Update from Meeker VFW, Auxiliary and American Legion

By DAVID COLE
and ROB BAUGHMAN
Special to the Herald Times
MEEKER | It has been a little over a year since we were able to move into our VFW building located across from the Mountain Valley Bank at 290 Fourth St. This was made possible through a substantial anonymous donation. We are cooperating with your local Lions Club which also calls this building home.
About the time of that move, we realized that the American Legion Post 0074 in Meeker was on the verge of losing its charter, so some VFW members joined the American Legion in order to reactivate the organization. We operate the VFW, Auxiliary and American Legion jointly in our small community to more effectively utilize our resources. I am happy to report that that we now have 81 VFW members, 36 Auxiliary members and 32 American Legion members in our organizations.
These organizations exist to support our veterans, promote patriotism in our community and schools and serve our community. Examples of our service include:
– Providing rifle honor guards with taps and flag presentations to families of deceased veterans.
– Providing scholarships to students via the VFW Patriots Pen, Voice of Democracy and American Legion Boys and Girls State summer camp programs.
– Keeping donated medical equipment including crutches, bath lifts, electric scooters, electric wheel chairs, hospital beds and many other devices for any member of our community to borrow.
– Marching in high school homecoming, Fourth of July and other parades.
– Participating in sheepdog trials with flags at opening and closing ceremonies, maintain information booth.
– Memorial Day services, placing flags and markers upon veteran graves.
– Educational student program on Veterans Day.
– Hospital visits and care, transportation and assistance as needed to veterans.
– Video recorded histories of our local veterans’ service to their country.
We have joint meetings every second Thursday of each month with our next meeting scheduled on April 13, 2017, beginning 5:30 p.m. where dinner is served.
Please consider this an open invitation to join our organizations and serve our community. Please call 970-878-3758 and leave your contact information.