Tag Archive: June Post Meeting

June Post Meeting 

Much of the June meeting was devoted to planning for coming summer activities, including the Edmonds Kind of 4th parade for which VFW Post 8870 and American Legion Post 66 have performed lead color guard duties for many years. A full report with all available photos will be published in the July issue of this newsletter in the coming weeks. In addition to the parade planning which follows the outline laid out in the May issue. Return of our annual joint picnic/barbecue was also planned. Several of our staff, including Commander Carl Kurfess and Adjutant Jim Traner (who also serves as a Department Trustee, were to attend the Department of Washington Convention, which was held in Spokane this year. Those attending act as our Post delegates for the purpose of electing Department staff for the coming year and other official business. 

Other Summer activities – Edmonds Summer Market 

We want to hold one or more recruiting events (and Poppy distributions) at the Edmonds Summer Market sometime in the August-October timeline. We should be firming those plans up at the July Post meeting and will need your support. Stay tuned for further details. 

You will notice in the photo at lower right on page one, the presence of a new speakersystem, for which Commander Carl received purchase approval at the May meeting. We have a number of members who have hearing challenges (most vets do to some degree, especially those of us who served before the days of hearing protection devices. (Those weapons are loud!) The new system is providing better amplification of speakers during meetings. 

Post Officer Changes 

Cal Barnard, our elected Quartermaster, has been asked to take over as Adjutant by the commander. He has accepted that appointed position and has resigned as our elected Quartermaster. We will elect a new Quartermaster at the July post meeting. 

June Post Meeting

June Post Meeting

Our June Post meeting was well attended (24 members on the premises plus two others attending via Zoom) and busy. 

Two of our 2021 scholarship recipients Shakeel Kah, of Mariner H.S. and Vann Dreier of Kamiak H.S. were present via Zoom to read their essays to the Post. The essay topics this year were “What Freedom Means to Me” and “How our Constitution establishes and maintains a culture of freedom”. The other two winners, Hayley Ross, Meadowdale H.S. and Taylor Schindler, of Edmonds Woodway H.S. were unable to join us due to other commitments. 

June Post Meeting

Dept of Washington Commander Traci Williams joined us to present Commander Rose with the Post’s 75th Anniversary certificate from the National Commander. 

Parade plans were finalized and several potential new members introduced. More on new members as they are actually inducted. 

Among the photos displayed is one showing the new video equipment (below) purchased to enable more complete participation by those joining our meeting online, which includes a new camera, monitor and laptop computer. In the photo shown, members Al Boyett and Jay Hansen are seen, as well as a third member connected via audio only. 

June Post Meeting

The above image at left displays the head table with Commander Rose directing the meeting, as well as Don Stapleton introducing the scholarship winners who were with us online. With this arrangement, everyone attending can see and hear everyone else, whether physically present or on Zoom. 

June Post Meeting

On the usual third Wednesday evening, approximately ten of our members, plus distinguished guests, Past District 1 Commander Otis Wolfe and Elmer Johnson of Everett Post 2100, gathered at the Legion Hall for our monthly post meeting. Another half dozen members joined us in the Zoom format. We sincerely hope that more of our members will feel comfortable with returning soon, as we all get vaccinated. 

The main event of the evening was the installation of our new officers for VFW year 2021-22, who officially take office at the Department convention in late June. Past Commander Wolfe performed the installation. 

Your new officers : 
Commander: Carl Kurfess 
Sr. Vice : Duane Bowman 
Jr. Vice: Rose Gilliland 
Quartermaster: Dennis Peterson 
Chaplain: Dan Doyle 
1st Year Trustee: Kerry Watkins 
2nd Year Trustee: Donald Stapleton 
3rd Year Trustee: Mike Denton 
Adjutant: Nathan Wortinger 
Service Officer: Alden Gilliland 
Surgeon: (open) 
Judge Advocate: Jim Traner 
Guard: John Shelton 

New members joining 

Membership Chair Jim Traner announced four new members joining the Post, who we hope to have present for installation and introductions at the June and July meetings. They are John Nederlee, P. Philips (transferred from another post), Navy Korean War vet Richard Warbrouck and Retired Army Major Kacey Tourine.