Free VFW Racing/NASCAR Poster

We have a small poster of the VFW's NASCAR and NASCAR Truck Series vehicles along with drivers Kevin Harvick and Ron Hornaday. Anyone interested in having the poster should see our Quartermaster Dann Todd at our next meeting on September 3, 2009 at the Legion Post on Falahee Rd.

The first one to ask can have the poster.

New RSS Service

For those using a service or reader that can access an RSS feed, we have added the ability to subscribe to our RSS feed on the right side of the page. Simply click on the "Posts" button and select where you want to follow the this blog. The "Atom" feed should work directly in your browser.

VFW Teacher Of The Year Competition

The members of Donald L. Wheeler Jr. Post 823 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and our Ladies Auxiliary invite Jackson area schools to nominate their best teachers as the VFW Teacher of the Year. Teachers selected to for nomination should have demonstrated their ability to innovate in the classroom, develop teaching resources, promote civic responsibility, and superior commitment to education.

Candidates may be nominated by fellow teachers, principals, superintendents, or other interested individuals other than relatives. Self-nominees are not eligible.

The first step in the competition is to prepare a 350 letter of nomination for a teacher in one of three categories; K-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Download and complete the entry application. Submit both the nomination letter and the entry application to VFW Post 823 by November 1, 2009. One teacher will be selected in each category.

The winning teachers will be asked to provide a one page resume, up to five pages of documentation of their teaching experience (references, news articles, etc), and a head-and-shoulder photo. This information along with the nominating letter and the application will be forwarded to the next level of the competition at the VFW's 6th District of Michigan.

National Citizenship Education Teacher Awards include a $1,000 award to the winner in each category for development expenses, a $1,000 award to the school of each of the winning teachers, and an all-expenses-paid trip to attend the VFW and Ladies Auxiliary National Conference.

Complete information about the program is located at the VFW's national website.

Jackson area education professionals may also be interested in the VFW's two scholarship essay competitions for students; Voice of Democracy and Patriot's Pen.

August 2009 Newsletter

The August 2009 Newsletter has been completed. It should be in the mail in the next week or so.

But you can read it right now by downloading your own copy here.

Read all the current news about your VFW Post and Auxiliary right here on our blog. You might even consider following the blog by using the gadget to the right. You will receive emailed notices anytime new information is posted to the blog.

UPDATE: It appears that we were misinformed about the function of the follower gadget. Using that gadget will cause this blog to appear on you Blogger and perhaps a few other places. But it will not cause any sort of emailed updates to be sent.

We would be glad to have you sign up to follow this blog nonetheless.

Meeting The Department President

left to right - Millie Boyland, Jan Meyers, and Shelly Todd. Photo by Dann Todd

During this year's visit to the VFW National Home For Children, two of our Auxiliary members had the opportunity to meet this year's VFW Auxiliary Department of Michigan President, Jan Meyers. Post 823 Auxiliary President Shelly Todd and Secretary Millie Boylan took the opportunity to have their photo taken with Jan.

Michigan Day 2009

American flags and Post/Auxiliary flags from across the state of Michigan at the VFW National Home. Photos by Dann Todd

VFW Post 823 and our Post 823 Auxiliary displayed their respective colors during a recent visit to the VFW National Home For Children located in Eaton Rapids, MI. July 26th was this the date for this year's Michigan Day at the National Home. Post Quartermaster Dann Todd, Auxiliary President Shelly Todd, and Auxiliary Secretary Millie Boylan made the short trip to participate in this year's Michigan Day events.

They toured two of the 36 single family dwellings maintained for use by children of our nation's veterans that have no place else to go. There were games and other activities being played on the lawn surrounding the community center.

Before lunch, the assembled VFW and Auxiliary members were treated to singing by the National Home Choir. Several thousand dollars were raised due to the generous donations from VFW Posts and Auxiliaries across the state of Michigan. The 2008-2009 Buddy Poppy Child, Marie Strefling, was on hand to help host the festivities.

Plaque photo by Dann Todd

During their tour, the group discovered this place in honor of Ashley Beck. Ashley was the Supreme Commander of the Military Order of the Cootie in 1941 when the ball field construction was completed and the field was dedicated.

Post 823 has had a lengthy relationship with the National Home. It was Post 823 member Corey Spencer that originally donated 472 acres of farmland located near Eaton Rapids in 1924.

VFW 823 Auxiliary Member Profiled In Local Paper

Congratulations to VFW Post 823 Auxiliary member Millie Lairson. Millie was recently profiled by the Jackson Citizen Patriot. She came to the CitPat's attention due to her years of volunteer service to the Jackson community. Unmentioned in the article were Millie' hundreds if not thousands of hours spent working on behalf of the Veterans of Foreign Wars over the years. Work that continues to this day.

Congratulations to Millie! Thanks for all your efforts on behalf of our community and our veterans.

When Mildred Lairson retired from Jacobson's Stores, people began asking her to volunteer. Twenty-two years later she's still saying yes.

"I like to volunteer," the 85-year old Jackson resident said. "People need it, and they appreciate it."

T-shirt Fundraiser

VFW Post 823 is selling t-shirts to raise much needed funds for our continuing operations. Unfortunately, the availability of these shirts means that we do not have a lot of time to solicit orders.

The t-shirts are pre-washed black cotton. Each shirt will have the POW/MIA emblem shown below across the back. The left chest of the shirt will include a smaller POW/MIA emblem along with the name of our Post.


VFW Post 823 and Auxiliary members that are interested in ordering a shirt should plan on attending our next meeting on September 3rd at 6:30 PM. The shirts should be available early in October 2009.

VFW National Convention Broadcast

VFW members that could not attend this year's national convention in Arizona can still witness the events as they transpire. Simply go to the VFW national website and you will see live streaming video from the floor.

On Monday, this Internet broadcast presented speeches by the Governor of Arizona, a Russian general who has been pivotal in gaining access to Soviet era documents regarding American POWs, and US President Barack Obama.

Charity Bingo

Millie Lairson, Connie Kearns, and Millie Boylan with residents of the John George Home. Photo by Dann Todd

Each month, the members of VFW Post 823 and the members of the Post 823 Auxiliary visit the John George Home in Jackson, MI to put on a bingo game for the residents of the home. The residents of the John George Home are elderly gentlemen. The home provides a private room, meals, and constant medical care as directed by a physician.

Our monthly bingo games are just one of the many activities that the resident's enjoy on a regular basis. We look forward to our time at the John George Home every month.

Seen in the photo above with four residents of the home are Post 823 Auxiliary members Millie Lairson, Connie Kearns, and Millie Boylan.

Patriot's Pen

Jackson area junior high school students are invited to participate in the VFW's 'Patriot's Pen' essay competition. Interested students in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades should prepare a typed 300-400 word essay on this year's theme 'When is the Right Time to Honor Our Military Heroes?' Essays from Jackson area students are due to VFW Post 823 no later than November 1, 2009. For further entry information, including an entry application, please visit the VFW's national web site.

Winners from the local VFW Post 823 competition are then eligible to compete at the District level. The competition extends to the state and national levels with the national winner receiving a savings bond for $10,000. A total of $91,000 in savings bonds will be awarded at the national level. Winners at the state level also receive and all-expenses-paid trip to Washington D.C. as a part of the national competition.

Essays should be sent to the following address to be delivered on or before November 1, 2009:

Donald L. Wheeler Jr. Post 823
Veterans of Foreign Wars
P.O. Box 316
Michigan Center, MI 49254

The contacts for this competition are Post 823 Patriot's Pen/VoD chair Dann Todd and Post 823 Auxiliary President Shelly Todd. Both may be reached at 517-764-7821.

UPDATE:

You can now download the Patriot's Pen student entry application that includes the VFW 823 contact information from this location. Caution, this is a 4Mb file.

Voice of Democracy

It is time once again for Jackson area high school students to prepare their submissions to the VFW's 'Voice of Democracy' essay competition. Students in grades 9 through 12 are invited to prepare an essay on this year's theme 'Does America Still Have Heroes?' Essays from Jackson area students are due to VFW Post 823 no later than November 1, 2009. Judging for the local area competition will be done on or shortly after that date.

Essays are to be submitted as a voice recording made by the student. For further entry information, including an entry application, please visit the VFW's national web site.

The winner of the Post 823 competition will be submitted to the VFW's District 6 of Michigan. The winner from District 6 will be sent to the VFW's Department of Michigan competition. The winner from the Department of Michigan will compete with winners from every state of the Union as well as from VFW Departments in Europe and Asia for the $30,000 scholarship award. A total of $141,000 in scholarships will be awarded at the national competition. Including prizes awarded at the local Post, District, and Department levels, over $2.5 million is given to participants each year.

Winners at the state level are also given an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington D.C. Traditionally, one of the features of the trip is a visit by the President of the United States.

Essays should be sent to the following address to be delivered on or before November 1, 2009:

Donald L. Wheeler Jr. Post 823
Veterans of Foreign Wars
P.O. Box 316
Michigan Center, MI 49254

The contacts for this competition are Post 823 Patriot's Pen/VoD chair Dann Todd and Post 823 Auxiliary President Shelly Todd. Both may be reached at 517-764-7821.

UPDATE:

You can now download the Voice of Democracy student entry form complete with the Post 823 contact information from this location.

Picking Up Flags

Once again we arrive at that time of the year when we must pick up the flags that were placed on veteran's graves. We will be meeting at 10 AM on September 6th at the Mt. Evergreen Cemetery located on Greenwood in Jackson. We will pick up all of the flags we put out last spring before Memorial Day.

Please come on out as many hands make for light work.

Post Officer Needed

Post 823 is now in need of an officer. Our Senior Vice Commander has resigned that post. Our Junior Vice, Comrade Bob Hamel, is now our Senior Vice. That leaves us without a Junior Vice Commander.

Any Post 823 member in good standing is eligible. If you are interested, please attend our next meeting on September 3rd at the American Legion Rose City Post 324 located on Falahee in Michigan Center.