Tag Archive: American Legion

American Legion Clothing and Food Drive

American Legion Clothing and Food Drive

Community members showed their strong support for veterans when they stopped by the American Legion Post in Edmonds Saturday, Jan. 20 to drop off donations of food and winter clothing.

American Legion Post 66 and VFW post 8870 hosted the event to assist local veterans in need. Through the generosity of those donating, the two veterans’ organizations were able to collect hundreds of items for cold­weather use, including gloves, hats, socks, coats, shirts, pants, sweaters and blankets. They also collected over 300 pounds of food. Cash donations in the amount of $200 were received at the event.

Members of both posts were on hand to receive the donations and thank donors. Also helping was Mary Lancaster, chief of veterans’ outreach for Lynnwood Heroes Cafe. The items will go directly to veterans in need, with distribution arranged by Lynnwood Legion member (& Heroes Cafe Director) Gary Walderman.

Anything remaining after distribution will go to local food banks and shelters in need.

American Legion Clothing and Food Drive
Edmonds American Legion Post 66 Vice Commander Gary Walderman accepts one of the many donations the collected at the Jan. 20 food and clothing drive (Photo by Mark Bjorndal, MyEdmondsNews)

To make the event even more special, Jessica Dietsch of Project Serve Outreach graciously offered her mobile hot beverage service to provide coffee and cocoa to warm post members, and visitors who stopped by to drop off their items.

One of the donors traveled all the way from Mercer Island to bring clothing and food. “My wife used to live in Edmonds, and she wanted to contribute to this cause. It was worth the drive to help out,” he said.

Post 66 Commander Dan Mullene also noted that most of the people dropping off items said that they had heard of it through the My Neighborhood News Network, which includes online publications My Edmonds News, Lynnwood Today and MLTnews. “We appreciate the great support that Teresa Wippel and the My Neighborhood News Network offers in helping us promote our veteran-oriented events,” he said.

Legion and VFW leadership plan to move forward with further joint activities, to build on the success of this event. Well done!

American Legion Clothing and Food Drive
American Legion Clothing and Food Drive

Edmonds Post Sponsors “Hero’s Cafe”

Post 8870 sponsored the July Hero’s Cafe , a monthly gathering for all veterans to focus on fostering positive outreach, interaction, and welfare within our community. This month’s event at the Verdant Wellness Center in Lynnwood, was well attended by approximately 85 veterans, friends and family.

Edmonds Post Sponsors “Hero’s Cafe”

The sponsoring Veterans organization each month is responsible to provide funds for food and other expenses and also personnel to set up and tear down for the event.

Post 8870 members Mike Denton, Les Abel, Carl Kurfess and Phil Sacks were present to execute our responsibilities, arriving early in the morning between 0830 and 0900 and staying to help host the event until around 1430 when clean up was complete.

Lynnwood Mayor Nicola Smith was present with a few remarks and to introduce the featured program consisting of a presentation from Snohomish County Fire District 1 on the proposed merger of the Lynnwood Fire Department with the Fire District.

Hero’s Cafe is sponsored by the City of Lynnwood, Work Source, VFW, American Legion, Vietnam Veterans of America, Disabled American Veterans, Gold Star Mothers, Catholic Charities USA and the EdCC Veterans Resource Center.

It Happened at the December Post Meeting

It was a busy, if efficient December Post meeting, with a fascinating speaker in the person of Col. Bill Reeder and presentations as shown below, following which a sizable contingent retired to the Edmonds City Council Meeting in support of the Edmonds Veterans Plaza vote, details of which are covered on another post. We should all be very proud of our active and dedicated membership.

Representatives of VFW (Terry Crabtree) and American Legion (Jim Collins) present checks to Mike Reagan to support Mike’s Fallen Heroes Project. Mike has drawn portraits of well over 4,000 of our fallen comrades to date.

December Post Meeting

Sarah Browne presented a check from Spaulding Ski Bus in memory of Jim Harkness. Jim’s wife Dorothy has long been part of the ski bus project and the Post long a beneficiary.

December Post Meeting

Our December Speaker, Bill Reeder, author of Through the Valley, in which he related his experience as a POW held captive in jungle prison camps as well as the “Plantation” and the “Hanoi Hilton”. At left, Bill receives a drawing of his Cobra attack helicopter from our resident artist, Mike Reagan.

December Post Meeting

Mike Reagan presented a portrait of Ken Hicks to his daughter, Melissa Hicks at the December Post Staff Meeting. Ken, a Vietnam Veteran, passed away in July. (Ken and your editor were inducted into the post at the same meeting)

December Post Meeting

 

Legion/ VFW Joint Picnic/Barbecue

4th of JulyOur Independence Day celebrations didn’t stop at the end of the parade route. Immediately following the parade, VFW & Legion members and their families gathered at the Legion hall for our annual joint picnic/barbecue, where some great food, beverages and camaraderie were enjoyed by all.

Many thanks to our valiant cooks and other volunteers for providing us all with a great afternoon. Jim Traner, along with Carl Kurfess and Carl’s brother manned the barbecue. Terry Traner, Jay Abel, Karen Peterson and Beckie Murdoch were our set up and cleaning crew. Jo Boyett and Valerie Ehlers took care of decorations. Great job folks!

Legion/ VFW Joint Picnic/Barbecue

Past Commander Duane Pounds

Past Commander Duane PoundsI’ve included the obituary that Duane’s family provided to me which had a lot of facts that I didn’t know about Duane. Duane was Commander for 5 years at a time that the Post was going through some struggles. He and the other Officers kept it together and we owe him a great deal of thanks. Duane Pounds passed away on February 19th from complications of a stroke and a broken heart. Julie, his wife of 66 years, passed away last summer and he was simply lost without her. He lived a long and wonderful life of 86 years filled with family, laughter, travel and community involvement. Duane was born in Minnesota on June 30, 1928, to parents, William and Marie Pounds. After moving to Seattle with his family, he met Julie after she winked at him while riding on the back of a Harley. They had many adventures riding motorcycles and later raising a family of five children in Shoreline. Always an active and engaged parent, Duane volunteered for many chaperoning duties with the Shorecrest High School Band and Thunderbirds Drum & Bugle Corps which made it hard for his children to get away with any mischief! He was fortunate to be able to support his family working as his own Boss as a contractor which allowed for many random, spur of the moment, camping trips or road trips to various Pacific Northwest destinations. Duane and Julie enjoyed many cruises as well as several trips to Norway, Hawaii and American Samoa. They en-joyed their life and were always ready for the next adventure. Duane was active in many organizations including Lakeside Masonic Lodge; Seattle Scottish Rite; Nile Shrine Temple; Nile Legion of Honor; Past Commander, Edmonds VFW Post #8870; Past Commander, American Legion, Edmonds Post #66; Military Order of the Cooties, Pup Tent #18, Bellingham; Eagles FOE #2288 and many more.