Author Archive: Editor

Scholarship Winners Featured at June Meeting

We will be hosting our scholarship winners at the June meeting. For you who have attended this in the past, you know this is one of the better programs of the year. We give out 4 scholarships, 2 to the Edmonds School District and 2 to the Mukilteo School District. This year the scholarships are named the Rock Roth Scholarship after our good friend who died last year unexpectantly.

Purple Heart Night at Safeco Field

The MOPH has arranged with the Seattle Mariners to have the August 10th game designated Purple Heart Night at the ball park. Even if you were lucky enough not to be a member of MOPH, you are still invited to sit with the group. The good news is $6 of each ticket sold through the group will be donated to the local chapter. We have several members who belong to it so this is a good opportunity to support them. For more information you can go to www.MOPH12.org. I went last year and it was a blast sitting with an entire section of veterans. Tickets are priced $22 for the View Level i.e. third level probably behind 3rd base, and $37 for Main Level.

Another Change in Post Meeting Dates Contemplated

A motion was made that the Post consider moving the meeting away from the 3rd Tuesday of the month. The motion was tabled for now. The reason behind the motion is the American Legion meets on the 3rd Monday of the month and back to back meetings is somewhat painful. Almost the entire Legion is made up of VFW members. A straw poll was taken and it was very one sided in favor of changing the meeting night. This change has to be approved by the membership and no one wanted a snap decision on the change so it will be discussed in length at the next Staff meeting and Post meeting. If you have comments, please let them be known.

Buddy Poppy Fund Raising Sets a New Record

Puppy Revenue Post 8870

Our Post raised $13,620 (and still counting as a few additional contributions are received) in the two days we braved some slightly cooler weather at four different locations. A few of our Comrades had to pull 2 all day shifts to cover for some no-shows and folks showing up at the wrong location. Some other folks, like Barry Fitzgerald, just showed up and helped out and for that we owe him and the others a big thanks.

These Buddy Poppy fund raisers are the source of funds we give to various individuals and entities that our Relief Fund Committee deems worthy. They do a good job of going through and insuring that our donations are being properly used for their intended purposes. With a few more volunteers we could lighten the work load of the same group of individuals that show up rain or shine. With an additional group of volunteers, we could add a store which would be adding $1,500 to $4,000 to the total. We do a lot of good with the funds we raise, but we could do more if we had more. Some worthy cause is always left out due to lack of funds.

In addition to collecting for our Relief Fund, we also are recruiting new members for VFW. Each table has applications and recruiting brochures and we need to make it known that VFW is a welcoming organization for new members.

We will have a table at the Fourth of July fireworks this year. We only need a couple of volunteers and I would like to see a couple of new faces handing out Poppies and raising awareness of VFW in Edmonds. This should only take a few hours and you’ll be the beneficiary of a great fireworks show. Please let Bob Crawford, our Poppy chair, know if you are interested.

Finally, our next major Buddy Poppy fund raiser will be November 6th and 7th. That should be sufficient warning to get it on your calendar.

Keeping in Touch with Old Friends

I’ll get on my soap box for a bit. At the store where I handed out Buddy Poppies, there was a sign on the door saying wine was on sale in memory of heroes. Huh? Now I like that store and they treat VFW very well allowing us to hand out Poppies twice a year at two of their locations. However, I puzzled over that sign for two days. Somehow, Memorial Day has simply become a BBQ day for far too many Americans. My XO from Vietnam, Lt. M, and I still exchange emails now and then. Typically, it is Veterans Day, 4th of July, Memorial Day, or a day in December that no one would pay any particular attention to other than those who were there, On that particular day in 1968, we lost a number of our mutual friends. So when Lt. M sends me an email saying he hopes my Memorial Day was OK, I know exactly what he is talking about and it is not about the wine on sale or the BBQ. We all have those particular days that pass and we stop and think about an event that happened on that day many years ago and, in doing so, we keep alive those who have gone before us. Memorial Day is the day that combines all those “particular days” and when the Lt. and I are long gone and no one thinks twice about that day in December 1968, hopefully those attending some future Memorial Day ceremony will think about those young men, not in the abstract, but as individuals who gave the rest of their lives in defense of our Country.

Evening Meeting Time Seems to be a Success

Our first evening meeting had a pretty fair turnout. We had 29 members attending the meeting and at least 5 members who normally attend, out of town on various tasks. Had just a few of them been able to attend, we would have exceed the 30 threshold.

Terry Crabtree has taken over as the House Committee chair but can use help in the future organizing dinner and cleanup.

Post Gearing Up for Memorial Day Celebrations

On May 20th, the Post will be attending the 2nd annual Memorial Day ceremonies at Edmonds Community College that will be hosted by the Student Veterans Association. The event is held at the Black Box Theatre which is near the clubhouse for the golf course. It you enter on the southern entrance there will be plenty of signage telling you where to go. Its important to support our student veterans so your attendance will be appreciated.

On Friday, May 22nd, we will begin our two day Buddy Poppy fund raiser. I won’t give my normal beg for volunteers because those of you who participate will do so again, and those who don’t, will make themselves scarce. As usual, 20% do 80% of the work. However, Memorial Day and Veterans Day fund raising provides all of our Relief Funds used to support veterans, students, and the causes that support and assist many worthy endeavors. Adding one store requires a minimum of 8 volunteers and can easily produce as much as $2,000 in funds. We have plenty of stores, just not enough voluteers.

On Monday, May 25th, we will be at Edmonds Cemetery lining up at 11:45 to raise the flag. As in the past, several of our members will be participating. We would love to have a huge turnout to remember our fallen friends.

Fish’n Trips for Heroes

Our speaker at the last meeting was Jeff Mason, professional guide. Jeff, in conjunction with the JBLM, provides free fishing trips for wounded warriors. In addition, he is expanding the trips to widows and families of fallen soldiers. I met Jeff at Midwinter Conference in Vancouver and asked him to speak to our Post, which he graciously did. He has a great program and our Post contributed $500.

Charter Draped for Past Commander Dennis Gassland

Dennis Lein Gaasland passed away peacefully on March 26, 2015, in Edmonds, WA. He enlisted in the Navy and served his country proudly during World War II ending up at the liberation of the Philippines as a Radarman 2C. Before arriving at the Philippines, the navy brought him throughout the south Pacific, just about circling the perimeter, being stationed on one tropical island after the other. After shipping out of San Francisco, with the obligatory goodluck coin toss as his ship passed under the Golden Gate Bridge, his first stop was New Caledonia. From there, he went to the Soloman Islands, New Hebrides Island, Guadacanal, the Russel Islands, then to the Phillipines through Leyte Gulf at Tacloban, then Dulig, then Guiuan, Samar, then finally to Calicoan Island where he was when the war ended. Then he headed home via Okinawa to Seattle. After the war ended, Dennis returned to Washington and he and Helen were married on November 22, 1947, in Seattle. They were married for 67 ½ years until his death. After the Navy, Dennis went to the University of Washington on the GI bill, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration in 1952. Dennis was a successful businessman, working for law firms in Seattle, while also being involved with the Kiwanis, and teaching business classes at Edmonds Community College. Because of his love of his country and Navy background, Dennis became involved with the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Edmonds branch, serving as the Commander. He was also active with the American Legion in Lake Stevens. The Post honored him at the April meeting and covered the Charter in his memory.