September 2019 Update for Military, Veterans, & Gold Star Families BOF

[StraitRVing]

September 2019 Updates from the BOF

 

Good day everyone!
Here is happening in this new BOF.

Membership.
This is a BOF and not a Certified BOF, C-BOF. The difference is that C-BOFs have elected officers, By-Laws, Constitution, dues, and often a bank account. As a BOF, we do not have any of that and that includes not having dues.  Currently we have six couples in this BOF. Plenty of room for more members! Did we mention that membership in this BOF is FREE!  We are in the process of updating the membership roster.  If you are a member, you should have received an email already asking you to provide the BOF updated information.  We will be emailing the updated roster to our membership and Escapees later this month.

Wreaths Across America
December 14th is National Wreaths Across America Day. The mission is to Remember, Honor, and Teach others about the sacrifices our military has done for us. Wreath-laying ceremonies are conducted at many cemeteries (military and non-military) on this day to include at Arlington. Over 1600 ceremonies will be conducted in the US, US territories, at sea, and abroad.

Here is a link that you can go to and learn more about Wreaths Across America: https://wreathsacrossamerica.org/remember-honor-teach/#remember

If you can, please volunteer to help with a local Wreaths Across America ceremony or wreath-laying. If you feel inclined to sponsor a wreath that is great. You can sign up to help at the Wreaths Across America website. If you are going to help, please let the BOF know and at what location. You are encouraged to get up with other BOF members in your area if possible.  The Straits will be helping at the Michigan Veterans Cemetery in Grand Rapids Michigan. If you will be in this area, please join them.  To contact them, send a reply here or you can contact them via RVillage.

60th Escapade.
The 60th Escapade will be June 21 – 26 in Rock Springs Wyoming. Jim Blazer is coordinating our BOF activities at the Escapade to include being setup at the ROW (hall set aside for chapters, BOFs, and SKP Co-Op parks to gather and share their information).

What’s Next?
That is a great question! We have the Wreaths Across American in December and the 60th Escapade in June. We have nothing else scheduled. How active this BOF gets is 100% up to the members, potential members, and guest. What would you like to do? Do you want a simple get-together at a campground? Do you want a meal get-together? A campout in an area where we can tour some places? Find ways to help support the military, veterans, and Gold Star families (quilts, care packages, volunteering for a project somewhere such as at a camp that serves veterans, etc?  There is discussion about having a Get-Together for next May in West Michigan. Please send the BOF your ideas for "What's Next".   If you would like to head up an activity, please send us the information.

Best regards,
Escapees Military, Veterans & Gold Star Families BOF

EscapeesBOFMilitaryandVeterans@GMail.com

https://skpbofmilvetsgoldstar.blogspot.com/

 

[RV_]

Is this primarily for Gold Star families?

[StraitRVing]

Good day RV_

The BOF is for those that are still serving in the military (active, reserve, National Guard), veterans (whether they retired from the military or served for a few years and then got out), and Gold Star families (immediate family of the service member that made that ultimate sacrifice).  It is not primarily for one segment over another.  It is for all three equally. 

The purpose of this BOF is to provide military, veterans, and Gold Star families the opportunity to continue with food, fun, fellowship, and camping/RVing with others that have or still are serving, in the United States and Canadian Armed Forces.  We strive to help each other.  We also strive to help military, veterans, and Gold Star families that are not members of the BOF (or Escapees) yet that need help and the BOF membership has opted to help.

Best regards,

Richard "Doc"  

[RV_]

Thanks Doc,

One of the requirements is a current Escapees membership. Ours I let lapse in 2005 or so after we came off the road to care for our remaining parents, but as well my wife wanted to stop full time and part time after seven years. So thanks anyway, guess I'll just keep posting in the forums as I have since Escapees forums started. And this forum that I asked Mark Nemeth to create (Admin at the time) for our military veteran RVrs in 2001 or so. I've slept since then. It's too bad Escapees doesn't keep all their forum posts like iRV2 does. Keep up the good work!

[Ronbo]

This is a friends organization that may merge well with this bof. They do frequent off road camping trips.

https://www.homewardforheroes.com/

[StraitRVing]

Thank you for the input and encouragement RV_.  Keep an eye out on the BOF activities.  Even though you are not a member of Escapees anymore, you can attend as a guest to the events.  

Best regards,

Richard

[StraitRVing]

Rondo, thank you for including the link.  I am going to check out that site and organization.  

Best regards,

Richard "Doc"

[chuckbear]

Pardon my stupidity but nowhere do I see an explanation of what BOF means. Chuck

Edited September 14, 2019 by chuckbear

[StraitRVing]

Hello Chuckbear.

No stupidity at all.  The abbreviation "BOF" stands for Birds Of a Feather.  Escapees BOFs are groups of people that share the same interest or lifestyles such as boondocking, geocaching, working on the road, disaster relief, amateur radio, and a bunch more things.  A BOF that has By-laws, constitution, dues, elected officers, etc. is a Certified Birds Of a Feather (C-BOF).  The Military, Veterans, and Gold Star families BOF does not have By-laws, constitution, dues, elected officers or any of that.  Therefore it is not a C-BOF.  

Best regards,

Richard "Doc"