Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States Volume 18-4 By Post Commander Joe Byrnes SERVING VETERANS, THEIR FAMILIES, and the COMMUNITY Taking Care of Veterans is Our Business The Camaraderie Hello All. Welcome to another VFW year. I’d like to thank Comrade Commander Wayne Yancey for a great year and hope that he gets another All-American Award (as of this writing the results have not been posted). His dedication to the VFW is second to none and for him to step up for the past year was outstanding and much appreciated. His success as a leader is a goal I strive to meet. Again, thank you Wayne for a great year. Also, thanks to Diana for putting up with all of this as well. Her valuable help is unmatched and well appreciated. Thank you to the members for electing me as Post Commander again this year. This will be my fourth year as your Commander, and I look forward to all the challenges that await us in the coming year. There are many and we have a short time to complete them. I will get into them later, but I would like to continue thanking folks. To get started, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the folks who work in the background, without these people we would not be successful. I could go into detail and single out everyone but that would take up way too much space here. So, thanks to each and every one of you that contributes to our success. I do however want to single out our Joint Bingo Committee. This year I formed a joint committee with the Auxiliary and the Post to manage the BINGO operations. This will allow BINGO Manager, Comrade Kelch, to dele- gate as he sees fit. As you all know, or should know, Comrade Kelch basically is the glue that holds BINGO together along with Auxiliary Sister Marcia Lohr who has stepped up to be the Co-Chair and our Administrative Whisperer. From the outside looking in you may not know this, but the amount of paperwork that goes into a successful BINGO operation is staggering, not to mention dealing with the Virginia Gaming Commission. Last but not least, we should not forget our BINGO wrangler, Diana Regan for getting the volunteers’ in order and making the schedule work each month. All of these people, along with our volunteers, are the reason we have such a successful program. While on the subject I’ll put my ‘begging request’ here rather than at the end. As I have in the past I am asking for members and their families to volunteer for BINGO. Contact Diana by email at: [email protected], please give us one day a month (two would be better). This will give the folks who currently do more days a break. As for all of our new BINGO player volunteers, THANK YOU so much, you are doing an outstanding job. To our senior players feel free to wrangle a son or daughter or grandchild to work in your place. Reserved seats are great! Our Post Executive Committee, who I have come to depend on for support and guidance, consists of both elected and appointed members. Our Executive Committee this year is comprised of: Gary Kelch - Sr. Vice Com- mander; Bingo and Recruitment, Jim Ellett - Jr. Vice Commander; Poppies and special events, Wayne Yancey - Chaplain, JB Young – Quartermaster. Rounding out the elected ranks are the Post Trustees: Willie B. Jones, Elizabeth Sweet and Rudy Gartner. I have appointed the following members that have agreed to serve: Frank Konieczny - Post Service Officer, Marty Holland - Post Surgeon, Joe Sayles - Post Adjutant and lastly Raj Lobrecht will serve as the Post Judge Advocate. No, Raj is not back in town. He is still serving in the Army in Germany, but has agreed to be an adviser. We will hold Executive Committee meetings each month immediately prior to the General Membership meeting which starts at 7:30pm (note this is a change from previous years). Please thank members of the Executive Committee for taking time to serve the Post and you the membership. Comrade Jason Turney has received his orders and will depart the Metro D.C. area and return to England and his family the first week of August. I wish him well and hope he knows how much we appreciate his support these past few years. We also have several challenges facing the Post this year. We need to continue supporting our Veterans while we also work to increase our membership. The most important issues we must address are the impending expiration of our current lease on our administrative space, and deciding whether we want to retain or sell the Post property on Beulah St. Our existing lease can be renewed for a minimum of three years with a 3% increase. The majority opinion (Continued on page 2) Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States
Transcript
Veterans of Foreign Wars of the Uni ted States
Volume 18-4
By Post Commander Joe Byrnes
SERVING VETERANS, THEIR FAMILIES, and the COMMUNITY
Taking Care of Veterans is Our Business
The Camaraderie
Hello All. Welcome to another VFW year. I’d like to thank Comrade Commander Wayne Yancey for a great year and hope that he gets another All-American Award (as of this writing the results have not been posted). His dedication to the VFW is second to none and for him to step
up for the past year was outstanding and much appreciated. His success as a leader is a goal I strive to meet. Again, thank you Wayne for a great year. Also, thanks to Diana for putting up with all of this as well. Her valuable help is unmatched and well appreciated. Thank you to the members for electing me as Post Commander again this year. This will be my fourth year as your Commander, and I look forward to all the challenges that await us in the coming year. There are many and we have a short time to complete them. I will get into them later, but I would like to continue thanking folks. To get started, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the folks who work in the background, without these people we would not be successful. I could go into detail and single out everyone but that would take up way too much space here. So, thanks to each and every one of you that contributes to our success. I do however want to single out our Joint Bingo Committee. This year I formed a joint committee with the Auxiliary and the Post to manage the BINGO operations. This will allow BINGO Manager, Comrade Kelch, to dele-gate as he sees fit. As you all know, or should know, Comrade Kelch basically is the glue that holds BINGO together along with Auxiliary Sister Marcia Lohr who has stepped up to be the Co-Chair and our Administrative Whisperer. From the outside looking in you may not know this, but the amount of paperwork that goes into a successful BINGO operation is staggering, not to mention dealing with the Virginia Gaming Commission. Last but not least, we should not forget our BINGO wrangler, Diana Regan for getting the volunteers’ in order and making the schedule work each month. All of these people, along with our volunteers, are the reason we have such a successful program. While on the subject I’ll put my ‘begging request’ here rather than at the end. As I have in the past I am asking for members and their families to volunteer for BINGO. Contact Diana by email at: [email protected], please give us one day a month (two would be better). This will give the folks who currently do more days a break. As for all of our new BINGO player volunteers, THANK YOU so much, you are doing an outstanding job. To our senior players feel free to wrangle a son or daughter or grandchild to work in your place. Reserved seats are great! Our Post Executive Committee, who I have come to depend on for support and guidance, consists of both elected and appointed members. Our Executive Committee this year is comprised of: Gary Kelch - Sr. Vice Com-mander; Bingo and Recruitment, Jim Ellett - Jr. Vice Commander; Poppies and special events, Wayne Yancey - Chaplain, JB Young – Quartermaster. Rounding out the elected ranks are the Post Trustees: Willie B. Jones, Elizabeth Sweet and Rudy Gartner. I have appointed the following members that have agreed to serve: Frank Konieczny - Post Service Officer, Marty Holland - Post Surgeon, Joe Sayles - Post Adjutant and lastly Raj Lobrecht will serve as the Post Judge Advocate. No, Raj is not back in town. He is still serving in the Army in Germany, but has agreed to be an adviser. We will hold Executive Committee meetings each month immediately prior to the General Membership meeting which starts at 7:30pm (note this is a change from previous years). Please thank members of the Executive Committee for taking time to serve the Post and you the membership. Comrade Jason Turney has received his orders and will depart the Metro D.C. area and return to England and his family the first week of August. I wish him well and hope he knows how much we appreciate his support these past few years. We also have several challenges facing the Post this year. We need to continue supporting our Veterans while we also work to increase our membership. The most important issues we must address are the impending expiration of our current lease on our administrative space, and deciding whether we want to retain or sell the Post property on Beulah St. Our existing lease can be renewed for a minimum of three years with a 3% increase. The majority opinion
(Continued on page 2)
Veterans of Foreign Wars o f the Un i ted Sta tes
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appears to be that we do not renew the lease again. This means that as of January 1, 2020 we will not have a place to hang our hats. Not to worry, we knew this was going to happen and have established a committee consisting of myself and Past Post Commanders Gary Kelch and Wayne Yancey. This committee will continue to meet and will report findings and recommendations to the Executive Committee. Once we have a consen-sus, the Committee will present their recommendations to the membership. These upcoming decisions are critical to the future of Post 7327 and it’s Auxiliary. I hope that if you live in the area you will consider attend-ing future General Membership meetings. I really do look forward to serving as your Post Commander again and I know that we are up for all the challenges ahead. Additionally, I look forward to seeing you around the VFW Post Home or at Bingo.
Remember, if anyone asks, we are open for business and our business is taking care of Veterans.
ADOPT-A-HIGHWAY Clean-Up
Marty Holland, Program Chair
SAVE THE DATE: Our next Adopt-A-Highway cleanup is scheduled for Saturday, 19 October with an "inclement weather" date of Saturday, 26 October. As we have done in the past, we will meet in the American Legion parking lot and head out to our section of the Franconia-Springfield County Parkway at 8:00 am. All necessary equipment -- reflective vests, grabbers, and orange garbage bags – as well as donuts and water will be provided. Gloves, pants, long-sleeve shirts, and boots are encouraged.
This is a great opportunity for all members of the Post and Auxiliary to participate and to make sure that our stretch of the Franconia-Springfield County Parkway, to include the Veterans of Foreign War (VFW) Bridge, will be "standing tall and looking good" for Veterans Day. If you haven't been to a monthly meeting or a Bingo session lately, this is a great chance to re-connect with Post 7327 and your Comrades in the VFW. This is a highly visible and important community service project along a busy stretch of road that includes official signs recognizing VFW Post 7327's adoption of this part of the road. All are invited and friends and family members are welcome.
If you have questions or want more information, please contact Marty Holland, 703-232-5611
The Camaraderie newsletter is published by Springfield, Virginia Veterans of Foreign
Wars Post 7327, a community based 501c19 not-for-profit Congressionally Chartered
Veterans Organization. Mailed for educational outreach and information
purposes to our members, volunteers and friends. The newsletter is distributed to over
700 individuals. We have served our community since 1946, providing support to Veterans, their families, active duty military
and community based organizations.
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By Barbara Major
I’m hoping that everyone is enjoying the sizzling summer heat. Staying cool is a job in and of itself.
I am sorry to report that the Auxiliary has lost another loyal member with the passing of Linda Bond. Linda was not only a capable and devoted leader, mentor, and friend to many of us, but also an unwavering sup-porter of veterans and active military and their families. She will be sorely missed.
July begins our 2019-2020 program year. So far, we are planning to support the Fairfax County Park Authority’s Summer Entertainment Series at Lee District Park on Wednesday, August 7, at 7:30-8:30 pm by supplying cookies for the U.S. Navy Current band (country music). We’ve done this for the past several years with good results. So, if you are available to help on that night, please let me know ([email protected], 703-899-2252).
As I mentioned, our program year is just beginning, and future projects are still in the early stages. Think about coming to a meeting and sharing your ideas. We meet on the second Wednesday of the month at 7pm at the Post Home. Our next meeting is scheduled for September 11, 7 pm. I hope to see you there.
Auxiliary Membership Update Treasurer Linda Byrnes
Welcome to the following new members who were voted in at the June meeting:
Baily Gleason & Sierra Gleason
Annual Members Please Note!
If you renew for the 2019-2020 membership year by 31 July, early dues are just $18. Come 1 August annual dues will be
the regular price of $23.
If you renew by 30 September, you are eligible for our drawing for a free life membership!!
You can pay dues at a meeting or you can mail your check to me at:
8209 Terra Grande Ave, Springfield, VA 22153
Questions? Feel free to call me at: 703-732-7539
In Loving Memory Of Sister Linda L. Bond
Linda L. Bond, 71, of Haymarket, Virginia passed away May 9, 2019 surrounded by her loving family.
Linda’s journey started on November 14, 1947 in Brownsville, Pennsylvania. In 1965, she
graduated from John A. Brashear, Brownsville, PA. After high school she moved to Northern Virgin-ia where she met the love of her life, Wallace (Wally) Bond. They were married on June 30, 1973 in
Falls Church, VA. They resided in Springfield, VA for 45 years.
Linda had a very successful career in the telecommunication industry for 25 years. She re-tired from Verizon in 2001. After retiring, Linda enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren,
whom she was affectionately known as Grammy or Mimi. They were her pride and joy.
When Linda wasn’t with her family, she was a mainstay at Bingo either playing or volunteering for the Springfield Volunteer Fire Station Auxiliary. Linda was also a life member of the VFW Auxiliary at Post #7327, Springfield.
Linda worked tirelessly for the VFW. She held numerous positions in the auxiliary at the local, district and state level. She served as the local Auxiliary President for seven years, eventually becoming the President of the Auxiliary for the Department of Virginia from 2017-2018. She was very proud to be helping our Veterans and their families and made many close friends along the way.
In 2016, Linda and Wally moved to Haymarket, Virginia to be closer to their children and
grandchildren. On Monday, May 6th, 2019 Linda suffered a fall at home which ultimately was more than her body could
endure. Sadly, she passed away in the early hours of May 9th, surrounded by her family, at Novant Prince William Hospital. While her journey here on earth has ended, her beautiful smile and fighting
spirit will live on for eternity.
She was preceded in death by one son, Frank Joseph Vollmer. Linda is survived by her loving husband of almost 46 years, Wallace Bond, and two sons, John Vollmer and his wife Samantha; Larry
Bond and his wife Cindy; Daughter-in-Law Cindy Vollmer; several brothers and sisters including sisters, Barbara Setaro and her husband Tony of Pennsylvania; Crystal Plock and her husband John also of Penn-sylvania; seven grandchildren, Jacqueline Bond, Savannah Bond, Caitlyn Daige, Christian Vollmer, Col-
by Vollmer, Cara Vollmer, Carter Vollmer; and two great-grandchildren, Isabella and Gunner Daige.
At Mrs. Bond’s request, a private graveside service was held at the Place of Peace Columbarium, Bristow, VA.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may take the form of a donation to the VFW Auxilia-
ry– Springfield Post #7327, in care of Linda Byrnes, Treasury, 8209 Terra Grande Avenue, Springfield, VA 22153.
Obituary credit to Baker-Post Funeral Home & Cremation Center .
Please sign the guestbook at www.bakerpostfh.com.
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Auxiliary Chaplain’s Update Alice Merrill
A change since our last newsletter – help needed. I’m filling in this month as we look for a new Chaplain for this new program year. Members interested in what the posi-tion entails, please call or email me or email President Barbara Major at [email protected], for info. My contact info: [email protected], 703-569-1771 (h) 703-795-7601 (c) Your Auxiliary would greatly appreciate your stepping up to help! Since I last wrote, we’ve been remembering these Sisters and their families in our prayers
and with other expressions of support: *The family of Sister Linda Bond, our Past Auxiliary, District, and Department President who passed away May 9th – a deep shock and sadness to us all. *The family of Sister Eleanor Williams for whom we performed the Service for the Deceased May 19th. *Our Sisters dealing with serious medical issues, Diana Bartruff, Jacqueline Bond, Debbie Casselbury, Alice Gehl, and Starla Stoesser. *Past Department President Barbara Grossnickle who suffered the loss of her daughter in June. *Past Department President Mary Profitt who suffered the loss of her sister in June while both she and her husband are also dealing with serious medical issues. Please remember in your prayers these Sisters and all our veterans and active duty military, and let us know of anyone in our VFW Family who is suffering or needs assistance.
“God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in distress. Therefore we fear not.” Psalm 46:1-2
Post Chaplain’s Corner Post Chaplain Wayne Yancey
Hello Comrades, Members of the Auxiliary and Friends of the Post, Thankfully, I am not aware of any Comrade that is sick or in need of assistance at this time, but I would like to take this opportunity to advise everyone that I am serving as Chaplain this year and am ready to assist anyone that is in need of support. Comrade W. J. Leonard recently spent four days in Fairfax Hospital. He was struggling with respiratory issues. Comrades Sonny Thomas, Chris Braun and I visited with him in the hospital on June 9, 2019. He went home the next day and is doing well at this time. Our next hospital visit is not scheduled as of this writing but I will schedule one as soon as possible and I will advise everyone accordingly by e-mail. I would also like to remind everyone that Comrade Tony Dzierski will be laid to rest at Arlington Na-tional Cemetery on Wednesday, August 28, 2019 at 12:30 pm. Happy 88th Birthday to our beloved Willie B. Jones. Please let me know if I can be of assistance to anyone. Home: 703-719-7660, Cell: 703-350-8409
If you or someone you know is at risk for suicide, please reach out to
military and veteran crisis line at
1 (800) 273-8255 press 1,
or you feel like you just need someone to talk to reach out to vets4warriors at http://www.vets4warriors.com/
These resources are available to active duty military, veterans, and their family members.
5 Summer Safety Tips That Everyone Should Follow
Marty Holland
Hopefully, everyone is already in the midst of a fun and enjoya-ble summer. However, as our military training ingrained in us, there is always time to consider safety. Here are five summer safety tips that everyone should follow:
Wear Sunscreen Lotion Let's first go ahead and discuss the most obvious summer safety tip: wear sunscreen lotion. According to the American Academy of Dermatologists (AAD), nearly 1 in 3 US adults will develop skin cancer during their lifetime. It should come as little-to-no surprise that prolonged exposure to the sun is the single greatest risk factor of skin cancer. Thankfully, you can protect your skin from sun damage by wearing a high-SPF sun-screen lotion.
Stay Hydrated It's estimated that 75% of Americans go throughout their daily lives in a constant state of dehydration. While it may seem harmless enough, being dehydrated -- even mild cases -- can take a toll on your body and health, forcing the kidneys and liver to work extra hard. While you should drink plenty of water all year round, hydra-tion is particularly important during the summer. The scorching hot summer temperatures can sap your body's moisture content faster than usual, promoting dehydration.
Beware of Heat Stroke Heat stroke is most serious form of heat illness, taking the lives of dozens of people each year. It occurs when the body's internal temperatures rises uncontrollably, stressing the organs and systems. The good news is that heat stroke is completely preventable. All it takes is a general awareness of one's body temperature, as well as measures to lower a person's body temperature when it begins to rise.
Keeping Bugs at Bay When the temperatures begin to warm, ticks, mosquitoes and other not-so-fun bugs tend to come out in full force. If you're planning on hiking, camping or engaging in other outdoor activities this summer, wear a Deet-based insect repellant to keep these bugs at bay. Ticks are more than just a nuisance; they can transmit Lyme disease, as well as other infectious illnesses.
Use Caution When Grilling If you're going to grill out this summer, use caution to ensure your grill is clean and ready for grilling. After sitting for six months or longer, it's not uncommon for cobwebs to form within grills. And once they are lit, it can create a dangerous ball of flame. Using a paper towel, clean your grill ahead of time to prevent this from happening. Source: https://www.safetycompany.com/safetyblog/5-summer-safety-tips-that-everyone-should-follow/?
In December the Post and Auxiliary voted to complete the funding for Robyn Nielsen’s one-of-a-kind chair. Her chair was delivered in June. The chair will allow Robyn to continue participating in basketball, but may be utilized in other sports as her interests grow and expand. Robyn is the daughter of retired Navy Medic Frank and Amy Nielsen. Amy’s note of gratitude is below.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!! This is such a huge dream come true for Robyn! Now we just have to wait for her hands to heal from this weeks surgery. She's already trying to get that huge push we know this custom designed chair will give her. Her confidence skyrocketed when she sat in it for the first time. From the bottom of our hearts thank you. -Amy (Robyn's Mama)
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Delivery Day!
Robyn trying out her new chair for the first time in June.
Robyn’s chair was designed and built in Dallas, Texas by Per4Max. Per4Max CEO and 3-time Team USA Paralympian William Hernandez started building his own chairs in 1999 as a student-athlete studying engineer-ing at University of Texas – Arlington. Willie still leads design and engineering at PER4MAX headquarters in Dallas, including the wheelchairs for Team USA Men’s and Women’s 2016 Gold Medal teams.
Robyn in action on the court and pictured at
right with her coach and inspiration,
Coach Faizool Khan Ali.
Photos by Amy Nielsen
COMRADE UP CLOSE WILLIE B. JONES
By Chaplain Wayne Yancey
Comrade Willie B. Jones just celebrated his 88th birthday on July 4, 2019. This seems like a perfect opportunity to honor our Comrade and our friend with a “Comrade Up Close” article dedicated to him. Comrade Willie B. Jones was born in Madison County Alabama, near Huntsville Alabama, early in the morning on the 4th of July, 1931. Willie says his mother was getting ready to go to a picnic, but he put a delay on her plans. He was raised in a family of 13 children - 9 boys and 4 girls. He is the 6th child.
Willie said that, thinking back, he had a very enjoyable life as a child. He said nobody gets everything they want, but somehow they managed to get the things they really needed and that’s the way it was throughout his childhood. Willie went to a country school in Huntsville Alabama and did farming as a child. He and his family raised cotton, and just about everything they needed to eat. They always had a big garden. He remem-bers moving three or four times during his childhood. Willie was designated as “Mother’s Helper”. He did not work in the field most of the time like his twelve brothers and sisters. He stayed home most of the time and helped his Momma cook, wash dishes and keep the house in shape. No wonder our Willie is such a great cook. Hopefully you have tasted his terrific potato salad! Willie played football in high school and was able to play almost any position, so they put him wherever they needed him. Willie said that the one incident he remembers most from High School occurred toward the end of his Senior Year. In addition to being a student, he also drove a school bus. On this particular morning he was transporting kids from Farley Junior High School to the Counsel Training School. He said that his bus was al-ways full of kids and that a lot of things happened when he was driving. The schools were segregated at that time. This day he was driving a bus full of kids and met another bus coming from the opposite direction that was picking up kids. He said he stopped his bus, as required, as he approached the oncoming bus. He was on the lower side of the road. The road had just been graded earlier in the day and it was raining. When the other bus pulled off, Willie said he took his foot off of the brake and before he could hit the gas - his bus started moving. He said he felt the bus sliding to the side of the road toward a ditch that was about fourteen foot deep and there was nothing he could do to stop the bus from sliding. Willie said his bus slipped off the side of the road and turned over into a fourteen foot ditch with 48 children onboard. Willie got out from behind the steering wheel and kicked the front window out. Then he grabbed the biggest boy on the bus and helped him through the window. He told the young man to get on the bank and help the kids up the hill as he passed them through the window. A gentleman from across the street that had been putting his kids on the other bus got out his phone, called the police and asked that they send all available rescue equipment to the scene immediately. When
Willie got everybody out of the bus he said he counted heads, and checked to see if anyone was injured. He found that not a soul had a single scratch on them. No one on the bus was hurt but everyone (including Willie) was scared. Shortly thereafter five ambulances arrived. Willie said the kids were all hollering “I’m not getting in that dead wagon”. He said they really had a time getting the kids calmed down. He acknowledged he was a lucky man that day and is thankful things turned out the way they did. When the police arrived they told him they had been looking for the accident for some time but couldn’t find it. --- This is an example of how well our Willie works under fire and how responsible and caring a person he has always been. Willie was working on the farm after he finished high school doing a little bit of everything when in July of 1952 he got drafted. He did his basic training at Fort Jack-son, South Carolina and when he left Fort Jackson he went to Korea. He arrived in Korea on the 21st of December 1952 and served with the 25th Division (The Wolf-
hounds). He had a good tour of duty in Korea, but he still has trouble with his hands from the cold he was exposed to while stationed there. After Korea, when he was 21, he got out of the military and took a job in a brick yard load-ing bricks. He said four workers would load 6,000 bricks in 20 minutes. He also worked on the farm but he was not satisfied and decided to go back into the military. His initial intention was to do 20 years and retire, but he ended up put-ting in 28 years. He joined an active reserve unit and was transferred to Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He was released from Fort Campbell about two months earlier than expected. At that time he reenlisted and went to Fort Bliss, Texas. He stayed at Fort Bliss for approximately two and a half years and was in three different units before he hit on a unit that was going to Vietnam. He did a tour in Viet Nam beginning in 1967. When Willie left Viet Nam he went on Drill Sgt. Status for four and a half years at Fort Benning, Georgia. He arrived at Fort Benning as an E-5 and worked his way up to E-7. From Fort Benning Willie went to Germany where he worked in a missile unit. Willie stayed in Germany until 1976. At that time he went back on Drill
Sgt. Status at Fort Leavenworth, Missouri. He did two years at Fort Leaven-worth and was transferred to Fort Belvoir, Virginia. At Fort Belvoir he had an opportunity to work with young soldiers that had been drafted and were going to school. He also coached a little league football team while stationed at Fort Bel-voir. He was a mentor to the younger soldiers and tried to help them be prepared and successful in whatever they decided to do. He retired from the Army as an E-8 with 28 years of service while stationed at Fort Belvoir.
Willie got married to Mary Hughes before he entered the Army in 1956. He was working for a survey company at the time and met his wife while on a break for lunch. They were married on the last day in February in 1956 and they had one daughter (Carolyn). She has two daughters, Rochelle and Latasha. Mary preferred to stay home and take care of their daughter and their home while Willie was deployed. Mary passed away in March of 2016. Willie said that his most enjoyable duty station during the 28 years he was in the military was Fort Belvoir. While stationed at Fort Belvoir he worked a lot at AP Hill training recruits. Willie said he remembers one incident when they were out on maneuvers at AP Hill and the weather got so bad he had to arrange for helicopters to be sent to AP Hill to pick up the students and transfer them back to Belvoir. After Willie retired he stayed in the area and continued to work at Belvoir. In fact he still runs into people at Fort Belvoir that knew him “back in the day”. Willie became a life member of the VFW on December 31, 1990. Originally he was a member of Post 1503 at Dale City. He and a friend were coming home one night and he was stopped by the police for a minor infrac-tion. He was not given a ticket but it made Willie aware of how easily he could get one. The next day he visited Post 7327 at Brookfield Plaza. He was greeted and welcomed by Jan Ward and has been a member of the Post 7327 family ever since. Even at 88, Willie is one of the most active and hardest working members in the Post and he has been that way consistently since he became a member. He is always available to help anytime and for any reason. He has consistently served as our “Facility Manager” going on 30 years. Even at 88 he is at the Post Home nearly every day preparing material for upcoming Bingo sessions or doing whatever needs to be done. He participates in nearly every event and is always there to lend a hand. Whenever mem-bers of our Post or Auxiliary travel for various functions or events someone always asks “How’s Willie doing?” He is, without a doubt, one of the most popular and well respected members of the VFW and thankfully we can say, “He is a member of Post 7327!! “ Willie said one of the main things he has learned in his 88 years of life is that that a lot more can be accom-plished when you work together then when you work against each other.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WILLIE AND WE HOPE YOU HAVE MANY MORE.
Buddy Poppy Report - Summer 2019 Good news and a big Thank You!
Junior Vice Commander Jim Ellett
I. The Thank You details: All of the volunteer slots were filled for Poppy distribu-
tion tables at the Belvoir Commissary and Huntsman Giant. The Post and Auxiliary
showed that our folks care to live up to the VFW motto, "To honor the dead by
helping the living."
II. The Good News Details: Next November 2nd & 3rd; and 9th & 10th we plan to
return to Poppy Distribution - seeking permission for inside Belvoir PX lobby and
Huntsman Lobby. During our May 2019 collection days, generous patrons donated
approximately $1000 each day (totals over $5,000). As you may know, we don’t
sell Buddy Poppy flowers, but give them away and collect donations as people
choose to give.
This November there will be an adequate
supply of flags, Poppy stickers and other items for
children. Next month I will expand on why I believe outreach to children can
expand participation and understanding concerning Buddy Poppies.
Commander Byrnes has set a goal of twice the amount of donations for our
Veterans Day campaign. Our Post is fortunate to have hard working examples
like that of Jason Turley as an active Buddy Poppy organizer/leader and active
individual as multiple volunteer hours at our tables. Jason will leave shortly
and his void needs to be filled by other volunteers. During September the Post plans for two sign-up
campaigns - one electronic and the other at the Post. Look for more details in late August.
III. Comments: The roles played by Diana Regan, Wayne Yancey, and others who
helped the effort again and again are greatly appreciated. Post 7327 has done Buddy
Poppy distribution for many, many years. Our VFW history surrounding this effort -
100 years since the small red flower became symbolic of the blood shed in World
War I. That is why I believe this is an important effort. Contact me for comments, ide-
as or questions at [email protected]. More details next time, Respectfully, Junior
Vice Commander, James Ellet.
Springfield BridgeWalk
August 27, 2019, 7:00-8:30pm
Supervisor Jeff McKay invites you to attend the annual Springfield BridgeWalk. This family-friendly event is open to the entire community. Join us at 7 p.m. at the corner of Amherst Avenue and Bland Street. At 7:30 p.m., as the lights begin to shine, the police will close the road and we will stroll across Veterans Bridge to American Legion Post 176. At the Post there will be a brief ceremony and community covenant signing with Fort Belvoir, followed by com-munity time and good food with friends and neighbors. Come on out. And yes, weather permitting, the entire celebration will be outside so even Fido (on a leash) is welcome.
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