Ballard Eagleson Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3063
"No One Does More for Veterans"
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.”
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:
Citizenship Education and Americanism: Participation in:
Aid to Others:
Youth Activities:
Voice of Democracy, Youth Essay and Patriotic Art:
Safety:
Military Assistance:
Bill Hoeller (left) and Harold Rodenberger (right) conducted a flag retirement ceremony Sept. 18, 2016. They honored twenty-seven unserviceable American Flags by properly disposing of them in their portable incineration device. They are now caught up so if you or your neighbors have an unserviceable flag, bring it by the office during regular office hours and they will add it to the collection for the next retirement ceremony.
Each year, nearly 40,000 high school students from across the country enter to win a share of $2 million in educational scholarships and incentives awarded through the VFW’s Voice of Democracy audio-essay competition.
The VFW established the Voice of Democracy program (VOD) in 1947 to provide students grades 9-12 the opportunity to express themselves in regards to democratic ideas and principles.
The national first-place winner receives a $30,000 scholarship paid directly to the recipient’s American university, college or vocational/technical school. Other national scholarships range from $1,000-$16,000, and the first-place winner from each (state) VFW Department wins a minimum scholarship of $1,000 and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C.
2016-17 THEME: MY RESPONSIBILITY TO AMERICA
Students should record their reading of the draft to an audio CD or flash drive. The recording can be no shorter than three minutes and no longer than five minutes (plus or minus five seconds).
Entries begin at the post level. Once the student creates their essay and completes burning the audio version to an audio CD/flash drive, they can submit their typed version, CD/flash drive and the Voice of Democracy entry form to their local participating VFW Post by the November 1 deadline.
Students who submit an essay to Post 3063 automatically receive a $50 prize!
For more information regarding the scholarship application process, go to https://www.vfw.org/uploadedFiles/VFWorg/MY_VFW/VoiceofDemocracyEntryFormandBrochure.pdf.
By Charles R. Anderson
On Flag Day, June 14, 2016, Ballard Eagleson VFW Post 3063 held the first flag retirement service in more than 35 years to dispose properly of worn flags that had been left at the post.
It was a windy gray day with a threat of rain looming, perhaps appropriate for such an event.
The flags were burned as prescribed by the United State
s Flag Code. The incinerator device was home-made by our Quartermaster Harold Rodenberger from half of a 55-gallon drum mounted on a piece of salvaged aluminum from an old post sign with wheels added for portability. A raised grating supported the flags, while a healthy bed of burning wood provided the fuel.