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Home FrontTHEHome FrontVFW National Home for Children • 3573 South Waverly Rd. • Eaton Rapids, MI 48827 • Phone: 866-483-9642 • www.vfwnationalhome.orgA Special Report for Friends of the VFW National Home for Children • Winter 2016In this Issue:• A Word from ourExecutive Directorpage 2• Donor Spotlight: Jane Reapepage 3• About the Buddy Poppypage 4Did you know...Only about 35% of active-duty military families liveon a base or in othermilitary housing?Upon hearing Zane’s Buddy Poppy speechand meeting him at the NationalConvention, James Shaffer decided Zanewould be the ideal caretaker for his largeand valued collection of VFW pins. Here isthe text of Zane’s speech:Hi, my name is Zane and I am 11 years old.I live at the VFW National Home forChildren with my brother Zack, my sisterKourtney and my mother Robyn.I am in the 5th grade and I am on theschool honor roll. I play on football,basketball and baseball teams and I alsoenjoy fishing, camping, hiking and building forts — I like doing anythingoutdoors! My goal is to be a Marine orNavy Seal.I am blessed to live at the National Home.I feel comfortable and safe here and I havemy own room and don’t have to share withmy brother. My mother is working hard sosomeday we can buy a house of our own.There are tons of kids to play with and lotsof room to ride my bike — I like to ride onthe trails. The pond by the cabin has lotsof fish for me to fish for. We go on lots offun trips with other kids and families liketo the Cedar Point Amusement Park and Ialso like State Days, when veterans comeand play with us.Sharing the VFW HeritageZane, a National Home resident and this year’s VFW Buddy Poppy child, proudly displays the collection of VFW pins recently given to him by VFW Post member James Shaffer.Memorabilia from the military service of Zane’s family can be seen behind him, includingthe Bronze Star and Purple Heart medals awarded to his great-grandfather.(continued on page 4)

THE HOME FRONTA publication of:VFW National Home for Children3573 South Waverly RoadEaton Rapids, MI 48827Phone: 866-483-9642www.vfwnationalhome.orgStaff:Patrice Green, Executive DirectorMolly Studinger, Program DirectorTim Smith,Marketing and Development DirectorTodd Marriott, Facilities DirectorA Word from...Patrice Green, Executive DirectorPAGE 2While the National Home is a separateorganization, we are very proud of ourclose association with the Veterans ofForeign Wars (VFW)who established theNational Home over 91years ago — and weare extremely gratefulfor the supportprovided to us by theVFW and Auxiliarynational organizations,by Posts andAuxiliaries and byindividual VFW andAuxiliary membersacross the country.But we also havemany, many supporters who are notaffiliated with the VFW and who maynot be aware of the traditions thatconnect our organizations. One ofthose traditions is the Buddy Poppycampaign—in which paper poppies areassembled by disabled and agingveterans for distribution, the proceedsof which help fund numerous veterans’service programs, including theNational Home. This edition of our Home Frontnewsletter contains interestinginformation about the Buddy Poppyand its history, while also introducingyou to this year’sBuddy Poppy child,Zane, a resident of theNational Home. Zanewill be featured inpromotions of thepoppy program, and heis an excellent exampleof the VFW NationalHome values and of ourshared goal to makesure that our warheroes are notforgotten. As you willnote in his photo, Zanetakes great—and justifiable—pride inhis family’s service.I know you also share this goal, andthis pride. So I hope you will find thisedition of our newsletter interesting.And also, the next time you see a VFWmember distributing Buddy Poppies, Ihope you will give him or her yoursupport. Thank you!Winter EmergenciesStill AheadEl Niño or no, we can count on more winterhere in Eaton Rapids for February and beyond.And that means falling tree limbs, dangerousstreets, burst pipes and power outages, atminimum.Your contribution today can help us keep ourfacilities in good repair, our vehicles inoperation, and—most important—ourresidents safe and warm! Any help you canprovide will be greatly appreciated during thischallenging season. Thank you for caring!Thanks to our generous supporters, thegiving spirit of Christmas filled the VFWNational Home for Children communitythroughout the holiday season.As part of our annual traditions, Santa andMrs. Claus visited each boy and girl in theirhomes – with help from VFW District 8 ofMichigan. The excited children jumped upand down and ran to the front door togreet the couple from the North Pole asthey pulled up in the National Home firetruck. The jolly elf brought toys and othergoodies to the children, much to their delight.And the Christmas spirit continued with a holiday craft show, the annual Christmaslunch, the fun of the Cootie clowns, and a final visit by Santa Claus before he headedback to the North Pole.You Delivered! A Very Merry Christmas at the Home!

Jane Reape’s entireadult life has beenentwined with the military. Her late husband, Jim, retired from theAir Force after 22 years of service, so herchildren grew up as part of the Air Forcefamily. Jane worked at Ft Drum, NY as acivilian employee, retiring after 30 years,as the Budget Officer for the GuthrieAmbulatory Healthcare Clinic there. Heroldest son, Raymond, is an Iraqi Freedomveteran, her youngest son retired fromthe Air Force after 22 years of service, hergranddaughter was commissioned as 2ndLt in the Air Force last May and hergrandson is in his 3rd year at West Point.If that’s not enough dedication to service,Jane’s brother-in-law, Joe Reape, retiredafter 20 years in the Navy and her otherbrother-in-law, Leroy, retired after 20years in the Army.In addition to enthusiastic participationin her VFW Auxiliary, Jane belongs tonumerous other military associations, isactive in her parish, and bowls in twoleagues. She enjoys reading, crocheting,knitting, cross-stitching, traveling,cruising … and roller coasters. Two visits to the National Home were allit took for Jane to adopt our residentsinto her extended family. Attending the 2009 National Homeorientation as a Department Jr. VicePresident, Jane says she was pleased andsurprised to see “what a beautiful andsafe place it was for families to findrefuge, confidence and assistance.” Later,when the renovations were completed onthe New York 2 House, Jane, thenDepartment President, and theDepartment Commander were invited tocome for the ribbon cutting. “It just sohappened that Santa was making his“official” visit to the Home,” she saysnow. “What a pleasure it was toaccompany Santa and see the joy on thefaces of the children and their parents!After those two visits, I fell in love withthe VFW National Home.”Before those visits, Jane says that she“never realized the many ways the VFWNational Home helps veterans and theirfamilies. I was most surprised that it isnot simply a home but a community filledwith love and compassion. It is like thesmall town I grew up in from thebeautiful brick homes, chapel andcommunity center to the nursery. I am soproud to contribute in a small way to thework of the VFW National Home.”And we are proud that Jane has chosen tosupport our work. Thank you, Jane, foryour many contributions and for yourentire family’s service to our great nation!Jane ReapePAGE 3Jane says she is “just an ordinary VFW Auxiliarymember trying to do my best to serve my family,my parish, my community and our veterans.”But she is not so ordinary to us.DONORSPOTLIGHTWhere should we shine the Spotlight next?If you would like to nominate anothermember of our community – or volunteeryourself – for a future Donor Spotlight,please contact Nancy Archambeau at(866) 483-9642, or by e-mail to:info@vfwnationalhome.orgIn addition tothe financialsupport thathelped ourholidays shine,everyone atthe NationalHome isthankful thatso many donors took the time to wish thechildren a Merry Christmas this year. Thisis just one of the trees we were able todecorate with the ornaments that donorssigned! It’s such a wonderful way tospread cheer, and to let the children knowthat friends all across the country arethinking of them and wishing them well.As we have witnessed firsthand here at theNational Home, parental deployments inwartime can take a toll on the mental andphysical health of the family members leftbehind, especially children. A new researchstudy conducted by the Syracuse UniversityInstitute for Veterans and Military Familiesconfirms the children’s need for specialattention.This study compares the rates of mentalhealth visits, injury visits, and childmaltreatment visits for young children(ages 3-8) of previouslydeployed/uninjured and previouslydeployed/injured military parents, ascompared to young children of militaryparents who have not been deployed. Theresearchers found that not only do childrenexperience more mental health problemsduring a parent’s deployment, but that theproblems continue and even increase aftera parent returns from deployment. Risk isfurther increased if the parent has beeninjured (mentally or physically) in combat.The researchers note that the Departmentof Defense has many tools to help familiesprepare for an upcoming deployment, butfew to help them reunify afterdeployments. As this study indicates, it iscrucial that children receive supportivecare both during and after deployments,and that caretakers understand the post-deployment period is a time of increasedrisk for the entire family.New Research Details the Impact of Deployments on ChildrenThank You!

An integral part of the VFW communitysince 1922, the Buddy Poppysymbolizes the VFW promise: that thesacrifices of American troops will neverbe forgotten.It is the VFW’s official memorial flower,inspired by Canadian Army Col. JohnMcCrae’s famous poem, “In FlandersFields,” which is reproduced on thispage. Proceeds from the distribution ofBuddy Poppies—on Memorial Day andthroughout the year—are used to aidveterans and their families. In fact, ourNational Home is an importantbeneficiary of this campaign, which iswhy children in residence here vie forthe honorary role of Buddy Poppy childeach year.While the poppies originally distributedwere shipped from France, memberssoon came up with a better idea.Disabled, hospitalized and agingveterans—in VA hospitals and stateveterans homes—began making paperflowers and shipping them out to thePosts and Auxiliaries for distribution.The VFW pays veterans for this work,providing additional income for thelittle luxuries that make hospital lifemore tolerable. Furthermore, Poppyassembly is often used as a therapyprogram to provide exercise for fingersand hands crippled by wounds, diseaseand the effects of old age. National Home CampusCalendar of EventsFeb 3 • Trustees Board MeetingMar 18-20 • Easter TreatWeekendMar 20-26 • National HomeAwareness WeekMay 12-14 • Department Jr. Vice Commanders and PresidentsOrientationJune 8 • Trustees Board MeetingPAGE 4There are very good reasons why charitable gift annuities have been around – andremained popular – for more than 100 years. An annuity not only helps yourfavorite charity, it can bring you important benefits as well, such as:• providing a guaranteed, fixed income for life (some of which will be tax-free).• possibly saving tax on Social Security benefits.• supplementing your retirement income.• reducing capital gains taxes, and saving on estate taxes.• offering an alternative to CDs and money market funds.If you want to ensure that the National Home can meet the future needs ofveterans’ families and children, establishing a charitable gift annuity may be theperfect option for you. And it’s easy!Nancy Archambeau, Assistant Development Director, can help you learn more about charitable gift annuities and how they might meet both your personal and your charitable goals. To get started, simply use the enclosed reply form torequest our brochure, contact Nancy toll-free at 866-483-9642 or use our interactivetools at vfwnationalhome.org/annuity to explore the benefits of different scenarios.My great grandpa was in the Army andfought in the battle to retake thePhilippine island of Corregidor. He was amember of the 503rd ParachuteRegimental Combat Team in WWII. Mygreat uncle was in the Army and servedin Vietnam, and my grandpa is a Marineand a member of the VFW. I am lucky tohave had all three of them in my life.I want to be the Buddy Poppy because Iwant to show veterans that they areappreciated by kids and grownups forall they have done and sacrificed forour freedom.Thank you for your support. God bless!Can a Charitable Gift AnnuityBenefit You…AND Veterans?(Sharing the VFW Heritage continued)IN FLANDER'S FIELDSby John McCrae In Flanders Fields the poppies blow, Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky, The larks, still bravely singing, fly, Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the dead. Short days ago, We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved and now we lie, In Flanders Fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe To you, from failing hands, we throw, The torch, be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us, who die, We shall not sleep, though poppies grow, In Flanders Fields.Mr. Shaffer’s lifelong collection of VFW pins,now entrusted to Zane, filled a shoebox.About the Buddy Poppy