Category: Community Outreach

Our Post Assembles Buddy Poppies

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 veteran 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 poppies parts and our volunteers have been busy for the past two weeks, assembling those beautiful poppies.


As of this writing, about half of the sets have been assembled with the remainder on track to be finished in the next two weeks. 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. 


In next month’s newsletter, I’ll publish a full accounting of the results of this project. Meanwhile, many thanks to our members and friends who have been diligently assembling poppies.  


Volunteer Jack helping assemble poppies.

Small poppy assembly line.

Commanders Corner and Auction Recap (October 2020)

Well Done Comrades!


The raffle that wasn’t – actually was pretty much of a successful Owl!


It was obvious to the fundraising committee that this year our usual sit down Spaghetti Dinner and Raffle was not going to happen due to the restrictions and limitations of Covid-19… and so, the raffle would not happen either.


It began to look like we would just have to make do with the Spaghetti dinner ala take out that Chef Kay Seelig has perfected, and that would be it for this year.


But wait a minute… Comrade Aly Teeter to the rescue! She introduced the committee to the “Bidding Owl” – an online auction she had recently been involved with for a different concern. Maybe the raffle could be replaced by the Bidding Owl!


And so it was….


With a lot of work primarily on the shoulders of Comrade Aly who set it up, and Comrade Harold Rodenberger who implemented the Bidding Owl, we had an online Auction that became, “The raffle that wasn’t.”

Some of the items featured in the virtual auction.


Comrade Harold will be submitting all the financial particulars that will be showing that in spite of Covid (or maybe because of Covid) this year’s fundraising effort was very much a success!


Certainly there are many people who contributed in various ways with the fundraiser effort, and without them it would not have happened, but I do want to recognize these people in particular who really stepped up for us to help make this year’s fundraiser a success.


· Comrade Aly’s family who provided the main “Hot Ticket” item for the raffle.


· Richard and Pat Murray for their continuing support of all our post activities.


· The Burien Highline Kiwanis Club who provided the five gift baskets totaling over $500 in value, and another $300 in dinner tickets that were gifted right back to the Post!


I will speak to all of this again later, but for now I just want to thank these people and all of you for your contribution to this year’s fundraiser effort!


Joe Fitzgerald

Post 3063 Commander

Quartermaster Update for the ‘New Year’

By Harold Rodenberger 

The first month of our new VFW year has passed under the same virus cloud as the preceding three months. Nonetheless our new officers are functioning well in their new positions and Post 3063 is becoming more familiar with conducting business remotely. 

For access to our business meetings click on one of the Zoom links in the email sent out by our Adjutant. You will go to a waiting room to be admitted as soon as possible to the meeting. The waiting room screens out anyone who is not an authorized member of the VFW, and increases security.

Our third Thursday Social Dinners are still being prepared by Chef Kay. To order a wonderful meal via takeout or delivery, send an email to [email protected] or call Harold at 206-972-2135. The dinner in August will have a Greek theme; Greek salad, shish kabobs, etc., with vegetarian options available.


FUNDRAISER NEWS

As noted elsewhere in this newsletter, our annual Spaghetti Feed fundraiser for the Post 3063 Veterans Relief Fund is being held on the usual second Saturday, Sept. 12. This year, of course, we will be doing a take out (limited delivery) spaghetti dinner and on-line auction at the Bidding Owl charity fundraiser website. 

The dinner will help raise funds, so is priced at $20 per ticket for Kay’s usual spectacular spaghetti dinner with trimmings and will be limited to 150 dinners. It will be available for curbside pickup in the post parking lot from 4:30 until 6:00 pm. Tickets are available from post officers, on-line at EventBrite (details TBA), or at the office during business hours 1:00-5:00 pm, Thursdays and Saturdays in August and early September. We will need a few more volunteers to direct traffic, carry dinners to members in their cars, deliver to home-bound members, etc. If you can help in that way, please send an email to [email protected] or call Harold at 206-972-2135.

Prizes for the on-line auction are needed. During the present virus situation, it is a little more difficult to get the usual businesses to donate so we are emphasizing innovative prizes that our members can donate. Please put on your thinking cap and see if there is something you can do, make, donate, etc., that would make a prize that others would want. Personal services, hand-made crafts, fresh baked products, etc., come to mind.

The auction site is biddingowl.com/BallardEaglesonVFWPost306. The auction will be open Saturday, Sept. 12 through Friday, Sept. 18, 2020. Be sure to register before the auction and prizes are being entered onto the site daily so check in and see what you need. Payment may be made via PayPal, check or cash at the post in order to pick up your prize. If you are bidding from outside the local area, please note that shipping costs will be added to any prize that cannot be sent in a regular envelope. 

This auction is open to anyone who wants to bid so pass the word to friends, relatives and all members of the public who might be interested in bidding on some wonderful prizes to help support a worthy cause.

Congrats to our super volunteer!

Jessica Chacko came to the VFW on June 18, 2020, to help prepare and package up the meals for our monthly social. She was surprised with a small, socially distanced graduation party and award presentation. Chef Kay Seelig put together the graduation party featuring special cupcakes. Commander Joe Fitzgerald and Kay presented Jessica with a plaque expressing appreciation from Ballard Eagleson Post for the more than 500 hours that Jessica has volunteered. Congratulations Jessica and thank you for your service at Post 3063!

May Social Feeds 65 Comrades and Family Members

Comrade White picks up his takeout meal.

With the Governor’s Stay Home, Stay Safe order, we have continued to serve our regular third Thursday social night dinner for take out. Chef Kay Seelig and Linda Stokke prepared a belated Cinco de Mayo meal for 65 members May 21 (which is a much higher number than our regular monthly socials)! We’ve also collected more donations and are starting to break even on socials, which is a plus. We plan on continuing the new tradition this month with a take out social on June 18. Please send in your reservations to Harold and more info to come.