VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS POST 6978

215 NORTH US 31

NEW WHITELAND, INDIANA 46184

317.535.4041

Look us up on the internet at: http://www.vfw6978us/ like our group page on Facebook at

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October 2018  Edition  #44

In this Issue:

Post Events and Activities Next 30 Days

Post Commanders Corner

Auxiliary Presidents Corner

Post Committee Updates

Community Support and Post Events

Canteen Menu

 In Memoriam

Post Events and Activities Events Next 30 Days

Poker every Tuesday at 7 pm

Dinner every Friday Night 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Veteran Centric Community Support Project- TBD

Oct 3^rd- Post and Auxiliary Meeting @ 7 p.m.

Oct 9^th- Start of Operation Enduring Freedom- Afghanistan 2001

Oct 18^th- Recognition of Women in Military Service

Oct 27^th- Halloween Party, see flyer for details

Oct 31^st- Halloween

 

Post Commanders Corner- Comrade Commander Chris Baldwin

Comrades, Sisters, and Brothers,

        I hope this newsletter finds everyone doing well. It’s hard to believe that we are already through our fourth month of the 2018-2019 year.  So, let’s get straight after the current issue at hand, watching the NFL at the Canteen.  I want to ensure everyone is on the same page; everyone understand the rules and understands the facts behind the decisions. The rules are very simple, we operate in accordance with (IAW) National, State, and Post By-Laws. These are available for anyone pretty much at any time if you desire to look up the actual title, chapter, and paragraph.  The House Committee manages the affairs of the VFW Canteen. Our Post has been generous enough to extend 2 positions to the Auxiliary on this Committee, so as they may have a say and vested interest. By the way, we are the only Post in the entire State of Indiana that does that, that I know of. So, when those committee members vote on whatever the issue is, that vote or ruling becomes the new standard or rule. The only group that can over turn that is the Post Membership Floor, IAW National, State, and Post By-Laws. In fact, the House Committee did vote to allow NFL games to be shown in the Canteen, but the Post Membership over-turned that vote.

      So, who is the Post membership? Just in case you don’t know, those are the actual Post Members that are Veterans of a Foreign War and members that hold a membership at our Post. Guests, which include visitors from State, District, or other Posts have no voting rights at our Post, nor should they.

      Now that everyone is clear on the rules, the situation is that this matter was brought before the membership at the last scheduled Post meeting on Sep 5^th, apparently there was lots of discussion, and ultimately it was voted to not show NFL games in the Canteen. IAW our By-Laws, a quorum constitutes 7 members in attendance to hold an official meeting.

         Now let’s talk about facts, because many of the patrons that frequent our Canteen like to run on rumor and speculation. Last year, we stopped watching NFL game about 5 weeks into the season, beginning of Oct. Everyone said how bad of a decision it was. The facts are that at the end of the 2018 NFL season, we looked at every Sunday for the last 4 years that NFL games were on and conducted a profit analysis. The bottom line is there is no correlation of making a profit by showing NFL games. We made just as many days profit last year on Sundays during the NFL season as any of the previous 4 years. Monday was basically the same result.  The last fact is that if you don’t show up to meeting, you are not part of the collective good of the organization, or that you don’t write your questions, concerns, or issues done with a clear and concise point, and a recommendation to the House Committee on how to fix your issue, then you have no reason, nor right in my opinion, to gripe or complain. The leadership, and committee members are all volunteers that work hard to ensure we are a successful and sustainable organization.

       Lastly, I can’t help but take this opportunity to reiterate the purpose of the canteen and ensure people understand what the VFW’s role is in that profit center. The Canteen is a profit center that provides goods to its customers. In other words, patrons come to buy a product that we sell for a profit. That means the customer is getting something for the money in which they are paying, no different than any other business. IE- if I want pizza I don’t go to Subway, because that’s not what I want to spend my money on and they don’t offer what I want. I can’t go into Subway and demand that they sell pizza or tell them they are stupid for not selling pizza. Subway decided what they offer, and the customer decided if they want it tr not. We sell many things at a reduced cost to the customer partly because it’s a membership-based organization, partly because “that’s the way it’s always been done”, (that never a good business model), and this is the expectation the customer has. We work had to ensure we have the goods our customer base wants while trying to provide a limited changing or rotational selection as well.  

      In closing, I’d like to welcome our new member(s): no new members in September. Additionally, we’d like to welcome members that have transferred to us from other Posts; no new members in September.  As always, I want to thank everyone for their continued support and dedication to our great organization. We hope to see you at the canteen for some of the upcoming events that we have scheduled.  May God bless you and your families, our current service members, and veterans all around the world, and may God Bless America.     

 

Christopher R. Baldwin

1SG (R), USA

Post Commander

 

Auxiliary Presidents Corner- Janet Riddle

Dear Comrades, Sisters and Brothers,

   I hope this newsletter finds everyone well. Thank you to everyone that participated with the Patriot's Day luncheon. Those that came in appreciated it very much. We had a nice POW/MIA ceremony on Friday, September 21, 2018. Thank you to everyone that attended. 

   The Navy Birthday is on October 13th and celebrates the establishment of the US Navy in 1775. The United States Navy originated over 240 years ago as the Continental Navy. The then Continental Congress authorized 2 armed vessels to search for ships supplying the British army with weapons and ammunition during the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783). When the war ended, the Continental Navy was dismantled, but pirate threats to American merchant shipping led President George Washington to establish the Naval Act of 1794, creating a permanent standing US Navy. 

   There is going to be a Halloween Party at the Post on Saturday September 27, 2018. Keep an eye out for more information on it. It will be a fun time. 

   Our sympathy goes out to the family and friends of Hazel Byers on her passing August 20, 2018. May God give you comfort.

   The next Auxiliary meeting is on Wednesday, October 3, 2018 at 7:00pm at the Post. Our District President Harriet Figg will be attending to do our yearly inspection. May God bless you, our families and military here and abroad.

 

Respectfully, 

 

Janet Riddle, President

VFW Auxiliary #6978

 

Post Committee Updates 

1.       PAO and Community Support Committee- We are still looking for a group of people to revitalize these much-needed committees.

2.       House Committee: Chairman Comrade Tabor Siedl.  If anyone has any suggestions or issues that they’d like this committee to review and discuss, submit them to our Post e-mail at vfw6978webmaster@gmail.com or you can write/type a letter and place it in a sealed envelope and give it to one of our canteen associates, not later than Tuesday of each week.

3.     Visitation Committee: Chairman Comrade Don Metcalf-If you are having issues or just need someone to talk to please reach out to us.  If any members know of anyone that needs a visit, please contact us at vfw6978chaplain@gmail.com or call the post at 317-535-4041.

 

Community Support and Post Events

Oct-

Oct 3^rd- Post and Auxiliary Meeting @ 7 p.m.

Oct 9^th- Start of Operation Enduring Freedom- Afghanistan 2001

Oct 18^th- Recognition of Women in Military Service

Oct 27^th- Halloween Party, see flyer for details

Oct 31^st- Halloween

 

Nov-

Nov 1^st- Dart League Starts. See flyer for details.

Nov 4^th- Daylight Savings Time Ends

Nov 7^th- Post and Auxiliary Meeting @ 7 p.m.

Nov 11^th- Veterans Day, Signing of the WWI Armistice, 1918

Nov 22^nd- Thanksgiving

Nov 22^nd- Canteen is Closed

 

Dec-

Dec 5^th- Post and Auxiliary Meeting @ 7 p.m.

Dec 7^th- Pearl Harbor Day, since 1941.

Dec 9^th- Post Christmas Party, see flyer for details

Dec 25^th- Christmas Day

Dec 25^th- Canteen is Closed

Dec 31^st- New Year’s Eve

 

 

Friday Night Dinner Schedule- Dine in or carry out available (Change subject to cook’s discretion)

Oct 5^th- Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, and Green Beans- $10.00

Oct 12^th- Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad with Garlic Toast- $10.00

Oct 19^th- Ham and Beans, Fried Potatoes, and Cornbread- $8.00

Oct 26^th- Friday Steak Dinner, Potato, Vegetable, and Side Salad- $13.00

 

 In Memoriam:

Our thoughts and prayers go the family of the recently deceased member(s) of Post 6978.

 

Comrade Carl S. Howard III