President’s Message
I hope you have made the most of your long summer days, and for those of you that traveled to cooler locations, I wish you a safe journey back to Central Florida.
We have made the tough decision to CANCEL our September 8th luncheon at the DoubleTree UCF. The Ballroom is not available on September 8th, and with the response from the email Randy sent out to Central Florida MOAA members who are not members of our Chapter, the DoubleTree restaurant could not accommodate the expected luncheon turnout. Our next luncheon will go on as planned on October 13th, 11:30am at the DoubleTree UCF.
It’s that time of year when The National Hurricane Center continuously monitors any upcoming major weather disturbances, and so please double check to make sure your hurricane plans are in place and your supply kit is well stocked! The National Hurricane Center upped the odds that two systems, one in the Gulf, and the remnants of what had been Tropical Storm Dolly, could develop. Please refer to the attached Hurricane Checklist which provides life saving tips while preparing for seasonal hurricanes.
I want to thank our Chapter members Charles Smith, Joanie Fiebrandt, Kin LaFate, Ashley Orf and Bob Brogan who volunteered at the August 21st Orlando VA Creative Art Show at Lake Nona to support of our local veteran artists. There were several hundred works of art on display, and we had over 300 visitors who had a chance to judge the artwork.
I am grateful and give many thanks to Al and Ruth Schroeder for their tireless efforts to promote our Chapter’s “Healing Through Expression” (HTE) philanthropy non-profit charity. We are very excited that VA Lake Nona has been chosen to host the 2027 and 2028 National Veterans Creative Arts Festival where the top veterans across America will be honored in over 50+ different categories! Our HTE involvement will dramatically increase, so let your voice be known if you are interested in participating in upcoming VA Recreational Therapy artistic endeavors to support this worthwhile cause.
Stay tuned to an end of the month announcement for the October 13th luncheon. And, as always, check out the Florida Council of Chapters newsletter, The Communique’, for the latest going on within the 36 MOAA Chapters in Florida. Go to www.flmoaa.org .
Cheers, Lorraine
