July 4, 2015
Special to the Bulge Bugle
Editor: Ralph Bozorth
Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge (Ardennes)PO Box 336
Blue Bell. Pa. 19422
Dear Editor Bozorth,
The Miss. Chapter of V.B.O.B. is honored and proud to share the successful completion of our Scholarship Program: Hopefully, other chapters in the U.S.A. may want to have their own Scholarship Program.
Can you imagine, with our Miss. Chapter down to our present membership of a “precious few”, that we would be so bold as to initiate a Scholarship Program! This is something that we can do without leaving our home and still be accomplishing something important for young people, which also informs others about the “greatest generation”! During the next generations, no one will wonder:” Was the Battle of the Bulge just a story circulated around or was it real — such as the reality of the Nazi prisons’ horror stories when people wondered if it was true.
Our Scholarship Program started with left over accounts from our V.B.O.B. treasury when we decided to become an informal group and still meet once a year. This One Thousand dollars grew by our members and associates generosity —ending in almost $9,000.00 enough to give six scholarships for the 2015-2016 school year, to a College or University of their choice. We received six outstanding applicants who each received a $1,000.00 scholarship.
Enclosed are news items and materials, any of which can be used by a V.B.O.B. chapter if they wish to start their own Scholarship Program. The “rush” of being able to accomplish and be successful in something important and at the same time let our young people know about the war and the brave soldiers who fought and won, is immeasurably thrilling! The committee which guided this program consisted of: a 100-year old, a 90-year old, a 93 and 92 year old, (one of whom happens to be Judge Fred Wicker, Sen. Roger Wicker’s Dad,) and several in their 80’s.
Our “go-to” 100-year old felt so strongly, (along with the rest,) that they have been given so much that they wanted to give back to our young students a little financial help. We feel that we are building future leaders.
The Scholarship award winners will be invited to come to our fall meeting at Lake Tiak O’Khata to tell what they have learned about what Winston Churchill called ” the greatest land battle of WW II.” Thus, we can learn from these young students and they can learn about us and V.B.O.B.
Surely, this is a most unusual and wonderful project of giving to others by our WW II Greatest Generation.
Dr. James W. Hunt
jazzyjane@cableone.net
Attachments:
Scholarship-eligibility
Scholarship-application
Application-scoring-details