MEEKER I The new home of Meeker Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 5843, VFW Ladies Auxiliary No. 5843 and American Legion Post No. 74 had several visitors Tuesday as the groups held a combined open house for folks interested in seeing the facility or interested in joining one of the groups.
The open house ran from 1 to 6 p.m. at the home of the organizations, 290 Fourth St. in Meeker.
“Members of each organization were available to discuss their activities and goals, eligibility information and applications were accepted,” Meeker VFW Cmdr. Dave Cole said.
“Each organization shares the home and many common goals, such as providing community service and veteran support,” he said. “Future plans for the building include a media center for community members to meet for various educational seminars as well as a meeting place for relaxation and socializing,” he said.
“It won’t matter if they are members of any of the organizations, but it would be a place for members of the community to stop in to have a cup of coffee, relax or meet other people, or it would work as a central location where persons who are down on their luck can stop in and get referrals to places that can help them,” Cole said.
Meeker VFW Post No. 5843 has exited since 1939 while the recently re-activated American Legion Post No. 74 was chartered in 1919.
“There is a great deal of history with both organizations, and we would love for you to join and participate to whatever degree you are willing and able,” Cole said. “Both require that you have served during time of war with further requirement of the VFW being that you had to have served in a combat zone.”
The VFW and American Legion meet jointly on the second Monday of each month for dinner meetings at 5:30 p.m.
Meeker Lions Club is one of more than 46,000 clubs worldwide with nearly 1.4 members in more than 200 countries.
Lions are men and women who are dedicated to serving those in need, whether in their own community or around the world.
The Lions Club mission: To empower volunteers to serve their communities, to meet humanitarian needs, encourage peace and promote international understanding through Lions clubs.
Meeker Lions Club meets every Tuesday evening at 6 p.m., and one of the main mission of Lions clubs worldwide is to collect used eyeglasses that can be reworked to benefit children, and sometimes adults, who are in need of eyeglasses but can’t afford them.