Ok Comrades—bring your check books or cash to the next meeting if you intend to go to the Aquasox game on August 17th. This is VFW day at the park and your family is invited to attend. Tickets are $10. I realize it is a couple of months off but we are trying to get head counts and arrange for some special events at the game and I have found that when there is some skin in the game, the counts become more accurate.
There will be a memorial service for June Schmidt, Erv Schmidt’s wife, who recently passed away. It will be held at 1:00PM on June 8th at the First Baptist Church located at 22800 56th Avenue West in Mount Lake Terrace. I know that Erv would appreciate as many “shipmates” that can make it to the service.
I suspect a lot of us are already American Legion members. For those of you who are not, please consider it. In our small community, the VFW and American Legion team up in virtually all the community events from Edmonds Night Out to the 4th of July Parade. For the American Legion to thrive, it needs new blood. Their meeting takes place on the third Monday of the month at 6PM in the Senior Center’s library room. Come by on June 17th and consider a membership.
Our Post failed to achieve 100% membership by 1 member. This is the first year in many years we failed to achieve the 100% goal. We don’t “buy” 100% in this Post, we earn it. So if you are one of the delinquent members, please consider renewing your membership next year. Your membership is important to the strength of our Post.
I would like to extend my personal thanks to the members of VFW Post #8870 for your confidence by electing me to a second term as Post Commander. Early in my life, I was taught the importance of “serving” others. The lessons I learned from my parents and at Sunday School and Church were reinforced by President Kennedy’s challenge to “ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country”. There was never any doubt in my mind, that, one day, I would serve in the military, and it was a privilege to do so. Similarly, it has been a privilege to serve as your Commander.
Incredibly, my first year as Commander is over. Thanks to the dedication, hard work, and sacrifices made by many of our members, we can look back, with satisfaction, for many wonderful accomplishments.
None of these achievements would have been possible without the active participation and involvement of so many of you. Some of you stepped forward to accept leadership positions in our Post, for which we are most grateful. Words alone cannot express my sincerest appreciation for your willingness to be “Givers” and being “Part of the Solution”.
With your continued support, we can look forward to another successful year in serving the needs of our members and all veterans.
The views expressed in this column are solely those of the Commander and do not represent those of VFW Post #8870, its membership, or VFW.
A slate of uncontested candidates ran for office this year. Fred Apgar will continue as Post Commander and Chris Edwards will continue as Senior Vice. New to office will be Jim Blossey as Jr. Vice Commander and Dennis Peterson as Quartermaster. Ron Clyborne is Judge Advocate and Rock Roth will continue as Chaplin. Tom Hallums will be our new Three Year Trustee. Al Boyett will continue as Surgeon. Commander Apgar has appointed Dick Simmons as Adjutant, Barry Fitzgerald Guard, Jim Collins Officer of the Day, and Don Whedon will continue as Service Officer. There are 22 separate Committees that have been assigned chairpersons to lead them. If you would like to become more involved with the Post’s activities, feel free to contact the Post QM at [email protected] or Commander Fred Apgar at [email protected] for more information about the various committee assignments that are available. I know our Operations committee which does the set up and take down each meeting can use help. All you have to do is show up a bit early (11:00AM) and stay a few minutes after the meeting.
On April 10, 2013, VFW Post # 8870 sponsored a public forum regarding the Fallen Heroes Project. The Founder and President of the Fallen Heroes Project, Michael Reagan, was the featured speaker. The event was hosted by Third Place Commons, located in Lake Forest Park. More than 100 people attended the event.
Mike, a portrait artist who lives and works in Edmonds is a combat veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps who served in the Vietnam War. He began drawing portraits of fallen service members when a grieving widow asked him to draw a portrait of her husband who had been killed in Iraq. Mike, of course, agreed to draw the portrait and did so free of charge. Since that first experience nine years ago, Mike and his wife, Cheryl, have dedicated their lives to drawing portraits for all American and Coalition families who have lost a loved one in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. To date, he has drawn over 3,200 portraits, all free of charge. He has brought untold comfort to grieving Gold Star family members. The Fallen He-roes Project was founded to help support what Mike refers to as his calling.
A highlight of the evening was when Mike unveiled, for the first time, a poster that contained the portraits he had recently drawn to honor the memory of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims. Following the Newtown tragedy, Mike reached out to the family members of the victims and provided each with a portrait of their loved one.
VFW Post #8870, of which Mike is a member, sponsored the forum to honor Mike in recognition of the great personal sacrifices he and his family have made to provide love, support, comfort, and peace to the families of our Fallen Heroes.
Interested citizens who would like to know more about the Fallen Heroes Project or who would like to make a donation to this wonderful effort can contact Michael at his web site, www.fallenheroesproject.org
When asked the significance of May 1, many Americans would probably respond by saying that it is May Day. Technically, they would be correct, but May 1 is so much more.
Historically, May Day is related to Celtic and Germanic festivals. Eventually, these pagan religious festivals evolved into secular celebrations that marked the end of another winter and welcomed the arrival of spring and warmer weather. Gradually May Day celebrations complete with May Pole dancing were occurring in many communities all across America.
The spirit of May Day took on an ominous meaning, for many Americans, when Communist Russia celebrated the day to honor the Russian Revolution. In an effort to counteract the Communist May Day celebrations in America, members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars sought to challenge what they considered to be the “disruptive forces of Communism”. They sought ways for Americans to demonstrate their loyalty to American ideals. At the urging of the VFW, many communities all across our great nation organized various activities to promote patriotism and Americanism. These were sponsored by schools, churches, labor unions, fraternal organizations, and all levels of government. A resolution was adopted in 1949, proclaiming May 1 as Loyalty Day, but it wouldn’t be until 1958 until the proclamation became law. In 1958, President Eisenhower signed Public Law 529 in which May 1st was proclaimed Loyalty Day in the United States.
Loyalty Day was established as a day for reaffirming our loyalty to the United States and the documents upon which our nation was founded and provides us with the opportunity to celebrate the many freedoms secured and preserved for us by the brave patriots who have served in our nation’s armed forces and risked their lives in the defense of freedom.
The VFW urges everyone to take time to reflect on the privileges of democracy and liberty that have been afforded us by the institutions of our nation.
The Post is now two members shy of reaching 100%. Membership costs $25 which is cheaper than buying a membership to Costco. If you are one of the unpaid, please help us reach our goal. We now take credit cards so if you would like to pay by plastic, send an email to our Quartermaster at [email protected] and he can take care of you. Of course, we still take checks and cash. If you can’t pay, let us know and we will make arrangements to see that your membership continues. We have great meetings and interesting speakers. Our attendance at the monthly meetings is greater than any other Post in the District. So support the Post even if you can’t make the meetings and help us reach our 100% goal.
We can’t obtain 100% membership yet VFW speaks loudly for every veteran in this country whether they are a member or not. By now, I assume that every-one is familiar with sequestration and the impact it is having on both our armed forces and our veterans. Our Commander in Chief and our Washington DC staff is working hard to fight to retain the benefits we earned. I repeat, the benefits we earned. Individually , the veteran is helpless. As a group, we wield political power and Congress only understands and listens to those that can hurt them or help them as the case may be. So if you really don’t give a rip about joining an organization for yourself, consider joining for the vet who is on a waiting list for a couple of years at the VA. It’s a small contribution of $25.
THE FINAL INSPECTION
The Soldier stood and faced God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining,
Just as brightly as his brass.
‘Step forward now, Soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?’
The soldier squared his shoulders and said,
‘No, Lord, I guess I have not.
Because those of us who carry guns,
Can’t always be a saint
I’ve had to work most Sundays,
And at times my talk was tough.
And sometimes I’ve been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny,
That wasn’t mine to keep…
Though I worked a lot of overtime,
When the bills got just too steep.
And I never passed a cry for help, Though at times I shook with fear.. And sometimes, God, forgive me,
I’ve wept unmanly tears.
I know I don’t deserve a place,
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around,
Except to calm their fears
If you’ve a place for me here, Lord,
It needn’t be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don’t, I’ll understand.
There was a silence all around the throne,
Where the saints had often trod.
As the Soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
‘Step forward now, you Soldier,
You’ve borne your burdens well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven’s streets,
You’ve done your time in Hell.’
Author Unknown~
God Bless Our TROOPS!