PROGRAMS
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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.
Click HERE to view or print the Americanism Award Guidelines.Click HERE to view or print the 40&8 National Outline Flags For First Graders Full Script.
Click HERE to view or print the 40&8 National Outline Flags For First Graders Non Fold Script.
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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.
Click HERE to view or print the Ardery Application Claim Guidelines For Locale.
Click HERE to view or print the Ardery Child Welfare Claim Application Form.
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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 scholarships 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 a supplement to, and not a replacement for, a local nurses training program.
NOTICE: George B. Boland Nurses Training Scholarship Program application forms are NOT available on-line. Application forms may be requested from a Voiture Locale in your geographic area; by Fax to (317) 632-9365; by e-mail to “ttaylor@fortyandeight.org”, or by letter sent to the following address:
Voiture Nationale
Attn: Boland Trust Fund
1635 Hawthorne Dr
Plainfield, IN 46168
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The National Box Car Association was founded in 1965 as an affiliate of “La Societe’ de Forty & Eight” with the primary purpose of preserving the Box Car as the symbol of the Forty & Eight. Over time Locomotives were added to the symbolic rolling stock of the NBCA since they were connected and needed to haul the Box Cars.
The National Box Car Association set goals of making contributions to Hospitals, Children’s Homes and Orphanages. Expanding it’s efforts the NBCA supports special projects at the annual Promenade Nationale (National Convention). A party for special children is held in the host city where the children and their escorts are treated to lunch, train rides on visiting Locomotives, and entertainment by the NBCA HOBO Clowns and bands, etc.
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Click HERE to view all the available copies of The Star magazine.Directeur TOM ADAMS rxdoc@bellsouth.net
The first 40&8 support for the National Leprosarium at Carville, LA dates back to the early 1940’s, with the donation of a printing press to publish The Star, a publication originally intended to air patients’ grievances and clear misinformation about Hansen’s disease. Though there are no longer patients at Carville, the 40&8 publishes and distributes The Star to 6 continents, 129 countries, and 22 states and 14 clinics in the U.S., keeping alive the legacy of "radiating the truth about Hansen's disease." Also, the Carville Star Program funds projects for the Carville Historic District (the grounds of Carville, including the patient cemetery) and the museum.
Hansen's disease (leprosy) is named for the Norwegian scientist that discovered the causative agent, a bacteria that closely resembles the bacteria that causes tuberculosis. For centuries, Hansen's disease (HD) patients have been shunned and ostracized by society.
In the US and elsewhere in the world, no other disease has ever led its victims to comparable extremes of isolation, confinement, discrimination and stigma.
In 1894, the first HD patients were transported up the Mississippi River by barge from New Orleans to a dilapidated plantation home, the centerpiece of a former sugar cane plantation. No one would have believed that this site would ultimately become a US Public Health Hospital, where effective treatment of HD would be discovered and thousands of HD patients would be rehabilitated and afforded education and training opportunities enabling a return to the world outside the hospital.
However, it was an arduous journey that took many years to get to the point where HD patients could enjoy freedoms of communication with the "outside" world, unrestricted travel, the right to vote, and even get their deposits back on bottles of Coca-Cola.
Remarkably, reaching that point is where veterans organizations made a big difference. In 1931, 20 Spanish-American War and World War I veterans formed a Post of what was for many years the parent organization of the Forty and Eight. Working on behalf of the welfare of veterans, for the first time all hospital patients were to benefit from "outside" advocacy. Improvements in recreational activities came first, followed by legislative activity that resulted in an initiative to build a state-of-the-art hospital and new patient quarters.
Carville patient Stanly Stein began publishing a patient newspaper The Star in 1931 for the purpose of airing patient grievances and reaching the outside world. One of its campaigns was to promote use of "Hansen's disease" instead of "leprosy" and to halt the use of the word "leper." Stein recognized the Forty and Eight as the third veterans organization to appear at Carville. He notes, “I hesitate to think what the hospital would be like today if veterans had not been committed here, for it was through the vets that the national organizations became interested in Carville as a whole.”
The first documented contribution of the Forty and Eight at Carville occurred in 1943, when a voyageur from Arkansas contacted the 40&8's Grand du Louisiana regarding the need for a printing press for The Star. In December 1943 the Grand presented a press and all its accessories as a Christmas present to Stanley Stein and The Star.
While the influence and activity of its one-time parent organization at Carville waned with the passing of the years and diminished demand for advocacy of patient grievances, 40&8’s support to Carville remained steadfast. The Carville Star Program is currently one of the 40&8's seven major programs. As such it funds publication and distribution of The Star, keeping alive the legacy of "radiating the truth about Hansen's disease." . [Because there are no longer patients at Carville - The Star is now edited by a former patient. Now the magazine has as its purpose to: 1) Promote an educated public opinion of Hansen's disease. 2.) Serve as advocate for those who have experienced or been impacted by HD. 3) Foster self-empowerment of those who have experienced HD.]
The Carville Star Program funds projects for the Carville Historic District, including the cemetery and the museum. Recently the Program installed interpretive signage throughout the District for touring visitors. The National Hansen's Disease Museum at Carville, the beneficiary of 40&8 support, houses displays to tell the story of 40&8’s involvement at Carville.
The 40&8 is a proud organization with Carville tightly bound into its history and tradition. No other veterans organization has as a declared mission to disseminate information to promote understanding of a disease.
La Societé is an organization filled with traditions incorporated into our rituals and our programs like the Carville Star Program. In the musical Fiddler on the Roof, Tevye addresses the importance of tradition when he says "Because of our traditions, we have kept our balance for many, many years...we have traditions for everything...You may ask, how did this tradition start? I'll tell you. I don't know. But it's a tradition. And because of our traditions, every one of us knows who he is, and what God expects him to do. Traditions, traditions. Without our traditions, our lives would be as shaky as... as... as a fiddler on the roof!" And so it is with La Societé with our traditions insuring our identity - who we are and what we stand for."
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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.
Click HERE to view or print the Where do I get Child Welfare Pins -Microsoft Word format.
Click here to view or print the Where do I get Child Welfare Pins -PDF format.
Click here to view or print the Child Welfare Assignments using Microsoft Word format.
Click here to view or print the Child Welfare Assignments -PDF format.
Click here to view or print the Child Welfare Remittance Form -Microsoft Word format.
Click here to view or print the Child Welfare Remittance Form -PDF format.
Click Here for the 40&8 Working with Children Policy.
NATIONAL CHILD WELFARE STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE (SOP)
NOTE: 99% of all communications will be done by email, so check your email site regularly. You will notice that many Grandes have yet to appoint a Directeur for Child Welfare. Sous Directeurs MUST contact either or both the Grand Chef and/or Grand Correspondant for updates. All involved with email addresses unavailable should be contacted by USPS or telephone. Contact information is being distributed under separate cover.
COMMUNICATIONS:
DIRECTEUR: The Directeur will be in communications with the Sous Directeurs, Treasurer, Advisor, Chef de Chemin de Fer, Correspondant National, Avocat National, Commissaire Intendant Nationale, Sous Commissaire Intendant Nationale, and the Committee on Committees (3) at least monthly, and at such other times as necessary. The Directeur will provide a monthly recap of pin distribution utilizing the Child Welfare Pin Char to the Distribution.
SOUS DIRECTEURS: The Sous Directeurs must communicate with their assigned Grandes on a monthly basis. Copies of your correspondence should be sent to the Distribution below, preferably before the 10th of each month, except Commissaire Intendant and Sous Commissaire Intendant. As a minimum, current information, issues, progress, and program changes should be addressed. It is critically important that CURRENT e-mail addresses be maintained. Be sure to share updates with National HQ and the rest of the Child Welfare TEAM. Your introductory letter should provide your personal background, goals, and ambitions for our program this year. Sous Directeurs are expected to assist the Directeur if possible with the distribution of pins at the annual National Promenade.
TREASURER: The Treasurer will record all transactions and monies as required by Voiture Nationale and provide financial statements to the Directeur, Advisor, Commissaire Intendant and Sous Commissaire Intendant on a monthly basis. The Treasurer is further responsible for preparing the Quarterly Financial Reports for the National Commissaire Intendant and Sous Commissaire Intendant due Oct 10, Jan 10, Apr 10, and Jul 10 (or as required by the National CI), and distributing copies to the Child Welfare Team.
DISTRIBUTION FOR ALL CHILD WELFARE CORRESPONDENCE:Directeur
Treasurer
Advisor
Sous Directeur East
Sous Directeur Central
Sous Directeur West
Sous Directeur South
President LaFemmes
CW Directeur LaFemmes
Chef de Chemin de Fer
Correspondant Nationale
Avocat Nationale
Committee on Committees (3)
Commissaire Intendant Nationale (Dir & Treas)
Sous Commissaire Intendant Nationale -
The Forty and Eight General's Club was formed in 1973. Its original purpose was to honor and dignify the profession of law enforcement. Funds generated by the annual dues in this elite club, underwrite the expenses of the Outstanding Law Officer of the Year program. In so doing, the General's Club affords each annual Outstanding Law Officer of the Year award recipient, the opportunity to attend Promenade Nationale, as a guest of the Forty and Eight.
In recent years, the Club has taken on additional fiscal responsibilities associated with the Americanism Award program. For nearly 40 years, the General's Club has been a very important and select element within the Forty and Eight.
To print the General's Club on-line Nomination for Membership Form click Here
To print the General's Club on-line Membership Renewal Form click Here
To print the General's Club on-line Paid for Life (PFL) Form click Here
To print the General's Club on-line Paid for Life (PFL) in PDF Form click Here
Click Here to View or Print the General's Club/ Past Chef's Lunch Registration Form.
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Click Here to View or Print the Nurses Training Scholarship Application Form.
Click Here to View or Print the Nurse of the Year Award Nomination Procedure.
ClickHereto View or Print the Nurse of the Year Application Form.
Click Here to View or Print the RN Nursing Titles and Rankings.
Click Here to View or Print Sous Directeur’s Area
La Societe des Quarante Hommes et Huit ChevauxWe have seen with the Covid 19, that Nursing is a very important part of our health care system. The National Nurses Association estimates by the year 2028, we will need 37,000 more nurses in our health care system. To date the US is 26,000 short on Nurses.
The 40 & 8 Nureses Training Scholarship Program can help assist in filling this shortage of the health care system, with the different scholarships available within our 40 & 8 nurses Training Scholarship Program. Every Voiture sure look at engaging in a Nurses Training Program. Use the Boland Trust Fund if needed.
In 1955 Voiture Nationale formally established a Nurses Training Program and challenged each Locale and Grande to establish a Nurses Training Program at their level. Since the establishment of our Nurses Training Program the 40 & 8 has helped over 32,000 people with scholarships for training. We need to keep the ball rolling.
Thank youNationale Committee
Nationale Nurses Training Directeur - Kevin Johnson
Email: kthomasj01@icloud.com Cell: 573-452-1157
National Nurses Training Treasure - Ralph Turner
Email: ralph.n.turner@hotmail.com | Cell Ph. 573-528-7424
Associate Member
Nationale NT La Femes Chairperson - Cindy Hickey
Email: cynhickey@aol.com | Phone: 617-230-1109
Nurses Training Pins for 2025 are available by contacting the Treasure of Nurses Training
Ralph Turner - Phone: 573-528-7424 - Email: ralph.n.turner@hotmail.com -
National Past Chef De Gare Club exists to:
---honor, through membership, those Voyageurs who have served their Voiture Locale and/or Grande Voiture as Chef de Gare.
---directly support the Forty & Eighter Magazine with a $10,000.00 per year donation derived from membership dues, memorial donations, gifts and other special fund raising projects that the club may undertake.
---increase comradery between club members who share common bonds, and who are "Etiam Servans". (Still Serving).
*Eligibility - Any Voyageur who has, or is currently served honorably as Chef de Gare.
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To print the membership application form click Here.
To print the Paid for Life Membership application form click Here.
Please mail all forms to Voiture Nationale, Attn: Past Chef Club, 1635 Hawthorne Dr, Plainfield, IN 46168.
For additional information on the National Past Chefs Club, contact:
Voiture Nationale
Attn: Past Chef Club, 1635 Hawthorne Dr, Plainfield, IN 46168. (317) 634-1804
E-Mail ttaylor@fortyandeight.org
Click Here to View or Print the National Past Chef de Gare Club/ Generals Club Luncheon Registration Form.
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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 veterans, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren of the veteran.
To get full information on this program or to apply for a scholarship click Here for the POW/MIA web page.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW OR PRINT POW-MIA ONLINE REPORT INTRO
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Our Ritual & Manual of Ceremonies is our guide for all ceremonies. Read it, study it and learn to use it properly. It is recommended that each Grande Voiture and Voiture Locale have a Ritual Committee. Their duties should be to study thoroughly the Ritual & Manual of Ceremonies and offer suggestions to improve it to the Permanent Ritual Committee for its consideration and recommendation to the Promenade Nationale. We believe this committee could and should encourage a more proficient use of our Ritual. The Committee should encourage all those using the Ritual to commit their parts to memory. It might be well for this committee to conduct classes for this purpose.
Click Here to View or Print the Ritual of Celebration for the Birthday of the 40&8.
Click Here to View or Print the Grande-Locale Blank Ritual Form.
The Ritual & Manual of Ceremonies may be purchased through our on-line store here.
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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 Representatives or Deputy Representatives) represent the Forty and Eight by regularly attending the VAVS Committee meetings at their Local Veteran Administration Medical Centers (VAMC’s). They as well as other Voyageur Volunteers visit the VAMC’s on a regular basis, where they give comfort and assistance to, or just visit with, the hospitalized veterans. VAVS Volunteers are a priceless asset to the Nation’s Veterans and to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The Forty & Eight has adopted an additional program for these veterans, called "Keep Those Wheelchairs Rolling." Under this program, the VAVS Representative (or Deputy 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.
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE -
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. Click Here to read or print the Working Rules of the Youth Sports Committee.
Click Hereto view or print the Youth Sports Reimbursement Application Fillable PDF
Click Hereto view or print the Youth Sports Change for Champs Report Fillable PDF
Click Here to view or print the Youth Sports Change for Pin & Coin Orders Fillable PDF
Click Hereto view or print the Youth Sports Request for Grants Fillable PDF
Click Hereto view or print the Youth Sports Brochure in Adobe PDF format.
Click Here for the 40&8 Working with Children Policy.
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Special Awards
Directeur, Wayne SorrentinoBen Carrillo: Sous Directeur & Judge for Voyageur of the Year
837 E Cedar Dr, Chandler, AZ 85249 brcarrillo1775@gmail.com, 602-758-5169
Grandes assigned: AR, AZ, CO, KS, LA, NM, OK & TX
Lawson Dukes: Sous Directeur & Assistant for Law Officer of the Year
600 Domenico Cir Apt A1, St. Augustine, FL 32086 lawkes@yahoo.com 904 814 6610
Grandes assigned: AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC & TN
Ernest Hill, Jr Sous Directeur and Assistant for Voyageur of the Year
329 Applewood Dr, Reevesville, SC 29471. gunner39a@gmail.com 843 563 1696
Grandes assigned: IL, IN, ME, NH, NY, OH, PA, VT & WV
Sean D Johnson: Sous Directeur and Judge for HERO of the Year
1005 N Main St, Aberdeen, SD 57401 seanjohnson@abe.midco.net 605 228 1636
Grandes assigned: IA, MI, MN, MO, MT, ND, NE, SD & WI
Geri Stephens: Sous Directeur & Judge for Law Officer of the Year
2943 Sand Hills Dr, Chester, VA 23831, geri_stephens@ccpsnet.net, 804-248-9288 (after 1600)
Grandes assigned: CT, DC, DE, FR, GR, MA, MD, NJ & VA
Mildred S Wright-Pearson: Sous Directeur & Judge for CITY/TOWN of the Year
PO Box 233, Tranquillity, CAL 93668 mswp48@gmail.com 559 250 8247
Grandes assigned: AK, CA, ID, LT, NV, OR, UT, WA & WY
Clickhere(-pdf) to print or view the 2025 Special Awards Report (Hero, Voyageur, Law Officer, City or Town of the Year).
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