President’s Message
It is with great pride I announce that our 2025 JROTC Scholarship Selection Board chose 8 of the finest cadets in Central Florida! We are now up to 37 JROTC High Schools in our catchment area. Without the generosity of our chapter members to contribute to our scholarship fund, our ability to issue a check for $1,000 to each cadet would not be possible. I thank you for seeing the goodness of our program and supporting the future leaders of our military! I would be remiss if I didn’t thank members of our chapter for making our scholarship program a reality on April 12th: LTC Dean Ptaszynski, COL Kin La Fate, LTC Mike and Vicki Gillett, CDR Randy Fiebrandt and our photographer Nita Seng. I hope you take the time to read the attached bios of each of the 8 cadets. We honored the cadets, their family and cadre on April 12th with a luncheon, and each year I remind myself that this is the most celebrated luncheon of the year with our members. I want to also thank COL Bob Brogan for overseeing and keeping track of the MOAA JROTC Leadership Medal program with our 37 JROTC High Schools (no easy task to keep up with). Several of our chapter members continue to present the MOAA medal to the Junior Cadets, and it’s always exciting to see the delight on the cadets faces as they cheer on their fellow cadets!
This Memorial Day on the 26th day of May, it’s up to all of us to honor the legacy and memory of our fallen noble heroes who we memorialize on what makes our nation exceptionally extraordinary, For some of us, every day is Memorial Day as we accept the deaths of those we know who gave their lives for love of country and democracy we so cherish. We look upon them as our own beloved sons and daughters knowing their patriotic sacrifices live on through safeguarding their memories by future generations to come. President Reagan reminded us that “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.”
I want to welcome CPT’s Ashley and Stephen Orf who joined our MOAA family (both West Point graduates). Ashley is active in the veteran community as the VFW Auxiliary Senior Vice President of Winter Springs Post 5405. We all send her and Stephen our best wishes to welcome their first bundle of joy this September (their baby will be our newest Honorary MOAA family member).
I encourage you to attend our May 13th Chapter Luncheon to help celebrate LT Ted Goodwin and COL Carol Reagles 95th May birthdays and hear informative information from our Central Florida Quilts of Valor representative Valerie Philon, who will honor Ted and Carol with a Quilt of Valor to thank them and honor them for their years of service. For those of you that will be taking vacations during the upcoming months, please make memorable memories, and safe travels on your journeys!
Cheers, Lorraine
