Recent news from The MOAA Newsletter. View previous editions of Council and Chapter News here. Send updates about your affiliate’s activities to chapters@moaa.org for possible inclusion in future editions.

Be A MOAA Advocate

Encourage all chapter members to use MOAA’s Legislative Action Center.

MOAA council and chapter members are among the strongest supporters of the association’s advocacy mission, contributing through grassroots efforts with elected officials. But only 5% of the association’s more than 360,000 members are registered advocates through MOAA’s Legislative Action Center. Encourage all chapter members to sign up to be an advocate, so they’re ready to engage their legislators through our calls to action. Visit MOAA.org/takeaction today.

Get Your Limited Edition MOAA 'Charitee'

All proceeds from the purchase of the shirt benefit MOAA Charities.

You can help The MOAA Foundation and MOAA Scholarship Fund bridge the gap for the uniformed services community by purchasing a 2023 MOAA Charitee. To get your shirt, visit MOAA.org/charitees2023. Learn more about MOAA Charities and the programs supported at https://charities.moaa.org.

Surviving Spouse Corner: Finding Your Path After Losing Your Spouse

After the death of your spouse, you face countless decisions, including where and with whom to live. One surviving spouse shares her experience.

By Barbara Smith, Surviving Spouse Advisory Council member

When you lose your spouse, you often face lifestyle questions that need to be answered. Do I stay in my home? Should I move closer to my children? Should I go back to work? Should I start volunteering?

Like others, when I lost my husband 20 years ago, I needed to address those questions.

My situation was different than some because my mother, who was 94 at the time, had been living with us for 13 years. She wasn’t keen on moving, which meant we weren’t going anywhere.

When she passed away four years later, I decided to get back to work. But my home wouldn’t remain empty for long.

Soon after my mother’s death, my older sister retired and wanted to move in with me. She relocated from California to my home in Virginia. She stayed two years and then moved to Colorado, where she had wanted both of us to move initially.

Was that the end of my roommate revolving door? Far from it: Next came my grandson and his best friend for what was supposed to be a six-month stay while one found a job and the other finished school. Instead, one stayed with me for two years and the other for six. I learned living with young boys was much different than raising my three daughters.

Next came my daughter and son-in-law, who wanted to relocate from the Washington, D.C., area after retiring. They have been here for going on five years.

Do I miss my privacy sometimes? Of course. I’m sure my housemates also miss theirs from time to time. But it’s been a very good fit.

There are pros and cons to an open-door policy — what has worked for me and my family in recent decades might not be ideal for you. But I believe life has a way of leading us to where we’re meant to be — and in this case, it’s kept me in my home.

Evidently, that is what I always wanted.

Read past Surviving Spouse Corners.

Upcoming Events

Monthly Chapter Leader Virtual Roundtable: Join us July 27 at 7 p.m. Eastern time for a discussion about chapter health assessments. Join here at the time of the meeting. (Meeting ID: 278 820 319 886; Passcode: cXQszS).

Find a complete list of Council and Chapter Affairs events online.

Virtual Leaders' Workshop: Council and Chapter Affairs is adding a virtual leader’s workshop to our 2023 schedule. This workshop is scheduled for July 25-27 and open to the following officers from all MOAA councils and chapters: President, Membership Chair, Surviving Spouse Liaison, and Legislative Chair/Liaison.

This three-day workshop represents an enhanced chapter health training opportunity and will feature remarks and participation from MOAA President and CEO Lt. Gen. Brian T. Kelly, USAF (Ret); a MOAA Senior Leader Panel; and breakout training sessions on Chapter Management, Legislative Advocacy, and Surviving Spouse Training. In addition, there will be significant opportunity for dedicated one-on-one volunteer leader discussions with Council and Chapter Affairs staff on a wide range of important issues and topics, including 2022 Harris Communications Award debrief sessions.

Please mark your calendars and be on the lookout for the formal agenda and invitation coming soon.

Did You Know?

Training Opportunities: National MOAA offers training opportunities and resources for council and chapter leaders throughout the year. Find more information about these workshops, webinars, and downloadable resources.

Community Service Ideas: Whether your chapter is looking for new ways to get involved or is just getting started, national MOAA can help. Check out this list of 10 community-service activities for councils and chapters.

Chapter Awards and Gear: The MOAA Store has a wide variety of items to enhance your community engagement, from awards certificates and ROTC and Junior ROTC medals and gold bar sets to high-quality MOAA-branded apparel. Click and browse the special councils and chapters section today!

From the Field

MOAA chapters give back to their communities through fundraising efforts, community-service projects, scholarship programs, and other initiatives. Here are some recent activities.

The Palm Springs (Calif.) Chapter bestowed four $2,500 college scholarships to Junior ROTC cadets from Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral, and La Quinta high schools at its annual award ceremony at the Elks Lodge in Indio, Calif. In addition to the scholarships, the chapter presented MOAA leadership medals to three cadets.

The Virginia Council of Chapters participated in the second Flowers of Remembrance Day May 28 at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. Representing MOAA and the Virginia Council of Chapters, Capt. Linc Smith, USN (Ret), council president, laid a flower in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The Florida Council of Chapters held its 46th annual statewide convention May 19-21 at the World Golf Village Renaissance St. Augustine Resort. The Ancient City Chapter hosted the event, which was attended by MOAA President and CEO Lt. Gen. Brian T. Kelly, USAF (Ret), MOAA staff members, Florida council and chapter leaders, and members from across the state. The convention included business meetings, the election of officers, educational sessions, a memorial service for those lost in 2022, and awards presentations to the 23 affiliate recipients of Col. Marvin J. Harris Communications Awards. 

National MOAA Travel Schedule

Here are the councils and chapters MOAA leaders will be visiting over the next month.

Contact the associated chapter if you would like to attend any of the following scheduled visits:

• July 12, Virginia Council of Chapters, Leesburg, Capt. Jim Carman, USN (Ret), CAE, Council/Chapter and Member Support, and Lt. Col. Mark Belinsky, USA (Ret), Government Relations (GR)
• July 12, MOAA Uniformed Services Nurse Advocates Virtual Chapter, virtual, Capt. Frank J. Michael, USN (Ret), Council and Chapter Affairs (CCA), and Allison Reilly (GR)
• July 19, Olympic Peninsula (Wash.) Chapter, Sequim, Capt. Frank J. Michael, USN (Ret), CCA
• July 25, Baldwin County (Ala.) Chapter Joint Meeting, Daphne, Gail Joyce, Surviving Spouse Advisory Council, and Capt. Erin E. Stone JAGC, USN (Ret), CCA
• July 29, Dayton Area (Ohio) Chapter, Fairborn, Capt. Frank J. Michael, USN (Ret), CCA