The following members are celebrating birthdays during the month of October:
Dennis Adams
Thomas Barbas
Thomas Bowers
Duane Bowman
Edmund Doucette
Daniel Doyle
Edgar Gray
Tom Hallums
Phillip Howe
Martie Johnson
John Lapham
James McCann
Charles Roe
Paul Russo
Benton Webb
By Fred M. Apgar
Details regarding the VFW Annual Student Essay Contest have been distributed to all schools in the Edmonds and Mukilteo School District. Students attending private schools or being home-schooled are eligible to enter the contest. The Youth Essay Program is for students in Grades 3, 4, and 5, and an essay, not to exceed 250 words, should address the topic ”Why are men and women who serve in the military special?”.
Students in Grades 6, 7, and 8 are eligible to enter the Patriot’s Pen program in which a 300-400 word written essay is written on the topic, “The America I Believe In”.
“Voice of Democracy” is the third program, and it is an audio essay contest for students in Grades 9, 10, 11, and 12. To enter, a student must prepare a 3 to 5 minute recording that addresses the topic, “My Responsibility to America”.
Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three essay winners in each of the categories, and winning entries in each contest will be forwarded to the District level for further consideration.
Detailed instructions as well as an entry form, that must accompany each submission, can be obtained by visiting the Post’s web site at www.vfw8870.org. Go to the Community Support tab and click on Student Essay Program. You will be able to download the information for your grade level. All contest entries, along with the completed entry form must be submitted to VFW Post # 8870 no later than November 1, 2016. Youth Essay and Patriot Pen entries may be submitted on-line to [email protected] or they can be mailed to VFW Post #8870, PO Box 701, Edmonds, WA 98020. Voice of Democracy entries must be mailed to the Post.
The American Legion and VFW are sponsoring new programs as we work to help Veterans and Veterans families of all ages.
Our first “Wellness Wednesday” event was held on Wednesday, September 28 from 6-7 pm. We’ll have these meeting on the last Wednesday of each month except July and August.
Session 1: “What your plate says about your health”
Be able to read a food label
Be able to identify a serving size
Understand your plate….size matters
Instructor: VFW member Clare Walderman, MPA, MA, RN, Certified Wellness Coach
by Jim Traner
When I first started attending meetings, I had a lot of questions, one of which was the significance of the White Hat that a few of the members wore.
Every year Department selects Commanders and Quartermasters that have met certain criteria and gives them a White Hat as an award. Only a handful are given each year so it is a significant achievement; however, as far as the Commander goes, it is a Post award as much as an individual award. Without a lot of people doing their jobs correctly the Commander would never get a White Hat.
The Quartermasters, on the other hand, really earn their hat based on their individual performance. The Quartermaster is the bookkeeper of the Post and is audited by the Trustees every month. In addition, there are a variety of reports they must submit throughout the year, and the VFW keeps the QM very busy.
Along with different colored covers, there are different colored braids on those covers. Silver means the wearer holds a National position, Red is for Department officers, i.e. Washington state, Green for District Officers, and Gold is for the general membership where the real work of VFW is done.
From an article first appearing in the June 2012 issue of the Post newsletter.
The military family-oriented nonprofit Operation Homefront is now accepting Military Child of the Year nominations through Dec. 5, 2016. The annual awards program, now in its 9th year, will recognize six outstanding young people ages eight to 18 with $10,000 each, new laptops, and will be flown with a parent or guardian to attend an awards gala April 6 in Washington, D.C. Nominations are also being accepted for a Military Child of the Year Award for Innovation, for youth age 13-18. The winner of this category will receive $5,000, mentorship by award sponsor Booz Allen Hamilton, as well as be flown with a parent or guardian to Washington for the gala. Operation Homefront received 502 nominations last year, with the winners ranging in age from nine to 18. For more information, go to: http://www.militarychildoftheyear.org/
At the July Post meeting, Ron Clyborne, pictured at left during the 2016 Independence Day Parade, Chair of the Plaza Committee, gave us an update on our new Edmonds Veterans Plaza. As of the date of our July meeting, funding pledges exceeded $500,000, well over our initial funding goal of $420,000.
The committee has decided to add an interactive Veterans Service Kiosk at the Plaza. This Kiosk will be a device similar to an ATM, the purpose of which will be to allow veterans visiting the plaza to access Veterans services information on site.
A delay in the bidding process has pushed out the projected dedication date beyond Jan 1, 2017. The committee will keep us informed as the completion/dedication dates solidify.
Also at the July post meeting, Mike Reagan presented Korean Vet Phil Sacks with a plaque recognizing his Korea Service during 1951 and 1952. Phil was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received in action and is an active member of the local Purple Heart Chapter as well as our Post.
Our Quartermaster has been working with our web master to set up a new online sign up system, to help facilitate manning of Poppy Distribution, Independence Day, Memorial Day and other events. There are still a couple of wrinkles to work out as we go to press, but look for an email to the membership soon, announcing the availability of this feature on our web site and a link to the appropriate page where you can sign up for a schedule that makes sense to you.
We lost another of our valued comrades when Elizabeth Mather passed away on August 1. Elizabeth served in the United States Navy, 1952-56 and was an active member of 8870, including as past Quartermaster until her health forced her to reduce her activity. The post charter was draped in her honor at our August meeting and Mike Reagan brought her portrait, which was later presented to her family at her Funeral Mass, held August 19, 2016 at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Edmonds. Liz will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Jim Harkness, one of Post 8870’s few remaining veterans of World War II passed away on August 18. Jim born in Elk Point, South Dakota Jim graduated from Snohomish High School in 1942 at 16 years of age. He enlisted in the Army in September 1943 and participated in the Battle of the Bulge with the 758th Field Artillery BN. After being honorably discharged in March, 1946, Jim married Ruth Clemens Nentwig in 1951 and had a daughter, Sue Carol (Harkness). During his career with Safeway, Jim met and married his second wife, Dorothy Neal, in 1982. Jim enjoyed collecting antiques, writing his memoirs, short stories and poetry and was a very active member of VFW Post 8870. Jim is survived by three sisters, Gladys, Tina, and Fanny of the Midwest; his daughter, Sue Carol (Harkness) Irwin of Renton, wife, Dorothy Mae (Davenport) , three stepchildren, six grandchildren, and five great grandchildren. Interment was at Tahoma National Cemetery, on August 25, 2016.
Just before press time, we learned that Ken passed away on July 22 of this year. Born November 17, 1946 in Livingston, Montana, later living in Orting, WA, Ken served in the Air Force from 1969-73 and in Vietnam from 1971-72. He performed C-54 aircraft maintenance at Tan Son Nhut AFB and also served as a flight mechanic with the 377th CAMS with 200 sorties. Stateside, he was based at Lackland AFB, Shepard AFB and McClellan AFB. Awards include the Good Conduct Medal. He had been a member of Post 8870 since February 2014. Ken earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington and retired after a career as an engineer with Boeing. Ken resided in Edmonds with his wife Carol and is survived by a son and daughter. Ken was a member of Cascade Warbirds.
Col. Meyers will speak to the Post on his experiences at Khe Sanh during the Vietnam War. Below is a description of his book “Reflections of a Grunt Marine” copies of which will be available for sale at the meeting.
It’s difficult to put Bruce F. Meyers in any one slot. Multi-faceted, inventive, dedicated …and some might say driven to excel, Col,. Bruce F. Meyers charged at challenges and at life with ingenuity, hard work, and a joie de vivre that inspires and fascinates the reader. Bruce began a brilliant military career in the U.S. Marine Corps as a University of Washington NROTC graduate in 1945. As a Marine, he saw action in Korea and then went on to develp innovative and clandestine means for special troop insertions in war zones—some of which are still practiced by Navy SEALs and Special Forces. In Vietnam, having advanced to the rank of colonel Bruce commanded 6,300 troops at the legendary 63-day siege of Khe Sanh. Later, Bruce served at the Pentagon and as a White House aide. After twenty-eight years in the Marine Corps, Bruce returned to Washington state and practiced law for more than two decades. This is the story of an exceptional grunt Marine and the amazing legacy he created.
Carl has been volunteering at the Edmonds Comunity College Veterans Affairs office for some time, but has recently been appointed to a staff position with the office as Veteran Liasion Officer. Our congratulations to Carl on the new position.