an affordable home and end up homeless. With the help of Habitat for Humanity and all of us diligently looking out for our fellow veterans, veteran families and veteran friends, we can help avoid that outcome. In fact, there are several local veterans who have been able to take advantage of this opportunity already.
Our Board of Directors is comprised of a diverse and skilled group of individuals who have a lot to offer both our civilian and veteran communities. They are working hard as a team to bring the local veteran community relevant news, events, information and support. Please make it your personal promise to attend some of our monthly Veteran’s Council meetings at City Hall. The meetings are always scheduled for the third Wednesday a month at 7 pm. Our meetings truly are rich with information to share with the veteran community.
The CCVC is known across Collier County’s veteran and civilian circles alike for putting forth the utmost respect and pride when orchestrating veteran holiday events such as Memorial Day Ceremony, National Flag Day ceremony, 4th of July Parade and Veterans Day Ceremony. As the president of the Council, I do listen to your critiques whether positive or negative. I especially appreciate when folks need to share a negative critique, that they also offer a suggestion and recommendation for remedying the issue at hand.
On that note, during the months of April, May, and October the CCVC board members will be planning upcoming veteran events during the monthly meetings. While we have had countless positive emails and comments concerning our veteran events in 2018, there have been some concerns shared about how we might improve the ceremonies going forward. If you would like to contribute to the planning process with any concerns, comments, suggestions or even if you would like to contribute in some way, please consider attending the CCVC meetings to respectfully share your information with the Board of Directors for their consideration. These events are great opportunities for veteran outreach as well as an important way to partner with the local community to foster relationships, build support and to foster patriotism in the younger generations, especially young children because they are the future of our beautiful country.
Now, let’s discuss some very sensitive, very serious and incredibly prevalent issues among today’s veterans. If you know someone who suffers from PTSD, suicidal thoughts/tendencies, or who is currently experiencing or is at risk for becoming homeless, I can guarantee that we will give you the information and the tools to find the proper direction for them to get the help they need. Please don’t pass by a person who needs help thinking “Why should I get involved?” instead, please ask yourself; “What’s stopping me from helping?” I know from experience that the pride of a veteran, or even a civilian in need, can make it extremely hard to ask for help. I do not want any person to be afraid to reach out for help. So, let’s please keep an eye out for those in need. We might just make all the difference in the world to someone.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an epidemic that is sweeping our country. PTSD does not discriminate. It is an issue for active duty, veterans, reservists and family members. 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.
As we now have started 2019, I am looking forward to what it will bring the veteran community.
With warm regards,
William Carl, CCVC President
2019 Third Quarter Newsletter from Council President Chief Petty Officer William Carl
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