Registration is underway and Sponsorship opportunities are still available for the 6th Annual Leo Luskey DAV Golf Tournament.  The tournament will be held on Thursday, July 14, 2022, at the Refuge Golf Club in Oak Grove, Minnesota.  The registration form below can be printed, completed, and mailed (with a check made out to MN DAV Chapter 39) to Scott Berndt, 3443 136th Avenue NW, Andover, MN 55304.  Questions can be directed to Bill Gordon (320) 491-5665 / [email protected] or Leo Luskey (763) 439-0553 / [email protected] . For an electronic registration form that can be completed, SAVED, and emailed to our Chapter adjutant, email Bill or Leo, with subject: “E Form.”

Disabled American Veterans, Department of Minnesota has been nominated as “Minnesota’s Best” in the Nonprofit Organization category for the Star Tribune’s reader’s choice program! Now we need your help to win by visiting https://www.votemnbest.com/ . Vote up to once per day for DAV of Minnesota in the Services/nonprofit category starting today through May 18. Thank you for your vote!

Happy Easter, however you celebrate! May your day be filled with love and laughter with friends and family.

This is a time for Minnesotans to speak up and call for action on the first Veterans Omnibus Bill in the Minnesota Legislature. Year after year, veterans, their family members, and survivors have watched as important pieces of legislation have failed to pass the Minnesota Legislature. This isn’t because they are actively opposed, it is because our lawmakers wrap these issues into monstrous omnibus bills where they are put together with hyper-partisan issues from both sides. The fact is that our Veterans, their families, and survivors see benefits delayed, programs unfunded, projects delayed, and other negative impacts because of unrelated partisan fighting. This call to action is to let your elected officials know that enough is enough. We want Veteran’s issues considered on their own merit. Veterans are not a bargaining chip, a political tool to embarrass your “opponent”, an “also-ran” issue, and should not be relegated to a small portion of an unrelated bill.  Complete the automated form and send a message to Minnesota legislators to support our Veterans at https://www.votervoice.net/DAVMN/campaigns/93963/respond

What will a Veterans Omnibus do?  Here’s a list provided by Trent Dilks, Foundation Executive Director at Disabled American Veterans, Department of Minnesota:

• Separate Veterans issues from other hyper-partisan debates being held in St. Paul.

• Ensure that action is taken this year on issues like Veterans’ homelessness, suicide prevention, caring for surviving spouses, funding Veterans’ priorities, and more.

• Allow for accountability of our legislatures, now they don’t have to vote “Yes” or “No” on Veterans issues. Veterans’ bills die without anyone ever voting against them in the current system.

• Make Veterans, their families, and survivors a clear priority throughout the legislative process.

• Allow advocates for Veterans to clearly distinguish between the rhetoric and the actions of our legislature.

• Streamline all future Veterans legislation into “Veterans Omnibus” making a lasting impact for Veterans for decades to come.

“The fact is this is the perfect year to make this call,” observes Dilks. “We can all see the fight that is building in St. Paul, with a massive surplus, elections looming, and partisanship at an all-time high. Our lawmakers have the ability to ensure we take care of Veterans this year.If you add up all of the provisions, we are calling for in a Veterans Omnibus, it accounts for less than 1% of the budget surplus. Less than 1% of the surplus for the 7% who served seems like a reasonable ask. They can have their fight over the 99% left, after taking care of our Veterans. If you add up all of the provisions, we are calling for in a Veterans Omnibus, it accounts for less than 1% of the budget surplus. Less than 1% of the surplus for the 7% who served seems like a reasonable ask. They can have their fight over the 99% left, after taking care of our Veterans.” https://www.votervoice.net/DAVMN/campaigns/93963/respond

MN DAV Chapter 39 and Auxiliary Unit 39 will conduct their meetings on Thursday., April 14, 2022, at 6:30 PM at the VFW 1919 Coon Rapids Blvd., Coon Rapids, MN 55433. Chapter agenda includes nominations and elections for Chapter Officers; Membership Drive (lifetime membership for Chapter 39 now $50); and Spring Convention April 28-30 in St. Cloud. The Auxiliary Unit is looking for Live Auction items for the convention (call Nancy at 763-427-3544).