Vietnam Veterans of America will hold its 15^th biennial National Convention August 17-20 at the Silver Legacy Resort Casino in Reno, Nevada. Some eight hundred delegates from VVA chapters across the country are expected to join hundreds of other Vietnam veterans and guests in Reno. The delegates will set the organization’s course for the next two years, hear from an array of speakers, attend information sessions, and take part in special events. That includes the Awards Banquet, which honors Vietnam veterans and others in the arts, on Saturday evening, August 20.

“We have come a long way since our humble beginnings in 1978,” VVA President John Rowan said. “VVA today is a highly effective force on the national, state and local levels, acting on behalf of Vietnam veterans, their families, and all veterans. We’re proud of our accomplishments over the last 33 years, and we’ll celebrate the past as we work for the future in Reno.”

Richard Pimentel, the disabled Vietnam veteran who is one of the nation’s foremost disability rights advocates, will give the Keynote Speech at the Opening Ceremonies on Wednesday morning, August 17. Other special guests scheduled to take part in the Convention include Vietnam veteran Homer Hickam, the author of the acclaimed memoir Rocket Boys and many other books, and the actress, comedienne, and singer Vicki Lawrence, who entertained the troops in Vietnam. Hickam and Lawrence will receive VVA Excellence in the Arts Awards at the Convention’s culminating event, the Saturday Night Awards Banquet.

For more information visit http://www.vva.org/

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is bringing its annual convention, affectionately called “Elk Camp,” back to the Reno-Sparks Convention Center March 3-6, 2011.

This year marks the 27^th annual RMEF Elk Camp & Hunting, Fishing and Outdoor Expo, an event held 12 times in Reno, with the remainder scattered among 7 different cities.

“We count on our annual convention to rally and energize our members and supporters, and to charge our cumulative battery for another year of wildlife habitat conservation projects across elk country,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO.

In 2010, RMEF reached the 5.9 million acre mark for habitat conserved and enhanced nationwide, and helped launched elk restoration initiatives in Missouri and Virginia.
As always, Elk Camp 2011 will feature the RMEF/Leupold World Elk Calling Championships. Preliminary rounds begin March 4 at 9:00 a.m. Championship rounds begin March 5 at 9:00 a.m.

Elk Camp also includes Cabela’s-sponsored seminars led by authorities on bowhunting and other hunting skills, horse packing, marksmanship, wild game cooking, game calling strategies and more. Also included are displays of record elk, attractions and activities for the whole family, plus a 400-booth expo hall filled with outfitted hunting and fishing opportunities, art, gear, firearms and everything elk. For agendas and details, visit www.rmef.org.

Daily admission is $12 per person or $25 per family, and free for kids 5 and under. Show hours: Thurs., March 3, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Fri., March 4, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Sat., March 5, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; and Sun., March 6, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Registered attendees can also enjoy banquets, auctions, entertainment, awards and more.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation: Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.8 million acres—a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

- Steve Wagner