Sandhills MOAA

Greetings once again! As we enter our summer season it’s time for an update on recent happenings in our Chapter and plans for the coming months.

Let me start by thanking our Chapter Board Members for their continued work and support. These past few months we’ve continued to make progress in updating our Chapter website (www.sandhillsmoaa.org) thanks in large measure to Iggi Husar and Mike Oriet. The website has a new and more friendly look and much more usable information, including recent legislative information. I encourage all members to take a look.

We’ve continued to emphasize our outreach efforts to solicit new members and identify opportunities to help veterans via our Veterans Support Fund (VSF). To that end we continue to support Habitat for Humanity’s “Aging in Place” program and earlier this month your chapter board approved requests to repair and modification projects. The two projects designed provide needed access capabilities and repairs for the homes of two veterans in Moore County. The VSF has also supported several veterans attending Sandhills Community College. Thanks go to Nick Christopher who continues to serve as our liaison with the school.

Of course, last month saw our annual JROTC Scholarship Awards dinner, a highlight of our community support every year. This year we awarded eight (8) scholarships of $1,500 each to deserving cadets from the eight high schools in our area that have JROTC programs. The dinner was highlighted in the Pilot thanks to Iggi Husar. Please see the website for highlights of the event.

Veterans Day is just around the corner and again your chapter will be hosting a special service at the Pinehurst Village Chapel beginning at 1100 on Monday, May 27th. COL Don Goss has once again orchestrated a nice program and we hope you and your friends will join us. Please refer to the chapter website, www.sandhillsmoaa.org for additional information regarding this annual event.

Our final Spring members luncheon is scheduled for 1130, 20 June at Pinecrest Inn in the Village of Pinehurst. The cost of the luncheon is $27 per member/guest. Please register in advance by contacting either Ramsey Blanks, ramseyblanks65@gmail.com or me, whavensteinsr@gmail.com. Payment can be made in cash at the door or by sending a check to Sandhills MOAA, PO Box 4205, Pinehurst, NC 28374. Please refer to our chapter website, sandhillsmoaa.org, for menu options and additional details regarding this event.

The Fall activities will include several outreach events as well as the 3rd Annual Ralph Jacobson Memorial Putting Challenge on November 7th. We will be soliciting volunteers, sponsors and participants beginning next month. We will also be hosting our annual Veterans Day event in November. We will also be reaching out for board candidates this summer. So, if you have an interest in serving on the Board please let me or any member of the board know. Thanks,

Walt Havenstein, Chapter President

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Items of Interest:

 General Membership: 89, with 5 Active Duty and 9 Surviving Spouse

Calendar of Events:

 20 June Member Luncheon, Pinecrest Inn

 12 September Member Luncheon, location Pinecrest

 19 Holly Arts Festival Membership Drive, Pinehurst

 25-26 October Festival D’Avion, Moore County Airport

 7 November- 3rd Annual Ralph Jacobson Memorial Putting Challenge, Pinehurst Country Club

 11 November- Veterans Day Ceremony, location TBD

 19 November- Annual Meeting /Luncheon, Pinecrest Inn

 10 December- Holiday Luncheon, location Pinecrest Inn

 14 December-Wreaths Across America

Officers for 2024:

 President: Walt Havenstein

 1st Vice President: Ramsey Blanks

 2nd Vice President: Don Goss

 Secretary: Vacant, Walt Havenstein, Acting

 Treasurer: Bill Taylor