The Forty & Eight ~ Online Media Kit
Charitable Veterans Since 1920 501(c)(19) non profit, tax exempt
40&8 National Headquarters; 250 E 38th Street; Indianapolis, IN 46205-2644
317 634-1804 ~ Voiturenationale@msn.com ~ www.fortyandeight.org
WELCOME MEDIA. Our nearly 25,000 members are wartime veterans who honorably served to help preserve the freedoms that make the United States great. We honor that which we in uniform have defended; Freedom of the Press -- the Fourth Estate -- the Voice of Democracy.
OUR 1920 FOUNDERS WERE VETERANS OF W.W.I. FRANCE. Our organization’s formal title is La Societe des Quarente Hommes et Huit Chevaux; or the Society of Forty Men and Eight Horses. -- During the First World War, French boxcars carried American Doughboys to the front. These wartime boxcars, which held 40 men or 8 horses, were emblazoned with a “40/8”; a symbol readily understood by American veterans of that era. Today our organization’s titles are in French and we meet in symbolic W.W.I. train depots, in grateful homage to the sacrifices of our Doughboy founders and indeed to honor all Americans who yet serve. -- We are most commonly known as “La Societe” or simply “The Forty & Eight”.
For a more detailed ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY see History of 40&8.
LEADERSHIP. For the biography of the Forty & Eight's Chef de Chemin de Fer, or national commander see Biographies.
LEGACY OF CHARITY. The Forty & Eight’s Child Welfare program was founded in 1923. In the 1930’s, we lead a national effort to inoculate every American child against diphtheria. Other long-standing charitable programs of the Forty & Eight include the Ardery Child Welfare Trust, our unique Nurses Training Program that has graduated over 30,000 nurses, the Boland Scholarship Trust, Carville Medical Research, Veterans Voluntary Service, Youth Sports, Americanism, Flags, and POW/MIA scholarships. Many Forty & Eight units (Voitures) have Parade Trains and Hobo Clowns that delight children and promote patriotism.
The Forty & Eight has recently championed The Military Chaplain’s Fund that provides clothes and necessities for Armed Forces members injured in Afghanistan and Iraq.
For more about PROGRAMS AND CHARITIES see 40&8 Programs.
AFFILIATES include the National Box Car Association that raises funds for 40 & 8 programs, the woman’s auxiliary Societe de La Femme, and the Press Association of La Societe.
BROCHURE. The organization’s national brochure is available for purchase through our Emblem Sales.
THE FORTY ET EIGHTER MAGAZINE, recent issues, can be downloaded at 40&8er.
FOR MORE INFORMATION please contact Bruce Kouba at bjkouba@cox.net. Or Forty & Eight National Headquarters at 250 E 38th Street; Indianapolis, IN 46205; 317 634-1804.
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