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The Secretary
AVVRG
220 Mountain View Road
MALENY
Queensland 4552
Australia
Phone: 61-7-54942169
E-mail:
avvrg@maskall.wow.aust.com
Denis Hare
AVVRG Committee/Webmaster
11 Estate Road, Middle Park,
Queensland, Australia
Phone: 61-7-32793414
E-mail:
avvrg-web@powerup.com.au
Web Site: AVVRG
The Site has information on programs and upcoming events.
Re: The future. We have been granted permission to build an orphanage in the village of Hoa Long, about 4 clicks from Baria in what was Phuoc Tuy Province, since renamed Baria. Vung Tau is about 2 hours drive SE from HCMC and about 40 mins from Vung Tau. History tells me that our first Battalion into VN was in fact the first Bat Royal OZ Regiment who worked out of Bien Hoa with your lot. It was in '65 that the Oz took over the control of Phuoc Tuy Province and set up camp in the rubber at Nui Dat, again about 2 hours drive from HCMC and about 2 1/2 from Bien Hoa.
The orphanage will cost approximately $70,000 AUD [US$ 51,000] and will initially house the most needy kids from Baria District. We are in the process of raising the readies and hope to commence construction in October this year. We are pretty well organised with a colour brochure to be printed FOC and mailed to all and sundry, mainly Corp OZ who supported me in the School Project in Dec '94, eg. Telstra, ICI, Transfield BHP, etc.
I don't expect much support from the VVAs in Oz as they are, to a DEGREE, STILL FIGHTING THE WAR. There are 700 needy kids in the Province, so our risk is a large one. The first stage will house, feed, and educate about 50.
On the Internet, do we have access to any Foundations that may be able to support us financially? I believe there are a larger number in the US, trusts and the like set up to fund aid programs around the world. Is it possible to access these in the US?
.... We are now about 100 strong in OZ, are incorporated, and accountable to the OZ government, audit, etc. We do not qualify for federal funding due to the nature of our work. This may change in the future. We sometimes have medical teams that go over.
RELEASE For Association Newsletters - August 2000
(Denis Hare, AVVRG Committee, Phone 07-32793414)
AUSTRALIAN VETERANS VIETNAM RECONSTRUCTION GROUP
The Australian Veterans Vietnam Reconstruction Group Inc (AVVRG) was established by Vietnam Veterans shaken by the devastation of the social and physical infrastructure caused by the war and the country's 20-year isolation by the West. This was most evident in the rural areas where facilities were limited or non-existent.
It was in the province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau (which contains the former Australian Task Force Base (1ATF) at Nui Dat and Australian Logistic Support Group Base (1ALSG) at Vung Tau) that Paul Murphy (Founding President) established contact with the People's Committee to identify areas where assistance could be given.
After lengthy discussions and formalities, the AVVRG was established in 1994 and incorporated; and a nationwide membership and fund-raising program was launched to support the first project.
Since then, many and varied projects have been accomplished. Considering the number of people involved, the fact that all work is voluntary, and the range of Industry and Government support that have been forthcoming, the results have been nothing short of spectacular.
We built the Ba Ria Orphanage (still look after the kids and its maintenance) and have since done a number of other projects.
INDIVIDUALS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
To see the current and past work of the AVVRG in Vietnam and get a copy of their July 2000 newsletter, visit the AVVRG Web Site at: AVVRG
Membership is $23.00 per year, and membership forms are available via the Web Site or by contacting "The Secretary, AVVRG" at the address or email at the top of this Page.
The AVVRG Web Site has a Photo Album Page, and you are welcome to use any of the photos with the above article in your newsletters.
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