Proceeds from weekly bingo games operated by the Iola Forty and Eight, an independent veterans organization, are helping to pay for the educations of area nursing students.
Voiture 335, which meets regularly at the Iola American Legion Post 15, 712 W. Patterson Ave., this year provided 19 nursing students enrolled at Neosho and Labette counties and Fort Scott communities colleges with $1,000 scholarships.
Voiture 335’s nursing director, Frank Emery, was given a plaque by Forty and Eight state chef de gare, John Lee, White City, Thursday evening to recognize the group’s efforts.
With fewer than 30 members, the Iola organization “for many years provided six nursing scholarships totaling $6,000 a year,” Emery said. “In late 2009, we increased that to 10 $1,000 scholarships and this year increased it to 19 scholarships totaling $19,000.”
Information about the nursing scholarships is available at the three area colleges and from area high school counselors.
Not all bingo proceeds go to the nursing program.
Voiture 335 contributes to Iola senior citizens, Iola Elks’ July 4 fireworks show, provides scholarships for graduating seniors at Iola, Moran, Humboldt and Colony high schools, makes contributions to individuals suffering losses such as house fires, and supports youth sports programs.
THE FORTY and Eight was formed under the American Legion umbrella in 1920 by World War 1 veterans returning from France.
The name comes from French boxcars — voitures — that carried troops to the front during World War I. The small boxcars could carry either 40 men or eight horses.
The French boxcar is the symbol of the organization; all service titles are in French.
