WCA LEADS IN VETERANS ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMS
Jim “Rusty” Gorgans

Most of you who are familiar with my writings know about an organization called PAVE.
In 2002, The Veterans Fund invited representatives from 5 different international
entertainment organizations to meet in Washington, D.C., to encourage all entertainers
to perform, without charge, for institutionalized veterans.  The feeling among those
representatives was that the shows have been paid for already.

The World Clown Association, The Society of American Magicians, The Folk Alliance, The
Barbershop Quartet Society, and The International Bluegrass Music Association were
represented, and they began a concerted effort to provide hundreds of visits and
shows by clowns, magicians, singers, and musicians in VA Medical Centers and State
Veterans Homes.

Very soon after that first PAVE meeting, the five organizations began developing internal
systems that, with cooperative assistance from The Veterans Fund, are designed to
spread the word to more of their own people, and gradually the need for PAVE began
to slip into the background.  Now all five organizations work with their own members,
and with The Veterans Fund, to encourage participation in service to veterans.

We are proud to say that WCA is leading the way in that transition and in that service,
helping to make the quality of life more meaningful for veterans everywhere.  Our
official documents now have a bylaw defining and encouraging Clown involvement
with The Veterans Fund and our veterans.

I am delighted to tell you that Clowns all over the nation are lifting the spirits of
institutionalized veterans.  We receive regular communications from VA Medical Centers
and State Veterans Homes telling us of the joy our people are sharing.

PAVE will soon fade from my reports about this service, as our own organization puts its
distinctive stamp on the program, and the feeling that stirs in my heart is that, in this,
God is doing a good thing.  ”Strawberry” and I rejoice that we can share it with you.

Now, I am pleased to announce that PAVE is now CAVE “Clowns Aiding Veterans Everywhere”. I am also pleased to announce that WCA has entered a verbal agreement with Veterans Affairs of Canada to visit their Veterans. For more information regarding this outreach of WCA please contact Jim “Rusty” Gorgans at jgorgans@webkraft.net

Smiles,
Rusty