VMAS Q2 Summary
The focus of Q2 this year was planning and preparation. We have a busy second half of the year and we are excited to share some of our latest updates with you.
Join us Saturday, July 16th from 9-11 AM as we take part in the City of Dayton Great Miami River Clean Up. The exact clean-up location for our group will be shared closer to the date of the event. Learn more on the event site or sign up on our Google Form.
Registration for our Second Annual Golf Outing on September 10th is open on the Alumni Association site! We had a great time at the inaugural outing last year and look forward to hosting this event for its second year.
Congratulations to our Finance and Fundraising Committee Chair Loghan Young on being selected to the Wright State Foundation Board!
Marine Corps Veteran and Wright State Alumni Jeremy Dobbins was featured on an episode of 'The Big Ponder' that focused on stories of grief. Jeremy was an Infantryman deployed to Marjah, Afghanistan in 2010 and continues to carry the experiences of his past with him today. Jeremy has continued to serve through his efforts with Veterans Voices, including being featured in a Robert Wood Johnson presentation of Your Path to Health: Jeremy's Story.
Interested in learning more about VMAS? Join us for our weekly meeting each Thursday at 7 PM on Google Meet and learn more about the team and how you can help!
Champion Garden Update
The foundation is poured and the pergola is being constructed! Additionally, it is our great honor to announce that the Champion Garden will be dedicated to a commissioned Wright State Army ROTC Alumni from the class of 1999. Captain Shawn English came to Wright State University having already served in Operation Desert Storm as a Calvary Scout Sergeant. At Wright State, he joined the ROTC program and commissioned in August 1999. After serving as a U.S Army diver, he was deployed to Iraq to lead a Military Transition Team. In December 2006, CPT Shawn English was killed in action while on mission in Baghdad. CPT English leaves behind a wife and three sons who continue to honor his sacrifice.
We need your support to honor Shawn by funding a granite stone and memorial plaque that will be erected in his honor. Additional funding will assist in the completion of the garden and support future maintenance. All donations are vitally important for this enormous endeavor, gifts of any size will make a difference. Donations of $250 or more will lead to your name, or business name, being placed on a marker in the garden.
Help Build Hope w/ Englewood United Methodist Church
On May 14th a few members of the VMAS Executive Committee, Ken Folino (Vice President) and Paul Fleischman (Treasurer), joined over 150 volunteers to help frame two houses for deserving families. VMAS teamed up with multiple other group organizations including Boy Scout Troop 55, Northmont and Troy Christian High schools, Englewood Rotary, and many more to support Englewood United Methodist Church’s (UMC) annual partnership with Help Build Hope. Learn more by visiting our event blog.
Veterans Moving Forward 2022
The Annual Veterans Moving Forward event held at the Wright State University Student Union is a job and resource fair focused on the veteran and military-connected community. We were one of over 100 organizations at this year's event. While this was the first time VMAS had a booth at this event, members of our team have been involved with this event in some way since 2015 through the Veteran & Military Center and Veterans Voices. Learn more by visiting our event blog.
Member Highlight | Loghan Young
Meet Loghan Young; Wright State Alumni, US Army Veteran, VMAS Finance and Fundraising Committee Chairperson, and so much more. Loghan has been involved in the military community since she first enlisted in 2009, serving as a 88M Transportation Specialist and then continuing to serve as a civilian through roles with numerous Veterans Services Organizations. Learn more about Loghan by visiting her Member Highlight.
Resource Highlight | American Forces Travel
An MWR joint service transformation initiative has resulted in the first official online vacation travel site, American Forces Travel℠, with Priceline® as the service provider. The site offers travel deals and benefits just for you! American Forces Travel℠ provides access to a wide selection of discounted rates on hotels, airfare, rental cars, vacation packages, cruises, and much more! Learn more at americanforcestravel.com.
Upcoming Events
VMAS 2022 Golf Outing - September 10, 2022 @ Beavercreek Golf Club
It’s our Second Annual Golf Outing!!!
Clean Sweep of the Great Miami River - July 16, 2022 @ 9 AM
We will be joining a larger volunteer group this year with Clean Sweep, an annual volunteer event focused on removing trash and restoring the health of the Great Miami River.
11th Annual Bourbon Tour - October 14-16, 2022
Join the Wright State Alumni Association for their three day / two night trip to Louisville, Kentucky and enjoy a weekend of food, drinks, and fun.
Don’t forget to check out the Wright State Alumni Association calendar for more events.