Georgetown Ohio Veterans Home (OVH) Volunteer Director Vance Holbrook, on left, accepts a check from Past Department Commander Ray Hutchinson, on right, for veterans belonging to Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Chapter #63 (Clermont County) and residing at the OVH. The check was intended to provide a $10 stipend to each of the Chapter #63 members. This stipend will be placed in each veteran’s Home Account and could be used for whatever the veteran desires. “This is our way of displaying to the veteran that although they are not physically able to attend our regular chapter meetings now,” explained Hutchinson, “we still remember them, especially at Christmas time, and our DAV Chapter certainly appreciated their past active participation in the DAV.” Photograph by Department Hospital Chairman John Plahovinsak.
On December 17, 2024, Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Chapter #63 (Clermont County) visited their chapter members at the Southern Ohio Veterans (OVH) and provided them a check, as a stipend to their accounts, along with the Chapter’s Christmas greetings.
Past Department Commander (PDC) Raymond Hutchinson, a long-time member of Chapter #63 since 1976, presented the check for $120.00 to Southern Ohio Veterans Home (OVH) Volunteer Director Vance Holbrook.
This check was intended to provide a stipend of $10.00 for each of the nine (10) residents belonging to the Clermont County Chapter #63. The Chapter has been providing a similar stipend to DAV Chapter #63 members at the Georgetown Home since 2022.
In July of 2024, PDC Hutchinson, a member of the DAV Department of Ohio’s Finance Committee, made a motion to provide a $25.00 stipend for each of the ninety-one (91) veterans residing at the home.
Based on Hutchinson’s motion, the Department issued a check for $2,275 to be distributed to the residents’ account. This was part of the DAV’s Annual Christmas in July 2024 Program for all the veterans at the home.
“This was the DAV Department of Ohio way to show that we not only appreciate the military service of our veterans, but we always remember them,” said DAV Department Commander Jeff Wittneben.
“Last year, several of the residents thanked us for the stipend that the chapter provided when we hosted their bingo games,” said PDC Ray Hutchinson, who serves as the DAV Department Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service (V.A.V.S.) Deputy Representative for the Georgetown facility.
“We feel that it is important to remember our chapter members who are residing at the Ohio Veterans Home and physically cannot attend our chapter meetings,” noted Hutchinson.
The DAV Department and Chapter are currently working with the OVH Staff to have “special” meals prepared for the veterans. “These ‘special’ meals are things that veterans have asked for, like shrimp and servings of roast beef,” explained Hutchinson.
“We have already had two (2) of these meals served in 2024 and are going to have another of the veteran asked-for-meals on February 13, 2025,” concluded Hutchinson. “Our veterans deserve these meals and we are happy to provide the special meals for them.”
While at the OVH, Hutchinson discussed with Volunteer Director Holbrook other projects and programs that would benefit the residents. According to Holbrook, the number one project the veterans’ desire is to re-build the existing recreational facility for the grandchildren of the veterans, when they visit.
The existing recreational facility was closed for safety reasons. “Many areas in the structure had rotten wood and there is no doubt it is a safety hazard just waiting for a veteran’s grandchild to be seriously injured,” exclaimed PDC Hutchinson.
“Having a safe area for the veterans’ grandchildren to play is important to the veterans who reside at the Home,” added Hutchinson. “After taking several photographs of the structure, I am going to bring this project up to our Department’s Finance Committee at our January 8, 2025 meeting.”
“After talking with several of our Chapter’s members at the OVH,” concluded Hutchinson, “the Department will be sponsoring other projects and programs that the OVH residents would enjoy and appreciate, like our planned observance of the Korean War July 27, 1953 truce.”