Vet Fest

There will be raffles and prizes and a whole lot more!

Liz and I have raffle tickets for the Wiis $5 per ticket no need to be present to win. The money will be split 50/50 between VET Haven and Soldiers' Angels. If anyone is interested in purchasing a ticket they can contact either Julie Finn ctlmi05@gmail.com or Liz Gugyela <vactlmi02@gmail.com>. We also need angels to help with the booth. ThanksJulieMI CTL

Sorry It Has Been So Long!!

We had an Michigan Angel get together on March 14th and it was a lot of fun!! I want to thank everyone who came out and also Gary for making time for us.







Pictured here: Sharon, Gary and Me








Pictured here: Liz, Jennifer, and Jennifer's son

















Pictured here: Roberts, Liz, and Jennifer










Pictured Here: This is the unofficial Michigan Angel Support Staff: Sharon's husband Bob and Doug











So, as you can see, we all had fun!!!! Hope that next time more angels can come out and meet us!!!! The next get together is in the fall. I am starting to think about where to hold it, so if anyone has any ideas, please let me know!!!!!

Blue Star

Hi angels!! Well, we need some help at the Blue Star holiday party. Julie is looking for some angels to help out with children's crafts, setting up and tearing down, and serving food. If this interests you please contact Julie at ctlmi05@gmail.com. Also, please invite any deployed soldier's family members to come and participate with us! The more the merrier!!! Thanks!!

Christmas Party.....

Christmas Party and Dinner Who: For families, spouses, significant others of deployed soldiers. Date: Dec 13, 2008 Where: The Charlotte VFW 695 Lansing Rd Charlotte, MI 48813 517-543-1719 Time: Activities start at 2:00 Christmas Dinner at 4:00; Dinner: Turkey, stuffing, potatoes, salads, vegetables, rolls, desert and beverage Attire: Semi-Casual, holiday Santa will be in attendance!! RSVP by Dec 1, 2008. Need age and sex of children attending so that we can have a gift for them.

Angel Get Together

We will be having an angel get together on October 11th at 12:30pm at American Pie. It is located at 11557 12 Mile Rd.
Warren, MI. 48093
(586)578-0156

I look forward to meeting all local angels there. The cost is $7.55 per person for all you can eat pizza, pasta, salad, dessert, and drink....
See ya there!!!

Some Information for Vets.....

I received this information from Jesse Herman at the Mesothelioma Cancer Center. He has asked me to post this for you...


Obtaining maximum benefits from the often confusing VA Claims process can prove difficult. The number of disabilities that veterans obtain while on duty vary greatly, thus slowing the entire process even further.

Here are a few organizations that may be able to help you:

The Mesothelioma Cancer Center has teamed up Carl Jewett, 24 year Navy Veteran, to offer free counseling for anyone who thinks they were exposed to asbestos and may have lung ailments. Asbestos of course becomes an issue around old buildings that have been knocked down or equipment that may be contaminated and exposure leads to mesothelioma, a deadly cancer.

Carl Jewett is connected to the Veterans Assistance Network, which is a free, no obligation service that offers help with VA Benefits. The group is comprised of veterans who have graciously donated their time in effort to even the playing field between the injured veteran and the powerful and often confusing VA benefits system (as they describe themselves). Obtaining the correct VA Hospital benefits is the biggest benefit veterans somehow don't invest enough time into.

Another valuable partnership is through Veterans Advantage and Give an Hour. Veterans Advantage of course offers veterans special deals on a broad spectrum of products and services. Give an Hour is a volunteer based system where veterans can obtain mental help for tough issues such as PTSD and a number of other disorders that may disrupt family life. Their first target population is the U.S. Troops and families who are being affected by the current military conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. They are literally asking mental health professionals nationwide to "give an hour" of their time to help military personnel and their families.

All of these services deal with helping veterans to know their rights, options and best course of action. All of the partnerships have the veterans in mind and do everything within their power to improve tomorrow. In addition, they all offer additional information on their websites and helpful guides or brochures.

Wow, So Long....

Okay It has been a long time since I updated this! Sorry about that I have been so busy!! I am now the Michigan State Coordinator, so if you have any questions, please feel free to ask them!

Events coming up:

August 31, 2008, which is a Sunday at the Michigan State Fair we will be there with a booth to meet and greet past, present, and future military heroes! We will be there from 10 am - 6 pm, so come by and say Hi!! We would love to see you....

I will try and keep this updated as best as I can from now on...

Updates on Past Events:

On August 2nd, CTL Ric Kortman held the first annual Poker Run benefiting Soldiers' Angels out in Holland, MI and it was a rousing success, they raised over $2000 for SA!! Way to go Ric!! Next year looks to be bigger and better!!!

Well, that is all for now.... Ciao!!!
Tawnya