Local 40 & 8 veterans support, celebrate nursing student, WNJ editor

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WILMINGTON — Founded in 1923, La Société des Quarante Hommes et Huit Chevaux — The Society of Forty Men and Eight Horses — is an independent honor society of American veterans, more commonly known as “The Forty & Eight.”

The Forty & Eight is committed to charitable and patriotic aims. Their stated purpose is to promote the well-being of veterans, their widows, widowers, and orphans, and to actively participate in selected charitable endeavors, which include among others, programs that promote child welfare and nurses training.

Membership is by invitation, and open only to honorably discharged veterans and honorably serving members of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Clinton County Voiture 992, Forty & Eight was chartered in 1984 and is comprised of 27 veterans. As their primary charitable/patriotic activities, they have chosen nurses training; flags for first-graders; and The Charles Aubrey Fund — a trust fund that reimburses local Voitures who purchase new clothing, shoes, school supplies and more for the children of families who have lost their home due to fire.

Future nurse awarded

At their regular Promenade (meeting) on Monday, July 1 held at the Wilmington Veterans American Legion Post 49, the members proudly presented the 2019-20 Jeanette Payne Memorial Nurses Scholarship to Michael Alexander (“Alex”) Flanigan of Wilmington. The $2,000 scholarship will be disbursed in two installments of $1,000 each, after the successful completion of the first two semesters.

Alex submitted an impressive resume and statement of personal goals to the selection committee for their consideration. His interview was equally impressive. One member of the three-person committee stated: “Recommending Alex to the membership for final approval as this year’s recipient was a ‘no-brainer’.”

Alex has been accepted to the Nursing Program at Wright State University with the coveted “Direct Admit” status.

WNJ editor honored

Clinton County Voiture 992 was honored to present the National Historian’s Trophy to Tom Barr, Editor of the Wilmington News Journal. The national recognition comes as a result of Mr. Barr’s commitment to publishing positive articles about veterans and veterans’ contributions to the community.

This is the first year for the award and the Voiture had not received official notification until a national officer, on a routine visit, was at American Legion Post 49, where the Voiture meets.

He happened to notice a copy of the News Journal on a table, with a front-page story about a veteran. He asked one of the members, “Is this normal?”

The member answered: “Yes, the editor is very pro-veteran and always publishes the articles submitted by the local veterans organizations.”

After learning of the program, the Voiture put together a collection of articles from the News Journal, including all the support and assistance Mr. Barr gave to the “Clinton County Honor Flight Committee” and submitted them for consideration.

Mr. Barr is originally from Mason, Ohio and is a son of a decorated World War II veteran, Joseph Barr. The elder Barr was a well-known and much respected local grocer. The Mason American Legion is known as the Joseph E. Barr Post 194.

Paul Butler, who is responsible for public relations, made the presentation.

In his remarks, he said, “We are truly blessed to have an advocate like Tom Barr and I look forward to working with him for (hopefully) a long time.

“Besides veterans, Tom is very dedicated to promoting Wilmington and Clinton County. He is a welcome addition to our community.”

From left are Jim Vest, Jim Cook, Jerry LeForge, Jack Rose, Mike Sutton, Charlie Shoemaker, Richard James, Tom Barr, Charlie Lakatos, Krista Barr (Tom’s wife), Mike Boyle, Paul Butler and Delmer Copeland. Not pictured but present is Kelly Hopkins.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2019/07/web1_award-tom-1.jpgFrom left are Jim Vest, Jim Cook, Jerry LeForge, Jack Rose, Mike Sutton, Charlie Shoemaker, Richard James, Tom Barr, Charlie Lakatos, Krista Barr (Tom’s wife), Mike Boyle, Paul Butler and Delmer Copeland. Not pictured but present is Kelly Hopkins. Courtesy photos

From left are: Jim Vest, Jim Cook (partially hidden), Jerry LeForge, Jack Rose, Chef de Gare (Commander) Charlie Shoemaker, Richard James, Michael Flanigan (Alex’s father), Charlie Lakatos, Alex Flanigan, Mike Boyle, Chastity Flanigan (Alex’s mother), Paul Butler (Directeur of Nurses Training), and Delmer Copeland (hidden). Not pictured but present is Kelly Hopkins.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2019/07/web1_award-alex-1.jpgFrom left are: Jim Vest, Jim Cook (partially hidden), Jerry LeForge, Jack Rose, Chef de Gare (Commander) Charlie Shoemaker, Richard James, Michael Flanigan (Alex’s father), Charlie Lakatos, Alex Flanigan, Mike Boyle, Chastity Flanigan (Alex’s mother), Paul Butler (Directeur of Nurses Training), and Delmer Copeland (hidden). Not pictured but present is Kelly Hopkins. Courtesy photos

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