The General Vandenberg Chapter holds it monthly meetings on the 3rd Wednesday and is open to all active and former Officers and their heirs to promote Patriotism, Leadership, National Security and Homeland Security as well as support to Boy and Girl Scouts, ROTC programs and other patriotic organizations.
Meetings are held at:

SAN LUIS OBISPO ELKS LODGE #322
 GRAZIER ROOM

222 Elks Lane — San Luis Obispo, California

1130 hrs ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT (SOCIAL)
1200 hrs INVOCATION, FLAG SALUTE, PREAMBLE, INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS
1215 hrs LUNCH SERVED

Call 805.528.7565 for reservations.

FEBRUARY 15 PROGRAM

The program for this month. will include two speakers from the American Red Cross. Executive Director Ms. Loren Leidinger-Avila and Emergency Service Director Mr. Paul Deis. Their topic will be Emergency Services in disasters with an emphasis on VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster). The Vandenberg Chapter of MOWW is a member of the VOAD community.

Ms. Avila has assumed responsibility for the Executive Director position in the San Luis Obispo Chapter and her previous position in the Aids Foundation in Chicago, where she served as Vice President of Development for the last five years. In this role Ms. Loren Avila was successful in leading a highly talented team of fundraisers, in raising more than $5 million annually through corporations, foundations, individuals, annual events and endurance training programs. Prior to the Aids Foundation, she spent 11 years with Care International. She now resides in Morro Bay.

Mr. Paul Deis,Director of Emergency Services, lives in Paso Robles. He transferred to Morro Bay in the Coast Guard in 1978 and has been with the Red Cross since Oct. 2010. He is a retired Emergency Management Coordinator from the California office of Emergency Services, now CAL-EMA. Paul is also a former fire fighter/paramedic with the Morro Bay Fire Department.


UPCOMING MEETINGS:

Feb 8, Staff Meeting

Feb 15, Chapter Luncheon Meeting
 


 

JANUARY 18 PROGRAM:

Member Navy Lt. Joseph Brocato presented a slide presentation of
                        American Exceptionalism: A Legacy of Our Founding Fathers and The American Veteran

This presentation highlighted the extraordinary valor of small combat units that secured Allied victories beginning with the landing beaches of Normandy to the climactic Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes Region of Belgium.

It concluded with a discussion of American Exceptionalism and a pictorial representation of the silent evidence and meaning of that Exceptionalism throughout Europe and the Pacific; 155,596 reasons why The United States of America is an Exceptional Country (all grave markers in many different memorial cemeteries).

 

  Commander Dick Hathcock presenting a commendation to our speaker Joe Brocato with Gene Friis looking on.


Also at the meeting, Tim Haley was inducted as a new member:

  L to R: Jack Jones, Bonnie Harris, Tim Haley, Dick Hathcock, Chuck Ward with the membership certificate, and web master Dave Frayer
     

Our thanks to Don Morris as our resident photographer (along with his many other duties)


DEC 21 PROGRAM:

December was a Christmas luncheon meeting with an emphasis on social time. 

  Mrs. Alice Loh receiving a certificate of appreciation from Commander Hathcock for her piano musical contribution to the Christmas song fest.

 

Members and guests, teddy bears provided!
 
Leatherneck Honor Guard guests
LtoR: Betty Cook, Robert Clark, Nick Guriel, Jim Brenton, Tom Torgerson, John O'Connell



NOV16 PROGRAM:

The Speaker for November was the San Luis Obispo County UnderSheriff Martin Basti who gave an excellent presentation on the newest communications protocols for the nation's Law Enforcement agencies.  He also gave a good recap of the responsibilities of the various state law enforcement agencies during the question/answer session.
  Commander Dick Hathcock presenting a certificate of appreciation to UnderSheriff Martin Basti. 

Looking on are past commander Jim Murphy, Gene Friis, and Bonnie Harris

MEETING, Oct 18, 2011   

Bob Hather, retired financial securities analyst discussed  “Why This Economic Recovery Will Be Different”. This was definitely a valuable information event. The program examined demographics and economic data that lends perspective to the scope and magnitude of our economic challenges that lie ahead.

 

  Certificate of Appreciation presented to Bob Hather by Commander CPT Dick Hathcock, SLO Mayor Dave Romero looking on.  COL Jack Jones and MAJ John Oberg are in the back.



 MEETING, Sept 21, 2011

 Featured speaker-- Lt. Col Al Fonzi, USA(Ret.) shared with us some of his in-depth and chilling experiences as an Intelligence Officer during the height of the "Cold War" . Al was in the middle of it. This was a not-to-be-missed opportunity to hear and learn about the dark side of this forgotten War. The stuff the news papers never reported.

 

  Presentation of a certificate of appreciation to speaker LTC Al Fonzi USA for his talk on the Intelligence Community during the Cold War.

 

From L to R CPT Dick Hathcock USA, LTC Al Fonzi USA, CWO Gene Friis USA, Treasurer Mrs. Bonnie Harris and Vice Commander Chuck Ward USMC.

 



INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS, June 15, 2011:

 
Col Jones with Commander Dick Hathcock and Sr. Vice 1LT Chuck Ward   Hathcock, Ward, John Oberg, Bill Hopper,
Emil Thompson with Col Jones
     
 
Chapter Commander Dick Hathcock   Col Jack Jones, Installation Officer
     

LAW ENFORCEMENT AWARD

  Chief Rob Reid, Outgoing Commander Jim Murphy, Sr. Deputy Robert Burgeson


 

Chapter presenting awards to the three Cal Poly ROTC cadets.
 

MSG Jerry Manzanares, LTC Eric Krivda, Cal Poly PMS, and Chapter Past Commander Jim Murphy

 

  

Front row, LTC Krivda, Cdt. Alexandra Burns, Cdt. Kyle Reilly, MSG Manzanares. Back Row, Commander Jim Murphy, Cdt. Jesse Kinsell and Major John Oberg, California National Guard, OIC of the Camp San Luis Obispo Grizzly Academy.