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Winter Sports Opportunities Now Open at STARS Colorado Ranch

Steamboat Adaptive Recreational Sports (STARS) in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, has opened registration for four ski adventures in early 2024 for disabled veterans, including a new program session for women veterans only. Lodging, ski equipment, lift ticket, along with breakfast, snacks, and dinner, are all included in the 5-day/4-night package. Lodging is at the STARS Ranch.  Session dates are: Veterans Ski & Ride Session 1: January 14 – 18 Women’s Ski & Ride Week: February 4 […]

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BVA Buddy Checks Soon Underway

BVA is pleased to announce a new Buddy Check initiative to be carried out by the Association’s first two classes of graduate Ambassadors. The outreach effort connects veterans to check on well-being and offer support. Ambassadors are trained blind and low vision volunteers who are passionate about helping other veterans. They will reach out by phone or email simply to check in and provide information about BVA resources and services when appropriate. The Buddy Check […]

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Fiscal Year’s First Quarter Sees Noteworthy Upshoot in New Members

By Teresa Galgano, Director of Member Relations Amazing work, BVA team! In the July-September quarter alone, we welcomed a fantastic 72 new members into our BVA family! If we keep up this incredible momentum, we will be on track to welcome 288 new members by the end of the fiscal year. Can we aim for an inspiring milestone of 300 new members by the close of July?  An astonishing 70 percent of our new members, […]

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BVA Selected for Target Circle Campaign through End of 2023

BVA National Headquarters is honored and pleased to announce that the organization has been chosen to participate in a special charitable giving campaign, sponsored and funded by Target. You have the chance to help direct a portion of Target’s donation at year’s end to BVA! Now through December 31, vote for BVA through the Target Circle program to help determine how Target’s donation will be distributed. Find out more about Target Circle at www.target.com/circle. We […]

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Applications Now Accepted for 2024 Winter Sports Clinic

Please act as soon as possible to participate in the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic scheduled for April 1-7, 2024, in Snowmass, Colorado! The world-class event, co-hosted by VA and Disabled American Veterans, is also supported by a host of private sector sponsors. Registration includes lodging, meals, and a variety of sports and recreation activities such as those enumerated below. Because a doctor must fill out a portion of the application and because demand […]

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BVA Chief of Staff Reviews iOS 17 Release

In this week’s BVA Happenings, BVA VetTech Moderator and Chief of Staff Timothy Hornik summarizes the benefits of newly released accessibility features for blind users of Apple products. The company released the iOS 17 update earlier this week. A more extensive presentation of the improvements will appear in the upcoming issue of The Bulletin.  Notable Features of iOS 17 Assistive Access: This feature allows users to simplify the iOS interface. If there is one common complaint […]

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Applications Now Accepted for 2024 Winter Sports Clinic

Please act immediately to participate in the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic scheduled for April 1-7, 2024 in Snowmass, Colorado! Learn more through your Visual Impairment Services Team Coordinator and apply online here by November 1, 2023. The world-class event, co-hosted by VA and Disabled American Veterans, is also supported by a host of private sector sponsors. Registration includes lodging, meals, and a variety of sports and recreation activities such as those enumerated below. […]

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Honoring Gold Star Mothers and Families

In 1936, Congress designated the last Sunday in September as Gold Star Mother’s Day. The observance continues today but includes the entire family, now officially designated as Gold Star Mother’s and Family’s Day by proclamation of President Barack Obama in 2011 to honor parents and families of service members who gave the ultimate sacrifice of their lives in defense of their country. The 2023 observance is this Sunday, September 24.  Gold Star mothers, fathers, and […]

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Update Contact Information Now on BVA Website

BVA National Headquarters receives a substantial amount of return mail from the U.S. Postal Service, primarily from mailings of the print version of the quarterly Bulletin. The database also contains outdated telephone numbers that are often difficult to correct. BVA members can now update their address and other contact information via BVA.org. The process is a simple one, accomplished on a webpage containing fillable fields in which the updated information can be typed. Format preferences […]

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Prudential-VA Wellness Wednesday Financial Education Series Resumes

In partnership with VA, Prudential Financial, Outreach, Transition, and Economic Development (OTED) offers veterans, transitioning service members, spouses, other family members, and caregivers a Wellness Wednesday Financial Educational series on the third Wednesday of each month beginning August 16.  The series has resumed to address financial literacy gaps across the military and veterans community and is comprised of two programs: first, an online website portal that contains a roster of financial literacy information and resources […]