Post 9785
Ladies and Men’s Auxiliaries
P.O. Box 770266
Eagle River, AK 99577
Phone: 907-694-2739
Fax: 907-694-4537
Email:Web Site: www.vfw9785.org / “All American Post”
MAY 2015
/ CommanderBill Yudiskas
Ladies Auxiliary President
Kathleen Just
Men’s Auxiliary President
Al Stoddard
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COMMANDER’S CORNER
Thank you for the honor of being your Commander for the last three years. I wish the best of luck to the incoming officers of the Comrades, Ladies Auxiliary and Men’s Auxiliary, and to have a very successful year.
I would also like to congratulate the Ladies Auxiliary and Men’s Auxiliary for the fine work they do for the Post.
Our new Commander will be Ken Speegle. The Senior Vice Commander will be Marque Stacier, and incoming Junior Vice Commander is Herschel Deaton.
Bill Yudiskas Outgoing Commander
LADIES AUXILIARY
Greetings Everyone…
As we move toward the Department of Alaska VFW and Ladies Auxiliary Convention in Fairbanks, May 7 through 9, so do we move toward the end of the 2014-2015 terms for our current officers. Elections were held during the April business meetings for the 2015-2016 officers.
Speaking of the Department Convention, if you have never attended one, I highly recommend you do so. There is always something new to learn during the meetings.
You also have the opportunity to meet and network with members from all of the Ladies Auxiliaries in our State!
At close of Convention, I will turn the Post 9785 Ladies Auxiliary reins over to our President-elect, Tammy Bailey-Speegle. We are honored to welcome Tammy as our new leader. She is a kind hearted lady with a beautiful smile who is always present at Post & Auxiliary events, helping out however and wherever necessary. You will learn more about this selfless individual very soon. Tammy will be assisted by her Senior-Vice Diana Harding, Junior-Vice Mary Remer, Secretary Sherie Crosby, Treasurer Jane Keller, Chaplain Cristy Joslin, Conductress Jann Sherrill, Guard Shellie Barker, Patriotic Instructor Tina Stoddard, and Trustees Kathleen Just, Diana Harding and Mirta Jackson. Congratulations to all.
And now I would like to thank my officers and the many ladies who pitched in to help when we needed help the most. I would also like to thank the Men’s Auxiliary for always having our backs for events and all Post members and officers for your constant support of our programs. We are here for you all!
It has been an honor to have served as President for the past two years alongside our Post Commander, Bill Yudiskas. I am proud of our accomplishments and the positive changes in our Ladies Auxiliary.
Kathleen Just Outgoing President
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ALASKA VETERANS MUSEUM NEWS
The Alaska Veterans Museum (AVM) 4th Birthday Bash held on 11 Apr was a success and the about 100 people there thoroughly enjoyed the music by Alaska Main Squeeze, BMC (Ret) Hal Farrar and our own Jane Keller, who performed the National Anthem!!! The food, ably catered by Kathleen Donley, was scrumptious and all raved over quality, quantity and variety. There was some cake brought back to the Post for all to enjoy, but very little else. The wolves were out feeding that day.
Saturday and Sunday 18 & 19 April found AVM at the Alaska Gun Collectors Association Gun Show at Raven Hall at the Palmer Fairgrounds. We sold merchandise and collected donations for our expansion.
And speaking of that, AVM is planning to expand by subleasing the Alaska Fur Exchange next door. If all goes according to plan (and how often does THAT happen), Hohman Construction Inc, of Eagle River, will donate labor and Home Depot will likely donate the materials for us to make minimal modifications and then designate that space the Williwaw Room. All or at least most of the Aleutian Campaign (our bread and butter) materials will then move in there, freeing up space for more of our collection to be exhibited. We are planning exhibits on the WAMCATS (Washington-Alaska Military Cable and Telegraphic Service) and early communications in Alaska, the role of the Military Chaplain and how his "gear" has changed from WW II thru today, and perhaps another.
Monday 20 April had Suellyn Wright Novak addressing a crowd of 60 people at the Alaska Aviation Museum. The topic was "The Military In Alaska." The question and answer session lasted longer than the speech, so all must've really enjoyed it. Everyone took a rack card and many promised they'd be down to see us. We had a newly retired couple sign up to volunteer too. We even received a congratulatory note from Dan Cuddy's daughter!
AVM will be on several 2.5 minute radio program segments to get the word out to all of Alaska. Our military dog mushing exhibit was sent to Fairbanks Community Museum. And the Dorothy Paige Museum in Wasilla and the Anchorage Museum will be partnering with us for Memorial Day and Veteran's Day programs.
Wednesday 22 April had Suellyn receiving the Alaska Veterans Organization for Women (A.V.O.W) 2015 Woman Veteran Achievement Award for her countless hours in nurturing and "building" the AVM. A great honor to be recognized by one's peers for good work. I am truly humbled by this honor. Many of my Anchorage Woman's Club members were there to cheer me on.
All in all April was a fan-damn-tastic month for AVM!! Come see us at 333 W. 4th Ave, Ste 227 (behind the Eskimo Scout statue) Wednesday-Saturday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Memorial Day (a free admission day) will begin our Summer Hours Monday-Saturday 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Come see us. Something's new every month.
Suellyn Novak
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VFW RIDERS GROUP
Hello All,
Ride season is on, and we are excited to take our first group ride as our membership has doubled since last year.
That said, we are always looking for new member riders, if interested please contact our Chairman: Bill Yudiskas either by phone 907-242-3269 or any patched member at the Post.
If you’re wondering what we are about – Items from our By-Laws state:
“We are made up of an equal partnership between the VFW Post members and Auxiliary members in good standing. We are a riding group, not a motorcycle riding club (MC). The group has many goals, and is primarily focused towards promoting and supporting the Veterans of Foreign Wars and its Auxiliaries. Our members come from all walks of life with two things in common; membership in the VFW or one of its auxiliaries and our love of riding motorcycles.”
PURPOSE
· To promote and support the programs of the Veteran of Foreign Wars.
· To promote motorcycle safety programs.
· To provide a social atmosphere for VFW members who share the same interest.
GOALS
· Develop and maintain a strong active membership.
· Promote a positive public image of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and motorcyclists.
· Promote and encourage motorcycle safety awareness.
· Develop an active and diversified list of activities designed to encourage maximum member participation and enjoyment of the VFW and the VFW Motorcycle Riders Group.
· Support the VFW National Home.
· Encourage group CPR/basic first aid
qualifications
Let’s all have a good summer and stay safe.
Sherie Crosby, VFW Riders Group Post 9785 and Ladies Auxiliary member
MEN’S AUXILIARY
Congratulations to the newly elected Men’s Auxiliary Officers for the upcoming 2015/2016 year. President Al Stoddard; Senior Vice-President Chris Stoddard; Junior Vice-President Darrel McWilliams and Secretary/Treasurer Mike Garganta
We need to have some more participation from our Men’s Auxiliary Members. We still have Friday Steak Night until May 22nd and Sunday Breakfast until May 3rd that we can volunteer for.
Our May meeting will be on Sunday, May 17th at 11:00 am. Mark it on your calendar and make plans to attend. If you don’t attend, then don’t complain about what we’re planning.
Al Stoddard President
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MEMORIAL DAY HISTORY
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Memorial Day started as an event to honor Union soldiers, who had died during the American Civil War. It was inspired by the way people in the Southern states honored their dead. Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service for the United States. Memorial Day is a federal holiday. All non-essential Government offices are closed, as are schools, businesses and other organizations. Most public transit systems do not run on their regular schedule.
The current name for this day did not come into use until after World War II. Decoration Day and then Memorial Day used to be held on May 30, regardless of the day of the week, on which it fell. In 1968, the Uniform Holidays Bill was passed as part of a move to use federal holidays to create three-day weekends. This meant that that, from 1971, Memorial Day holiday had been officially observed on the last Monday in May. However, it took a longer period for all American states to recognize the new date.
Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, National Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis' birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.
Traditional observance of Memorial Day has diminished over the years. Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored and neglected. Most people no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day. While there are towns and cities that still hold Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in decades. Some people think the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country.
The VFW stated in its 2002 Memorial Day address: "Changing the date merely to create three-day weekends has undermined the very meaning of the day. No doubt, this has contributed greatly to the general public's nonchalant observance of Memorial Day."
Memorial Day, May 30 (traditional), is a sacred day to all war veterans. America's collective consciousness demands that all citizens be reminded of the deaths of their fellow countrymen during wartime. By honoring the nation's war dead, we preserve their memory and thus their service and sacrifice. All U.S. flags should be displayed at half-staff during the morning hours. At noon, they should be raised back to full-staff.
Sacrifice is meaningless without remembrance. America’s collective consciousness demands that all citizens recall and be aware of the deaths of their fellow countrymen during wartime.
Courtesy of VFW Magazine
SUPPORT OUR VFW POST 9785
MEMBER’S BUSINESSES
Please support our VFW and Auxiliaries member’s businesses. If you have a full-time or home-based business that you would like to promote, please submit your business card to Tina Stoddard before the 20th of each month for submission to the newsletter. If you have already submitted a business card once, it is not necessary to submit a card each month.
VFW Post 9785
P.O. Box 770266
Eagle River, AK 99577
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