Veterans Care Trust Fund

06/09/2026

WE had to share this opportunity!

The Patriot Scholarship from Colorado Technical University supports service members, veterans, and military families impacted by service-connected disabilities.

Selected recipients receive full tuition, books, a laptop, and dedicated academic support to pursue their educational goals.

🗓 Applications open: March 1, 2026
📅 Deadline: June 30, 2026
Start your application:
🔗 coloradotech.edu/Patriot

06/08/2026

📣 Trauma & Moral Injury in First Responders: Clinical Applications of Effective Care
Live Webinar — August 19, 2026 | 10:00am–12:00pm ET
Presented by Andrew Velez, LPC

Public safety professionals face repeated high‑stress incidents that impact functioning, identity, and relationships. This training helps clinicians understand trauma, cumulative stress, and moral injury in first responders — and apply culturally competent, practical tools for effective care.

🕒 Agenda
9:50 ET – Sign In / Networking
9:55 ET – Welcome, Announcements & Speaker Introduction
10:00 ET – Learning Objectives & Presentation (Q&A throughout)
12:00 ET – Evaluation & Certificates

🎯 Learning Level
Beginner / Intermediate
Designed for practitioners with foundational knowledge who want to build skills, deepen understanding, and apply concepts in real‑world clinical situations.

💻 Course Interaction & System Requirements
This is a live, interactive webinar with opportunities for questions and instructor‑led discussion.

System Requirements:
• Windows XP+, MacOS 9+, Android 4.0+
• Internet Explorer 9+, Chrome, Firefox 10+
• Broadband internet (cable, DSL, or equivalent)

📜 CE Information
This is a 2‑hour CE course.
To receive credit, participants must:
• Arrive on time
• Sign in and sign out
• Attend the full 2 hours
• Complete the course evaluation

No partial credit permitted.
Certificates will be emailed within 2 business days.

💲 Registration
Early Registration: $25
After August 5: $35
Register at: www.summitbhc.com/events

📧 Contact
For questions, contact:
Janis Ellington
[email protected]

06/08/2026

Veterans & Military Families: E15 May Be Cheaper...
But It Comes With Serious Risks

E15 (15% ethanol) is now showing up at more pumps across Wisconsin and the country. It’s a few cents cheaper — but cheaper doesn’t mean safer.

For many veterans and families, your vehicle is your lifeline to work, medical care, and stability.

Here’s what you need to know before you pump:
⚠️ What E15 Can Do to Your Vehicle
Reduced mileage — E15 has lower energy content, and studies show it can drop fuel economy by 3–5%, meaning you burn more fuel to go the same distance.

Increased smog in hot months — E15 raises evaporative emissions in summer heat, contributing to higher smog levels.

Corrosive effects — E15 has been shown to be corrosive to fuel lines, seals, gaskets, and older engine components, especially in vehicles not designed for it.

Costly repairs — Using E15 in a non‑approved vehicle can lead to engine knocking, fuel‑system failure, and emissions‑system damage that can cost thousands to repair — and may void warranties.

📘 How Long Has E15 Been Tested?
E15 was first approved by the EPA in 2011, but only for 2001 and newer light‑duty vehicles.

That means:
1. It has not been tested across all vehicle types
2. It has limited long‑term data compared to E10
3. Many manufacturers still do not recommend it for certain engines, including motorcycles, boats, small engines, and older vehicles

In other words: E15 is still relatively new, and long‑term durability data is limited.

✔ What You Should Do Before You Pump
1. Check your owner’s manual
2. Look at your fuel cap label
3. Verify pump labels carefully — E15 is often labeled as “Unleaded 88”
4. Know your vehicle’s model year

A few seconds of checking can protect your vehicle, your wallet, and your family.

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06/07/2026

🎉 2026 Riverfest Military Button — Now Available! 🇺🇸
Riverfest La Crosse is once again honoring the Veterans and Active Duty Service Members who keep our nation strong. As a thank‑you for your service, eligible military members can receive a FREE 2026 Riverfest Military Button — good for all four days of Riverfest, July 1–4, 2026!

Your complimentary button gives you access to:
🎶 Live music
🎡 Family activities
🎆 Festivities all weekend long
… and the full Riverfest experience!

📍 Pick‑up Locations:

Vet Center – Onalaska

La Cross Veterans Service Office – La Crosse

Citizens State Bank

Limit one free button per Veteran or Active Duty Service Member.

Help spread the word — and thank you to all who serve and have served.
See you at Riverfest 2026! 🇺🇸

The 2026 Riverfest Military Button is now available!

Riverfest La Crosse would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of the men and women who have served, and those who are currently serving, in our nation's Armed Forces.

As a small token of our appreciation, eligible Military Veterans and Active Duty Service Members may receive a FREE 2026 Riverfest Military Button. Your button provides admission to all four days of Riverfest, July 1–4, 2026, including live music, entertainment, family activities, and more!

Military buttons are available for pickup at:
Vet Center – Onalaska
Veterans Services – La Crosse
Citizens State Bank

Limit one complimentary button per Veteran or Active Duty Service Member.

Thank you for your service and sacrifice. We look forward to celebrating with you at Riverfest 2026!

06/07/2026

Wisconsin Veterans — H.O.P.E. Retreat 2026
H.O.P.E. (Helping Our Patriots Excel) is hosting a no‑cost retreat for Wisconsin Veterans and Service Members at Camp American Legion in Lake Tomahawk, WI.

This event focuses on building a stronger foundation of mind, body, and spirit, with sessions centered on the five pillars of life — mental, spiritual, physical, financial, and social.

Participants will enjoy fellowship, education, and recreational activities like pontoon rides, campfires, fishing, and more — all designed to recharge and connect with fellow veterans.

📅 Dates: September 29 – October 2, 2026
🌐 Details & registration: journeytothelight.org

Please share with Wisconsin veterans who may benefit from this opportunity.

06/06/2026

D‑Day • 82 Years Later
On June 6, 1944, the world witnessed one of the greatest acts of courage in human history. The Allied landings at Normandy were more than a military operation — they were a stand against tyranny, oppression, and the rise of totalitarian regimes that threatened freedom across the globe.

The men who stormed the beaches, parachuted behind enemy lines, and fought through the hedgerows stood against the brutal systems of N**i fascism and the spread of authoritarian socialism and communism that were reshaping the world. They fought for liberty, human dignity, and the belief that free people must never bow to dictatorships of any kind.

Eighty‑two years later, we honor:

The heroes who never returned home

The veterans who carried the memories and scars for a lifetime

The families who sacrificed alongside them

The legacy of freedom they secured for future generations

Their courage reminds us that freedom is never guaranteed — it is defended by those willing to stand in the gap when the world needs them most.

We remember. We honor. We will never forget.

06/04/2026

📍 VCTF Is Moving to a New Location July 1st!
We’re excited to share that beginning July 1, 2026, VCTF will be operating from our new home at:

717 South Boulevard, Suite 7
Baraboo, WI 53913

This new space gives us more room for supplies, a more comfortable environment, and the ability to welcome a few more people into our groups and support sessions. It’s a meaningful step forward as we continue building a safe, supportive, and trauma‑informed place for Veterans and families in our community.

05/28/2026

The PACT Act is progress — but it’s not the finish line.

More than one million veterans have now filed claims for toxic exposure. That matters. It’s long overdue.

But at the Veterans Care Trust Fund, we see every day that many service‑related injuries are invisible — and far too easy for systems to overlook.

Veterans across Wisconsin are still living with:
• Traumatic brain injury and early cognitive decline
• PTSD, depression, anxiety, and moral injury
• Military Sexual Trauma
• Chronic pain and mobility challenges
• Respiratory, heart, and cancer risks that civilian providers often miss

More than half of U.S. veterans receive care outside the VA, yet most civilian providers never ask, “Have you served?”

That means many veterans are never screened for toxic exposures, su***de risk, MST, or deployment‑related illnesses.

Behind every unseen injury is a family carrying the weight — often without training, respite, or recognition.

This is where the Veterans Care Trust Fund steps in.
We fill the gaps no veteran should fall through by offering trauma‑informed support, caregiver guidance, resource navigation, and community partnerships that honor privacy and dignity.

The PACT Act opened the door.
Now it’s up to all of us to make sure veterans don’t walk through it alone.

Stand with us. Support the mission. No veteran should face the hidden costs of service without a community behind them.