Hello Everyone and a Happy Veterans Day to all!  I hope that you will remember to greet a veteran or service member this Veterans Day.  We had a great time in Denver and performed to an extraordinarily enthusiastic audience.  Thank you all who participated!  We hope to have a DVD pressed in the near future.

2009 MEMBERSHIP DUES.  During our Town Hall Meeting in Denver , some members raised the issue of our membership dues.  These have remained flat and fixed at $75 annually for quite a number of years.  This, whereas most organizations raised their dues, sometimes two or three times over.  A modest increase of $25 per year was proposed, in order to help with the constant escalation in costs.  Also, there was an urgent call by Bob Wisleder, our Treasurer, to increase our personal contributions to the Group.  This year has been financially difficult.  What has really helped us is that all our workers are 100% volunteers – a proud testimony to the commitment and loyalty that our group rouses.

At the Town Hall Meeting, there was a consensus that this increase of $25 per year is a minimal burden and would cause no hardship to almost anyone.  And yet, its cumulative effect would be beneficial to our budget.    

Accordingly, I have proposed to our Board and they have approved that our dues would be increased by $25, to $100 per year starting January 2009.  Registrations are good for one calendar year, and you must be duly registered in order to qualify for the concerts, hotels, trips, etc.   However, it was determined that we would offer a grace period between now and December 31, 2008.  In this period, 2009 dues would still be accepted at the $75 level.  Accordingly, if you pay your 2009 Registration Fee before December 31, 2008, it will remain at $75.

END OF YEAR CONTRIBUTIONS.  As mentioned, if you are able to make a financial contribution, we’d all appreciate that very much.  Now is the time of year when many of us like to make end-of-the year donations to VA-NMMG, which are tax deductible for 2008 taxes.  Donation levels are Benefactor: $1,000 and over, Super Hero: $500 - $999, Champion: $250 - $499, Donor: $150 - $249, Patron:  $75 - $149, Sponsor: under $75.  Try to be as generous as you can – there is a real need this year!  See our Contribution Honor Roll on www.medicalmusical.org, click on “Honor Roll”.

To donate on line, please go to www.medicalmusical.org, click on "Donate".  This will get you to a secure site where you can make your contribution by credit card.  If you wish to send a check, please make it payable to VA-NMMG and mail it to VA-NMMG, Attn: Robert Wisleder, 197 Juniper Lane , Hanover , MA   02339-1247.  Thank you all for considering this opportunity for giving!

Incidentally, if you wish to receive our 2008 financial statement, please send a message to our Treasurer, Bob Wisleder (rwisleder42@comcast.net), or simply to our Financial Committee at vanmmg@hotmail.com.  It will be available early in the year.  Also, if you have friends or family who are interested in making an end-of-the-year contribution to a worthy cause, please enlist them as supporters of VA-NMMG!

PBS BROADCASTS.  Here again are upcoming broadcasts on PBS stations of “Once to Every Man and Nation.”  Incidentally, the broadcast was edited down to 30 minutes, and follows the PBS format.  If you have friends in the broadcast markets below, feel free to advise them of airdates (if they have not already happened).  Here they are in alphabetical order by state.

 

1.       WEIU, Charleston , IL (www.weiu.net) – Tuesday, November 11 at 10 pm .

2.       Smoky Hills Public Television, Bunker Hill , KS (www.pbs.org/shptv/) – was aired last Wednesday, November 5, 2008, 9:30 pm .

3.       Ozarks Public Television, Springfield , MO (www.optv.org) – Sunday, November 9 at 2:30 pm .

4.       WCNY, Syracuse , NY (www.wcny.org) – Sunday, November 9 at 2:00 pm .

5.       WKNO, Memphis, TN (www.wkno.org) – Tuesday, November 11 at 9:30 pm .

In addition to the above, you may recall that KWHD in Denver aired that concert several times in the past two weeks.

DVDS.  Two of our concert DVDs have been released and are available for purchase.

1.       “Once to Every Man and Nation”:  Is our 2007 Veterans Day Concert featuring Art Linkletter and Miss America Rebecca Dreman.  The DVD carries separate chapters for the concert’s first half, the Intermission and the second half.  As I mentioned, the second half of the concert is abbreviated and edited into PBS format.

 

2.       “Thus Spake America ”: Is our 2007 Patriot Day (9/11) Memorial Concert featuring Bill Kurtis, Larnelle Harris, Adrian Cronauer, Miss America Heather French Henry and the late Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones.  Incidentally, we are dedicating that DVD to the memory of our dear Congresswoman friend. 

Each of these DVDs sells for $10.00, plus $5.00 shipping for up to 3 DVDs.  The DVDs would conjure up beautiful memories of our concerts for those who participated.  They’d also offer those of you who did not attend an opportunity to live these wonderful experiences with us.  Furthermore, these DVDs make ideal and incredibly affordable Holiday gifts to family and friends. And, if one of your friends or family members is serving in the military, these DVDs would be great morale boosters for them.  Of course, they are the perfect gift to the veterans in your workplace, family, church, synagogue, or neighborhood.  I am attaching an Order Form that you can send with your check payable to VA-NMMG to VA-NMMG, Attn: Robert Wisleder, 197 Juniper Lane , Hanover , MA   02339-1247.  You can also order on our website (www.medicalmusical.org, click on “Order DVDs”).

ONTARIO, CA, “WELCOME HOME” CELEBRATION. As I send this on, I am on my way to Ontario , California .  That town is holding tomorrow a large Veterans Day Concert entitled “Welcome Home”.  They have a 400-voice chorale and a large big band playing our Veterans Hymn “Welcome Home” as their theme, and have invited me to say a word at the celebration.  I am very honored to do so in your name.

A reminder to take advantage of the grace period in sending your 2009 registration – and also, if you can, donation. 

With best regards to all. 

Victor