The Schuttlebutt Vol. 14, No. 04 April 2011

The Newsletter of the Korean War Veterans of Lake County (FL), Inc., Chapter 169, Chartered 1998 http://cid169.kwva.org

Tell America Program at Mount Dora High’s AF JROTC

Membership and Funds 2

Student Essay contest 2

Celebration of Freedom, Canceled 3

Board meeting minutes 4

Future Speakers 4

KWVA 2011 Elections: 4

Future Speakers 4

Color Guard needs you 5

Sick Call 5

Boosters 5

VMFP 5

Officers and Directors 8

Food and Clothing Drive 10 Senior Center Map 10

Dues renewal 9

Inside this issue:

Above: Chapter’s Tell America team members (from left): Tom Thiel, Charlie White, Don Lynch, and Jack

Reynolds, with Mount Dora AF Jr ROTC students on April 25; Lt Col Ronald Richards, who leads the MD

students, is on the right. by Tom J. Thiel (Tell America—Continued on Page 7)

Canale, Regan and Van Beck at VMFP Flag Pole Ceremony

Page 2

Vol. 14, No. 04 April 2011 The Schuttlebutt

Welcome New Members:

New members this month are Ray-

mond G. Royal, Leesburg, and Don-

ald Baron, also of Leesburg.

Ray has been to one of

our meetings (the photo

at left is one Carol took)

and I believe he came to

us as a result of the no-

tice that appeared in the

Plantation News, which

in turn was a result of

Harry Olson’s efforts.

Don called me to ask for a member-

ship application. He said he saw Art

Canale I believe at the VMFP Flag Pole

dedication; and someone told me that

he also was at the Carriage Museum

event last November.

Welcome Ray and Don! With you

aboard our membership is now 59!

And, when you read the article on our

Picnic, you will discover that Jim

Corbit said he would bring his Mem-

bership App and check to our May

meeting.

Jim will be our 60th member, a mile-

stone we have been seeking for some

time now. Thanks everyone for getting

new members!

On Membership

Treasurer Gruber report-ed that we had $4,984 in the bank on Mar. 23, and that as of April 25, we have a total of $6,910.

Of this $1,855 is set aside for our Scholarship and Awards efforts. To date this year we have expend-ed $650 for S & A.

And on Funds

Tell America Student Essay contest winners at St. Paul.

While at St. Paul's School in February, we challenged the students to write an essay addressing the following

two questions: 1) How has the Korean War affected your rights and freedoms as an American?, and 2) How

did the KWVA presenters today help you in

your understanding of the Korean War?

We received 33 excellent essays from St.

Paul's students, which members of our

KWVA Tell America Team read and ranked.

Students (from left) Lindsey Pinder, 3rd,

Jessica Heroux, 2nd, and Agusto Useche, 1st.

KWVA Tell America team (from left) Tom

Thiel, Charlie White, and Dick Pfahler.

Thank you St. Paul; we accept your invitation

to come again in 2012!

Next Meeting: May 25, 2:00 p.m. at the Senior Cen-

ter, 1211 Penn Street, Leesburg. CANCELED A Celebration of Freedom, The Korean War "We Remember"Calvary Assembly, Sunday, June 5, 2011

Page 3

Vol. 14, No. 04 April 2011 The Schuttlebutt

Twenty-six members and spouses

as well as nine guests had a good

time at this year’s annual picnic at

Hickory Point Park, Tavares.

The food layout

was excellent

and plentiful,

and we appreci-

ate the efforts

of Charlie

White, Bill Shu-

maker and Bob

Menzie to keep

us supplied

with hamburgers and hot dogs.

We were remiss at the discussion

session to have not thanked all the

folks who made and make our pic-

nics so successful—in addition to

Charlie et al above, Bob McGinty

and Gene LaJuness for setting-up,

and all the ladies who so kindly

prepared the many delicious cov-

ered dishes.

Guests:

I want to especially mention our

guests, sorry that I was not able to

get all names written down.

Bill Shumaker invited several, in-

cluding, Jim and Linda Creech and

their grandson (above photo), Bob

Menzie, and Jim and Gloria Cor-

bit. Jim and Gloria are affiliated

with the American Legion Post #41

in Eustis; we talked with them

about possible cooperation with

their post, especially on Veterans

Day next November. And Jim Cor-

bit will be joining the Chapter at

the next meeting!

We also had two guests who re-

(Continued on page 8)

Annual Picnic at Hickory Point a great success!

Page 4

Vol. 14, No. 04 April 2011 The Schuttlebutt

Your Mar/Apr issue of The Graybeards

has a ballot asking you to vote for one

Association Second VP and four Associa-

tion Directors. Please Vote!

I have cast but one vote for Director, and

that was for Louis T. Dechert! Tom J.

Thiel, Ch. 169 President.

KWVA 2011 Elections: Speakers at Future Member Meetings May 25: Al Schuetz will present “My Story, an account of my expe-

riences during the Korea War from letters mailed to my mother.”

June 23. Dwight Brown

July 27: Fred Harrot will be speak on "Veterans assigning a Power

of Attorney to represent them."

CALL TO ORDER: 2:00 p.m.

ATTENDANCE (Sgt at Arms)

Officers and Directors: Thiel, Brown,

Reynolds, White, Gruber, Shumaker,

Gleason, Sievers, Jansen, Pfahler, Van

Beck, Tiesman, Lynch, McGinty, Beck-er, Canale.

Quorum requirement satisfied.

AGENDA: Approved.

SECRETARY REPORT: White, Shu-

maker, Thiel Motion to waive.

TREASURER REPORT:

Gruber: $6,923.47 as of Apr 20.

Charity / Tell America / Scholarship

Acct:

MEMBERSHIP: Thiel, Reynolds

Have 59 members and one Honor-

ary.

Newest Members.

Maxin, George A, Mount Dora

Rock, Robert B, Leesburg

Royal, Raymond G., Leesburg

Baron, Don, Leesburg

Computer subtracts 30 days from the Association due date.

NEW MEMBER EFFORTS:

We have several membership efforts underway that includes Jack Reynolds,

Joe Lewis, Harry Olson, Don Lynch,

and others. Lynch is pursuing Cont.

Cntry. Clb. and Perkins.

FUND RAISING/TELL AMERICA:

TV Drawing Ticket Status; 279 tickets

for $1,355.00.

Fund/Tell America Tables

Charlie White et al Publix Palm

Plaza Mar. 25-26. $528 - $15 for 3 tickets

Tom Thiel et al at Publix Mount

Dora, Apr. 1-2; $1,100 - $370 for

74 tickets

Tom Thiel et al at Publix Mount

Dora, May 20-21; Helpers?

Charlie White et al Publix Palm

Plaza; July 8 & 9. Helpers?

More? In fall.

TELL AMERICA, Pfahler and Thiel

Se4 Report this issue.

Coupling with Scholarship/Awards

Program.

$500 to LH AF JROTC on March

16; article in Daily Commercial.

Photo and article to appear in Graybeards.

St. Paul’s April 7; presented three

awards for winning essays. Total of $150. Pfahler, White and Thiel.

Colonel Richards at Mount Dora; Met with on Monday April 25. Go-

ing to make a Yohn Awd at their

Awards Banquet on May 6.

Boys and Girls Club of Leesburg, at 400 Executive Blvd., Wants a TA

and a Flag program, 40+ children

ages 5 to 15. Color Guard coming. Donation of flag and $100 to the

Club.

First Academy – Scheduled for May 11, 8:20-9:15 a.m. 185 stu-

dents. Essay contest TBD or Con-

tribution.

(Continued on page 6)

April 20, 2011, Board meeting minutes

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Vol. 14, No. 04 April 2011 The Schuttlebutt

Sick Call

If you know of anyone ill please inform: Sec-

retary Charlie White, 352-787-1885 or Tom

Thiel 357-3943, kwva169@gmail.com

Our Color Guard is our showcase; it is special. But we have

been one or more short on several occasions. We urgently

need one or two new members

3:00 p.m. on Wed. Apr. 6. 400 Executive Blvd. Boys and

Girls Club. Fold Flag. November 13, 2011 at VMFP

Please give Charlie White a call at 787-1885 if you might

be interested in serving. Or call me, tjt

Your Color Guard needs You!

VETERANS MEMORIAL at FOUNTAIN PARK

Expanded area of eligibility as follows: who may be

on wall—any veteran with an Honorable, Medical

or even some General discharge, and open to in-

clude Sumter County and the Villages portion of

Marion County. Please help get this message out!

If you have become a KWVA member after June 1, 2009,

please send a copy of your DD-214, or equivalent documen-

tation, to Don Van Beck, Veterans Memorial at Fountain

Park, 411 Main Street, Leesburg, 34748. Be certain to mark

on it that you are a member of KWVA Chapter 169 and to

have it marked to the attention of Mr. Van Beck.

Construction began on Feb. 15; dedication will be on Nov

13. Link from our web site to VMFP construction photos.

Don Van Beck is the prime fund raiser, still needs over

$200,000, for full completion.

Chapter Web Site:

http://cid169.kwva.org/ Go to the site often

as it is constantly changing. Remember to

include as a chapter resource with anything

you write, etc.

2011 Boosters LNAME FNAME BST11Anonymous $10Beyerly LillianL $100Canale Art $63Gaston Mrs.Zillah $50Houp James $10Jansen TedS $10LaJeunesse EugeneC $15Pfahler RichardN $17Rodgers JohnR $13Sell WarrenJ $38Shumaker WilliamD $25Sievers HaroldE $3Strausbaugh HarveyE $5SUM $359

Joe Madeline, one of the original Organiz-

ing Committee of nine who in 1998 organized

what became KWVA Chapter 169, passed

away in Clermont last Friday, and was buried

at Bushnell on April 27. Carol Becker and I

were at the Funeral Home on Tuesday even-

ing; Carol, and Harold Sievers attended the

services on Wednesday. Rest in peace, Joe!

Bob Rock has advised us that his brother-

in-law passed away up north and that his ash-

es are to be sent here for burial at Bushnell.

We extend our sincerest sympathies, Bob.

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Vol. 14, No. 04 April 2011 The Schuttlebutt

60th Anniver-sary Medallions. We are still waiting to receive the

medallions from the Korean Consulate in Atlanta. They said

they would be shipped last week but were not.

Council meeting, Friday May 6, 2011; Thiel to ask Sievers to report on Friday.

Annual Convention, May 7-8, Ocala Hilton, 3600 SW 36th Ave, Ocala. Only Ted and Marilyn Jansen, Harold Sievers, Carol Becker and Thiel are registered. Chap-

ter leaders question benefit of going to DFL. Should separate all food from other

charges. We contributed $50.00 to the DFL for 2011 Convention Book.

Department of Florida

Holy Trinity Fruitland Park—Did

last year, Thiel still to contact pos-sibly for Oct or Nov.

Carver School. November 2011.

Chapter Tell America exhibit need-ed.

Korean War Tell America web pro-gram.

COLOR GUARD: Charlie White.

Charlie White, Bill Simunek, Don Lynch, Bill Shumaker, Art Canale,

and Gunther Noder. Still need new

members.

3:00 p.m. on Wed. Apr. 6. 400 Ex-

ecutive Blvd. Boys and Girls Club.

Fold Flag.

Contacted by Eustis Am. Legion,

Gloria Corbit 483-0570, relative to

Chapter Color Guard participating at Ferrin Park on Veterans Day.

Details to be developed but conflict

with Villages possible.

Dedication, November 13, 2011 at

VMFP

PHOTO—HISTORIAN – Carol Becker – Please everyone be on lookout for

newspaper articles etc. for her “Book.”

SCHOLARSHIP–Ted Jansen, Chair.

$500.00 to Leesburg High AFROTC on Mar 16.

$500 to Mount Dora High AFROTC on April 6.

Bellevue HS. Has ROTC Program.

CHAPTER WEB SITE: http://cid169.kwva.org/ Go there when you

need to know something.

OLD BUSINESS:

60th Anniversary Medallions.

Thiel provided list of members not re-

ceiving medallion and certificate from

South Korean Govt. Was told these would be shipped week of Mar 21; not

received yet. Has sent a follow-up list

of newer members and request for de-livery date; no reply.

Actions involving Chapter monies

Donations made in March as fol-lows: $100 to the Senior Center,

$100 to Salvation Army, and $100

to Red Cross for Disaster Relief Japan.

Scholarship/Tell America to LSBG

AF J ROTC, $500.

Parades and Banner:

Researching when parade opportuni-

ties occur; Bill Shumaker researching

what his Am Leg group did for a recent Eustis Chamber of Commerce parade.

Carol Becker brought a “1st draft” ban-

ner; took notations on suggested changes. Chapter to pay.

Chapter Photo Story Project:

Dwight wants to develop a photo pro-

gram of the Korean War using our pho-tos so that each presenter could devel-

op a unique program using these pho-

tos. Therefore, everyone please bring

your photos to Dwight.

NEW BUSINESS:

Board Meeting Options:

Several considered; all met with oppo-sition. Going to give following a try.

Board meeting 12:30 p.m. promptly to

about 1:45 p.m.; Member meeting 2:15

p.m. to about 3:30 p.m. Same day. Member meeting format changed to

more speaker and other more general

items; no requirement that all expendi-tures be approved by members, Board

will do most chapter business.

CHAPTER JACKETS:

Our Chapter should have some form of uniform dress, even for our Member

and BoD meetings.

These should accurately reflect our correct name: KWVA of Lake County,

Chapter 169, Inc. This name is every-

where—documents, charter, bylaws,

newsletter,

NEXT BOARD MTG: May 25 at Senior

Center Conference Room, 12:30 p.m.

promptly to 1:45 p.m.

ADJOURNED approximately 4:00

(Continued from page 4)

Page 7

Vol. 14, No. 04 April 2011 The Schuttlebutt

Mount Dora High School’s Air

Force Junior ROTC students really

welcomed us to their classrooms

last Monday, April 25, 2011.

We gave them some insight about

the Korean War, and what it

meant. We also each gave a brief

view of our personal experiences

when we served in Korea.

I introduced our session by telling

them how Korea had been occupied

by the Japanese for some 50 years

until the end of WWII. In 1948, it

was split into communist North

Korea and a free South Korea.

Today, South Korea is a free mar-

ket, democratic, and developed

country, with memberships in the

United Nations, WTO, OECD and

G-20 major economies. Little evi-

dence remains of the total devasta-

tion the war imposed on their

country.

North Korea, on the other hand,

has a centrally planned industrial

economy, and although it has

memberships in the United Na-

tions and other international or-

ganizations, most of its resources

go to maintaining military might

while their people suffer many per-

sonal hardships.

The South Korean Government and

its people, both in Korea and those

that have become American citi-

zens, to this day express gratitude

to all veterans who helped them to

become a free country.

I told them our Tell America Pro-

gram focuses on informing Ameri-

cans about the Korean War, and

what it has meant to our freedom. I

said that we are doing our best to

counter the general lack of

knowledge about Korea and the

Korean War, or worse still, to try to

counter blatant counter teachings

by some in the history and other

sectors.

To illustrate this latter case, I cited

a recent Times-Picayune news arti-

cle where David Moore, Chairman

of the History Department at New

Orleans’ Loyola University, says: “I

think it was a harder case to make,

that it (the Korean War) was in the

national interest…”

I explained that USSR’s Stalin be-

lieved that the U. S. would not de-

fend freedom in South Korea, and

that he then fortified the North Ko-

rean Reds and persuaded them to

attack South Korea. Without U.S.

and the U.N. forces to drive the

Reds back north of the 38th paral-

lel, South Korea, one of the top ten

economies in the world today,

would not be freedom’s star in Asia

today.

We each then told some of our per-

sonal experiences in Korea. Jack

Reynolds and Don Lynch both told

how each was wounded twice in

combat; Charlie White and I were

more fortunate, although we both

told of many close calls and of los-

ing many friends in combat.

This was our first venture to Mount

Dora and the Triangle Area of Lake

County; most of our efforts have

been in the Leesburg-Fruitland

Park-Villages area.

I explained that when Chapter 169

was formed it was for all of Lake

County, but that about ten years

ago, members from the Clermont

area split off to form their own

chapter. I told them that Chapter

169 today serves all of northern

Lake County as well as some ad-

joining Sumter and Marion areas.

I explained that we were especially

grateful to the managers of the

Publix Store at Loch Levin Landing

in Mount Dora for allowing us to

set up Tell America/Fund Raising

tables at the store on April 1-2. The

results were so successful that on

behalf of the Chapter, I will present

a $500.00 John Yohn Program

Award check to the Mount Dora AF

Jr ROTC program at their Awards

Dinner on May 6, 2011.

We closed out our session with an

enthusiastic question and discus-

sion session. Students were very

happy to assist us in all ways, in-

cluding assisting us to our car.

This was Jack’s and Don’s first ex-

posure to Tell America; they liked it

so well they are our newest TA

team members!

(Tell America—continued from page 1)

Page 8

Vol. 14, No. 04 April 2011 The Schuttlebutt

Chapter Officers and Directors

Officer LNAME FNAME Phone CELL E‐MailPresident Thiel TomJ (352)357‐3943 (352)408‐6612 kwva169@gmail.comVP1st Brown DwightE (352)205‐8536 (352)638‐0514 kaydees@embarqmail.comVP2nd Reynolds JackD (352)728‐3928 (352)350‐4016 mjreynolds1@comcast.netSecretary White CharlesW (352)787‐1885 (352)348‐8371Treasurer Gruber JosephJ (352)750‐0286 jlnancy@embarqmail.comAltSec/Treas Shumaker WilliamD (352)323‐0807 shuy352@earthlink.netDir&Founder Gleason MartinJ (352)245‐9691Dir&SgtArms Jansen TedS (352)787‐7818 tedj29@aol.comDir Lynch DonaldJ (352)748‐7009 dlynch62@cfl.rr.comDir McGinty RobertA (352)742‐1901 09.islefohr@embarqmail.comDir Tiesman ClausJ. (352)742‐0110 cjtiesman@embarqmail.comDir VanBeck DonaldL (352)343‐1529 (352552‐3399l seafari.vb@juno.comChaplain Sievers HaroldE (352)753‐4929 (352)454‐3759 colsievers2@aol.comHist Becker CarolM (352)394‐5451 carolbecker@juno.comIPP Canale Art (352)750‐2505 jcanale1@aol.com

sponded to our newspaper ad;

sadly I do not have their names.

And last

but not

least

among our

guests was

Charlie First

(left), soon

to be President of the Department

of Florida.

Members attending were: Carol Becker, Dwight

and Kum Brown, Joe and Pat Gruber, Duane and

Eleanor Hall, Ted and Marilyn Jansen, Gene La-

Junesse and Marty Rowland, Don Lynch, Bob

and Chris McGinty, Dick and Vi Pfahler, Jack

and Marjorie Reynolds, Bob Rock, Bill Shumak-

er, Gordon and Marjorie Talbot, Tom Thiel,

Claus and Wilma Tiesman, and Charlie White. I

hope to post all of Carol’s photos on the web site soon.

(Continued from page 3)

50:50 Drawings: $30 Cash Winner, Don Lynch, donated pillow, Gordon Talbot.

KWVA CHAPTER 169 MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL FORM

NOT TO BE USED FOR NEW APPLICATIONSNOT TO BE USED FOR NEW APPLICATIONSNOT TO BE USED FOR NEW APPLICATIONS PLEASE PRINT ALL INFORMATION CLEARLY: DATE: _____ /_____/ 2011

NAME:__________________________ Spouse Name:________________________

ADDRESS (if changed): __________________________ (APT/SUITE/LOT #__________

CITY: __________________________ STATE:___ ZIP:__________-_________

TELEPHONE: (____)__________________ Cell (____)__________________

email: ____________________@_______________ DOB:__________________

Chapter 169 Dues: $10.00, Amt Enclosed: $_________ Assoc. Number:______________

Dept. of FL Dues: $2.00, Amt Enclosed:$ _________ Requested of all Chapter Regular and Life Members

Assoc. (Nat’l) Dues: $25.00, Amt Enclosed: $_________

Chapter Boosters: Amt Enclosed:$_________

TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED: $_________

Check_____ Cash_____ Signature: _________________________________

I understand that by paying my dues I am entitled to participate in membership meetings and activities, receive the Schuttlebutt either by email or

snail mail, vote, and serve as a chapter officer, director, committee or color guard member. I also hereby swear to uphold the Constitution of the Unit-

ed States, and the Bylaws of the Korean War Veterans Association, Inc., and the Lake County KWVA Chapter # 169 ,so help me God.

Make Check Payable to: KWVA Chapter 169.

Mail to: KWVA Chapter 169, P.O. Box 491428, Leesburg, FL 34849-1428.

M embers whose dues—Association, Depart-

ment and/or Chapter—are payable now

or soon are shown at the right. The total amount

due for Assoc, Dept, and Chapter is $37.00.

Unless we have your dues in hand by the end of

the month shown you will be removed from the

membership roster.

This is the only notice you will receive as

we do not wish to incur the costs of separate

mailings. Please use form below. Thank you for

your consideration.

Chapter Membership Committee.

Membership Dues Dates Association, DoF, Chapter

Page 9

Vol. 14, No. 04 April 2011 The Schuttlebutt

Member Dues Payable Dates through 9-30-2011

Using this form for all re-newals will help us. Thanks

LNAME FNAME ASSOC CDUEDTMcGinty RobertA LR10362 05/25/11Deeley Paul R042245 06/07/11Lewis JosephG R042246 06/07/11Zettlemoyer RichardP R041226 06/07/11Hanold AudleyW R041292 06/29/11Stumborg Max R042360 07/10/11Carli Armando"Pat" R017082 08/26/11Regan Ronald R028079 08/26/11Olson Harry R041430 09/05/11Geisinger John R042522 09/06/11Horvath Bert R042556 09/19/11

Korean Veterans Helping Veterans

Please help us cut mailing costs and labor. Send an email to kwva169@Gmail.com if you have an email address, and are receiving this by US Mail.

Schuttlebutt Deadline, Date of the Member Meeting.

Leesburg Senior Center, 1211 Penn St

Meet every fourth

Wednesday at

2:00 P.M.

Canned Food & Clothing

Bring to the next meeting. Clean & folded in bags.

Dick Pfahler will accept and deliver your donations to the Leesburg Food Bank or other bona fide charity.

Founded in 1998 by Martin “Jackie” Gleason and Joseph Turner (deceased), The KWVA of Lake County, Chapter 169 strives to:

Promote recognition of the Korean War, and its Veterans.

Educate the public, especially our youth, about the Korean War, and about our troops who have served in Korea from the end of the war in 1953 to the present time!

Provide a venue for the fellowship and comradeship of all veterans who ever served in Korea!

The Schuttlebutt

Korean War Veterans of Lake County FL, Chapter 169

Tom J. Thiel, Pres. & Editor

P.O. Box 491428

Leesburg, FL 34849-1428

http://cid169.kwva.org