April 18
Location: Community Foundation of Elkhart County
Time Called to Order: 10:35 a.m.
Attendance:
Caleb, Casey, and Jeff were absent. Cami attended by phone while traveling.
Board Business
The board reviewed and approved the previous meeting minutes.
Jennifer presented Chris Myers as a candidate for board membership. Chris is an Army Veteran who recently attended the Remember event and Trivia Night and expressed interest in getting involved. He described himself as “a very simple guy,” is active in his church—particularly in children’s ministry—and enjoys connecting with people.
Chris shared ideas including a potential bike night event hosted in partnership with a local church, incorporating food trucks and entertainment. He also expressed interest in the Bible study after being invited by Wayne.
A vote was held, and Chris Myers was approved as the newest member of the board.
Financial Report
Jennifer reviewed the financials. Questions were raised about online donations and tracking. Kenny explained that the website is set up to allow visibility into donation sources, and Jennifer tracks all incoming funds accordingly. Trigger Therapy will now be separated as its own line item.
Event revenue included:
- Poker Night: $824.31
- Trivia Night: Over $2,000 (final total pending at time of meeting)
Jennifer submitted an application for FSO to be a featured nonprofit at the Wellfield Botanical Gardens Christmas light event. If selected, FSO would provide volunteers and decorate a tree in exchange for a portion of ticket sales and community exposure.
Grant updates:
- Submitted: $1,000 (Goshen Elks)
- Submitted: $2,000 (Stifel Investments)
- Recommendation: If awarded, the $2,000 grant would be donated to the VFW
All bills are current and paid.
Operations & Tracking
Discussion centered on the need for Veteran tracking. Kenny noted that a system has not yet been finalized. The board emphasized the importance of tracking numbers—not names—for reporting to donors and sponsors.
Programs identified for tracking include:
- Peer-to-Peer
- Bible Study
- Monthly Veterans served
Marketing & Events
Battle of the Bands (June 20)
Marketing efforts need to increase. One additional band is still needed. Returning champion Worth the Cover Charge will defend its title.
- Lauren will coordinate potential coverage with InkFreeNews
- Efforts to book Blaze Snider were unsuccessful due to scheduling conflicts
- Discussions are ongoing about pre-event collaboration with participating bands
Marketing materials are also needed for:
- Bike programs
- Bible study program
Event Discussions
Poker Event
While the event generated funds, attendance and revenue were down compared to last year. Kenny and Fred are satisfied with how John runs the event but noted concerns about alignment with Peer-to-Peer values. There is interest in having John continue running the event with proceeds going to FSO, while maintaining an FSO presence. Jennifer will provide John with an in-kind receipt.
Battle of the Bands – Logistics
Kenny is working to secure wings and pulled pork for the event. Vendor names and cost details are still needed. Harold offered to connect with a Veteran contact regarding food.
Merchandise will include:
- Pint glasses (Adam)
- T-shirts
Top-shelf alcohol competition details will be finalized offline.
Program Updates
Remember: No report
BBQ Event: Scheduled for September 26
Podcast: Author Eric Donoho appeared on April 27
Alpha Nerds:
Website redesign is underway. Casey, Caleb, Kenny, and Tony will meet offline to continue development. A cookbook was discussed as a potential fundraiser and merchandise item. The group currently has 16,000 members, with approximately 800 active daily users.
4VetsByVets
Peer-to-Peer continues to perform well. Wayne would like to increase participation. The group meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays each month.
Suggestions included:
- Increasing social media engagement
- Outreach to HR departments at local manufacturers
- Leveraging Kenny’s email list
- Tony offered support with outreach
Additional Programs
Biking: Road bike rides scheduled monthly
Vet Sports: Encouragement for member support during Nappanee events
Warriors of Faith: Bible study meets Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. at VFW 985
Trigger Therapy
Next session scheduled for May 17 at Harold’s house. Safety improvements are underway, including a better backstop. Larger venues are being explored. Kenny is working on insurance coverage.
This is an invite-only event featuring both handguns and long guns.
Recent gun raffle revenue: $1,660
Freedom Fest
Wayne is exploring opportunities for FSO to participate, including hosting a table in the Veteran tent and working the gate. Volunteers would receive free admission and a meal.
