By Harold Rodenberger
Since our founding as a federally chartered organization in 1899, our members have worked to help veterans and their families, to further patriotism and Americanism, and to help our communities. Because these goals are part of our mission the Internal Revenue Service has granted us tax-exempt status under the provisions of Section 501 (c) (19) of the tax code.
To maintain our tax-exempt status, each month we report community service performed by our members. Reports from the posts and districts are forwarded to and consolidated by the departments and from there forwarded to our national headquarters. To make these reports more complete we ask that each of our members forward qualifying actions so as much as possible can be included each month.
You might be surprised to learn that many things you do should be included so please make a note to compile and forward your contributions in the following areas.
Community Service: Activities that benefit your community, parks or neighborhood such as:
- Recycling
- Picking up trash
- Beautification projects
- Monetary donations to a local park, farmers’ market, or similar.
Citizenship Education and Americanism: Participation in:
- Parades
- Patriotic holiday events
- Public ceremonies
- Presenting flags or educational materials
- Attending funerals
- POW/MIA activities
- Loyalty Day activities
- Legislative activities
- Flying the American Flag (please specify lighted or unlit)
- Participation in Color/Honor Guard activities or placing flags on veterans’ graves.
Aid to Others:
- Hospital and nursing home visits
- Visits with senior citizens or house-bound neighbors
- Donations of care packages
- Helping to organize a blood drive or individual donations of blood, platelets or plasma
- Fundraising or assisting to build handicapped ramps or other home repairs and transporting others to doctors or hospital visits
- Donations of money or materials to the needy or thrift stores or other charitable organizations (please itemize so we can assign dollar values)
- Donations to homeless or to organizations that help the homeless and other charitable causes such as the USO, cancer society, March of Dimes, etc.
Youth Activities:
- Assisting at schools as guest speaker, volunteer coaching
- Donating money, materials or time to support Scouts, children’s sports or band functions
- Helping with Special Olympics or other help for special students or children.
Voice of Democracy, Youth Essay and Patriotic Art:
- Donations of time and money to locate, encourage and assist students to enter the VFW Voice of Democracy, Patriot’s Pen, Youth Essay and Patriotic Art contests.
Safety:
- Giving or attending classes or time and money spent to encourage safety, broken down by pedestrian, drug awareness, recreational, highway, fire or home safety.
Military Assistance:
- Any support given to a military unit, individual, or family member
- Sponsoring or attending “welcome home” ceremonies and other ceremonies honoring the military