Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation Announces New Simplified Name
(Santa Barbara, CA) Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation, formerly called Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Museum and Library Foundation founded in 2003, has adopted a new streamlined name to better reflect the many different efforts it is involved in. The Board of Directors voted on the new name at its March meeting and approved unanimously to ‘establish and operate a Veterans Foundation dedicated to American men & women of all military services.’
PCVF helps numerous veteran oriented initiatives and support programs. Among the many, they directly support the Hospice Pinning Ceremonies, fund the Sea Cadets, UCSB’s ROTC program – one of the top-ranked college programs, UCSB Veterans Resource Team, and in collaboration with the Santa Barbara Foundation it raises and distributes financial aid to veterans at all the higher educational facilities here who have exhausted their GI Bill of Rights Benefits. A museum and library continue to be a big part of the organization’s goals.
The community knows PCVF best for the annual Veterans Day Weekend with the parade, fly-overs, concert, and marathon. Carrying on the tradition Pierre Claeyssens started 19 years ago The Military Ball is the standout event of the Veterans Weekend. Claeyssens said, “To be killed in war is not the worst that can happen. To be lost is not the worst that can happen…to be forgotten is the worst.” PCVF’s Board believes strongly in this motto and ‘Never Forgotten’ is part of the logo. This Memorial Day, PCVF will have a free one-hour ceremony at the Santa Barbara Cemetery to honor those who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom. It will culminate with a patriotic flyover of vintage aircraft that will do “The Missing Man” formation as its final pass over the cemetery. We invite the community to join us. Event starts at 10 a.m.
PCVF Board of Directors are: Hazel Blankenship, John Blankenship, Bill Brown, Phil Conran, Michael Cook, Ed Dewey, Marilyn Gilbert, Jack Harris, Dr. Adam Lewis, Fred Lopez, Michel Nellis, Dennis Peterson, Jose Ramirez, Pete Schenck and Robert Zeman.
Next up for PCVF is the Thursday, May 8 luncheon and symposium in collaboration with the Channel City Club to honor the 70th Anniversary of D-Day. Held at the Fess Parker Double Tree Resort, this is always a sell-out event, for information on tickets ($40) please call the Channel City Club (805) 884-6636 or go to www.channelcityclub.org. For information on PCVF call (805) 259-4394 or find us on Facebook.
