Community Outreach – Page 16 – Ballard Eagleson Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3063

0 to 100 Project Launch Includes Post 3063 Member Portraits

In the Fall of 2019, local photographer Ahamed Iqbal asked to photograph members of Post 3063 for his 0 to 100 photography project, which documents people from ages 0 to 100. Ahamed recently wrote, “Just wanted to let you know that I just launched my photography project’s website today: 0to100plus.com. To find someone directly by name you can use this link (alphabetical order): 0to100plus.com/names. I’m so grateful to you for connecting me to the men and women at the VFW and truly appreciate them being so open and friendly with me. I emailed anyone who provided me with their addresses but I thought it might be nice for everyone at the VFW to see as well.” Thank you to everyone who participated!

Caring for Those In Need During the Holiday Season

Post 3063 leadership joined forces with their adopted unit, the Washington National Guard’s A Co. 181st Brigade Support Battalion, Dec. 18. The post donated $1,000 in gift cards to HHC and A Co. 181 BSB’s soldiers and their families. We’re looking forward to hosting the company commander, CPT Jackson Meeker, during our January business meeting where he’ll tell us more about the BSB’s mission.

The post also donated its hall for the Seattle Stand Down Dec. 19; volunteers wrapped toys for veteran families.

Chef Kay’s Crew Prepares Record Number of Social Meals

Chef Kay and her dedicated crew of chefs, takeout preparers and food deliverers fed a record 85 people for November and then another record 102 people for December. All meals are takeout style, for donation only, and so delicious!

It’s an amazing treat to eat a Chef Kay meal each month and our post is so appreciative of Kay and her crew’s efforts.

Thank you to Comrade Marleen Madding for taking the behind-the-scenes photos!

Compliments to the Chef!

Chef Kay and her team of volunteers served up another amazing Thanksgiving meal to post members, families and friends Nov. 19. The meal was served takeout style, which Post 3063 has been doing since the start of the pandemic. As Kay noted on her handout menu, in 2020, we still feast!

Our Post Assembles Buddy Poppies Part 2

By Harold Rodenberger

During pre-pandemic times, veterans in soldiers’ homes and VA hospitals would assemble the Buddy Poppies© that we distribute on Memorial Day, Veterans Day and throughout the year. Donations from recipients of these poppies go to our Relief Fund, where the money is used to support our mission of caring for comrades in distress and other charitable works.

Because of the virus, this year the normal Old Soldiers’ assembly lines became impossible, so our VFW National Commander in Chief asked local post members to assemble poppies. Our post was one of many who stepped up. We requested 100,000 sets of poppy parts and our volunteers got busy assembling those beautiful poppies.

We’ve worked hard for a little over a month on those poppies and finished about 86,000 of them. Completed poppies will be boxed up and shipped back to our National HQ ready to be shipped out to even more volunteers who will distribute them nationwide when it is safe to do so.

Many thanks to our members and friends who spent many hours diligently assembling poppies. A special shout out goes to Sue and Jack Westman who assembled over 22,000 sets. It was a tedious, time-consuming job, and we are so grateful for all you hard working volunteers who did your part.