BMT (RIP)
11-15-2005, 19:25
The Montagnards
At the 2005 SFA National Convention and SOAR, I was asked a lot of questions about the Montagnard resettlement. And I heard some misconceptions that should be clarified.
Here are the facts. Since 1986 approximately 6,000 Montagnards have immigrated to the US. Over 90% live in NC. A small Montagnard community is located in Seattle another in Texas. And some Montagnard individuals live elsewhere with friends.
The Montagnard resettlement is not over. 258 Yards including some SF and family members of SF Yards have arrived this year. Another 32 are in the pipeline today. For the first time in several years we are getting some Yards directly from Vietnam. I attribute that to the letters you all wrote to your congressional representatives.
Save The Montagnard People, Inc (STMP) is a tax-free Veterans organization that was started to assist Montagnards in the United States. George Clark, the STMP president, is a member of SFA and SOA. Mark Comfort, the STMP treasurer, is the President of SFA Chapter 57. All members of the STMP Board of Directors are SF Veterans.
A look at the organizational chart begs the question, why have an STMP? Perhaps the single biggest reason is it allows membership by civilians in an organization dedicated solely to assisting the Montagnard community. STMP currently has some 300 members. Many are civilians, some are Vietnam Vets not eligible for SFA membership who for one reason or another want to assist the Yards on a regular basis.
In the past, SFA support to the Montagnards was funneled through Chapter 57 and some still is. SFAHQ made a decision approximately two years ago to support the Montagnard community directly through STMP.
Let’s take a look at what STMP does today.
STMP offers a clothing package of at least 6 sets of clothing to every arriving Montagnard.
STMP scrounges and provides household goods to Yard families as needed.
STMP has scholarship fund that currently provides over $35,000 each semester to 69 Montagnard kids enrolled in Universities and Community Colleges. There are currently 43 community college students who have their full tuition and fees paid by the STMP Foundation. The program expects to add about 30 new students this term at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte. There are also 26 four-year university students that are receiving an on-going partial scholarship of $40 for each credit hour of enrollment. The educational foundation has been helping all Montagnards who want to go to college since 1989. It was founded by, and is still managed by SFA and C-57 member Carl Regan.
Three STMP staff members (all SFA members) traveled to Thailand, Cambodia and Laos last year to meet with local officials, Human Rights Org workers, US Embassy Officials and distressed Montagnard families, to ensure that the pipeline for bringing these folks to the United States stays open. No STMP funds were used for this trip.
Since 2002, when the Vietnamese destroyed 57 Montagnard Christian Churches in the Highlands, STMP has conducted an annual Christmas event called “Operation Save Christmas”. They purchase and deliver gifts to the new arrivals and other Montagnard children who live well below the poverty level. Last year, 1,500 Montagnards received Christmas gifts from this STMP program.
STMP purchased and operates the Montagnard farm. George Clark did a magnificent job putting this project together and still works the problem everyday. Recently, Julian Sisk, former 5th SFGA CSM, has taken over the supervision of day-to-day farm activities. A Montagnard staff makes all farm decisions with the advice of STMP.
Since acquisition two years ago, STMP has restored 4 buildings, built two, cleared and established a properly plotted and recorded Montagnard cemetery now in use, dug two wells, prepared at least 35 acres for farming, established parking lots, and cleared access points to the river. Currently STMP is completing a half-mile of 6’ solid fence recently mandated by the county to separate large Montagnard farm gatherings from neighbors.
Farm financing needs to be explained.
The original ten acres purchased by STMP cost $25,000. That parcel and the improvements thereon are paid for.
The 90 acres on the river were purchased for $300,000. SFers, Montagnards and friends of Montagnards donated the down payment and closing costs. SFA and SOA members contributed approx $45,000 to the initial down payment. A loan was taken for close to $200,000 to complete the transaction. Over the past two years further donations, mostly from Montagnards and SFA and SOA members have brought the current loan balance to under $140,000.
STMP makes the monthly note payments of $1,250. That is a huge burden. Those funds come from pledges and donations and a percentage of the sale of Montagnard manufactured items and a portion of farm proceeds. STMP also pays the taxes, insurance and utility bills. All of the improvements to the property were paid in full by STMP. The only money owed is the land purchase mortgage.
Initially, STMP expected to receive grants for most of the improvements. I attended some of the briefings by grant officials. They said grants would be available once STMP buys the land. Later they told George that the land has to be paid for in full before the grants can be awarded. Those grants are still available. STMP volunteers are already preparing grant requests to be submitted immediately upon the land mortgage being burned. Some of the improvements had to be done immediately to satisfy county officials before Montagnard gatherings could commence.
The bottom line is this. STMP needs and deserves our continued support. They are doing a magnificent job at resettling Montagnards today. They have created what has become the primary focal point for the Montagnard community. Even Robin Sage folks are now regular visitors to the farm both for training purposes and to assist.
STMP has 300 members. Each would have to contribute $500 to pay off the mortgage. Combining the STMP membership with the SFA membership would knock that down to less than $20 per member. Please see Jake Jakovenko’s statement on page 85 of the Fall DROP.
If everyone does a little, STMP can do a helluva lot. We need everyone to do a little.
Tax-deductible donations can be mailed to: STMP land fund, 481 Almond Drive, Luray, VA 22835.
Mike Linnane
At the 2005 SFA National Convention and SOAR, I was asked a lot of questions about the Montagnard resettlement. And I heard some misconceptions that should be clarified.
Here are the facts. Since 1986 approximately 6,000 Montagnards have immigrated to the US. Over 90% live in NC. A small Montagnard community is located in Seattle another in Texas. And some Montagnard individuals live elsewhere with friends.
The Montagnard resettlement is not over. 258 Yards including some SF and family members of SF Yards have arrived this year. Another 32 are in the pipeline today. For the first time in several years we are getting some Yards directly from Vietnam. I attribute that to the letters you all wrote to your congressional representatives.
Save The Montagnard People, Inc (STMP) is a tax-free Veterans organization that was started to assist Montagnards in the United States. George Clark, the STMP president, is a member of SFA and SOA. Mark Comfort, the STMP treasurer, is the President of SFA Chapter 57. All members of the STMP Board of Directors are SF Veterans.
A look at the organizational chart begs the question, why have an STMP? Perhaps the single biggest reason is it allows membership by civilians in an organization dedicated solely to assisting the Montagnard community. STMP currently has some 300 members. Many are civilians, some are Vietnam Vets not eligible for SFA membership who for one reason or another want to assist the Yards on a regular basis.
In the past, SFA support to the Montagnards was funneled through Chapter 57 and some still is. SFAHQ made a decision approximately two years ago to support the Montagnard community directly through STMP.
Let’s take a look at what STMP does today.
STMP offers a clothing package of at least 6 sets of clothing to every arriving Montagnard.
STMP scrounges and provides household goods to Yard families as needed.
STMP has scholarship fund that currently provides over $35,000 each semester to 69 Montagnard kids enrolled in Universities and Community Colleges. There are currently 43 community college students who have their full tuition and fees paid by the STMP Foundation. The program expects to add about 30 new students this term at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte. There are also 26 four-year university students that are receiving an on-going partial scholarship of $40 for each credit hour of enrollment. The educational foundation has been helping all Montagnards who want to go to college since 1989. It was founded by, and is still managed by SFA and C-57 member Carl Regan.
Three STMP staff members (all SFA members) traveled to Thailand, Cambodia and Laos last year to meet with local officials, Human Rights Org workers, US Embassy Officials and distressed Montagnard families, to ensure that the pipeline for bringing these folks to the United States stays open. No STMP funds were used for this trip.
Since 2002, when the Vietnamese destroyed 57 Montagnard Christian Churches in the Highlands, STMP has conducted an annual Christmas event called “Operation Save Christmas”. They purchase and deliver gifts to the new arrivals and other Montagnard children who live well below the poverty level. Last year, 1,500 Montagnards received Christmas gifts from this STMP program.
STMP purchased and operates the Montagnard farm. George Clark did a magnificent job putting this project together and still works the problem everyday. Recently, Julian Sisk, former 5th SFGA CSM, has taken over the supervision of day-to-day farm activities. A Montagnard staff makes all farm decisions with the advice of STMP.
Since acquisition two years ago, STMP has restored 4 buildings, built two, cleared and established a properly plotted and recorded Montagnard cemetery now in use, dug two wells, prepared at least 35 acres for farming, established parking lots, and cleared access points to the river. Currently STMP is completing a half-mile of 6’ solid fence recently mandated by the county to separate large Montagnard farm gatherings from neighbors.
Farm financing needs to be explained.
The original ten acres purchased by STMP cost $25,000. That parcel and the improvements thereon are paid for.
The 90 acres on the river were purchased for $300,000. SFers, Montagnards and friends of Montagnards donated the down payment and closing costs. SFA and SOA members contributed approx $45,000 to the initial down payment. A loan was taken for close to $200,000 to complete the transaction. Over the past two years further donations, mostly from Montagnards and SFA and SOA members have brought the current loan balance to under $140,000.
STMP makes the monthly note payments of $1,250. That is a huge burden. Those funds come from pledges and donations and a percentage of the sale of Montagnard manufactured items and a portion of farm proceeds. STMP also pays the taxes, insurance and utility bills. All of the improvements to the property were paid in full by STMP. The only money owed is the land purchase mortgage.
Initially, STMP expected to receive grants for most of the improvements. I attended some of the briefings by grant officials. They said grants would be available once STMP buys the land. Later they told George that the land has to be paid for in full before the grants can be awarded. Those grants are still available. STMP volunteers are already preparing grant requests to be submitted immediately upon the land mortgage being burned. Some of the improvements had to be done immediately to satisfy county officials before Montagnard gatherings could commence.
The bottom line is this. STMP needs and deserves our continued support. They are doing a magnificent job at resettling Montagnards today. They have created what has become the primary focal point for the Montagnard community. Even Robin Sage folks are now regular visitors to the farm both for training purposes and to assist.
STMP has 300 members. Each would have to contribute $500 to pay off the mortgage. Combining the STMP membership with the SFA membership would knock that down to less than $20 per member. Please see Jake Jakovenko’s statement on page 85 of the Fall DROP.
If everyone does a little, STMP can do a helluva lot. We need everyone to do a little.
Tax-deductible donations can be mailed to: STMP land fund, 481 Almond Drive, Luray, VA 22835.
Mike Linnane