Post Business – Page 40 – Ballard Eagleson Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3063

Zoom Software Digitally Connects Members to Post Meetings

By Charlie Anderson

Recently, Commander Krawitz invited me to test Web conferencing software to view monthly post meetings because we now live in Montana. Later, Pete asked me to write an article about my experience.

On Nov. 9, I sat down at my PC in the den of our mountain home and downloaded the necessary small application. I put on headphones, logged into the conference site and prepared to watch. For the next 90 minutes or so, I heard everything that happened in the post meeting. With a few exceptions everyone who spoke was very clear.

With video conferencing remote users can listen, watch and communicate during the course of the meeting by text or voice. If a secure authentication system were created to verify legal membership it might be possible to participate in votes. Implementing this last feature probably would need a bylaws change.

To use this program effectively you need either a PC or Apple computer, a laptop/pad or Smart Phone. Lacking one of these, you still can listen to a meeting with a landline or wireless phone.

Using conferencing software from your home or office is easy—almost a no-brainer. Given the percentage of the total membership typically attending meetings when I lived in Seattle (around 20% I think), live video meetings could be a way for members who don’t or can’t make monthly meetings to regain some sense of participation. It might even encourage some to get back into active involvement.

Give it a try!

From the Commander (December 2017)

By Pete Krawitz

November, as predicted, was a very busy month for the post. Comrade Guncay coordinated this year’s Veterans Day VA hospital visit. It was one of the biggest turnouts we’ve had in recent years with over 20 volunteers. I’d like to thank all that attended to include our sponsored Boy Scout Troop, Magnolia / Ballard Troop 80, who came out in full force this year. Our color guard was in high demand and took part in a few events. Additionally, some of the leadership team members have been working closely with the district leadership team to plan the future of our Auxiliary.

As many of you probably already know, our longtime Auxilary President, Margaret Phillips, stepped down from her position as of 1-November. We are now looking for someone to pick up where Margaret left off and lead the Auxiliary. There will be a special election held during the next Auxiliary meeting on Thursday, Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. Please get the word out! Remember, it’s not just spouses that are eligible for the auxiliary. Please visit https://vfwauxiliary.org/join-us/eligibility-information/ for the eligibility criteria.

The holidays give many of us an opportunity to slow down a little and spend some time with our friends and family. When Clare and I first moved to Seattle in 2014, our closest family member was over 2,000 miles away. While this was nothing new, especially after numerous overseas assignments, this was the first time celebrating a holiday without our military family. I’m thankful we found Ballard Eagleson VFW Post 3063. The special holiday social events, in particular, have been the source of some great memories and friendships. Hopefully, many of you will be able to make it out to the post on the Dec. 21.

On a more somber note, our charter will remain draped in December to mark the passing of yet another one of our WWII veterans. Comrade Herb Leake recently passed away. During the holidays, please keep the families of Comrade Leake and many of the other Comrades that we have lost this year.

Clare and I would like to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

Boy Scouts Receive Donation from Post

By Gail Engler

Troop 80 from Magnolia attended the post social Nov. 16, 2017 to accept a $150 donation from Post 3063.

The troop was represented by eight Boy Scouts, Post 3063 member Elizabeth Servey, who is the troop’s Advancement Chair, her husband Brian Servey, and Molly Mort, both Assistant Scoutmasters.

The Troop is very active, especially during the spring and summer months when they hike, camp, and work on their outdoor survival skills. Comrade Servey said the money will be used to purchase more camping gear, which will be put to good use during their outdoor adventures.

On Veterans Day these scouts also helped with the post’s visit to the VA hospital. They are all very eager and enthusiastic!

Boy scout presentation — Boy Scout Troop 80 accepts Post 3063’s $150 donation from Commander Pete Krawitz Nov. 16, 2017.

Quartermaster’s Update (November 2017)

By Harold Rodenberger

Last week another visitor came into my office asking where to find our clubroom. As always, I tell such visitors we don’t have a bar but that we do many other things for veterans, their families and our community.

For those readers who haven’t had a chance to attend meetings or join in our outreach efforts, here’s how our national headquarters describes out mission:

Our Mission: To foster camaraderie among United States veterans of overseas conflicts. To serve our veterans, the military and our communities. To advocate on behalf of all veterans.

Locally, we help fulfill this mission in many ways.

First, we take care of our own members and their families. Last month, for example, we donated from our relief fund to help a member whose young daughter is being treated for cancer; we routinely subsidize the meals served at our social and meeting nights; we maintain a library on military subjects for veterans; and our service officer gives top priority to helping our members get the benefits they have earned from the VA and other government agencies.

For other veterans and members of the community we operate a website, manage a Facebook page and publish a newsletter publicizing specialized information for our community; we visit the VA Hospital to bring a little cheer to the patients; we allow other veterans’ organizations to use our hall at no cost and allow nonprofit organizations of many kinds to rent our hall at minimal rates.

For the larger local community, we accept unserviceable flags for proper retirement and disposal, we donate food and other items to our local homeless camp and we visit local retirement homes. Our Color Guard has performed color-posting ceremonies in several venues and is scheduled for more.

Next time someone asks you what our members do besides drink and tell war stories, please let them know the many ways we support the VFW mission by serving veterans and our community.

We have been publishing this newsletter for almost three years now. It draws praise from members, other VFW members and readers in the community but we have found that those who receive the on-line edition don’t read the paper as much as we would like. To encourage more people to read the newsletter we are going to a quarterly printed publication mailed to all our members.

Our website and Facebook page will carry breaking stories as they develop. The printed newsletter will consolidate that news and carry it to all members.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families.