News

Ballard Eagleson VFW Post 3063’s August 2020 newsletter is posted here. Highlights include:  Commander’s Corner (August 2020): We Need Your Help; Quartermaster Update for the 'New Year'; Annual Fundraiser Still On for September; Protecting Veterans returning for in-person care; and VA Health Administration YouTube Channel.

By Joe Fitzgerald

In past years this has been a spaghetti dinner coupled with a raffle. COVID has changed things a bit. This year we are still having the spaghetti dinner via curbside pick-up! (with limited home delivery for those in the vicinity of our post). The dinner will be available on Sept 12th from 4:30-6:00pm, and the usual $20.00 ticket price remains the same. The number of dinners is limited to 150 so be sure and get yours early! Tickets are available from post officers, online at EventBrite (details TBA), or at the office during business hours 1:00-5:00 pm, Thursdays and Saturdays in August and early September. 

To replace the raffle, the Committee has developed a fantastic Virtual Auction! 

The auction items will range from books to boats to baked goods, and also will include some very special items. All bidding will be handled via BIDDING OWL!  Go to vfwseattle.org and click on the virtual auction scrolling across the page to see how it works. It will be simple and easy to do, and a lot more fun than you can imagine!  Quartermaster Harold Rodenberger (206-972-2135), Jr Vice Aly Teeter-Baker, and Committee Chair Russ Seelig will all be available to answer any questions.

***Here is the rub though, and where we need all your help to make this fundraiser as successful as possible! 

Several of our benefactors who supplied many raffle items in the past, just are not able to financially support us this year or have even gone out of business! 

WE ARE IN NEED OF ADDITIONAL AUCTION ITEMS! and - we need all your help on this. Like: 

1) Reaching out to persons or entities that would be willing to donate an item to the Auction. (I recently contacted a butcher I know, and they agreed to donate a meat gift certificate!). This sort of thing is easier than you think! Tell yourself: JUST DO IT! The worst they can do is say NO!!! 

2) Also, handcrafted items, artwork, or homemade baked goods, can all make nice auction items.

3) Tap into your creative inner self and come up with things like Comrade Stokke who dusted off his fishing boat and is providing a fishing expedition as an auction item!  Maybe you welders out there could offer up some type of welding as an item to be auctioned off, and so on. You get the picture.

IF WE ALL PULL TOGETHER ON THIS, OUR SPAGHETTI FEED AND AUCTION WILL BE THE BIG SUCCESS THAT IT’S ALWAYS BEEN IN THE PAST.

COMMANDER JOE

By Harold Rodenberger 

The first month of our new VFW year has passed under the same virus cloud as the preceding three months. Nonetheless our new officers are functioning well in their new positions and Post 3063 is becoming more familiar with conducting business remotely. 

For access to our business meetings click on one of the Zoom links in the email sent out by our Adjutant. You will go to a waiting room to be admitted as soon as possible to the meeting. The waiting room screens out anyone who is not an authorized member of the VFW, and increases security.

Our third Thursday Social Dinners are still being prepared by Chef Kay. To order a wonderful meal via takeout or delivery, send an email to quartermaster@vfwseattle.org or call Harold at 206-972-2135. The dinner in August will have a Greek theme; Greek salad, shish kabobs, etc., with vegetarian options available.

FUNDRAISER NEWS

As noted elsewhere in this newsletter, our annual Spaghetti Feed fundraiser for the Post 3063 Veterans Relief Fund is being held on the usual second Saturday, Sept. 12. This year, of course, we will be doing a take out (limited delivery) spaghetti dinner and on-line auction at the Bidding Owl charity fundraiser website. 

The dinner will help raise funds, so is priced at $20 per ticket for Kay’s usual spectacular spaghetti dinner with trimmings and will be limited to 150 dinners. It will be available for curbside pickup in the post parking lot from 4:30 until 6:00 pm. Tickets are available from post officers, on-line at EventBrite (details TBA), or at the office during business hours 1:00-5:00 pm, Thursdays and Saturdays in August and early September. We will need a few more volunteers to direct traffic, carry dinners to members in their cars, deliver to home-bound members, etc. If you can help in that way, please send an email to quartermaster@vfwseattle.org or call Harold at 206-972-2135.

Prizes for the on-line auction are needed. During the present virus situation, it is a little more difficult to get the usual businesses to donate so we are emphasizing innovative prizes that our members can donate. Please put on your thinking cap and see if there is something you can do, make, donate, etc., that would make a prize that others would want. Personal services, hand-made crafts, fresh baked products, etc., come to mind.

The auction site is biddingowl.com/BallardEaglesonVFWPost306. The auction will be open Saturday, Sept. 12 through Friday, Sept. 18, 2020. Be sure to register before the auction and prizes are being entered onto the site daily so check in and see what you need. Payment may be made via PayPal, check or cash at the post in order to pick up your prize. If you are bidding from outside the local area, please note that shipping costs will be added to any prize that cannot be sent in a regular envelope. 

This auction is open to anyone who wants to bid so pass the word to friends, relatives and all members of the public who might be interested in bidding on some wonderful prizes to help support a worthy cause.

Ballard Eagleson VFW Post 3063’s 3rd Quarter 2020 newsletter is posted here. Highlights include: From the Commander; Quartermaster’s Update; From the Outgoing Commander; Still Zoomin’ for July 2 Business Meeting; Take Out Socials a Hit with Post Membership; and Post 3063 Officer Spotlight: Commander Joe Fitzgerald.

Jessica Chacko came to the VFW on June 18, 2020, to help prepare and package up the meals for our monthly social. She was surprised with a small, socially distanced graduation party and award presentation. Chef Kay Seelig put together the graduation party featuring special cupcakes. Commander Joe Fitzgerald and Kay presented Jessica with a plaque expressing appreciation from Ballard Eagleson Post for the more than 500 hours that Jessica has volunteered. Congratulations Jessica and thank you for your service at Post 3063!