Senator Roland Burris to attend CVO Meeting

CVO Town Hall Meeting with Senator Roland Burris on April 18^th at 10 AM

MEDIA RELEASE

Chicago—The Coalition of Veterans Organizations (CVO) will host a Town Hall Meeting on Saturday, April 18^th from 10 AM until Noon at the Montford Point Marine Association located at 7011 S. Vincennes in Chicago. Senator Roland Burris will attend and numerous other elected and appointed officials have been invited. CVO will present its’ proposed Veteran’s Program and concerns to Senator Burris, a member of the Senate Veteran Affairs Committee. With the changing administration and the recent withdrawal of talk to make veterans pay for their healthcare; veterans are unsure of what to expect. “The talk now of providing more funding to increase the healthcare budget; is refreshing,” said Dr. Bruce Parry, a Vietnam veteran and Chairman of the Coalition of Veterans Organizations (CVO). “Senator Burris is new to veterans’ affairs issues and we believe he can represent his veteran constituency better if he knows the issues we are concerned about.” The presentations will be followed by a question and answer with the attended audience anticipated to be more than 100 veterans representing diverse veterans’ organizations.

WHO: Senator Roland Burris (confirmed), numerous invited elected officials, Military

veterans from various organizations; Montford Point Marine Association Chicago Chapter, American Legion, Veterans Strike Force, National Women Veterans United (NWVU), Triple Nickel Parachute Infantry Association, 24^th Infantry Regiment, Veterans of Foreign Wars IL District 2 and post 2024, VetNet, Veterans for Unification, Korean War Veterans of America, AMVETS Chicago Chapter, Filipino-American Veterans of Illinois, 173^rd Airborne Brigade Elite Forces Chapter VI, Country Club Hills Veterans Assistance Commission and other veterans groups.

WHAT: Veteran’s Town Hall Meeting with Sen. Roland Burris

WHEN: Saturday, April 18, 2009 10 AM to Noon

WHERE: Montford Point Marine Association

7011 S. Vincennes

Chicago, IL 60621

Welcome Home Celebration 2009

Jesse Brown VA Medical CenterCombat Case Management Team
Honoring the veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom

When: March 8, 2009

Where: University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Forum
725 West Roosevelt RoadChicago, Illinois 60607

Time: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

All OEF/OIF active duty, veterans, and family are invited for a day of free activities, including:
- Food, Entertainment, Massages and Children’s Games

- Door prizes and other giveaways including tickets donated by Chicago

- Job information and employers hoping to fill vacancies with OEF/OIF veterans

- Information on veterans benefits, health care, and community services to assistveterans in their transition to home and family.

Bring your DD2-14 and registerfor health benefits on-site.

Please call (312) 569-6150 by March 8, 2009, to let us knowhow many adults and children will attend. Download flyer here!

Place of Angels Presentation

MARCH 30, 2009 - Place of Angels Presentation
A Special Presentation to Benefit
The Midwest Shelter For Homeless Veterans
7 p.m., Monday, March 30, 2009
College of DuPage McAninch Arts Center

“… an honorable story, a tribute to vets
that’s simply but beautifully told.”
Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune
Download Flyer Here!

Veterans' Valentine's Day Dinner and Dance

When: February 14, 2009 6 - 10 PM

Where: Irving Park Baptist Church, 4401 W. Irving Park Rd.

Who: Valentine's Dinner prepared by Chef Charles 'Smudge' Coleman

What: Food, Entertainment, Dancing, Music, Raffles, and Prizes

Entertainment by Jessie Brown VA Chorus "Songs of Honor" directed by

Thadeus Holloway

How Much: All this for just $20 a ticket!!!

For more information contact:

Smudge Coleman at 773-562-6992 or

Bruce Parry at 773-395-3559

Download Flyer Here!

Upcoming Veterans Day Events for November 2008

November 6, 2008 - Mayor Richard M. Daley Veterans’ Day reception

November 6, 2008 - St. Paul's House Veterans Day Program

November 7, 2008 - The Leo HS event sponsored by Montford Point

November 8, 2008 - Veterans Story Day at the National Veterans Art Museum

November 11, 2008 - Mayor Richard M. Daley ceremony honoring Veterans

November 11, 2008 - VVAW ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial

November 11, 2008 - NEIU ceremony commemorating the Iraqi and Afghanistan service personnel

I think we should go to these events as individual members and organizations, but wearing our CVO shirts and hats or--at minimum--CVO buttons to represent the Coalition. I will be attending and representing CVO at the NEIU event.

Bruce Parry

CVO Chair

After the CVO Meeting / Veterans Helping Veterans CAN-TV Show Meet & Greet (& fundraiser)

Veterans Helping Veterans CAN-TV Show Meet & Greet
(& fundraiser)
After the meeting and Lioness screening, 7 - 10 p.m. UE Hall, 37 S. Ashland, Chicago IL (Click For Map)
$ 5 donation (no-one turned away)

Join hosts, producers, guests & friends to celebrate VHV entering its 3rd season and help keep this one of a kind show on the air!

Each unique episode is hosted by a Veteran and guest Veteran who field live call-in questions and discuss relevant news and events. Topics range from the practical to the political.

This show provides Veterans, family/friends of Veterans and local anti-war groups a perfect opportunity to get together on a regular basis and share information.

The show is on Thursdays 6:30 p.m. on Chicago Access Network Channel 21.Past episodes can be seen at veteranshelpingveterans.us

CVO Meeting at Cultural Center

October 18, 2008 - CVO Meeting at Chicago Cultural Center
It is important that all our members plan to attend the upcoming CVO meeting, to be followed by the screening of "Lioness." We are inviting the leadership of all our member organizations and we will be discussing building towards the trip to Washington DC in 2009. Let's make sure we have a good turnout.

The meeting will be on Saturday, October 18th at the Cultural Center on the corner of Washington St. and Michigan Ave (Click for map).

The meeting will be from 11 AM to 1 PM. Then we'll have a pizza lunch from 1 to 2 PM. At 2 PM will be the screening of "Lioness"--see the flyer. Lioness is a film about the first women ever to be sent into combat in some of the bloodiest battles in Iraq. This will help us all see what women in the military are facing today. The program will conclude by 4 PM.