MINUTES OF CRYSTAL COAST TEA PARTY PATRIOTS
APRIL 5, 2011
Meeting held at Golden Corral, Morehead City, NC
Meeting called to order at 6:05pm by President BOB CAVANAUGH
Pledge of Allegiance led by WAYNE WILLIS
Invocation by JERE GEURIN
No. of attendees – 31
New attendee – Norman F. Boothe
Guest speaker – Rick Hairston (Carolina Canines for Veterans, a national program that provides service
dogs to our wounded veterans)
RALLY APRIL 16 – The ability to play music is still in limbo.
NANCY BOCK brought the two new banners. FRED DECKER volunteered to mount them on 2×4 boards. He said he would set them up on Hwy 70 by Hibbs Road. HOWARD GARNER recommended we contact Clayton Garner about putting the other one up on his land (Garner’s Farm). Howard will get up with Clayton and find out.
NANCY recommended that one of our members volunteer to prepare a flyer (maybe ½ page to hand out to the attendees along with a pocket Constitution as they arrive. One side would be a Schedule of Events (list of speakers and time) and the other side a ‘thank you’ to those who have provided special items: ie The Flea Mall, Barry Page for the stage, financial donors, Americans for Prosperity, John Locke Foundation, etc. HOWARD volunteered PEGGY GARNER, (since she wasn’t doing anything anyway) to make up the handout.
ROY MUSSER needs additional help with parking. Right now, he only has one volunteer other than himself.
BOB said we need someone to help put out flags. KEN LANG will put out an email asking for volunteers to help set up at 9:30. HOWARD said he planned to pick up the tables and chairs Friday night, put them in a covered trailer, and have them at the grounds by 9:00. NANCY is in charge of aligning the tables. TOM AUSTIN wanted to know about a table for petitions. He thinks BOB or KEN should announce from the stage about stopping by the petition table to sign and/or vote. FRED said he had been unable to get up with the Guthrie girl about singing the Star Spangled Banner. Her father has been sick. He will try again. BELVA MANNING said she knew of someone whom she thinks would do it and they have a beautiful voice. If FRED is unable to get someone, then she will contact her potential singer.
GUEST SPEAKER –
ANDREW GOODRICH introduced our speaker for the evening, Rick Hairston from Charleston, SC.
He is head of a Dog Training Outfit, Carolina Canines for Veterans, with corporate office in Wilmington. The program was founded in 1996. They have three full time employees and one part time with over 250 volunteers. They provide over four million dollars worth of services. This program was started in January 2008 at Camp Lejeune. They utilize military prisoners to raise and train dogs to give to wounded warriors with a mobility disability and/or post traumatic stress disorder, at no cost to the veteran. As of March 2010 there have been 36,906 soldiers wounded and they need over 9,000 qualified service dogs.
The program provides a threefold benefit or as they say ‘a triple win’:
Benefit (1) Rescue of the Shelter Dog.
The dogs are usually pound dogs, either abandoned and/or scheduled to be euthanized. They must pass strict health evaluations and are given a twenty-nine minute temperament evaluation. They are then given a new life and purpose as a service dog. They do not select special breeds, however; they do not use Pitt Bulls or Rottweilers; not because they are not suitable for use, but because of people’s opinion of them. A service dog is supposed to draw attention from his wounded veteran, who only wants to live his life as normal as possible. The friendly loveable dog that everyone takes to, makes people look more at the veteran without noticing his infirmity.
Benefit (2 ) Rehabilitation of the Military Prisoner. Program gives prisoners a second chance to help their comrades, begin atonement, and increases their self-esteem. Valuable training for their future release from prison is learned. Many prisoners, upon attaining their freedom, continue with the program or find jobs like dog grooming. They have learned a trade. When in the brig, prisoners are not allowed to touch, not even place their hand on someone else’s shoulder. This can create more time added to their sentence. However, when training a dog, they are permitted, not only to touch the dog, but they receive love in return for their time and effort in training. Dogs, one to two years old are preferred, since it takes up to two years to train and prepare the dog for a life of devotion to a wounded veteran. It takes about 2,000 hours of training and tests can cost up to $1,000.00 per dog. Dogs are taught (learn) 70 commands resulting in 350 tasks. They are valued at $40,000.00 each and cost the program approximately $30,000.00. The program retains ownership of the dogs for five years, assuring what is best for the dog. They are insured with a million dollar policy, not because they are afraid the dog might bite or hurt someone, but that someone might trip over the dog and break a bone and sue. They do not want the veteran worrying about such things. Less than 500 dogs are placed each year and there probably could be several thousand that could use a dog. Rick said he would like to be able to use veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He thought it probably would cut down on the current suicide statistics with this group.
Benefit (3) Revitalization of the Wounded Veteran. Assistance of these quality-trained service dogs at no cost to the veteran helps them regain independence and ability to enjoy an enhanced quality of life.
The question was asked if they had any female prisoners working with the dogs. He said that there was only one prison taking females and that was in California. However, wounded female veterans are receiving the trained dogs for their enhanced quality of life, also.
Due to this program brig policies, procedures, and practices have had to be rewritten, ie. Security, use of designated outside areas, exercise, feeding, and sanitation of facilities, and many others.
As Rich had explained, this program had started at Camp Lejeune, but amount of time spent in the brigs here has been reduced, so the prisoners here are not afforded the required amount of time to train. They are now being trained at the Navy Brig in Charleston, South Carolina.
ANDREW passed out a flyer on the program and BOB thanked Rick for coming to talk with us about this most worthy cause.
KEN asked if anyone there had heard of the Carteret County Concerned Citizens for Education (C4). They are holding an Education Budget Symposium with Dr. Novey, speaker, Monday, April 11, 2011, at 6:00pm at East Carteret High School auditorium, in Beaufort. It would be nice if one/some of our members would attend. If interested in their school budget position, check out https://sites.google.com/site/c4educationnc/home. CORRECTION: C4 will be holding a Legislative Budget Update Luncheon Friday, April 15, 2011 at the Sanitary Restaurant at 12 noon (dutch treat). You do not have to have reservations, but would appreciate your calling Leigh Johnson at 241-2255 or the Chamber of Commerce at 726-6350. Speakers will be Senator Jean Preston and Representative Pat Elraft. Once again we would like to have representative(s) from the TEA Party attend. We need to keep our fingers on the pulse of our county in order for us to be effective in our goals also.
Discussion on EPA wanting to ban bacterial hand soaps and other type sanitary aids (TRICLOSAN). Do we want another right taken away? It was requested that someone in the group follow up on this bill. Would like to have a petition made up to get people to sign at the rally.
Understand there is a bill being worked on making English language North Carolina’s primary language. Need someone to download any information can find and bring it (and possibly a petition) to the rally.
Project we care – Packed 100 boxes last weekend and spent $1,295.00 postage to mail overseas to our troops. JERE said he had sat at the Post Office in Morehead requesting volunteers for postage and had mailed 43 boxes there.
BOB told about a Teen Party Camp being planned for ages 14-18. The cost will be $225.00 per weekend.
For more information go to teapartyteencamps.com (Jeff Bernard). Also he will try to get more info on the seminar ‘Training to run for office or helping with campaign’.
BOB said he understood there were only about 700 to 1,000 attendees at the Continuing Resolution Rally this past week in Washington. There is still no resolution on the budget as yet. He felt that holding a rally during the week was absurd. People work or need to be home during the week. If they want a crowd to show they need to hold them on weekends. He feels that snail mail and phone calls are more effective.
TOM HARMON said HR 37 (Net Neutrality) was coming up for a vote. They want to regulate the internet. Call Walter B. Jones and tell him to vote not to regulate.
Treasury Report – NANCY reported we have $1,300.00 in the treasury.
Postponed discussion on adopting a new charitable cause to sponsor. Will decide after the April Rally.
Meeting adjourned at 7:30pm.
Minutes submitted by PEGGY GARNER, Secretary