DISABLED VETERANS INITIATE FUND DRIVE FOR FACILITY

The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Chapter 16 wants its own permanent facility in Cape Girardeau.

"Our chapter is currently using the facilities of the Naval Reserve Center," said Harold Hunt of Oak Ridge, commander of the DAV unit. "Before that, we used the National Guard Armory."

Gilbert E. Sewing of Jackson, adjutant of the local group, said, "We have found an ideal building for a permanent facility. It already has a wheelchair ramp, and it would serve as a good site for monthly meetings and social events."

Hunt and Sewing announced Monday that the local DAV is kicking off a $10,000 fund-raising campaign to help buy a brick structure at 1000 Big Bend Road, which formerly housed a church.

"We have already had good response from our members," said Hunt. "Now, we're looking to the community to help raise $10,000 for the purchase of this real estate. Any donation, small or large, will be appreciated."

The local DAV chapter has a total of 475 members who served in several wars World War I, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.

"The majority of our membership is comprised of World War II veterans," said Hunt. "But we welcome all disabled veterans."

Chapter members are from many areas, but about 250 of them are from Cape Girardeau and 100 are from Jackson.

The local DAV group was founded in 1955.

"We've been meeting at the National Guard and Naval Center for about 37 years," said Sewing. "Veteran Norman Wenskay of Cape Girardeau headed the drive to have a chapter established here, and it was officially chartered on Nov. 15, 1955."

The DAV, an organization of men and women who have been disabled in the line of duty during time of war, was founded in March of 1920 by a group of disabled veterans under the leadership of Judge Robert S. Marx of Cincinnati.

The purpose of the group is to help care for disabled veterans and to help them return to a useful way of living.

The DAV has about 500,000 members in more than 2,200 chapters throughout the U.S., with national headquarters at Cold Spring, Ky.