BI-Monthly Newsletter
Veterans of Foreign Wars, Men’s Auxiliary and Ladies Auxiliary
Post Commander: Norma Baldridge-Men’s Auxiliary: Darrell Anthony- Ladies Auxiliary: Marge Walker
Commanders Corner
Hello,
Thanks to all of you that provided feedback to the newsletter survey. (Look for the summary article inside the newsletter.)
During our last VFW meeting, we voted against having our Fourth of July Firework's Stand this year due to multiple items. Mainly, we felt it would shrink our volunteer force from our currently successful events. We thank all those that assisted to make it a success in the past with your time, sweat, and heat endurance.
We still have multiple areas for you to volunteer your time. These include: work Saturday (last Saturday of each month at 8AM till about 10:30), Taco Tuesday 4:30 till 8PM (each Tuesday and one Monday per month), Steak Night 4:30 till 8PM (third Saturday of each month), Buddy Poppy sales on September 8, 2013, plus new committees. (Please contact us and we would gladly let you shadow us and learn from our efforts or show us an easier way.)
Our Taco Tuesday and Steak Nights are very successful, but we need extra teams to maintain them without burning out those currently working. The Men's Auxiliary developed the Taco Tuesday with a great success. We have been able to provide a fund raiser for the local Boy Scouts and school programs.
Our goal is to have a newsletter every two months available with events from the past and up-coming ones.
I have been a VFW member for several years. Some of our issues have been around for awhile. I realize that members and their families are busy with an active life. Some are home bound.
I would like feedback and assistance to develop or create tobacco free and alcohol free events where the whole family...kids and grandkids would come and have fun.
In the past, there were regular visits to the nursing home or home bound veterans. During the past few years, we have lost many members due to age or illness. Why not let them know they are not forgotten while they are still here?
Last year held many hang-ups with physical challenges which placed a real stumbling block for a smooth organization. No one can predict what lies ahead, but we can plan and work together as a team to be successful.
The VFW plans to change their meetings from the third Monday to the first Wednesday of the month beginning in July. This would allow a better grouping with other meetings, and possibly allow more time for personal events.
We received an award at our District meeting for our support to the Veteran's Service Officer, during Christmas we were able to provide food to many families. We are here to serve, but we need you too. One of the best ways to get out of a depressed state is to find someone you can help...even if it is by telephone.
God bless each of you.
Norma Baldridge,
Commander Post 4409
Men’s Auxiliary News
Shrimp Dinner
- We continue to have our Shrimp Dinner every first Saturday of the month. If you haven’t had a chance to try it, come on out. We start serving at 5 pm. $12 for 1 pound of shrimp, $20 for all you can eat shrimp and $8.50 for Pork Roast.
Electronic Sign
- In case you haven’t noticed, there is a new Electronic Sign in the Clubroom. If there is an event you would like to have added to the sign, please let bartender know and we will get it added.
T Shirts
- The Men’s Auxiliary t-shirts are in. If you are interested in purchasing one, please contact an Auxiliary member.
Cleanup
- On the first Saturday of every month, the Men’s Auxiliary will be having a Cleanup Day at the VFW Post. We will begin working at 8 am. We will be doing work on the inside of the Post and the outside.
Sympathy
- On a sad note, we lost 2 of our members of our Auxiliary, Jerry Tripod and Dayle Lindsey. Our condolences go out to both of their families.
- If you haven’t checked out our Facebook page, please do so. You can find us under “VFW Harrisonville-Men’s Auxiliary” Go to our page and send a “Friend Request”. We continually keep this updated of any events that we have coming up.
Darrell Anthony, President
Ladies Auxiliary
We have the following sisters in the Nursing Homes:
Darlene Eastman, and Onalee Price are in the Golden Years Nursing Home.
Betty Burger is in the Crown Care Nursing Home.
If you know someone that is in a Nursing Home Please let the Ladies Auxiliary President Marge Walker at (816) 884-1960.
The Ladies Auxiliary have eight (8) new members this membership year 2012-2013.
The Ladies Auxiliary meeting held the second Monday of each month.
POW/MIAs
Five Korean War MIAs Identified:
The Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office has announced the identification of remains belonging to five (5) soldiers who have been unaccounted-for since the Korean War. Identified are:
Pfc. Bobby L. Byars, 18, of Griffin, Ga.
Cpl. James R. Hare, 19, of Cumberland, Md.
Cpl. Robert W. Scott, 19, of Detroit, MI.
Cpl. Robert G. Archer, 19, of Brazil, IN
Pfc. Weldon A. Davis, 24, of Tioga, Texas
Hospital Equipment
Do you know that the VFW has hospital equipment available to its members and for rent to the public? These are a first come first serve basis. They include hospital beds, wheel chairs, walkers, crutches, canes, bedside commodes, transfer chairs and shower chairs. For more information, please contact Eddie at 816-808-0351 or call the VFW Post after 5PM at 816-380-4284.
Opportunities To Assist and Take Part
Harrisonville Honor Guard:
If you would like to join this elite group of Veterans, please call one of the following Veterans:
Bob Jacobs - Sergeant-In-Charge 1-(816) 392-9425
Roy Helt - Assistant Sergeant-In-Charge 1-(816) 585-1566
The Honor Guard Quarterly Breakfast will be, March 3, 2013, June 2, 2013, September 1, 2013
and December 1, 2013.
Grilling and Cooking
We need 3-4 volunteers per meal to assist in meal preparation. Sign in sheets are available on the kitchen's bulletin's board. Instructions or directions are available. (These include, but are not limited to the Taco Tuesday and Steak night.)
Committees
We love fresh ideas and assistance. Each of our organizations strive to earn money or collect funds to be able to assist the youth and fellow veterans or the veteran's family.
New Members
The Cass County Memorial VFW Post 4409 personally thanks you for your honorable service and dedication to our country, and we invite you to attend our post meetings.We meet at the VFW Building on 1804 N. Commercial Harrisonville, MO 64701 at 7:00 PM on the third Monday of each month. Beginning July 1, 2013, we will meet on the first Wednesday of each month.
Post 4409 encourage you to attend our next meeting which will be held on March 18, 2013 at 7:00 PM. Your participation should be a gratifying experience in comradeship with other veterans who have made similar sacrifices and share a common bond.
Membership Year 2012-2013 New Members: Hallies Hermelink, Brenden Anderson, Michael Davis, Pete T.Barbookles, Guy B. McCauley, Gary J. O’Neil, Norman J. Renn, Joseph, F. Roberts and
Jason D. Walling.
Post Service Officer:
If any member of VFW Post 4409 need help with their VeteransBenefits call Les Morrison Post Service Officer at 816-738-4186 or email
Many to Lose TRICARE Prime:
On October 1, 2013 more than 171K retirees will be pushed off TRICARE Prime -- the military's managed-care option. The policy change will affect retirees, their family members and military survivors who reside more than 40 miles from a military treatment facility or from a base closure site. Affected retirees will need to shift health coveragefrom Prime to TRICARE Standard, the military's fee-for-service health insurance option. For beneficiaries who use more than preventive health care during the year, the shift will mean higher out-of-pocket costs
Tricare Pharmacy Co-Payment Increases Begin:
Tricare pharmacy co-pay increases are effective today, February 1st. The FY 2013 National Defense Bill required Tricare to increase copayments on brand name and non-formulary medications that are not filled at military treatment centers. There is no increase on generic medications and many co-pays vary based on class of drug and where the prescriptions are filled. For example, the co-pay for generic medications remains $5 when filled at a network pharmacy and a 30-day supply of brand name medication filled at a retail pharmacy goes from $12 to $17. Beneficiaries using Tricare Home delivery will pay $13 for brand name drugs, however home delivery is for a 90-day supply. The greatest change in co-pays applies to non-formulary medications- a $25 dollar co-pay increases to $44 at retail pharmacies and is $43 through the home delivery system. For 2014 and forward, co-payment increases are tied to annual cost-of-living adjustments.
For more about the pharmacy changes visit
Senate Introduces Stolen Valor Act:
Sens. Jon Tester (D-MT) and Dean Heller (R-NV) introduced Stolen Valor Act legislation this week as a companion bill to what Rep. Joe Heck (R-NV) introduced in the House last month. Both H.R. 253 and its companion, S. 210, would make it a crime to knowingly benefit from lying about receiving a military valor medal or combat badge. Violators could face a fine and up to one year imprisonment. VFW strongly supports both bills. To read more, visit our blog at .
Senate Introduces Vets Employment Bill:
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) introduced VFW-supported legislation this week to extend and improve upon veterans' employment benefits included in the 2011 VOW to Hire Heroes Act. The comprehensive employment package, Putting Our Veterans Back to Work Act of 2013, or S.6, includes a key provision to extend the highly popular Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP), which offers one year of additional GI Bill-style education benefits to unemployed veterans between the ages of 35-60. VRAP is scheduled to expire in March 31, 2014. The VFW was a champion of the VOW to Hire Heroes Act in 2011, and has worked to ensure that veterans who wished to enroll in VRAP could succeed. VFW also pushed for many of the additional reforms, which garnered bipartisan support in both the House and Senate, during the last Congress. To read more, visit our blog at .
VFW Capitol Hill blog.
As always, we want to share your advocacy stories on the VFW Capitol Hill blog. To share your stories, either fill out our online form by clicking here, , or simply email photos and stories directly to .
FallenComrades
Across the Rolling Hills I Hear The
Faint Sound of the Lonely Bugler and Taps"
Fallen Comrades
This Membership Year 2012-2013
Rex Baker, Creighton M.R., Jack Kropf
Albert H. Sherwood, Raymond E. Smith
Walter W. Mitchell and JimTripod
VFW Men’s Auxiliary Deceased
Jerry Tripod and Dayle Lindsey
Chaplains Corner
Ladies Auxiliary Deceased
Membership Year 2012-2013
Frances Ferguson and Donita Gillespie
Are You or a Fellow Veteran in Crisis? Make the Call: 1–800–273–TALK
The Veterans Crisis Line provides confidential help for Veterans and their families. VA started this nationwide suicide prevention hotline to give Veterans who need help free access to caring counselors 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Since its launch in 2007, the Veterans Crisis Line has answered more than half a million calls and made more than 21,000 life-saving rescues. In 2009, VA added an anonymous online chat that has since helped thousands of Veterans and family members.
Veterans and their loved ones now have three different ways to get help:
Phone: talk with a counselor by calling 1-800-273-TALK(8255), and press “1”.
Text: send a text message to 838255.
Online: chat live 1-on-1 with a counselor at www. veteranscrisisline.net.
Self-Check Quiz: Answer some questions online to see if you might benefit from services at www. veteranscrisisline.net. (At any point you can connect live with a counselor.) •
VFW POST # 4409 Points of ContactsWe're on the Web
1804 N Commercial Phone:See us at
Harrisonville, MO 64701 816-380-4284 Web site address:
Email: vfw
To receive the News Letter by email
1.Go to website
It looks like the picture to the left
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Select Post Information
3. Scroll to the bottom of the page you'll see on the right hand side a newsletter
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4. Enter your name and email address you want it sent to
5. Click subscribe
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VFW Post 4409Non-Profit Organization
1804 N. CommercialU.S. Postage
P.O. Box 277 Paid
Harrisonville, MO 64701Harrisonville, MO 64701 Permit NO
Monthly Events
Meetings Meetings ContinueSpecial Meals 5-8 PM
VFW-Third Wed at 7PM House Committee- First Shrimp or Pork Dinner-
(Note: will change to Thursday at 6 PMFirst Saturday
First Monday July 1, 2013) Work Day-The last SaturdaySteak Night-Third Saturday Men's Auxiliary First Tuesday of every month starting at 8 Taco Tuesday-Each Tuesday
at 7 PM
Women's Aux-Second
Monday at 7 PM
MEETING DAY CHANGE
REMEMBER OUR VFW MEETING WILL CHANGE BACK TO THE FIRST WEDNESDAYJULY1,2013 AT 7:00 pm
Did You Know?
That you can participate in creating the BI-Monthly newsletter? All submissions are welcome along with suggestions for articles of interest both locally and nationally.
Submissions must received at the post the last Saturday of every month for inclusion into the BI Monty Newsletter.
The BI-Monthly Newsletter's focus is to provide information's to each member of the VFW, Men's Auxiliary and Ladies Auxiliary, to encourage the spirit of volunteerism in the local community and to inspire patriotism in our every day lives!
"SPEAK OUT! it MAY BE YOUR SUBMISSION THAT INSPIRES US TO GREATNESS"