Programs of the 40
& 8
Child Welfare
The Voyageurs Militaire (Military Travelers) founded a Child Welfare
Program in 1923 to ease the pain and suffering of those children whose fathers never
returned or who were unable to care for their needs after the "Big War." Today,
this program has grown to include all children with emergent needs, and our efforts amount
to over eight millions of dollars annually.
Youth Sports
The Youth Sports Program was established in 1994. Through this program,
the 40/8 provides financial assistance in the form of grants to individual athletes or
teams who lack the funds required to attend and participate in amateur sports programs.
This program encompasses all amateur sports programs for all youths from 7 to 20 years of
age.
Nurses Training
In 1955, the Voyageurs Militaire, recognizing the shortage of Registered
Nurses, adopted a program to provide financial assistance, in the form of scholarships, to
those individuals who enrolled for this training. With 2,131 students receiving over
$1,100,000 in scholarships this past year, the FORTY & EIGHT has granted in excess of
$20,000,000 and graduated over 23,000 Registered Nurses since the inception of this
program.
Carville Star
As one of their ongoing programs, the Voyageurs Militaire offer continuing
support of the publication, "The Carville Star," which disseminates the
information regarding the research into Hansen's Disease (Leprosy) taking place in Baton
Rouge, Louisiana. There they have been successful in isolating, controlling and soon,
through their research, the development of a vaccine to prevent Hansen's Disease.
"The Star" is published at the former United States Public Health Service
Hospital located in Carville, Louisiana. This patient-published publication carries the
research works of not only this center, but those of the rest of the world, and is
translated into and forwarded to 128 countries in addition to a circulation of more than
60,000 in the United States. The FORTY & EIGHT provides and maintains all the
equipment necessary for the publication and distribution of this magazine, from the modern
four color offset presses to the latest computer typesetting and addressing systems. We
are justly proud of our ability to provide over ninety percent of the funding for this
project.
Americanism
By virtue of being veterans who have served their country in its time of
greatest need, the fun-loving, hard-working Voyageurs Militaire maintain a strong
commitment to the American way of life. Americanism projects, respect for the flag,
Constitution, Law and Order and the proven willingness to defend these principles is
evident in the day-to-day activities of members of our society.
(VAVS) Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service
The Forty & Eight, as are most Veterans Organizations, is an active
member and participant in the VAVS program. As part of this program, Voyageurs (called
Deputy Representatives) visit the Veteran Administration Medical Centers on a regular
basis, where they give comfort and assistance to, or just visit with, the hospitalized
veterans. The Forty & Eight has adopted an additional program for these veterans,
called "Keep Those Wheelchairs Rolling." Under this program, the VAVS
Representative writes a brief letter outlining a "need" of the patients. These
"needs" may cover a project, equipment or comfort and convenience items needed
by the hospitalized veterans. The entries are then judged on the need and benefit to the
patients, and those selected receive the item(s) requested, courtesy of the National Box
Car Association.
National Box Car Association
The National Box Car Association (NBCA) is an independent association
within the Forty & Eight which raises funds by selling Crew or Associate Membership
Cards. All funds raised by the Association are used within the year they are obtained. The
National Box Car Association supports several special projects at Promenade Nationale
(National Convention). Each year, a party for special children is planned at the host
city. These special children and their escorts are treated to lunch, train rides and
entertainment provided by HOBO Clowns and bands. The entire cost of this party is paid by
the NBCA from the funds collected in their annual membership drive. Another project at
Promenade Nationale, is a monetary donation made to the local VAVS Hospital or Clinic.
This contribution usually goes to the Patient Services area. The NBCA also contributes
large amounts to the various programs of Voiture Nationale (National Headquarters), such
as the Boland Nurses Training Trust Fund and the Charles Ardery Child Welfare Trust Fund.
Monies are also given to the other programs which may require assistance, such as the
Membership Committee, Forty & Eighter Magazine, Law Officer of the Year Program and
many others.
POW/MIA Program
The purpose of the National POW/MIA Program is to raise funds in Honor of
the Servicemen & Women who were Prisoners of War, or are considered Missing in Action
while serving in the defense of the United States of America, or its allies during times
of armed conflict. The funds are raised to facilitate the formation and continuance of a
Scholarship Trust Fund for the direct descendants of verifiable POW/MIA Servicemen and
Women. Scholarships are limited to the Veteran, the Spouse of the veteran, children, and
grandchildren of the veteran.
To get full information on this program or to apply for a scholarship
click Here for the POW/MIA web page.
George B. Boland Nurses Training Scholarship Trust Fund
The Boland Nurses Scholarship Trust was founded to provide additional
scholarship support to those Voitures Locale who have exhausted their scholarship funds
but who still have qualified individuals applying for scholarships. The trust is
administered by Voiture Nationale, and all determinations regarding the awarding of
scholarship grants are made by the Boland Trust Committee consisting of three (3) members
of La Societe. Only those Voitures Locale who have an official Nurses Training Program in
place may apply to the Boland Trust for further assistance, as the Trust Fund is intended
as a supplement to, and not a replacement for, a local nurses training program.
Charles W. Ardery Memorial Child Welfare Trust Fund
The primary function of the Charles W. Ardery Trust Fund is to provide
reimbursements of funds expended by a Voiture Locale or a Grande Voiture in meeting the
emergent needs of children 17 years of age or younger. Emergent is defined as: A situation
which has developed of a serious nature demanding prompt attention." This situation
may arise out of natural disasters, i.e., floods, tornadoes, hurricane, fire, etc.
Emergent cases are given prime consideration and are undertaken by the Local Voiture where
established agencies, (Red Cross, churches, welfare, etc.), are unable to move rapidly or
cannot act at all. However, this aid is not intended to replace or supplement that
assistance which may be available through established agencies.
National Past Chef De Gare Club
The object of the organization of the club are as follows;
To honor, thru membership, those voyagers who have served their Voiture
Locale and/or Grand Voiture as Chef De Gare.
To directly support the Forty & Eighter Magazine with a $25,000.00 per
year donation derived from membership dues, memorial donations, gifts and other special
fund raising projects that the club may undertake.
To Increase comradery between club members who have common bonds, and who
are "Etiam Servans". (Still Serving)
To submit your membership application on-line click Here
To print the membership application form click Here.
For additional information on the National Past Chefs Club, contact the
National Secretary;
Paul J. Sorrentino
4575 Redbud Lane
Brownsburg, IN 46112
Phone (317)852-2452 Fax (317)858-9246 E-Mail paulj@unidial.com
OR
Voiture Nationale
Attn: Sue Walker
777 N Meridian Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone (317)634-1804 Fax (317)632-9365 E-Mail voiturenationale@msn.com
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