This year’s July 4th celebration, Hats off to Our Heroes, was the largest Quail Creek Fourth of July event yet. The theme paid tribute to Vietnam Veterans and included approximately 37 Vietnam Vets riding in the parade. Vietnam Veteran, COL Peggy McGee, USA retired, served as the Grand Marshall. The day started off with the Vietnam Veterans being treated to free coffee and homemade pastries, and this event was hosted by Quail Creek resident and Vietnam Veteran, Lieutenant Colonel Herb Pahoresky, USAF retired.
This year’s Activities Committee had several fun events during the day, which included a dunk tank and a 50/50 raffle along with other games for prizes. Activities Committee Chairperson Pat Thoresen and her crew of volunteers once again chose the Green Valley MOAA Military Assistance Charity as the benefactor of these fund raising efforts. The Activities Committee collected 110 pounds in food donations along with a total of $501.00 in monetary donations to help the needy families of the Tucson National Guard.
The Quail Creek Food and Beverage Committee had an MOAA volunteer subcommittee that included Joan Nix, Carole Keane, Connie Bandstra and Tari Wright who helped obtain the raffle prizes which included gift certificates to The Grill, a gift basket, wine and wine glasses. The prizes were donated by the Quail Creek Food Services staff from Robson. The Food and Beverage volunteers created an attractive display with the gifts and sold raffle tickets for these door prizes. The Food and Beverage Committee donated 100% of the proceeds from the raffle, which totaled $590.00, to the GV MOAA Military Assistance Fund.
The Green Valley MOAA Military Assistance program not only donates food and financial support to the needy families of the Tucson National Guard but the charity has grown and expanded. Thanks to the continuous and generous support of the residents and committees of Quail Creek, the charity is also able to support a number of other programs that assist local needy military families, their children, homeless veterans and wounded warriors.
At the closing ceremony Major Steven Abel, Quail Creek MOAA representative, expressed his gratitude to all those involved in this wonderful event. He stated that without Quail Creek, the MOAA charity would not be able to sustain this program which provides the support to these worthy entities. He also stated that his feeling of gratitude towards the residents and committees of Quail Creek was only exceeded by the joy that MOAA receives when it is able to deliver the donations to the deserving military families. Thanks to Quail Creek, MOAA is able to Pay it Forward.
These food donations along with those from TWOQC and commissary gift cards were delivered to Barb Gavre, Director Airman and Family readiness and SRA Marcus Johnson at the Tucson Air National Guard on July 11, 2013.
I would like to thank the Activities Committee, the Food and Beverage Committee and all those who supported this fourth of July event and helped contribute to GV MOAA’s Military Assistance Charity.