The Sarasota County Veterans Commission was authorized under the Laws of Florida, Chapter 22695, and by the Board of County Commissioners of Sarasota County on February 19, 1945.
The Commission is a non-profit Florida 501(c)3 federation of Sarasota County Veterans’ Organizations, Military and Patriotic Associations and their Auxiliaries.
The purpose of the Commission is to unify the veterans’ organizations by providing solidarity in communicating veterans’ viewpoints on issues before local, state and national legislative bodies. The Commission disseminates information on issues of interest to veterans.
The Commission plans, cooperates and coordinates with local authorities, government officials and other interested parties on matters of patriotic commemorations.
The Commission plans, coordinates and implements other programs to serve the best interests of veterans, active, National Guard and reserve military personnel, their families, surviving spouses and orphaned children.
The Commission cooperates with local, state and national social services and welfare agencies in programs related to the welfare of veterans, active & reserve military personnel and their dependents.
Elected Officers for 2008 — 2009
President — Dr. Richard M. Swier
Vice-president — Andy Hooker
Secretary/Treasurer — Gen Fowler
Past Presidents
We honor our past Presidents who have worked so hard for our veterans.
Barbara Stewart Nowling - 1988 to 1990
Lee F. Kichen—1998 to 2002
David Stone—2002 to 2003
Dr. Richard M. Swier—2003 to Present
Zimbio Link
About Me
- Dr. Richard M. Swier, LTC, U.S. Army (Ret.)
- Richard holds a Doctorate of Education, a Master’s Degree in Management Information Systems, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts. Rich is a 23-year Army veteran who retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1990. He was awarded the Legion of Merit for his years of service. Additionally, he was awarded the Bronze Star for Heroism in ground combat, Presidential Unit Citation, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry while serving with the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam. He is a graduate of the Field Artillery Officers Basic and Advanced Courses, and U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. Richard was the Founder/CEO of Sarasota Online, a high technology company that was sold to Comcast Cable in 1996. Richard twice chaired the Sarasota Better Business Council and sat on the Board of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. He currently serves on the Board of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County and on an advisory committee to the Sarasota County School Board. He is President of the Sarasota County Veterans Commission, and has been appointed as Chairman of the Sarasota National Cemetery Advisory Committee by Congressman Vern Buchanan.
4 comments:
To Dr. Richard Swier & Commission associates,
This letter is to introduce our organization to you, and to offer to initiate a dialogue with you about how we might work together for your area’s veterans
We are the Veterans Support Organization, and our primary function is fund-raising on behalf of Florida veterans. Usually the funds we raise are given to the VA's Voluntary Services Department to be used for non-budgeted expenses in the VA hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes. However we also help individual veterans resolve pressing needs such as delinquent utility bills, rent/mortgage payments, etc. Due to our obligation to provide accountability to our donors we require verification of the veteran status and need of anyone asking for our help. Again, usually we do this through a Social Worker within the VA, but we would consider a referral from other reputable veteran organizations who have verified those veterans and their needs as well.
We generally require written documentation in some form which we are able to show current & prospective donors to provide the necessary accountability. This is in the form of a written request for help, and a written acknowledgement that the help was received and applied.
We have done, and will continue to do fund-raising in your area, so if your being a referring organization interests you, please contact me so that we can begin a working relationship. Our philosophy is for VSO to be cooperative in your area, not competitive - we do what we do well, and encourage local organizations to ask for our help to do what they do well. We are also open to helping you in any local fund-raising efforts of your own, should you desire, and if arrangements can be made in advance.
In the meantime, feel free to check us out at www.vsoflorida.org . Our website is nowhere near as robust or current as I would like it to be, or as it will be in the near future, but there should be enough there to give you a feel for what we do. You may also feel free to call me personally at (386) 446-5556 Monday-Friday, 10 AM-5PM and I will do my best to answer any concerns you may have. You are also welcome to visit our office at 1 Farraday Lane, Palm Coast, FL 32137 and see for yourself the documentation we have on file which substantiates the help we extend to veterans of Florida.
I sincerely desire for us to be a help to you as together we help Florida veterans - there is nobody who deserves needed help more (in my humble opinion - but then I am a veteran also, so that opinion is likely biased).
Johnny Turvin
Office Manager
Veterans Support Organization,
North & Central Florida Chapter
johnny@vsoflorida.org
(386) 446-5556
Let’s show Sarasota Cares—MEET OUR WOUNDED HEROES Monday May the 23rd at 11:30 at Dolphin Aviation, Sarasota Fl
http://insureswfl.wordpress.com/2011/05/12/let%e2%80%99s-show-sarasota-cares-meet-our-wounded-heroes-monday-may-the-23rd-at-1130-at-dolphin-aviation-sarasota-fl/
I wonder how many Sarasota Veterans agree with you that the only good faggot is a dead faggot. http://redcounty.com/content/bullying-peer-pressure-and-gulf-coast-gives
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