While we had a successful poppy drive, with 33 members participating, 16 of whom pulled multiple shifts, revenues were down $ 4,400 from Veterans Day 2016. No doubt the cold weather hurt us, but the largest decline was suffered at the Central Market location, where we usually staff three doors, but had only enough volunteers to cover two. Edmonds QFC and Fred Meyer also produced significantly less. We have some work to do come Memorial Day.
On Friday evening, Sept. 15, thanks to the efforts of members of the Edmonds Veterans Plaza Committee, an observance was held to honor POWs, MIAs and Vietnam Veterans at the Plaza.
Three excellent speakers highlighted each of those groups of Veterans.
POWs: Joe Crecca, a USAF aviator and resident of the infamous “Hanoi HIlton” represented the Prisoners of War. Joe, who has spoken at a Post meeting in the past, described in detail his experience from the shoot down of his aircraft, through the long tortuous years in Hanoi to his release and return to “the World” at the end of US participation in the war.
MIAs: Our own Mike Reagan followed honoring James Moreland, an Army Special Forces medic, who was listed as MIA for many years, but whose remains were finally found and brought home for burial. Mike presented one of his special “Fallen Hero” portraits of James to his sister Linda Moreland Brown of Yelm and to Kathy Strong, of Walnut Creek, CA, who wore Moreland’s MIA bracelet for the entire 38 years he was missing. Strong attended Moreland’s funeral, and left the MIA bracelet pinned to his uniform for burial. .
Thanks to Hugo Mackay (pictured at left) on the bagpipes and the talents of buglers Chris Edwards and Debbie Dawson, the event was opened with the music of the pipes and ended with the stirring echo version of Taps provided by our buglers. Chris Edwards and Debbie Dawson. Chris also arrangeded and led the Washington National Guard color guard to provide the opening flag ceremonies.
Vietnam Veterans: Post 8870 Chaplain Dan Doyle, a USN Corpsman attached to the Fleet Marine Force, who served with the Marines at the infamous Khe San siege, followed Mike. Both Mike and Dan spoke movingly of their experiences in Vietnam and represented the Vietnam Veterans being honored for the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War.
Following our speaker’s presentations, three Gold Star Mothers assisted Post leadership in awarding 50th Anniversary Vietnam Veteran lapel pins to each of the large number of Veterans of that conflict who were present.
Welcome home Brothers, welcome home.
Purpose: To recognize, thank and honor United States military veterans who served during he Vietnam War.
Eligibility: Living United States veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces at any time during the Period of November 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975, regardless of location, are eligible to receive one lapel pin.
Once again, Post 8870 members and friends will distribute Buddy Poppies at four locations, the weekend preceding Veterans Day.
On Friday and Saturday, November 3 &4 , we will be at the QFC at Westgate in Edmonds, The QFC on Mukilteo Speedway and at Fred Meyer off 164th in north Lynnwood.
On Saturday, November 4 and Sunday, November 5, we will have a crew at the Central Market in Mill Creek.
This is, as we say in the USN, an all hands evolution. As this is being written, we are short handed at QFC Mukilteo, Fri. AM & Sat. PM and at Central market for both Sat & Sun all shifts. If you have not yet signed up, please do so at the Post meeting on October 22 or Contact Bob Crawford (email [email protected] or phone 206-9094893) to arrange your shift. If you have already signed up, consider adding another shift to your schedule at either Mukilteo or Mill Creek.
Your Commander will be at QFC in Mukilteo on Friday and at Central Market on Saturday and Sunday and would love to see you at either location.
by Mike Denton
On May 17, 2014, Admiral William H. McRaven addressed the graduating class of the University of Texas at Austin on their Commencement day. Taking inspiration from the university’s slogan, “What starts here changes the world,” he shared the ten principles he learned during Navy Seal training that helped him overcome challenges not only in his training and long Naval career, but also throughout his life. He explained how anyone can use these basic lessons to change themselves-and the world-for the better.
A video of Admiral McRaven’s original speech went viral with over 10 million views. Building on the core tenets laid out in his speech, McRaven now recounts tales from his own life and from those of people he encountered during his military service who dealt with hardship and made tough decisions with determination, compassion, honor, and courage. Told with great humility and optimism, this timeless book provides simple wisdom, practical advice, and words of encouragement that will inspire readers to achieve more, even in life’s darkest moments.
About the Author
Admiral William H. McRaven (U.S. Navy Retired) served with great distinction in the Navy. In his thirty-seven years as a Navy SEAL, he commanded at every level. As a Four-Star Admiral, his final assignment was as Commander of all U.S. Special Operations Forces. He is now Chancellor of the University of Texas System.
Dr. Boone has spent the past 20 years as an innovator, developer, researcher and instructor in rehabilitation and bioengineering. A frequent lecturer at academic medical centers on a range of prosthetic and rehabilitation topics, and a widely published author, he is credited with multiple technology patents, including a foot-scanning technology that was licensed to Nike. Recently, he was the inventor and lead developer of two new patent-pending alignment technologies: Compas™ and RoboPAL, supported by the National Institutes of Health.
Dr. Boone received his Ph.D. in Bioengineering from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and became one of fewer than ten American Ph.D.s with formal training and clinical experience in prosthetics.
Post 8870’s senior member Buck Weaver, met recently with Navy Lt. Dan Landerholm of Edmonds for breakfast at Claire’s Restaurant. Landerholm, who graduated from Edmonds-Woodway High School and Washington State University, is a 30- year-old Navy F-18 fighter pilot stationed in Lemoore, California. The following week Landerholm was to head to the Persian Gulf on the USS Theodore Roosevelt, based in San Diego. Buck flew 137 combat missions in WWII as an Army Air Force pilot, flying the P-39 Aircobra, then went to dental school and served as commander of dental service at the Air Force Academy, retiring as a colonel.
Buck in the cockpit
F-18 Launching
Hero’s Café is partnering with the various Veterans Service Organizations in the Edmonds, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Mill Creek, and Shoreline areas to hold short duration canned food drives. 
We have various requirements from veterans in need and so we are trying to step up and support them. We are specifically looking for canned meats, vegetables, and soups. Bring your cans to the October Post meeting and leave them in the kitchen. Gary Walderman will make arrangements to pick them up.
The Edmonds Veterans Plaza Committee has provided the following report to update us as we approach completion of the project.
A drinking Fountain is being installed and was to have been completed the week of October 1.
The City Council unanimously approved an additional $41K to complete the project. (These funds are directed primarily to pay for engineering changes instituted by the city.) The goal is to complete the work and have the EVP fully operational (including the water feature, lights etc.) by Veterans Day, 11 Nov.
An inaugural Veterans Day ceremony is in the planning stages. If you have any ideas or suggestions for the function …please share those with Jim Traner, Ron Clyborne or your Commander. We have a $3000 reserve fund to pay for upcoming functions and/or other EVP needs that may arise for 2017/2018.
All pavers are fully subscribed and have been installed. An additional 75 pavers in increments of 25 will be made available sometime in 2018 upon City approval. All new paver subscribers need to provide their names to Jim Traner and the ongoing subscription donations will remain at $500 per paver. We also have three stone benches available for engraving at $5000 each with which to remember and honor a Veteran(s) . If you know of anyone who may be interested, please let Traner or Clyborne know.
With a recent $8,000 grant from the Tulalip Tribe, available EVP funds stand at $19K. We needed $20k for the kiosk and the additional $1K required is covered with a verbal pledge. we will, therefore, begin the kiosk acquisition and planning, with the goal of having it installed and fully operational by the end of the 1st quarter of 2018.
We will maintain a “leadership team” to continue to manage the Plaza to its completion and to handle ongoing improvements and future functions. Post 8870 will continue to accept donations for the EVP for the foreseeable future, in order to pay for improvements and for maintenance requirements.
At right is photo of a K9 Soldier sculpture which has been donated and is to be installed in the EVP in October on a date and at a time to be announced. This statue was funded and designed by the “Off Leash dog Group”, who raised the funds to pay for the it outside the primary Plaza funding effort controlled by VFW Post 8870, to recognize the role played in our wars by the K9 teams. The dog sculpture is life size and will be installed on the existing “paver slab” on the east side of the south paver path, perpendicular to the two seating cubes.
The K-9 Memorial is to be dedicated in a brief ceremony on Saturday, October 21 at 1:00 PM at the Plaza.
The Edmonds Veterans Plaza has already made an incredibly positive impact on our Veterans and their families and friends as well as being a very meaningful addition to our entire community.
Our Post needs your assistance in reporting all of the community service activities in which our members have been involved each month.
When you attend the meeting, record these activities on the sheet provided at the Guard’s desk.
If you cannot attend, list activities in which you were involved in an email to Post Surgeon Charlie Gaull. This information is submitted to the VFW Department of Washington and to national headquarters and is needed to justify the non-profit status we have been granted.
Be sure to include the number of hours in which you were engaged in the activity, any mileage incurred, and out-of-pocket expenses.
Examples of community service activities that qualify include:
This list is by no means all inclusive.
Friday, 15 September is National POW/ MIA day. Edmonds VFW Post 8870 & American Legion Post 66 will present a program commemorating this day and honoring all those who were POWs and those who served but never came home.
The tribute begins at 6:30 pm at the newly dedicated Edmonds Veterans Plaza located adjacent to the Edmonds Public Safety Building.
Guest speakers will be Joe Crecca, a former POW in the “Hanoi Hilton”; Dan Doyle, Navy Corpsman at Khe Sanh, Vietnam; and a special presentation of a portrait by Mike Reagan of the Fallen Heroes Project to the family of an Army MIA, Vietnam War, whose remains were recently recovered.
Following those presentations, the VFW will be presenting 50th Anniversary Pins to all Vietnam veterans attending the program.
Be there and wear your VFW cover!