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| We are now accepting Veteran's applications to enter our organic farming programs. We are working actively to find housing for our Vets in Sonoma County |
| We need your Help to launch our program. We are grateful for your donations. Thank you for caring. |
| Click on the Link to watch the Video, (the first 5 minutes are part of a different program if you do not wish to watch that, forward it) Precision: Patrick was shot from three directions, not only from the back...he never had a chance. The Show-Premiere aired on September 11 2007 Near the end there is an update on Guerneville |
| OPERATION ADOPT A SOLDIER TODAY Open your Arms and Your Heart Help a young veteran to embrace life again Show that you care, give your support They are our children and need us Now They don't have to walk alone We are their family, we are responsible Together we can make a difference With love, tolerance, patience and understanding We will rock this Nation to care for a better tomorrow |
| Guerneville Wish List Equipement for our small Gym and Sauna! House: Wardrobes 10 Dressers 10 Couch-bed 4 Love seat-bed 2 Folding chairs 50 Bulletin Boards 14 T.V. Trays 4 set’s of four Sewing Machine 1 Ironing boards & irons 7 Kitchen: Cast Iron Skillets 2 set Steel pots-pans 3 sets Steel fry pans 3 sets Plates 12 sets of six Bowls 12 sets of six Large coffee makers 4 Silverware 12 sets of 12 Beds: New Sheets 44 sets New Blankets 44 New Pillows 44 Participants: Men’s Clothing a variety of large and tall sizes *Dress clothing for job interviews, presentations and school, work clothes Men’s Shoes a variety of sizes and styles size 9-14 *for dress, work and leisure *house shoes, slippers, and bathrobes Hygiene Kits 24 towels, wash clothes, and hand towels 24 toiletry kits, including toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, razors and shaving cream. OFFICE WISH LIST 5 desks 4 horizontal file-cabinets 5 desk-top PC 4 lap-top wireless 2 projectors with son system (power point) 3 screens 5 printers >&> laser-printers 2 faxes 2 telephone-systems with speaker phone 1 audio-recording system 5 televisions 50 folding chairs (heavy duty) |
| Guerneville House will Have 8 Veterans for long or short term (Unfortunately, the building does not have wheel chair access) The goal of Guerneville VEVA is to help facilitate on-the-job training, college education, and employment assistance. A van will have access from the house to where ever needed for the convenience of our guests including VA Hospital, classes, work, etc. A Manager will run the House Nadia McCaffrey will live there most of the time * A Special Thank You to so many people who have volunteered to help with the Guerneville Project... Therapists, Rn's, Holistic Medicine Practitioners, Md's, Attorneys... |
| Bill McDonald: Veteran Advocate, Warrior, Poet, Author, Film Maker, Former Radio Show Host & Chaplain Bill McDonald, served with the US Army in Vietnam in 1966 and 1967. He was a crew chief/door-gunner on Huey helicopters (UH-1D). He was with the 128th Assault Helicopter Company stationed in Phu Loi, South Vietnam. He was awarded numerous medals, including: The Distinguished Flying Cross, The Bronze Star, 14 Air Medals and the Purple Heart. McDonald graduated with his BA degree from the University of San Francisco. He also has an AA degree from San Jose City College. He is now retired from the USPS where he was a Safety Manager. He currently resides in Elk Grove, California. He went back to Vietnam in 2002, with a small group known as "The Peace Patrol" - to help build a bridge of peace with his former enemies. That journey was reported on the Sacramento’s local NBC TV station KCRA and helped generated renewed attention for veteran issues. He has had many of his poems and stories published in national publications (including Parade Magazine 10/06/02) and books. (Some of those books – “Angels in Vietnam – Women Who Served”, Spinning Tales: Helicopter Stories” and “God In The Foxhole”. He was the Mission Chaplain on trip in the fall of 2002 in a rebuilt Huey helicopter, which flew over 10,000 miles recording the experience through interviews with Vietnam Veterans and their families. That effort produced the award winning film called, In The Shadow of The Blade”. That film premiered at The LBJ Presidential Library on November 8, 2003 in Austin, Texas to a capacity crowd of 1,500 people. The film went on to win “The Houston International Film Festival Best Film” in 2004. It has been shown dozens of times on Cable TV including The Military Channel. It has also been shown at numerous film festivals across country including “The Monterey Film Festival” with box office proceeds going to support various veteran organizations and causes. In 2005 he worked on a short PBS TV documentary in partnership with the VA and The Pentagon Television Network called “The Art of Healing”. The film focused on the use of the art, music and writing as a means to cope with and heal from the effects of PTSD. He developed a PTSD program for the VA to go along with the film. His autobiography called “A Spiritual Warrior’s Journey” has been a good seller to veterans and their families since it came out in late 2003. This book reflects on his life experiences, not only in Vietnam, but both before and afterwards. His poetry book Purple Hearts deals with poems from the Vietnam War and has been available to organizations to sell for fund raising. His other major book of poetry "Sacred Eye - Poetry in Search of the Divine" won a $25,000 marketing and promotional award from Booksurge Publishers (March 2004). He is currently working on two more books (The OM Café publication for 2008 and a follow- up non-fiction book about his adventures in India called “My Hearts Journey” in 2009.) His feature writing plans are focused on a book about PTSD that takes in the spiritual issues involved with the healing process. That book is still evolving. Hopefully it will be ready for publication in 2009. Bill works with several non-profit foundations doing projects for the people of Vietnam and world peace. He has been assisting PTSD veterans and their families for over 3 decades through his own personal support network. He is a United Faith Ministries chaplain and gives his services free to veteran and non-profit organizations. He has appeared on over 300 radio and TV broadcasts in the last 5 years where he has spoken out about veteran related issues. He also was a co-host on KDADE web radio (Over 600,000 listeners world wide) for several years talking about military authors and books. He is still married to his high school sweetheart and has two grown children and 3 grandchildren. |
| © 2007-2008, Nadia McCaffrey, the Patrick McCaffrey Foundation & the Veteran's Village, all rights reserved © Formed in 2006-2007, the organization is a peace based organization for members of the military who have served in the war, we are focusing on the Iraq & Afghanistan conflicts, however, this foundation is to help all war veterans . We believe the best way to support our troops is to bring them home now and take care of them when they get here. |
| Housing for vets raises concerns Fear, misconceptions raise concerns about transitional housing for vets with PTSD SCOTT LINDLAW Associated Press Writer AP Updated: 1:59 PM ET Mar 19, 2008 Merry Lane, a cul-de-sac shaded by redwoods in Sonoma County wine country, would seem a pleasant place to recover from the psychic wounds of war. Nadia McCaffrey's dream is to set up a group home there for veterans plagued by post-traumatic stress disorder. But she is running into stiff resistance from the neighbors. They not only object to the brand-new structure itself, which looks like a four-story apartment house wedged amid their cabins, they are also worried that deranged veterans will move in. At a community meeting in December, "one person was concerned that even firecrackers would set these people off," said Andrew Eckers, 54, who lives across the street. McCaffrey, whose son was killed in Iraq in 2004, said she has tried to reassure the neighbors, but "they are afraid of it because they don't want to understand it." Projects similar to McCaffrey's have cropped up in other communities across the country, with some also raising concerns from neighbors, in part because of the many news accounts of traumatized veterans committing suicide or murder. "We're all, frankly, failing in properly educating society about what PTSD is and what its effects are," said Jon Soltz, an Iraq war veteran and chairman of VoteVets.org, a veterans advocacy group. McCaffrey wants to set up at least three group homes around the country where vets with PTSD could live temporarily, and virtually for free, while they study at a college or work at a farm. Donations are paying for the projects, she said. In Guerneville, a community of about 2,500 where the Russian River draws tourists in the summer, the light green building nestled into a carved-out hillside stands empty. The county issued a stop-work order because the project exceeded the scope of the plans that were filed, said Shems Peterson, Sonoma County supervising building inspector. Among other things, the project had unauthorized plumbing. Also, a wall meant to divert landslides was deemed insufficient. Neighbors have raised complaints about the cutting down of several redwoods to make way for the home, the lack of parking and the size of the building, which would house a half-dozen veterans. "They are inappropriate buildings for the neighborhood. They're not single-family residences," said Mark Mondragon, 41. "This could have been Grandmothers for Harmonious Peace and it wouldn't have made a difference." Jan De Wald, who lives a couple houses down Merry Lane, said too many questions remain unanswered about the project, including who sits on the board, who is the president and what is the staffing. Most residents said worries about unhinged veterans are not driving the opposition. Eckers emphasized that his primary concern is that the project would open the door to more apartment buildings. But he also raised questions about the screening and supervision of the veterans. "Generally PTSD guys are normal people," Eckers said. But he added: "Some are shell-shocked and they need to be in an institution." McCaffrey said screening would be done by veterans and a psychiatrist, and supervision would come from volunteers from a nearby veterans clinic. "We will not accept anyone who's not completely functional," she said. Rogelio Martinez, 26, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan as an Army Airborne Ranger, said he was diagnosed with PTSD and sought counseling at the urging of his older brother, a military officer. But he said he would have benefited from the type of group housing that McCaffrey is proposing. "If it wasn't for my brother, I might be one of those homeless vets on the street," Martinez said in a telephone interview from San Antonio. "A place like that would be ideal for a person like me or a person in my shoes who didn't have someone to lean on like an older brother to get help." URL: www.newsweek.com |
| Ms. McCaffrey, I just read thee article on AP news about the complex in California being protested against, for lack of a better term. I feel what you are doing is a true blessing for our soldiers who so freely give their lives for our country. I find nothing more disgusting than a group of people who feel these men, and women are good enough for defending our country at any cost, yet they don’t want to deal with the after affects. My husband was in special forces fifth group for many years, and has dealt with PTSD for all of those years. It is truly a horrific trauma for these veterans who have given so much, and asked for so little!!!! We, as a family want you to know we offer our support in any way. I recently found out I am terminal, however, I am hoping I have some good time left in me, and what I do, I offer in any way I can!!!!! Please feel free to post my email, Thank you for all your work. H. M. |
| WELCOME TO GUERNEVILLE ?... |
| "DO GOOD ANYWAY" People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway. If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway. What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway. Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway. In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway. Mother Teresa |
| IN RESPECTFUL MEMORY OF JACOB WEISSMANN |