Pat Little-Upah AVHOFS President Class of 2014

It is hard to believe that another Veterans Day has passed. Many of our membership throughout the State took part in events to honor our Veterans, others chose to stay home and quietly reflect. Whatever you did, I know that while the Country honors each of you and all Veterans on Nov. 11th each year that everyday should be Veterans Day for those who have served.  Each of you are part of the one tenth of one percent of Veterans in Arizona that are part of the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame Society. Each of you continued to serve our Veterans and this Country both during and after your time in service. I know you do not take this honor and commitment lightly.

I am so grateful to be a Veteran and to have had the opportunity in my life to make a difference like you have. More than that I am grateful for the friendships both forged during times of war but also for the many Veterans I have met and call friends since that time.

The Society continues to support our outreach programs to make an impact in our communities. One of those programs is the Maternity Outreach for Veteran Families run by Veterans First. With the Societies help they were able this year to serve 160 families in Phoenix and 14 in Prescott and Northern Az. The Prescott outreach is increasing. We also support the Wreaths Across America program funding  wreaths for six different cemeteries across Arizona. See Nancy Fassbender’s article on this program and how you can help. Each year we are honored to lay a wreath at the Dec. 7th Pearl Harbor Day ceremony. For more details see Paula Pedene’s article. We continue our outreach to the State Home in Phoenix although we have been unable to take residents out due to a van issue they are having. Member Christeen Verchot who organizes these events is planning one in January.  With the opening of the Flagstaff home on Veterans Day Peter Kloeber has stepped forward and will be working with Christeen to organize events there. These are but a few of the many programs and recognition ceremonies that your Society and its membership are involved in.

We are dedicating most of this newsletter to the Induction Ceremony and events that our membership attended this Veterans Day. We have begun planning for the next Patriotic Awards luncheon on May 9th  2025 at the Doubletree by Hilton in Mesa. 

It was my distinct honor to participate in the Induction Ceremony once again and to welcome 11 living and 4 posthumous Veterans into the SocietyI want to thank all our members who attended the VIP morning reception and helped to welcome the class of 2024. Unified Arizona Veterans did an amazing job. Thank you to everyone on the committee but especially to event chair Reggie Yates Class of 2013 and UAV Chairman Travis Burns Class of 2019. The Vice President of the Society each year with coordinating the VIP reception where each inductee recognizes their support person. Karen Craig did another outstanding job of putting this together.

The Nomination Committee is busy looking at candidates for Board positions and will have that slate out to review in December, we will vote at the January business meeting. Time, Date and Location yet to be announced. We are also currently revitalizing our Governance Committee.

You would not be a member of the Society if you were not someone who has given of your time and talent over the years. We are looking for at large members to be part of our committees. Are you someone who has wondered how you could become more involved with the Society and support our mission? Reach out to me and we can set up a time to talk. I wish I could get to know each of you personally, you are such amazing individuals. 

I do want to extend my wishes and blessings to each of you for the upcoming holiday seasons.

May God Bless this Country and each of you.

Patricia Little-Upah
patupah@gmail.com
(480)226-4454

Sheree Bigge AVHOFS Treasurer Class of 2023

The Century Club is a Scholarship program that is fully funded by our members’ generosity.  We have now established a separate savings account to better track the donations made by our generous members.  With the holiday season and end-of-year tax deductions, consider making your donation now.  All levels of contributions are appreciated.  Based on how much is contributed, will determine the Scholarships that will be awarded at the May Patriotic Awards Luncheon.  It would be incredible if we could surpass our goal of $12,000 from members.  To date, we have received $3650 towards our goal.  Below is a breakdown of the donors.  Thanks to all that have donated already.

If desire to contact me directly, sheree.bigge@gmail.com or 623-680-3016.  The Treasurer email is also active:  Treasurer.AVHOFS@gmail.com

I look forward to meeting many of you at our Society Business meeting in January.  Happy Holidays!

CHAPLAIN’S CORNER

Othell (Tim) Newbill AVHOFS Chaplain Class of 2024

Whether Christian or Jewish, believer or non-believer we all have something to be thankful for.  In a traditional or non-traditional manner, this is the time of year that has been set aside to give thanks. We are thankful for family, friends,
food, shelter, clothing and the ability to help others. Thankful to have been given the opportunity to serve our nation. Thankful indeed to those who paid the ultimate price for our nation.

Thankful to be a part of the AVHOFS and support our fellow brothers and sisters in arms who may be struggling from the effects of serving our nation. Thankful to be able to provide scholarships for veterans and youth alike to become
positive contributors to our nation. Last but not least, let us be thankful for what God has blessed us with in this nation, FREEDOM!

Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and Happy Hannukah to all!

2024 INDUCTION CEREMONY

Additional photo’s available on our website

PEARL HARBOR REMEMBRANCE

Please join me as we lay the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame Society wreath on December 7th in remembrance of Pearl Harbor. The keynote speaker will be U.S. Navy Commander Brenda Way, whose father was called into action after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. There will be two readings of letters, one from the perspective of a Pearl Harbor service member and another from the perspective of a nurse who tended to the wounded at Pearl Harbor. Thank you to society member Paula Pedene (Class of 2019) and Honoring Americas Veterans who are putting on this program. Without members like Paula who is the founder of Honoring Americas Veterans and society members like Chris Mahon (Class of 2017) and Paul Smiley (Class of 2021) who serve on the Board of Honoring Americas Veterans, this commemoration would not happen. Please wear your medallion to the ceremony.

NATIONAL WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA

Nancy Fassbender AVHOFS Director Class of 2020

This gathering of volunteers and patriots takes place in local, state and national cemeteries in all 50 states as part of the National Wreaths Across America Remembrance Day.

In 2023, more than 3.3 million veterans wreaths were placed by volunteers on veterans graves at 3,400 participating locations around the country in honor the service and sacrifices made for our freedoms with each name said out loud.  This year, we will have over 4,400 participating locations!

Wreaths Across America volunteers work year-round to ensure military laid to rest are remembered, their families and living veterans are honored and the next generation is taught about the value of freedom.

Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame purchased 5 wreaths for the following cemeteries.  They all will be having ceremonies on December 14, 2024.
Arizona Veterans Memorial at Camp Navaho:  Ceremony starts at 10am
Arizona Veterans Memorial at Marana:  Ceremony starts at 10am
National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona:  Ceremony starts at 9am
Prescott National Cemetery:  Ceremony starts at 11am
Southern Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery:  Ceremony starts at 10am
Mountain View Cemetery will be the cemetery for the East Valley located at 7900 E. Main Street, Mesa, AZ.  There will be a ceremony starting on December 14th at 9:30am and wreath laying at 10:00am. We invite you to join us to honor the Veterans.  Please bring a lawn chair to enjoy the ceremony.

All of these ceremonies are a free event and open to the public.

Anyone who would like to sponsor a wreath, You can help us on this mission by visiting www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/az0190p; or you can mail your check to Wreaths Across America %Nancy Fassbender  4657 S. Desert Dawn Dr.   Gold Canyon, AZ  85118.  Each wreath is $17.

For each wreath sponsored, Wreaths Across America will donate $5 back to our Veterans Community!  Not only are you honoring our deceased Veterans, but you are also helping those who are still in need.

IMPRENTS OF HONOR
As students preserve veteran service stories, they are inspired to live a life of honor

As you may have heard, Veterans Heritage Project changed our name on October 1 to Imprints of Honor.  Rest assured, our program activities, and our mission of Connecting Students with Veterans to honor veterans, preserve America’s heritage, and develop future leaders, has not changed.

The community is embracing the concept of veterans making an imprint of honor in the character of our youth. Veterans' service, the perspectives you bring, and the lessons about teamwork, perseverance, and leadership all make a lasting impression and inspire our next generation.  We are highlighting these exceptional impacts with the education community, with the goal to expand into additional communities and serve more students and veterans.

We are grateful to the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame Society for being a wonderful partner for many years. Your dedicated Copper Lamp of Knowledge scholarships, and the opportunity for our students to learn about service, sacrifice, and civic engagement from AVHOFS members has made a significant impact in educating and inspiring our students.  Thank you!

To learn more about the new brand and reasons behind it, please watch the video on our website at www.imprintsofhonor.org/article/new-name-same-mission 

Michelle DiMuro
Executive Director
Imprints of Honor

VETERANS DAY EVENTS

Eleven inductees, including two new ones (Jane Strain and Teresa Walsh), from the Cochise County Chapter of the AVHOFS, attended the Induction Ceremony.  Cochise County has had at least one inductee every year since 2003, now totaling 59. 

Cochise County Chapter president, Tom Hessler, placed the names of our newest inductees (Jane Strain and Theresa Walsh) on the plaque, which now contains all 59 Cochise County inductees.

Adam Garrard AVHOFS Quartermaster Class of 2020

Here is the country store catalog and it can also be found on The AVHOFS website.  If you have problems finding what you want, please contact me at (623) 640-6792 or my email mjeepersafb@gmail.com.

Request you let us know as soon as you know of an inductee’s passing.  If available, we would like to know the inductee’s name, date of passing, funeral and memorial service details, and a copy of the obituary.  Send notices to Pat Little-Upah at patupah@gmail.com.

Known members that have passed in the past twelve months.