Author Archive: Editor

Welcome New Members

Alden GilliandAlden Gilliand

Alden is originally from Galveston, TX. He joined the Army in 1986 and served for 7 years. He served in Korea 1988-90 in the 3rd MI Brigade maintaining Mohawk OV-1 observation aircraft. Awards include the Army Service Medal and Good Conduct Medal (2). Alden is a Senior Mechanical Designer with Esterline. He and wife Rose live in Mukilteo and have a daughter. Alden enjoys kayaking.

 

Gary WaldermanGary Walderman

Gary is originally from Centereach, NY. He joined the Air Force in 1979 and retired in 2000. Gary served in Turkey with HQ SOCEUR as part of Desert Shield/Storm in 1991. He was an Intelligence Officer. Awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation and Achievement Medals. Gary is a Job Coach in the Everett School District. He and wife Clare live in Edmonds and have 2 children.

 

Clare WaldermanClare Walderman

Clare served as an Army nurse 1984-91. She served in Saudi Arabia and Iraq 1990-91 as part of Desert Shield/Storm. In 1992 she joined the Air Force and retired in 2000. Awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (2) and Army Commendation Medal (2). She continues as a nurse in Everett. Originally from Villa Grove, IL, she and husband Gary live in Edmonds. They have 2 children.

 

Joan WyantJoan Wyant

Joan is originally from Cochranville, PA. She joined the Navy in 2005 and served for 10 years. She is a WESTPAC veteran serving aboard the USS Bunker Hill CG52 and USS Ingraham FFG61 during 2005-2008. She was a Surface Warfare Officer. Joan also served Kabul, Afghanistan 2009-10. Awards include the Navy Commendation Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal (2) and Army Achievement Medal (2). Joan resides in Edmonds.

Edmonds Veterans Plaza Update

Over $ 270,000 Pledged!

Edmonds Veterans Plaza drawingWith some verbal commitments we have now surpassed $270,000 in contributions, more than halfway toward our $450,000 goal. We would like to reach this goal by March 31, 2016, which would allow us to dedicate the new plaza on Veterans Day 2016!! It is expected that we will take this drive to the general public late in January. Wilcox Construction of Edmonds has offered to build the plaza at their cost, which would be a significant donation in itself. The city is expected to include Wilcox on the bid request list.

 

Naming Opportunities

Edmonds Veterans Plaza drawingCommander Blossey will be putting together a promotional piece to describe naming opportunities, to honor individual veterans, which include:

  1. A pedestal at $10,000 for all four sides
  2. One side of a pedestal is $2,500
  3. Individual Pavers are $500 each.
  4. 6 park benches at $2000 each.

It should be emphasized that these naming opportunities are for recognizing veterans, not for recognizing donors. There will be a donor wall to recognize donors who contribute at least $1,000.

Edmonds Veterans Plaza sketchParticipation of Post Membership Key to Funding Plaza

Edmonds Veterans Plaza planCommittee Chair Ron Clyborne has questioned the level of participation by the Post membership in funding the Plaza to date. Less than 5% of our membership has contributed as of the December meeting of the committee. Clyborne wants us to know that we have post members on the committee that have put in hundreds of hours on this long overdue project  that is “ Honoring all veterans…past, present and future” and it is hoped that all of our membership will step up.

Certainly, all of us are not in a position to make a large donation, but every dollar contributed helps and equally important, helps demonstrate how important this project is to our veterans posterity. Your contribution, however small helps. $10, $20, $50, $100 donations do add up and if every VFW member who has not contributed to date donated just $20 that would raise a very meaningful $4000+. American Legion Post 66 as an organization has donated $6000, VFW Post 8870 has donated $1000 this year with an additional $1000 pledged for next year …a very few individual VFW members that have contributed or pledged a total of $12,500 to date, including a single pledge of $ 10,000.

The committee asks that we please forward this newsletter to friends and family and other veterans who are not VFW Post 8870  members so that they too may consider a donation.

Edmonds Community College Veterans Day Event

NL1115_ECC_Veterans_Day

Several VFW members, including three of our own, will be featured participants in Edmonds Community College’s Veterans Day Celebration this year. The event will be held on Tuesday, November 10, at 10:30 AM in the college’s Black Box Theater.

Among those speaking at the event will be our Commander, Jim Blossey, and Ron Clyborne, the chair of the community’s Veterans Plaza committee. Post 8870 member Carl Kurfess will lead the attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance. The Honor Guard from Lynnwood VFW Post 1040 will present the colors.

The celebration is for the entire community, not just students, and veterans are especially invited to attend. The college has particularly encouraged VFW members to be there. Please wear your cover.

The Black Box Theater is located near the south side of the campus; parking is available. Refreshments will be served at the conclusion.

Other Veterans Day Observances

NL1115_Veterans_DaySome local communities are observing Veterans Day with parades and other activities to honor veterans. Members may wish to attend one or more of these events and if you do, you are encouraged to wear your cover to “show the flag” for Post 8870. In south Snohomish County, the following are scheduled: (further details may be found on the websites of the respective cities involved). Other events are scheduled around the metro area. See your local paper or “G

Lynnwood – Veterans Day Ceremony

November 11, 2015 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Join VFW Post 1040, Mayor Nicola Smith, and the Northwest Junior Pipe Band in honoring the men and women who have served in our armed forces.

Veterans Park is located at 44th Ave W & Veterans Way (194th St SW)

Mill Creek Veterans Day Parade and Activities

The City of Mill Creek will begin the Veterans Day festivities with a gathering at the Veterans Monument at Library Park on Wednesday, November 11, 2015. The event will begin at 9:00 am and will consist of a flag raising ceremony, laying of a wreath at the monument, Chaplain’s prayer and closing with the singing of patriotic songs by the Mill Creek Chorale. (Of which your editor is a member)

I Corps to Salute Korea Vets

I Corps is hosting a Korean War Veterans Salute at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Nov. 13 at 10 am. The event will be open to the public and include interactive displays with service members along with the ceremony.

Bylaws Change Motion

It is moved that the Bylaws of Edmonds Post 8870, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, be amended as follows:

Article III, Meetings
Section 1 Place: The regular meeting place of this Post shall be at the Edmonds American Legion Hall Post 66, 117 6th Ave S, Edmonds WA 98020.
Section 2 Time: The stated meetings of the Post shall be on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, to be called to order at 6:00 PM.

Article VII, Control of Subsidiary Units
Section 4: For the purposes of this Article, the Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Military Order of the Cooties and its Auxiliary are governed by Article XI and XII respectively of the National By-Laws and Manual of Procedure of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and their respective By-Laws, Rules and Regulations.

These By-Laws will be adopted subject to the approval of the Commander-In-Chief and the Commander of the Department of Washington, Veterans of Foreign WArs of the United States on this 10th day of November, 2015, at ta regular meeting of this Post in the City of edmonds and County of Snohomish, State of Washington.

Edmonds 9/11 Memorial Park

NL1115_Edmonds_911_Memorial

Edmonds firefighters dedicated the Edmonds 9/11 Memorial Park on Friday, Sept. 11, 2015.

The centerpiece of the memorial is a one-ton steel I-beam recovered from the World Trade Center in New York City — Ground Zero for the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Also included in the structure are new stainless steel and glass structures to honor the nearly 3,000 people killed during the terrorist attack, including 434 firefighters and 60 police officers. The memorial retains the existing Fallen Firefighter Sculpture, honoring local firefighters that have died in the line of duty as well as the Fallen Firefighter Flagpole which flies at half-staff for three days for each firefighter killed in the line of duty across America.

VFW Post 8870 Annual Christmas Party

NL1115_Christmas_PartyThe Post’s Christmas party will be held on Saturday, December 5 at 12:00 Noon, and lunch will be served at 1:00 PM. The annual pot-luck event will be held at the American Legion Hall in Edmonds. The American Legion and VFW Posts will supply turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, wine, beer, soft drinks, and coffee/tea. Families attending are asked to bring a dish that will be shared with others. We need side dishes, salads, rolls/bread, and desserts. Additionally, the “cost of admission” will be non-perishable food item(s) and/or unwrapped toys or new clothing items suitable for teenagers. Food donations will be given to the Edmonds Food Bank and the toys/clothes will be donated to Holly House. Members who plan on attending the party are asked to RSVP with Fred Apgar, providing him with your total number of guests and the pot-luck dish you will provide. You can contact Fred by e-mail ([email protected]) or by phone (206-940-7502). Family members and friends are invited to attend the party. We all look forward to the fellowship.

 NL1115_Christmas_gift1

The ever popular Christmas Party Raffle!

Once again, a feature of the Christmas party will be our big raffle, so bring plenty of cash for raffle tickets.

NL1115_Christmas_gift2This year Post 8870’s Auxiliary is supplying some special items for the raffle, (shown at right) including a Seahawks blanket, “A Tower of Goodies”, Tea Basket, and two posters donated bt Mike Reagan.

There will be much more for members and guests to try for. Always a fun part of the event!

NL1115_Christmas_Party_ruffle

“The Spaulding Special” Helps Fund Freedom Scholarships

NL1015_Spaulding_Special

Dorothy Harkness presents a check to Commander Blossey at the September meeting of Post 8870

A few years ago a group of service minded women (including Dorothy Harkness) was looking for a way to generate money to help support Stevens Hospital. This was prior to the merger with Swedish Hospital.

They enjoyed skiing and came up with the idea of providing regular midweek bus service to Stevens Pass. They called it The Spaulding Special. The bus service picked up passengers at four convenient locations for the round trip.

However, when Stevens was acquired by Swedish, the hospital authority didn’t want independent groups getting into the donor business and so the Spaulding Special went looking for other worthwhile causes. Post 8870 became a fortunate recipient and in 2014 the Spaulding Special donated $4,000 to our Freedom Scholarship program. Naturally, the amount of any year’s donation is dependent on the snow pack.

This year’s donation of more that $1,000 reflects that variable.

Some of these women are getting older and we don’t know how long the Spaulding girls will continue with the program (or if global warming will make the decision for them).

More information can be obtained be calling Dorothy Harkness at 425-778-3798, or Eleanor Schulz at 425-774-1782.