Ballard Eagleson Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3063
"No One Does More for Veterans"
Comrade Dan Stokke, with assistance from Boy Scout Troop 80 out of Magnolia, conducted a flag retirement ceremony in the post parking lot July 21, 2018. They honored unserviceable American Flags by properly disposing of them in the post’s portable incineration device. If you or your neighbors have an unserviceable flag, bring it by the office during regular office hours and we will add it to the collection for the next retirement ceremony.
By Donna Limric
The members of the Post 3063 Auxiliary are working hard to rebuild our organization. Our goal is to become strong and active. We now have a business license for the auxiliary, so we are recognized by the state! Thank you to our treasurer Liz Guncay for all your hard work!
I would like to recognize the help from auxiliary members outside our post. First a huge thank you to District 2 Auxiliary President Lois Mezek. Louis has been to every meeting, and there by phone and e-mail with whatever we need. She has been guiding us every step of the way. The following individuals have also been of great help: State Jr. Vice President Kathi Naff, State Conductress Barbara Moore, and State President Laurie Lukas. Finally, the post itself has been enthusiastically encouraging us while affording us the space to get back on our feet.
Our auxiliary’s first event will be a book sale on May 5–6. The hours will be announced very soon. We will have fliers and post the hours on our Facebook page. This will be the same weekend as the grand opening weekend of the Nordic Museum. Please come down and explore what we have to offer. The proceeds from the book sale will benefit the Heroes in the Ballpark fund.
Post 3063 hosted its annual holiday party during the December social on Dec. 21, 2017.
It was a festive event for young and old. Nearly a hundred members, loved ones, and guests attended and dined on free beef tenderloin cooked by Quartermaster Harold Rodenberger (Chef Kay was recuperating from injuries sustained during a fall. Get well soon, Kay!). Harold also organized the event.
Anne Leake gave gifts to the children as Santa: she has played Santa for the past several years. Annette Russell played holiday music on her keyboard. This year even included multiple Christmas carol sing-a-longs!
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.
By Alyson M. Teeter
After many months of hard work and preparation, VFW Post 3063 volunteers pulled off a successful fundraiser at the post Sept. 9, 2017, raising more than $4K for the post’s Relief Fund.
Three-year Trustee, Russ Seelig, and his family performed a bulk of the work, from collecting raffle items to cooking the food. Their dedication to executing a phenomenal event was evident in the presentation of the raffle items (creative and professional raffle item signage), the amount of raffle items, the large turnout, and the taste of the food. One person was overheard saying, “I’ve gone to many spaghetti feeds and this is the best spaghetti I’ve had.”
Many other people helped behind the scenes, which included collecting raffle items, buying supplies, and selling tickets. Robert Kettle was instrumental in narrating the schedule of events, which can be a difficult, thankless job. The Color Guard performed a flawless posting of the colors. Special thanks as well to the donors. Donations from Ballard Market ($200) and Fred Meyer ($100) were used to purchase food. Donations were received from nearly 40 local sources, making the fundraiser a community-driven event. Thank you to all who attended and come again next year!
