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Greetings!
We'd like to thank all our supporters, donors, and fans for the overwhelming turnout we had at our fundraising event two weeks ago at Joe's Bar in Chicago. We have photos and more........but first, the thanks to all of YOU! Kimo Williams Executive Director |
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Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band Benefit for USVAP
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| We all had a blast with supporters. friends and fans, while also taking care of a few very important details, such as presenting "Artist Tools" to the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center here in Chicago. Mark Bowen, who heads up a bustling in-and-outpatient Rehabilitation Department there, was on hand to accept art supplies for the Art Therapy department.
A portion of those supplies was donated by "Artist and Craftsman" store on South Wabash here in Chicago (look for them nationwide at http://www.artistcraftsman.com).
Also, a wounded Iraq War veteran named Joel Klobnik, who traveled from Florida with his wife/partner Dannielle, received a Cannon Rebel camera that he will use to re-construct his photography pursuits that were interrupted after being injured in Iraq.
You can read more about Joel at usvap.org/joel.html. All who attended the event could attest to the fact that his prosthetic leg (emblazoned with Red, White and Blue) will not be slowing him down in any of his goals, artistic or professional.
Thanks to our generous turnout, we had a very successful "silent auction", with photography by Kimo Williams that included works from the bands' USO tours in Alaska, Germany, and a recent return to Vietnam to perform at the Hue Festival. (You can see Kimo's photography at http://www.kimopics.citymax.com/index.html.) Carol's bead creations were a huge hit, and American Airlines pitched in with a pair of round-trip tickets that were also part of the auction. AA also provided airfare for Joel, Dannie, and Mike Meyer, who represented the Coalition to Support Americas' Heroes.  Also, special thanks for support from the Gary Sinise Foundation
Our newest sponsor, Midas International, filled out the rest of an enthusiastic crowd. http://www.midas.com
As always, 100% of all the proceeds go toward our "Artistic Tools" program. We still have two full-size posters of the Lt Dan Band, signed by each member of the band, available on our "MissionFish" non-profit auction site (click here). The rest of them went like "hotcakes". We're extending a special thanks to Glenda Cain from Operation Homefront MO (link to OHF): as always, an inspired, energetic and invaluable friend.
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TEXAS TOOLS TOUR
 Carol and Kimo traveled to Texas to perform and present Artistic Tools to the Ft. Worth Outpatient Clinic (the largest in the country), the Dallas VA Medical Center, and also the Sam Rayburn Memorial Veterans Medical Center in Bonham, Texas. 
The Recreation Therapy departments of both the Dallas-area VAs requested art supplies for their Art Therapy department, and we were able to visit with them and see their work. We made a further donation to their department so they could exhibit at a nearby art festival the following month. According to Donna Gerron, the recreation therapist, they not only sold their art work, but also spent the day talking to the public about their art work and their military experiences. We plan to support this event next year and hope to make it an annual contribution.
 
The Sam Rayburn facility in Bonham has an incredible vintage auditorium where we presented a concert and also a keyboard to their department.  A surprise supporter at the event was Burton Gilliam, who starred in "Blazing Saddles". Julie Hanley, an organizer for SnowBall Express, was instrumental in co-ordinating these events, and we want to acknowldege her contributions and dedication to veterans' issues.
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Minnesota or Bust!
We will be rolling up to five different veterans facilities in the Minneapolis area late in June, bringing musical instruments to centers in Wisconsin and the Minneapolis areas.
On June 25th we'll be at the Tomah, Wisconsin, VA near Ft. McCoy, continue on to St. Cloud, MN VA, and then go to the Minneapolis area federal and state veterans centers,and then to Hastings, MN VA.
 Thanks to Cort Guitar, we will be presenting acoustic guitars to four of these centers. The other center will receive a Yamaha piano.
We have been lucky to have been invited to these facilities by the Recreation Therapist from St. Cloud, MN, Elizabeth Mackey, who is in charge of the VAs' annual Creative Arts Festival, which they sponsor (along with several other organizations) each year. If you're interested in knowing what they do, visit them at Click Here.
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United States Veterans Arts Program (USVAP)
41 East 8th Street #2505
Chicago, Illinois 60605
312-3609117
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