Category: Volunteering

Post participates in Wreaths Across America ceremony

The Honor Guard fires volleys during the Wreaths Across America ceremony.
The Honor Guard fires volleys during the Wreaths Across America ceremony.

The Post 3063 Honor Guard, consisting of Joe Fitzgerald, Bill Hoeller and Harold Rodenberger, participated in the Wreaths Across America ceremony near the flagpole at Lakeview Cemetery in Seattle on Dec. 17, 2016. After the wreaths were placed honoring the five services, POW/MIA and Merchant Marines, the post Honor Guard fired three volleys honoring the veterans.

 
Bill Griffith was in charge of the ceremony at Lakeview, as he has been for the past four years.

Give blood, save a life

By Harold Rodenberger

 

When I was younger, a lot younger, I used to give blood regularly every couple months. Then we moved to a tropical country and I visited various other tropical countries so my blood-letting was restricted. Then I retired from the Army and got so busy I didn’t have time. Then I was borderline anemic and couldn’t give. Then there was always an excuse not to give. THEN I stopped in at BloodWorks NW one day and gave blood!

 

Compared to how it used to work the new system is amazingly user friendly.

Harold Rodenberger giving blood.
Harold Rodenberger giving blood.

 

  • You save time by making an appointment on line or by phone.
  • The screening questionnaire is done quickly on a small electronic device.
  • The hematocrit is a modern spun version so less blood is needed and it saves time.
  • The reclining couch is more ergonomically designed and extremely comfortable.
  • The actual blood draw is easier from beginning to end with modern crimping devices and even a covered needle extraction shroud.
  • They have machinery on site to separate out various parts of blood such as platelets, plasma or coagulation factors and return the rest to your body.
  • The last time I gave blood I was in and out in less than twenty-five minutes.

 

It seems the staffers and volunteers are friendlier and more efficient. Only the cookies, crackers and drinks are about the same.

 

I understand that, for various reasons, many people can’t donate blood. But if you can, follow the lead of this old guy and give a pint to save a life.

 

UW hosts post color guard at Veterans Day library event

UW Libraries held an open house at Allen Library on Veterans Day, Friday, Nov. 11, in conjunction with the current World War I-themed exhibit, “Washington on the Western Front: At Home and Over There.” The event opened with a color guard from Ballard Eagleson VFW Post 3063.

 

From left, Harold Rodenberger, Joe Fitzgerald, and Bill Hoeller in color guard formation for the UW event.
From left, Harold Rodenberger, Joe Fitzgerald, and Bill Hoeller in color guard formation for the UW event.

The exhibit features photographs, diaries, newspapers, letters and ephemera from the World War I era. Notes with the exhibit discuss how the UW responded to the war with the formation of a hospital, ambulance unit and training camp. About 4,000 students, staff, faculty and alumni served, 58 of whom lost their lives in what was at the time called “The War to End All Wars.”

 

 

For more information about the exhibit, go to http://tinyurl.com/jskm6gc.

Post members distribute Buddy Poppies on Veterans Day

Gail Engler, Robert White, and Chuck Tuft distribute Buddy Poppies at QFC on Holman Road Nov. 11, 2016. Robert joined Post 3063 Nov. 10 and volunteered right away to help! According to VFW.org, “Before Memorial Day in 1922, we conducted our first poppy distribution, becoming the first veterans’ organization to organize a nationwide distribution. The poppy soon was adopted as the official memorial flower of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, as it remains today.”

 

Poppy volunteers

How the VFW stays tax-exempt: Community Service

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