National Box Car Association
The National Box Car Association (NBCA) is an independent association
within the Forty & Eight which raises funds by selling Crew or Associate Membership Cards. All funds raised by the Association
are used within the year they are obtained. The National Box Car Association supports several special projects at Promenade
Nationale (National Convention). Each year, a party for special children is planned at the host city. These special children
and their escorts are treated to lunch, train rides and entertainment provided by HOBO Clowns and bands. The entire cost of
this party is paid by the NBCA from the funds collected in their annual membership drive. Another project at Promenade Nationale,
is a monetary donation made to the local VAVS Hospital or Clinic. This contribution usually goes to the Patient Services area.
The NBCA also contributes large amounts to the various programs of Voiture Nationale (National
Headquarters), such as the Boland Nurses Training Trust Fund and the Charles Ardery Child Welfare Trust Fund. Monies are also
given to the other programs which may require assistance, such as the Membership Committee, Forty & Eighter Magazine,
Law Officer of the Year Program and many others.
Child Welfare
This program is the oldest program of La Societe remaining in existence today. It was founded in 1923 with
the primary purpose of assisting the children of servicemen who had perished during World War I. Since that time, the program
has evolved into a much more comprehensive effort and, today, the program is intended to assist any child who can be appropriately
identified as being in need with the guidelines specified by the Ardery Trust Fund.
Our Child Welfare Program assists thousands of children each year with contributions. As a philanthropic
organization, it remains one of the premier programs dedicated to helping others and in this case specifically young children.
From the portion of each Voyager's dues that are forwarded to Voiture Nationale each
year, $.50 is automatically transfered into the Ardery Trust Fund.
In addition, under the direction of the National Directeur-Child Welfare. Like all our programs, pin
distribution involves the Child Welfare Directeur in each Grande as well as the individual Child Welfare Directeurs in each
Voiture Locale. When everyone in this distribution chain lends their efforts to the program it can become an outstanding means
of raising funds. The key of course, is that many Voitures Locales as possible participate.
Any Locale interested in participating in the child Welfare Program by assisting children in their area
should review the terms of the Adery Trust Program.
National Disaster Relief Program
The Forty and Eight National Disaster Relief Program provides one centrally managed source of relief backed
by substantial funds able to respond quickly anywhere in the United States. Our committee is led by National Directeur
Walter E. "Wally" Ciokajlo. The officers of our committee are listed in the October 2001 issue of the Forty and
Eighter on Page 14 and 15, and on the web page titled Officers/Committees. In the four years we have operated this program,
we have responded to floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, forest fires, and the cowardly terrorist attacks on New York City and
Washington, D.C. We have distributed food, water, blankets, clothing and tools, gloves and boots to those affected by
these many disasters. In cooperation with 'Feed the Children' we have distributed food to sustain the less fortunate by the
hundreds in our 'Food Drops'.
The Forty and Eight operates a logistics distribution system with trucks and drivers supervised by Sous
Directeur Dick Hammond. The materials we distribute are mostly donated by charitable organizations, like 'Feed the Children',
and commercial grocery and beverage companies.
Our sales of ball caps, garment bags and lapel pins support these operations, but we need donations from
any and all sources to pay for fuel, maintenance, insurance, and the other logistical support it takes to keep the trucks
rolling. Merchandise can be ordered from National Secretaire/Treasurer Wally Bolton at 865-397-5749 or
wallybolton@cs.com. Payments for merchandise, as well as donations, should be routed through your Grand Directeur
so he stays informed. Checks should be made Payable to: "Nationale 40 and 8 Disaster
Relief Fund" and mailed to: 40 and 8 National Secretaire/Treasurer, Wally Bolton, 672 Wine Road, Dandridge, TN 37725.
Donations are tax deductible under IRS Code 501(c) and the 40 et 8 is classified as a 30% organization as far as the
limitation of an individual is concerned. Our Federal Employer's Identification Number is 35-0732710. Space permitting, your
donations and pin/cap sales will be acknowledged in the next issue of the Forty and Eighter magazine.
Nurses Training
It is now more than 55 years since the Forty and Eight, recognizing the ever growing shortage of trained
nurses in this country, decided to begin a program that would provide scholarships to deserving individuals who were willing
to undergo formal training and make a career in this very noble profession. The Nurses Training program
is primarily administered at the Voiture Locale level. There are no fixed guidelines for either the number of scholarships
or the dollar value of scholarships awarded. Many Locales have established their own guidelines that specify both the quantity
and value of these scholarships and then make the same awards each year. Others vary their program each year dependent upon
the success of their fund raising efforts.
This program is administered by a Nationale Committee that is headed by a National Directeur who is assisted
by a Treasurer and four Sous Directeurs. They operate with tow major objectives in mind each year: fund raising through the
sales of Nurses Training Program Pin and consolidation of report data from all Grandes. In turn, each Grande has a Nurses
Training Directeur who coordinates with each of the Locales within the Grande to promote pin sales and to encourage every
Locale to report the details and accomplishments of their programs.
Since its inception in 1955, this unique program has resulted in assistance to nursing students that now
number close to 50,000. In many cases, these scholarships are the critical difference that allows many of the recipients to
pursue their studies and then go on to receive a nursing degree. Without the Forty and Eight, many would fall short of the
funds necessary to continue their education.
Carville Star
The word "star" in this context refers to the STAR which is a magazine that was published for years at the
Gillis W. Long Hansen's Disease Center in Carville, Louisiana. Loss of personnel in recent years has resulted in having the
STAR privately published in Indianapolis, Indiana. The purpose of the magazine, however, has not changed. It is intended
to educate and enlighten the public on the truthful facts about Hansen's Disease and dispel myths that date back to biblical
days. The online access to the magazine can be found in our LINKS section.
The center of attention in Carville, LA today is the Hansen's Disease Museum which has been painstakingly
assembled to trace both the history of the disease itself as well as the history of patient treatment. Funds to support the
operation of this facility come primarily from the fund raising efforts of La Societe.
Each year, the Carville Star Committee under the direction of the National Carville Star Directeur, the
Sous Directeurs and the committee, design a Carville Star pin that is made available to Voiture Locales everywhere. The sale of these pins is a major source of revenue to keep the Carville Museum in operation.
A second source of monies is the "Buy a Country" program. And individual Voyageur, Voiture Locale or Grande
Voiture or their interested individual can purchase a country with the contribution of $50. That
purchase is then recognized with a certificate that indicated both the purchaser and the country purchased.
The Star Magazine that was mentioned earlier is available to any voyageur interested in helping Hansen's
Disease effort and learning more about its treatment. Armed with the facts about this misunderstood disease, they have doen
much to replace emotion with reason, prejudice with understanding and falsehood with truth. The online access to the magazine
can be found in our LINKS section. Subscriptions to the magazine can be paid through the Locale at the time an individual
pays their dues. The monies collected, along with the names and addresses of each subscribers, should then be forwarded to
the Grand Carville Star Directeur. Ultimately these subscriptions go to Nationale to create a nationwide mailing list.
Americanism
By its mere name, the purpose of this program would appear to be self-explanatory to each of use as veterans.
Love of country, respect for freedom, participation in a democratic society and a special reverence to our flag, the ever
present " stars and Stripes", make each of us a patriotic American.
The Forty and Eight, as an organization, however, takes these basic tenets of Americanism and expands upon
them in a way that make the society that surrounds us aware that Voyageurs everywhere are dedicated to the very theme of Americanism.
Each year, the Americanism Committee, under the direction of our National Americanism Directeur, searches
far and wide to select a nationally known prominent citizen who epitomizes the true spirit of Americanism. Our purpose is
to credit such and individual for thier unselfish dedication to the principles of both this nation and this organization.
When all is said and done, La Societe will have shown our fellow citizens the commitment that this organization has to promoting
the principles of Americanism.
Aside from this annual recognition that takes place at Promenade Nationale, Voyagers and Locale across this
great nation of ours spend countless dollars and man hours in our elementary school systems educating our young Americans
on the significance of our National Colors... the revered flag of the United States of America. those that participate in
this program affectionately cal it the "Flags for First Graders" program. The participation in this program is almost beyond
comprehension. We're not talking a few hundred man-hours that number in the tens of thousands. Elementary school children
are appreciating the value of the American Flag due to the efforts of their time to promote a better America for future generations.
A simple contact with an elementary school principal is the ideal inroad to presenting a "Flags for First
Graders" program. The initial work is nothing more than a request to allow a group of voyageurs and opportunity to present
their program. After that, it's all down hill. Students will be receptive, teachers will be receptive and each of your Voiture's
participants will come away with feeling that they have played an integral part in the future of Americanism in this country.
In reality, they most certainly have and future generations will be gifted in the knowledge that the Forty and Eight is truly
an American organization.
(VAVS) Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service
The Forty & Eight, as are most Veterans Organizationas, is an active member and participant in the VAVS
program. As part of this program, Voyageurs (called Deputy Representatives) visit the Veteran Administration Medical Centers
on a regular basis, where they give comfort and assistance to, or just visit with, the hospitalized veterans. The Forty &
Eight has adopted an additional program for these veterans, called "Keep Those Wheelchairs Rolling." Under this program, the
VAVS Representative writes a brief letter outlining a "need" of the patients. These "needs" may cover a project, equipment
or comfort and convenience items needed by the hospitalized veterans. The entries are then judged on the need and benefit
to the patients, and those selected receive the item(s) requested, courtesy of the National Box Car Association.
POW/MIA Program
The purpose of the National POW/MIA Program is to raise funds in Honor of the Servicemen & Women who
were Prisoners of War, or are considered Missing in Action while serving in the defense of the United States of America, or
its allies during times of armed conflict. The funds are raised to facilitate the formation and continuance of a Scholarship
Trust Fund for the direct descendants of verifiable POW/MIA Servicemen and Women. Scholarships are limited to the Veteran,
the Spouse of the veteran, children, and grandchildren of the veteran.
George B. Boland Nurses Training Scholarship Trust Fund
The Boland Nurses Scholarship Trust was founded to provide additional scholarship support to those Voitures
Locale who have exhausted their scholarship funds but who still have qualified individuals applying for scholarships. The
trust is administered by Voiture Nationale, and all determinations regarding the awarding of scholarship grants are made by
the Boland Trust Committee consisting of three (3) members of La Societe. Only those Voitures Locale who have an official
Nurses Training Program in place may apply to the Boland Trust for further assistance, as the Trust Fund is intended as a
supplement to, and not a replacement for, a local nurses training program.
Charles W. Ardery Memorial Child Welfare Trust Fund
The primary function of the Charles W. Ardery Trust Fund is to provide reimbursements of funds expended
by a Voiture Locale or a Grande Voiture in meeting the emergent needs of children 17 years of age or younger. Emergent is
defined as: A situation which has developed of a serious nature demanding prompt attention." This situation may arise out
of natural disasters, i.e., floods, tornadoes, hurricane, fire, etc. Emergent cases are given prime consideration and are
undertaken by the Local Voiture where established agencies, (Red Cross, churches, welfare, etc.), are unable to move rapidly
or cannot act at all.
