5.
THANK YOU
Thank you to each and every member of the Post and Auxiliaries who helped and stood behind me during my 2 1/2 year tenure as your Commander. I had to overcome a number of obstacles and without your help we wouldn’t have been able to accomplish all that we did.
Mike Curran
The Men’s Auxiliary: On May 23rd, Past District Commander Hank Shaw installed , President Bob Orr , Senior Vice President Art Prevost, Junior Vice President Paul Bowen, Three Year Trustee John Willour and One Year Trustee Abe Romero.
A potluck lunch followed the ceremony, and a special” thank you” to those who attended.
On June 14th, the other half of our Men’s Auxiliary Officer’s were installed by Past President Al Tausher, Treasurer Jim Smith, Secretary Cliff Harlick, Two Year Trustee Bill Kehoe and Guard Bill Glavan. Congratulations and Best Wishes to this year’s Men’s Auxiliary Team along with new Commander of VFW Post 4781 Don Eckerdt and Re-elected President for our Ladies Auxiliary Chris Royce.
Back by popular demand every 1st, 3rd and 5th Friday, a boat of “Shrimp or Wings” fries and coleslaw for only $5.00 dollars, served from 4:30 - 6:00 pm.
On a personal note I would like to thank the Men’s Auxiliary for all the help and gracious support shown me this past year serving as your President and wish the same support for the Post and the Auxiliaries!
Thank you James E. Pettus, Sr. President 2009-2010
352-438-9662
The Ladies’ Auxiliary: Dear Sisters, I was very happy to be in attendance at the LAVFW’s 79th Convention held in Orlando on the 17th, 18th & 20th of June. It was wonderful seeing all the ladies I have gotten to know over the past three years. Awards were passed out and we were honored with receiving a 1st place award for Legislative/Pac, a plaque for our fiscal support of $500 to the Political Action Committee and 3rd place winner for Youth Activities. LAVFW 4781 had a second place winner in the Patriotic Art contest and Josh received his awards in a special presentation on Saturday. Marygrace also received an award for her chairing the Community Service program for the Department.
New officers for the Dept of Fl were nominated and elections were also held during the convention. This next year will see some changes as far as reporting of committees. We are finally moving into the age of computers, which should make things easier for the program leaders.
We also had 2 changes on our Aux level, Myra Smith will be our new Assistant Guard and 1st yr Trustee will be Sharon Sechler, 2nd yr Marty Brehm & 3rd yr Lorraine Benotti. I am looking forward to the new year, new challenges and having as much fun as we did last year working together.
The LAVFW will be doing the annual Independence Day celebration on Sun July 4th. We will be serving sausage w/peppers & onions, hamburgers, salads for $5.00pp. Tickets are available in the canteen. Please come out and support this function for a fun day with everyone and enjoy the entertainment provided by John Vest. We will not be having a dinner on the first Tuesday in July because of this function. However we are having Chicken Parmesan w/ spaghetti on Aug 3rd.
The annual flea market is scheduled for Oct 15 & 16. We are already getting phone calls. Tell all your friends. Volunteers are always welcome to all of our functions. LOL So sign up early to help and come out for the fun!!!
Again thank you all for making our Aux one of the best in Florida.
Sincerely, Christine J Royce
LAVFW President
Comrades, I am very proud to have been elected as your Commander for the next year. I will do everything to make sure the trust and faith you have placed in your vote for me was not wasted. As you know I was not supposed to take over until June 19th when the State Commander is installed in office. However, due to health problems Commander Curran resigned his office on June 7th and since I had been sworn in on May 23rd I automatically stepped up to the position of Commander.
I am proud to say that we had the best year ever with the Poppy Drive and I have to give all the credit to those of you who stood out there in the heat and handed out those beautiful little flowers that help so many needy veterans or their families. There are three people who I can’t thank enough for their efforts in getting volunteers to sign up for what seems a thankless effort except for knowing you helping veterans in need. A special thanks to Don Van Slooten SVC, Cristine Royce LAVFW President, and Bobby Orr MAVFW President. They worked for days before the actual date of the drive phoning to get volunteers to sign-up.
There is another group I would like to thank for the four different services performed over Memorial Day weekend. That is the Post’s great Honor Guard under the command of Comrade Bob Smith, as OOD Leonard tendered his resignation on May 19th. I am pleased to report that the Board of Directors (BOD) met with the Honor Guard on June 10th and as a result Comrade Randy Schmoll has accepted as OOD and Honor Guard (HG) Commander for the coming year. I believe with the meeting we had on the 10th we are on our way to a harmonious year with the HG and BOD.
In the coming year I am eager to work with the auxiliaries and try to ensure close and constant communication so we are working toward the same goals. Our Veterans and the Post are the most important thing on our plate and since we all feel this way I know we will work well together.
By this time next year you will probably have gotten tired of hearing me harp on about membership, but as you can see in the hall and the Canteen the number of member plaques with black bands is increasing. These only represent life members and there a lot of annual members who have passed. We can never replace them, but we can get new members to try to fill the jobs they did while they were here.
Just a reminder, we have excellent meals at the Post and lunch is available Monday thru Friday. So please come and enjoy yourselves while supporting the Post. Hope to see you in the Post.
Welcome to the following new members:
Joseph Brightman, Reginald Tasc herfau, Frank Georgetti, Stephen Hampden, Ronald Lloyd, Dorothy Chesney, Brian Rivera, John, Crossen, Peter Hagsburg, and Richard Cote. .
If you are a recent member and have not been mustered in and obligated, come along to the July 20th or August 17th meeting, participate in the Obligation Ceremony, get your Cross of Malta and meet the Post.
RECRUITING
If you know somebody who is eligible for our VFW or one of the Auxiliaries, and hasn’t yet joined, talk to them or better yet give them an application. Application envelopes are available in the canteen. The following summary of eligibility criteria is provided for your convenience.
VFW Membership Eligibility:
-US Citizen
-Have a discharge under honorable conditions or be currently serving in the US military.
-Served overseas in an area for which an expeditionary medal, a campaign medal or ribbon was authorized and awarded. Or in an area for which you received imminent danger/hostile fire pay.
-Or received a SSBN Deterrent Patrol Insignia, the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB), the Combat Medic Badge (CMB), Combat Action Badge (CAB), the Air Force Combat Action Medal (AFCAM), or the Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon (with Gold Border).
-Or served 30 consecutive days duty in Korea or 60 non-consecutive days duty in Korea.
-Or be currently deployed in an area that qualifies for VFW membership.
The Post is a membership organization. All members in good standing of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States and its Ladies and Men’s Auxiliaries are welcome to share in the camaraderie and activities of the Post. Members are permitted to invite guests to accompany them to participate in Post activities. Individuals eligible for the VFW may not be invited or signed in as guests. While a Member may arrange to meet an invited guest, individuals who come to the Post without a specific invitation should not expect to be admitted. Members sponsoring a guest are responsible for the guest and must insure the individuals depart the Post with them.
Membership Card Checks
All Canteen Patrons are required to show a valid/current VFW or Auxiliary Membership Card prior to being served! The Canteen Staff are not permitted to sign-in guests or solicit Members or Canteen Patrons to sign-in guests. Guests must be accompanied by their sponsor and must depart the premises when the sponsor departs. If you have lost or misplaced your Membership Card, contact the Quartermaster ASAP! Attendee’s at Post functions including meetings must present a valid/current Membership Card upon request by the Commander, Officer of the Day, House Chairman, or other Officers appointed by the Commander or House Chairman.