The Ramp Volume 58, Issue 2

THE

RAMP ISSUE NO. 2 | DEC-FEB 2022 | VOLUME 58

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Contents ISSUE NO. 2 | DEC-FEB 2022 | VOLUME 58

JUSTICE FOR ALS ACT

CAPITOL HILL SUMMARY

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PRESIDENTS REPORT

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FEATURES 11 Justice for ALS Veterans Act

21 PVA Legislative Priorities

19 Caregivers Feeling Left Behind

30 Telephone Tips for Accessing Resources

National PVA Website The PVA and ALS Association call on Congress to quickly pass the Justice for ALS Veterans Act.

National PVA Website The VA needs to better support Home and Community-Based Services before more veterans & caregivers feel left behind.

National PVA All the 2023 Legislative Priorities were released by National PVA and are outlined.

VA: Department of Veteran Affairs The VA discusses telephone tips and techniques for Caregivers to utilize to access important resources.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE… 2 3 6 8 9 12

MS Walk: Annapolis Capitol Hill Visit Summary Members Page Upcoming Events Presidents Report Election Results.

14 Deputy Director Update 18 Keith Lewis Trap Shoot 25 NSO Update 26 Valor Games 28 Wreath’s Across America 29 Holiday Party

CAREGIVERS FEELING LEFT BEHIND

HOLIDAY PARTY

NSO UPDATE

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Newsletter Editors:

STAY INFORMED Email is the fastest way for the Colonial Chapter to communicate with our members.

RECEIVE: News – Event Calendars – Special Offers - More

UPDATE YOUR INFORMATION 302.861.6671 bhutton@colonialpva.org

Ann Adair National Director & Vice President Brian Hutton Deputy Director Jerrod Harris Colonial Member

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Members Page COLONIAL PVA OFFICERS PRESIDENT

MATTHEW PEELING mpeeling@colonialpva.org

VICE PRESIDENT ANN ADAIR anncadair@aol.com

SECRETARY

JERROD HARRIS jharris@colonialpva.org

TREASURER

JOHN PEPE dailydriver66@gmail.com

BOARD MEMBERS PATRICK BURNS Patb1511@verizon.net

CRYSTAL YOUNG-TERRELL cyterrell@comcast.net CHRISTOPHER BRYANT chrisdvbryant@gmail.com BETTY GEER bettyg127@gmail.com CARSON WIDDOES ccwiddoes@gmail.com

CHAPTER LIASION JOSUE CORDOVA NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT jcordova@pva.org

CHAPTER OFFICE

700 BARKSDALE ROAD, UNIT 2 NEWARK, DE 19711 (302)861-6671

OFFICE STAFF

JO ANN BEDSWORTH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR jbedsworth@colonialpva.org BRIAN HUTTON DEPUTY DIRECTOR bhutton@colonialpva.org

NATIONAL SERVICE OFFICES: WILMINGTON: 1-202-709-5551 BALTIMORE: 1-800-795-3606 PHILADELPHIA: 1-800-795-3628 D.C.: 1-800-424-8200

Phone Numbers Chapter Office

1-302-861-6671

Benefits Helpline

1-866-734-0857

Caregiver Support 1-855-260-3274

CDCE REPRESENTATIVES:

Healthcare Helpline 1-800-232-1782

WILMINGTON: CRYSTAL YOUNG-TERRELL

Job Assistance

1-202-416-7795

BALTIMORE: BOB REUTER/ ANN ADAIR

Legal Services

1-800-424-8200

PHILADELPHIA:

VA HOSPITALS: WILMINGTON: 1-302-994-2511 BALTIMORE: 1-410-605-7000 PHILADELPHIA: 1-215-823-5800 EAST ORANGE: 1-973-676-1000 RICHMOND: 1-804-675-5581

MEMBERSHIP: As of January 2023 SC LIFE: 161 NSC LIFE: 79 TOTAL VOTING MEMBERS: 240 AFFILIATE: 60 TOTAL MEMBERSHIP: 300

MEMBER REIMBURSEMENT FUND All chapter members will be entitled to

$100 per fiscal year to

use toward actives such as dining out with your spouse, going to the movies, attending events, hotel stays, vacation expenses, hobby supplies, etc. Receipts for such activities will need to be dated and mailed to the Colonial Chapter office, by the end of the fiscal year (9/30/23). Receipts dated before the date 10/01/22 will not be accepted. Members may use the entirety of their $100 at once or on a separate occasion throughout the fiscal year. The chapter will keep a running balance of the remaining amount available to each member. Funds will not carry over into the next fiscal year. Unused funds will not be paid to the member and will be considered forfeit.

Members are asked to submit with their receipts a one to two paragraph description, and photo if applicable, of how they used their funds, for inclusion in the chapter newsletter “The Ramp“. The amount allotted to each member may increase in future fiscal years based on available Chapter funding.

MEMBER BIRTHDAYS DEC

JAN

FEB

Samuel LaCorte - 12/1 Larry Hughes - 12/12 Karen Miller - 12/12 Daniel Hergert, Jr. - 12/14 Richard Myers - 12/14 Charmaine Jackson - 12/16 Craig Ward - 12/17 Robert Clark - 12/23 Noland Watts - 12/24 Mark Bieberich - 12/25 Terence Brown - 12/25 Thomas Clinton - 12/26 James Braxton - 12/26 Terry Deputy - 12/27

Steven Jones - 1/1 Eddie Belton - 1/1 Fredrick Craw - 1/2 Ibrahim Hashi - 1/2 Terry Laurenzi - 1/3 Robert Eastman - 1/4 Desiree Young - 1/6 Lori Mininger-Costello - 1/8 Debra Hazzard - 1/9 Thurman Fegans - 1/11 Robert Smith - 1/12 Elisabeth Carus1/13 John Norton - 1/14 Thomas Meyer - 1/14 Elmer Titus - 1/15 Paul Hamilton - 1/15 Lawrence Lutman - 1/16 Wallace Daniels - 1/16 Ronald Koenig - 1/16 Sara Baranowski - 1/18 Rodney Lee - 1/21 Dante Profili, II - 1/25 Terry Zimmerman - 1/25 John Rinarelli - 1/26 Jimmy Davis - 1/27 Betty Geer - 1/27 Nathan DeWalt - 1/28 Joseph Taureck - 1/29 Ronald Lindemuth - 1/30 Wayne Carter - 1/31

Patrick Burns - 2/2 Wesley Redd, III - 2/4 Lisa Markland - 2/5 Anthony Malat - 2/5 Duane Claytor - 2/7 Theodore Kornicki - 2/7 Johnny Harrison - 2/9 Craig Duncan - 2/11 Hazel Rodriguez - 2/12 David Collins - 2/13 David Timberman - 2/13 Douglas Carmon - 2/13 Jeffrey McNeil - 2/13 Earl Richardson - 2/14 Richard Stern - 2/16 Gerald Baker - 2/17 Cynthia Baker - 2/24 Timothy Ringland - 2/25 Samuel Dickinson - 2/26 Crystal Young-Terrell - 2/26 Charles Gilpatrick - 2/28

MEMBER DEATHS Glenwood Conner – 11/10/2022 Anthony Caffo – 11/19/2022 Jeffrey Aikens – 12/19/2022 Maureen Welsh – 12/24/2022

MONTHLY WINNERS DEC: Noland Watts JAN: Thomas Meyer FEB: Hazel Rodriquez Each month a member will be chosen at random to receive a prize package of assorted items. The winners will be announced in the bi- monthly newsletter. If you are an announced winner, please call the chapter office at 302-861-6671 to confirm your mailing address. Prizes will not be sent unless the office is contacted and assured of a correct mailing address.

The office must be contacted before the next bimonthly newsletter is sent.

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Upcoming Events February 27, 2023 - March 3, 2023

March 8, 2023 10 :45 AM

Capitol Hill Visits

Washington, D.C. Colonial PVA Representatives will be traveling to Capital Hill in Washington, D.C. to meet with Senator’s and Congressman to discuss issues veterans with disabilities face and advocate for legislation for the benefit of all veterans and Americans with disabilities.

Mixed Format: In Person and Electronically

Board of Directors Meeting

Colonial Office & Via Zoom Board of Directors will be meeting to discuss current issues facing the Chapter. This meeting is open to all members.

Zoom ID: 834 4215 0959 Passcode: 525176

March 15, 2023 6:00 PM

Capitol Hill Summary Event

April 12, 2023 11:00 AM

Board of Directors Meeting

Colonial Office & Via Zoom Colonial PVA Representatives that met with Legislators on Capitol Hill this year will summarize their meetings with Representative’s and Senator’s and discuss all the legislative priorities this year.

Zoom ID: 821 3869 8495 Passcode: 152132 Colonial Office & Via Zoom Board of Directors will be meeting to discuss current issues facing the Chapter. This meeting is open to all members.

Zoom ID: 834 4215 0959 Passcode: 525176

President’s Message Welcoming New Board Members and Thanking Outgoing Members As a non-profit organization, the Colonial Chapter of the Paralyzed Veterans of America (CCPVA) is governed by a board elected by its members. I am pleased to say that with this year’s election was the best in history of the Chapter. We have a total of 242 members that were able to cast a vote and we had a total of 82 votes received. In the past the Chapter was lucky to receive 45 votes. This shows that we have a healthy Chapter.

Colonial Chapter Board members serve a 2-year term and volunteer their time and energy to directly impact our Mission and our Chapter. The 10 – Members of the Board (President, Vice President, Sectary, Treasurer, 5 Board Members, and National Director) aims for both diversity of perspective and depth of expertise, and the strength of commitment for the Chapter and its Mission. Our new Board of Directors was elected by the membership, and I am excited to start working with each and every one of them. I also want to thank our outgoing members and welcome new members as well as extent a heartfelt thanks to Director’s past, present and future for their contributions and dedication to the Colonial Chapter Family.

Farewell to Outgoing Board Member Robert Reuter has served on the Colonial Chapter Board of Directors for many terms totaling 13 years. He was Treasurer, Vice President, and Board Member and was acting President until a President was elected. Robert fstill is the Director of the Government Relation in Maryland, VAVS in Baltimore VA and sits on the Maryland Veterans Commission. He does all this in the name of the Colonial Chapter of the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

We’re grateful for everything you do.

Welcome to New Board Members I also want to congratulate and welcome to the Board three new members Betty Geer, Jerrod Harris and Charles Widdoes , along with Ann Adair, John Pepe, Christopher Bryant, Crystal young-Terrell and Patrick Burns who were re-elected. I am grateful and excited to have this group of individuals join the board and bring their unique talents, expertise, and perspectives to the Chapter leadership in order to further our Mission to restore hope and quality of life to Veterans with Paralysis, their Families and Caregivers. Our Vision is making the world accessible for everyone.

Sincerely,

Matthew Peeling President Colonial Chapter of Paralyzed Veterans of America

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Wreaths Across America: My Daughter, Aubree Hutton, and I volunteered to place wreaths on Veterans graves on December 16, 2023 at the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Bear, Delaware. We were joined by Board Member Betty Geer and her husband Alan to Remember and Honor our veterans through the laying of Remembrance wreaths on the graves of our country's fallen heroes and the act of saying the name of each and every veteran aloud.

Thank you so much to Wreaths Across America for supporting Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery!! See page 28 for pictures.

January 2023 Ski Trip: Treasurer John Pepe enjoyed a fun filled week of skiing at the Whitetail Ski Resort thanks to Two Top Mountain Adaptive Sports Foundation. There are a lot of opportunities out there for members to take advantage of just let us know what you want to do and JoAnn and I can point you in the right direction.

Holiday Party: The Holiday party was hosted at the Chapter office in Newark, Delaware on December 3, 2022, from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM. The theme of the party is “Home for the Holidays” and we had food, games, and festive music as we brought all the members to where JoAnn and I spend most of time taking care of Chapter business. The new Board of Directors were sworn in prior to the party around noon and stuck around to mingle with all the guests. Volunteer Georgia Matoulas oversaw all the holiday decorations and created an awesome scene using the new Board Members photos. The party was open house style, with attendee’s staying various lengths of time, coming and going throughout the day. See photo collage on page 29 for more event photos.

Upcoming Events: Keith Lewis Memorial Trap Shoot: The Fundraising Committee now oversees planning the Trap Shoot and has decided that this year’s 3

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NSO UPDATE: Philadelphia Regional Office JosephW@pva.org

Philadelphia Regional Office The Philadelphia Service Office provides assistance to any Veteran who requests it.

Our clientele is comprised of members (M), those eligible for membership (ME), survivors, and nonmembers (NM).

:

We have added 69 new clients, 57 of them are eligible for membership. As a result of the claims we filed, we secured 6.2 million dollars in monetary benefits for our clients; 91 percent of the awarded money went to M/MEs. This figure does not account for the monetary value we have saved our clients by ensuring VA provides them with quality & timely health care, needed durable medical equipment, and home/vehicle modifications allowing them to maintain an independent lifestyle.

Annual Benefits Increase The following benefits and grants have increased since my last report. Here are the 2022-2023 valuations.

• Compensation increased by 8.7 percent • Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) - $109,986.00 • Special Housing Adaptations (SHA)-$22,036.00 • Automobile Grant-$24,115.12 • Single Clothing Allowance – $ 968.52 If you have questions about your eligibility for these benefits, please contact us and we would be happy to explain the criteria to you.

Feel free to contact our office.

Joseph R. Weeks Jr. National Service Officer Paralyzed Veterans of America 5000 Wissahickon Ave Philadelphia, PA 215-381-3033

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2022-2023 ANNUAL CALENDAR PVA BASS TOURNAMENT SERIES

AIR RIFLE & PISTOL PROGRAM

Mid-America Bass Tournament National Postal Matches September 16-18, 2022͕ Eufaula, OK November 2022 – March 2023 Vaughan Bass Tournament

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October 7-9, 2022 ZĞŶĚ >ĂŬĞ, IL

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Florida Gulf Coast Bass Tournament March 24-26, 2023 Kissimmee, FL

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Kentucky-Indiana Bass Tournament PVA BOWLING April 21-23, 2023 TOURNAMENT SERIES Kuttawa, KY Great Plains Bowling ^ŽƵƚŚĞĂƐƚĞƌŶ ĂƐƐ dŽƵƌŶĂŵĞŶƚ Tournament :ƵŶĞ ϮͲϰ͕ ϮϬϮϯ July 28-31, 2022 Council Bluffs, IA ǀĂŶƐ͕ ' Mid-Atlantic Bowling Capital Clash Bass Tournament Tournament June 9-11, 2023 September 9-11, 2022 Richmond, Waldorf, MD VA PVA BILLIARDS TOURNAMENT SERIES Mid-South Billiards Tournament October 28-29, 2022͕ Memphis, TN Mid-Atlantic Billiards Tournament March 17-19, 2023 Richmond, VA Mid-America Billiards Tournament June 16-18, 2023 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Nevada Bowling Tournament December 2-5, 2022 Las Vegas, NV Florida Gulf Coast Bowling Tournament February 23-25, 2023͕ Tampa, FL Mid-America Bowling Tournament March 31 – April 3, 2023 Oklahoma City, OK

Buckeye Billiards Tournament June PVA NATIONAL 24-26, 2023 SHOOTING SPORTS Columbus, OH CIRCUIT North Central Trapshoot September 9-11, 2022 Sioux Falls, SD Oregon Trapshoot September 2ϯ-25, 2022, Oregon Wisconsin Trapshoot͕ MaLJ 19-21, 2023͕ Green Bay, WI

Cal-Diego Trapshoot March 1ϳ-19, 2023 Redlands, CA

Pocahontas Off-Road Camp September 29 – October 2, 2022 Chesterfield, VA

Nevada Trapshoot March 31-April 2, 2023 Las Vegas, NV

Ws ͬDŝůǁĂƵŬĞĞ s ĚĂƉƚŝǀĞ LJĐůŝŶŐ ůŝŶŝĐ KĐƚŽďĞƌ ϭϵ͕ ϮϬϮϮ͕ DŝůǁĂƵŬĞĞ͕ t/

Vaughan Trapshoot May 26-28, 2023 Elburn, IL

Tampa VA Handcycling Clinic January 21, 2023 Tampa, FL

Iowa Shooting Trapshoot * June 16-18, 2023 Cedar Rapids, IA *Year-End Tournament BOCCIA >ŽŶĞ ^ƚĂƌ ĂŶĚ dĞdžĂƐ ŽĐĐŝĂ dŽƵƌŶĂŵĞŶƚ KĐƚŽďĞƌ ϭϯͲϭϰ͕ ϮϬϮϮ͕ ^ĂŶ ŶƚŽŶŝŽ͕ dĞdžĂƐ EĞǁ ŶŐůĂŶĚ ŽĐĐŝĂ dŽƵƌŶĂŵĞŶƚ EŽǀĞŵďĞƌ ϱͲϲ͕ ϮϬϮϮ tĞƐƚ ZŽdžďƵƌLJ͕ D West Virginia Boccia Tournament December 3-4, 2022 Charleston, WV Bayou Boccia Tournament February 3-5, 2023 Gulfport, MS Gateway Boccia Tournament March 17-19, 2023 St. Louis, MO HANDCYCLING Echelon Racing League Virtual Paracycling Series (Online) November 2022 -February 2023

PVA High Performance Camp January 30 – February 3, 2023 Brooksville, FL ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS PVA – NWBA Lakeshore Basketball Camp August 4-7, 2022 Birmingham, AL Bay Area & Western Disc Golf August 19-20, 2022 San Jose, CA New England Disc Golf Clinic September 10, 2022 Ft. Devens, MA PVA Rugby Clinic September 16-18, 2022͕ Phoenix, AZ New England Basketball Camp September 23-26, 2022 New Haven, CT PVA Wheelchair Rugby Invitational February New Haven, CT NATIONAL VETERANS WHEELCHAIR GAMES

PVA High Performance Off-Road HC Camp August 13-18, 2022 Crested Butte, Colorado Off-Road Handcycling Championships August 19-21, 2022 Crested Butte, Colorado

July 4-9, 2023 Portland, Oregon

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