40/8 & La Femme
History
La Societe des Quarante Hommes at Huit Chevaux is an
independent fraternal organization of U. S. veterans, more commonly known as
the Forty & Eight.
The Forty & Eight was formed in 1920 by American Legionnaires as an honor
society and from its earliest days it has been committed to charitable
aims. Membership is by invitation for members of the American Legion who
have shown exemplary service. All Forty & Eight members are thus veterans
of congressionally recognized wartime periods via their Legion membership.
The Forty & Eight’s titles and symbols reflect its First World War origins.
American servicemen in France were transported to the battle front on narrow
gauge French railroads (Chemin de Fer) inside boxcars (Voitures) that were
half the size of American boxcars. Each French boxcar was stenciled with a
“40/8”, denoting its capacity to hold either forty men or eight horses.
This ignominious and uncomfortable mode of transportation was familiar to
all who traveled from the coast to the trenches; a common small misery among
American soldiers who thereafter found “40/8” a lighthearted symbol of the
deeper service, sacrifice and unspoken horrors of war that truly bind those
who have borne the battle.
Programs
Child Welfare
The Voyageurs Militaire (Military Travelers) founded a Child Welfare Program
in 1923 to ease the pain and suffering of those children whose fathers never
returned or who were unable to care for their needs after the "Big War."
Today, this program has grown to include all children with emergent needs,
and our efforts amount to over eight millions of dollars annually.
Youth Sports
The Youth Sports Program was established in 1994. Through this program, the
40/8 provides financial assistance in the form of grants to individual
athletes or teams who lack the funds required to attend and participate in
amateur sports programs. This program encompasses all amateur sports
programs for all youths from 7 to 20 years of age.
Nurses Training
In 1955, the Voyageurs Militaire, recognizing the shortage of Registered
Nurses, adopted a program to provide financial assistance, in the form of
scholarships, to those individuals who enrolled for this training. With
2,131 students receiving over $1,100,000 in scholarships this past year, the
FORTY & EIGHT has granted in excess of $20,000,000 and graduated over 23,000
Registered Nurses since the inception of this program.
Carville Star
As one of their ongoing programs, the Voyageurs Militaire offer
continuing support of the publication, "The Carville Star," which
disseminates the information regarding the research into Hansen's Disease
(Leprosy) taking place in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. There they have been
successful in isolating, controlling and soon, through their research, the
development of a vaccine to prevent Hansen's Disease. "The Star" is
published at the former United States Public Health Service Hospital located
in Carville, Louisiana. This patient-published publication carries the
research works of not only this center, but those of the rest of the world,
and is translated into and forwarded to 128 countries in addition to a
circulation of more than 60,000 in the United States.
Americanism
By virtue of being veterans who have served their country in its time of
greatest need, the fun-loving, hard-working Voyageurs Militaire maintain a
strong commitment to the American way of life. Americanism projects, respect
for the flag, Constitution, Law and Order and the proven willingness to
defend these principles is evident in the day-to-day activities of members
of our society.
(VAVS) Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service
The Forty & Eight, as are most Veterans Organizations, 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.
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.
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. However, this aid is not intended to replace or
supplement that assistance which may be available through established
agencies.
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|
| Voiture 1354 Officers | |
| Chef de Gare | Bill Eroh |
| Chef de Train | Tom Davidson |
| Commissaire Intendant | Bill Dickson |
| Commissaire Voyageur | Harvey Studer |
| Conducteur | Bobby Ilse |
| Garde de la Porte | Jim Vitale |
| Lampiste | Ron Morse |
| Aumonier | Bill Steele |
| Avocat | Mickey Taylor |
| Medicin | Chuck Lehman |
| Correpondant | Mellant Palo |
| Cheminots | Bill Faulds |
| Carol Grugel | |
| Peggy Baldwin | |
 |
|
| LaFemme Officers | |
| La President | Linda Steele |
| La Sous President | Lynn Taylor |
| Commissaire Intendant | Nancy Berkeley |
| Correspondant | Joan Eroh |
| La Conducteur | Adele Weis |
| La Avcot | Frances Palo |
| La Aumonier | Sharon Morse |
| La Historian | Lynn Faulds |
| La Drapeau | Joyce Crimboli |
| La Garde De La Porte | Erica Sullivan |
| La Cheminot | Sally Steele |
| Louise Chateauvert | |