Category: Recruiting

Auxiliary President’s June 2018 Update

Dear auxiliary and post members:

 

I would like to introduce myself as the current president of the VFW Auxiliary of the Ballard Eagleson Post 3063. We have an all-new board of officers: Senior Vice President Margo Clutter; Junior Vice President Dorothy Harrell; Treasurer Liz Guncay; Chaplain Kristine Sawyckyi; and Conductress Karen Flynn.

 

What we need now is a secretary and trustees. We also need people who can chair our committees: Hospital, Americanism, Community Service, Legislative, Publicity, Scholarship, Sunshine, and Youth Activities.

 

Most importantly we need members.

 

Do know someone who is a spouse, widow, parent, child, grandparent, grandchild or sibling of someone who served their country fighting in a foreign war? If you know anyone who is interested in becoming a member of the VFW Auxiliary, please forward my contact information to them.

 

If you are a member who has not been active in a while, please come see the new and exciting plans that will revitalize this organization.

 

I would like to invite you all to come join us the third Thursday of each month for the VFW Post 3063 Social. The first Thursday of each month is our auxiliary business meeting. Please come learn about the exciting new changes and plans we are making to continue the good work of supporting our veterans and our community.
Please contact me if you have any questions. I can be reached by phone at 206-852-5434. You can e-mail me at [email protected]. You may also send mail to 2812 NW Market St, Seattle, WA 98107.
Sincerely,

Donna Limric
Auxiliary President 2018
Ballard Eagleson VFW Post 3063

New Member Profile: Chris Dresnek

This is the first profile in a new recurring column that will highlight new VFW Post 3063 members. Chris Dresnek joined the post in April 2018.

 

What motivated you to join the VFW?

The need to be around my fellow veterans. We get each other in ways non-vets can’t.Chris Dresnek

 

What is your military background?
I’m retired Army. I was a Human Resources NCO, part-time supply sergeant, and the lead gunner on both deployments (Twice to Iraq: Kirkush and Kirkuk).

 

Civilian job, education, family, hobbies, or anything else you’d like to tell us about yourself?
I’m not employed right now as I’m going to school full time on the GI Bill for a degree in Photography. Previously I was a manager and state certified medical marijuana consultant for a chain of Cannabis stores.

 

You’ve taken great photos of post events. Tell us about your photography.
It’s been a hobby for 25 years but I’m looking to make it a career. I am most interested in black and white film photography. I enjoy shooting landscapes and trees.

 

What do you hope to achieve being a member of the VFW?
Meet some cool people and be part of a thriving veteran community.

Sr. Vice has Recruiting Plans

By Joe Tiffany, Sr. Vice Commander

 

Nobody does more for Veterans.

 

That is the VFW’s motto. Our motto.
I’d like to impress upon every member of Post 3063 the importance of new members. It is the life force of our organization.

 

I have some ideas for recruiting new members:

 

1. Set up a booth at the Ballard Sunday Market where we can answer questions and get our name out to the public.

 

2. Host an open house at our post with a barbecue of hamburgers and hot dogs this summer. We’d invite not only prospective members but our neighbors and community as well. We could also include a live band performance and a food truck. That will entice younger members to join.

 

If you have any ideas please contact me at [email protected] or 206-619-9521.

Quartermaster’s Update (January 2018)

By Harold Rodenberger

 

The turn of another calendar year marks the midpoint of our VFW year. As with most of my cohort, it seems the years flow by faster the older we get. I’m not sure what I did last Wednesday but I vividly recall earning my VFW eligibility in Vietnam even though it was over fifty years ago.

 

The year also passed quickly at VFW Post 3063. Some highlights include:

  • Another year of membership increase
  • Enthusiastic officers filling our organizational chairs
  • Many visits to the VA Hospital and other nursing and retirement homes to visit our veteran comrades
  • Greater activity on our social media platforms
  • A grand fund raiser dinner
  • Increasing ceremonial participation by our nicely uniformed color/honor guard
  • Greater numbers of diners enjoying the menus at our monthly social
  • New meeting arrangements and format for our monthly business meetings

 

Looking forward, we see both challenges and rewards. On the membership front, we’ve lost several of our older members, some younger members have relocated or otherwise moved on and recruiting new members is slower than usual; our building continues its relentless march toward old age; our budget revenue stream is outpaced by expenditures and the color guard needs more members to fulfil the many requests we receive for ceremonies.

 

As for rewards, more of the younger generations of war fighters are joining with us and attending meetings; our administrative procedures are being streamlined and updated and more officers are accepting positions of responsibility to work on the many tasks involved in a growing post. As we meet the challenges our rewards will increase.

 

Back to the calendar year. A symbolic fresh start inspires me to do more for fellow veterans and my community; to find the bright side where I can and accept the not so bright if I must.

 

I need to make more pleasant interactions and less of the surly kind or, “wag more, bark less” as the bumper sticker says.

 

Finally, I resolve sometimes to join my little dog, Kuro, and romp in the snow or otherwise relax and enjoy life.