Newsletter Articles

September Speaker

At the September Post meeting, Don Stapleton, who chairs our Youth Essay and Scholarship Committee, spoke about the annual VFW Youth Essay contests, which include the “Youth Essay” for grades 3-5, “Patriots Pen” grades 6-8 and “Voice of Democracy for high school students.

The deadline for entries is Midnight, October 31, so if you know any eligible students, encourage them to get their entries in as soon as possible. Scholarship and cash awards total nearly$ 3 million at the State and National Levels.

Minutes of Sept Post meeting

The Ceremony was performed for Undraping the Charter which was draped last month for Comrade Jim Traner.

The minutes from the August meeting were read an approved by the membership.

The Quartermasters report was reviewed and approved by the membership.

The Payment of expenses including website services, mailing expense, district dues, the meeting meal expenditures were approved by the membership:Congratulations to immediate Past Post Commander Carl Kurfess and to all Post members for the Post’s 2022-23 All American Post award. It was moved by Mike Denton/2nd by Bryan Rowe and approved by the membership that the Post should purchase a VFW “All American” Black hat for Carl in recognition of the achievement.

Tickets for the Post Honor & Remember raffle were handed out after todays meeting. Commander Duane Bowman will be at the American Legion
hall from 4:30 to 5:30 every Wednesday to
collect money or hand out more raffle
tickets.

It was proposed by Quartermaster Joe Gray that we move $2,000.00 from the Post Foundation Fund to the Post General Fund. By vote of the membership the funds will be transferred by the Quartermaster.

The next Post meeting is scheduled for October 18, 2023.

Sept Post Minutes, September Post Meeting

Buddy Poppies

Since Veterans Day falls on a Saturday this year, we are going to follow a different schedule for Buddy Poppy distribution. Many of our members are committed to other activities on the day of the holiday, so instead of our usual Friday & Saturday sessions we will staff tables on Saturday, November 4 and Friday, November 10, at QFC Edmonds (Westgate), QFC Mukilteo (Speedway) Town & Country Market, Mill Creek. Hours will be 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

The more of us who are at these tables during the day, the more we raise for our Relief Fund. Please sign up at the Post meeting on Oct. 18 for one or more shifts. There will also be an onHine sign-up opportunity as well watch for email announcing the link. If you can’t commit to full shifts, any time you can give to the cause is welcome. Friends and family are welcome to join our efforts as well.

Veterans Day Program

On Veterans Day, we will gather at the Edmonds Veterans Plaza for a ceremony to dedicate the newly inscribed concrete benches to the late Jim Traner and Comrade Ron Clybome, who, together, led the effort to raise the funds and establish the Plaza as we see it today. We hope you will all join us.

Edmonds Veterans Plaza, jim traner, ron clyborne, Veterans Day Program

Veterans Stand Down Held

The Stand-Down was held on 9/5/2023 from 9:00 AM to 3 :00 PM. There were approximately 60 different service providers available to Veterans, ranging from Legal services, Gear Issue, VA giving Flu shots and signing up Veterans to the VA. Food was provided by the Elks of Everett. Various Military providers were available including VFW. DAV and American Legion. VOA provided eye and hearing tests and reader glasses.

Representatives from all 8 posts in VFW District 1 were there. Edmonds was represented by Commander Duane Bowman and Jr. Vice Commander Carl Kurfess & Dennis Gibbs.

In the photo above, Commander Duane speaks with a veteran with Dennis Gibbs in the background. At right, Carl Kurfess is shown with District 1 Commander Terry Stinson and other District 1 VFW representatives.

Stand Down, Veterans Stand Down

Nothing But the Best for Our Troops

by Duane Bowman (with text by Mike Denton)

Meals for troops in the field have always been problematic. In earlier centuries, dried, or salt cured beef and pork with a variety of beans, somme very hard break and whatever the troops could forage from the immediate vicinity were what comprised rations. No doubt the ‘C’ rations of WWII and beyond were an improvement. While I hear more recent vets do not have a really high opinion of the culinary quality of today’s MREs, I expect they are something of an improvement as well.

Navy sailors of prior generations lived mostly on that same salt meat, beans, hard tack bread and oatmeal, sometimes supplemented with fresh meat and vegetables/fruit early in a voyage. Fortunately, those of us who served in the 20th century, when refrigeration became available aboard ship, fared considerably better.

Duane Bowman, Meals for Troops, Mike Denton

From the October VFW Dispatch

The following appeared in the VFW Dispatch for October, which you should all have received via email, however there seems to be some concern over how well informed we are about the process of PACT Act claims, and some scams that are appearing, so it bears repeating:

PACT Act claim sharks are targeting veterans at unprecidented rates. If you’ve been on social media or checked your email inbox recently, you’ve no doubt received countless solicitations from law firms or agencies advertising their assistance with your VA claim in the wake of the PACT Act.

From our National Veterans Service experts, here are some important things to remember:
NEVER pay for claims assistance. Presumptive claims are straightforward and can easily be handled by any VA-accredited claims representative.

File a claim for any PACT Act conditions. Contact a VFW Accredited Service Officer today to discuss the PACT Act and what it means for you.

Hold off on committing to a Camp Lejeune lawsuit until VA publishes how the offset will affect your settlement and benefits.

If you’ve been fighting for years, you may think a PACT Act claim will be complicated. Good news: Presumptive claims are some of the simplest claims because VA is conceding that your illness happened because you went somewhere bad.

Stay up-to-date with the PACT Act and what it means for your claim by visiting PACTActlnfo.org.

October VFW Dispatch, VFW Dispatch

VFW Post 8870 is All American!

At the District 1 School of Instruction held at Post 2100 in Everett on September 15, Edmonds Post 8870 was among those receiving the “All American” award. The All American award goes to Posts who meet or exceed requirements laid out for such things as membership growth and participation in a wide variety of VFW activities, such as Poppy distribution, and various Relief Fund efforts, above and beyond those required of “All State” status.

Of course, this award is for the past VFW year’s performance, so immediate Past Commander Carl Kurfess will wear the red & black All American cover, as would Jim Traner as Quartermaster for that period, were he still with us.

In the photo, District 1 Commander Terry Stenson, and Department of Washington Commander Craig Dougherty present the certificate to Commander Duane Bowman.

Well Done All!

All American

August Post Meeting

Speaker: Dennis Gibb – On Formerly Incarcerated Veterans

Comrade Gibb, who served as a scout helicopter pilot in Vietnam and after a long career in the financial services, now works at Edmonds College, helping formerly incarcerated veterans to reestablish their lives following release. He presently works with some 40 such vets at the College who are furthering their education.

Dennis spoke to the Post meeting to propose that we add a new piece to our relief fund beneficiaries in the form of assistance to some of his formerly incarcerated veteran clients at the college. He proposed starting with one such veteran who would be selected from the college group in consultation with the Relief Committee. Dennis sees this assistance as aimed at helping getting these vets into housing and other basic needs until they are gainfully employed and able to function on their own. The post leadership has approved this proposal and will present the plan to the membership at the September meeting. We would begin with one veteran in the program and limit the support to one year.

August Post Meeting Draping Charter for Jim Traner

The Ceremony was performed for Draping The Charter in memory of our beloved Comrade Jim Traner & Comrade Reagan’s portrait of Jim displayed. The minutes from the July meeting were read.

The minutes were approved by the membership.

The Quartermasters report was reviewed and approved by the membership.

District 1. The District meeting will be on 09/09/2023 @ Post 2100 in Everett. Following the meeting there will be a School of Instruction that will go over the responsibilities/duties of Post officers.

New Business:

Comrade Joe Gray was nominated by Rose Gilliland to fill the vacant Quartermaster position. The nomination was 2nd by Brian Rowe. Upon a vote of the membership Joe Gray was elected as the new Post Quartermaster.

The following appointments were made by Post Commander Duane Bowman. Office of the Day: Jeff McKinney Membership : Jeff McKinney Judge Advocate: Rose Gilliland

It was proposed by Dennis Peterson that we move $2,000.00 from the Post Foundation Fund to the Post General Fund. By a vote of the membership the funds will be transferred by the Quartermaster.

The scholarships awarded in 2023 will be named the “Jim Traner Scholarship” in honor of Comrade Jim Traner.

In the photo above at left, Charlie Gaul displays a leaded glass ornament he created honoring Traner’ s Vietnam unit, the 11th Armored Cavalry.

Dennis Gibb, post meeting

Never Forget: September 11, 2001

On Monday, September 11, Several members of VFW Post 8870 attended the annual “Never Forget” observance at the 9/11 Memorial next to the downtown fire stations.

Among those who spoke at the event was Post 8870 member & USMC Veteran Michael Reagan who recalled a private meeting he and a fellow Marine had with President George W. Bush and First lady Laura Bush in February 2002 to present portraits Reagan had drawn of the two:

“The President of the United States walked up to me … looks at me in the face and he says, ‘They just killed 3,000 of our people and I am very angry.’ He was crying … the president of the United States. All I could think in the back of my head was, ‘Something’ s gonna change,’ and it has.”

A year later, Reagan started the Fallen Heroes Project, a nonprofit that commemorates people who died during 9/11 and the War on Terror, including information on their military service (if applicable) and their personal lives. Since then, he has drawn more than 9,000 portraits, mostly of soldiers, police officers and firefighters who had died in service to our country.

“9/11 means a lot to me,” Reagan said. “I walk by here every day, doesn’t matter what time of the day, and I stand here and think about all the people I’ve worked with. I love the firemen. I love the policemen. Everybody in Edmonds knows that. Because 9/11 changed this place. We’re here to honor you and the memory of a lot of firefighters who are no longer with us. I’m here to just do this project. Nothing else should matter on 9/11, other than 9/11.”

9-11-2001, Never Forget: September 11

Traner Memorial Services Held