Post and Auxiliary Meetings 1st Thursday every month 6:30 pm Benson VFW Post 2503 June 2014 www.vfwpost2503.org 402-571-8397 Honor Guard Meeting 2nd Thursday every month 6:30 PM POST 2503 OFFICERS 2013-2014 Commander: Robert Brown Sr. Vice Commander: Fred VanPeer Jr. Vice Commander: Sharon Cooper Quartermaster: Bob Bragg Chaplain: Dennis Kerr Surgeon: Appointment Pending Judge Advocate: Appointment Pending Officer of the Day: Appointment Pending Adjutant: Appointment Pending Guard: Appointment Pending Service Officer: Appointment Pending Parliamentarian: Appointment Pending AUXILIARY OFFICERS 2013-2014 President: Kathy Tiger Thielen Sr. Vice President: Royce Dent Jr. Vice President: Shirley Duis Treasurer: Ruth Gerst Secretary: Pat Dembowski Chaplain: Marcia Jones Conductress: Luanne Rosso Guard: Lindy Devereaux Patriotic Instructor: From the Commander Dear Comrades and Ladies, As I begin my tour as your Commander I would like each and every one of you to know I consider this a great honor that I do not take lightly! I realize I have much to learn and welcome any and all of your constructive criticisms as I know there will be plenty of "bumps in the road" that lies ahead for me and all other officers as well. It is and will be my continuing effort to promote peace and harmony throughout every area of the Post. The Post is here for all to enjoy and a place to meet and share each other s company. There is no room for idle rumors to be spread and if necessary they will be dealt with however it is necessary to put a stop to them. Enough said about that! On a lighter happier note I want to share my vision of the Post in the near future. As you probably already know we were not able to secure the fireworks contract for this year so that revenue will have to be made up as much as possible with other sources of revenue and or donations. I would love to develop our "beer garden" on the North side of the building to make it a very enjoyable place to re- (Continued on page 2) From the Auxiliary President The Department of Nebraska meeting will be held on June 5-8 at Divots Conference Center & Norfolk Lodge and Suites, 4200 West Norfolk Avenue Norfolk, NE. If you have any question concerning the conference please give me a call at 402-681-0687. If you would like to attend the Auxiliary meetings which are held the first Thursday of the month and be a part of this fantastic group, however do not have transportation to the Post we can arrange to pick you up. The meeting starts at 6:30pm. Please don t hesitate to call me or let another Auxiliary member know. I am looking forward to another fantastic year. Come join us! Let s all continue to move forward and be proud of our accomplishments! Please keep all our Troops, families and Veterans in your prayers. Sincerely, President, Kathy Tiger Thielen Steak Night June 20th 5:30 7:00 pm $13.00 Please make your reservations with the Bartenders Post Breakfast is back! June 22nd Thirsty Thursdays & Tacos June 12th 5-7pm Bob Fields entertaining from 9:00 11:00 pm on June 12th and 26th Basket Night June 27th 5:30 7:00 pm
(Continued from page 1) lax and enjoy these nice Spring and Summer evenings. I have some ideas and would like to hear what your thoughts and ideas on this are on this matter, as I would really like to get moving on it ASAP! On a sadder note I have to report one of our fellow comrades is undergoing surgery for pancreatic cancer and that would be Jerry Hodakowski; and we want to wish him all the best of luck and keep him in our prayers. For those of you that may want to visit him or send him a card he will be in Methodist Hospital. I'm not sure of his status at this moment so you may want to check before going to visit. On the brighter side of things I'm happy to report the installation of the 5 ton AC has been done and is up and running as we speak. Also the runoff problem has been addressed thanks to the approval of the House Committee and some major repairs to the parking lot have been done. We have yet to hire a replacement for Martha but that also is in the works and hopefully will be resolved very soon. R. L. Brown, Commander Auxiliary Homeless Sleeping Mats Thank you everyone working on the plastic mats for the homeless. Please consider joining us on Thursday afternoons from 1 3 pm., or cut and link at home and drop them off at the Post at your convenience Shirley Duis Flag Star Cards Are Back It will soon be time to travel to our service reunions. There is presently a good supply at the Post. They are available at the bar. I suggest you take a couple bundles. Robert Ekdahl PLEASE JOIN US AT A RECEPTION TO CELEBRATE MABEL VANKAT S 90TH BIRTHDAY SATURDAY - JUNE 21 2 PM 5 PM VFW POST 2503 (NORTH PARTY ROOM) 8904 MILITARY ROAD- OMAHA, NE COFFEE, PUNCH AND DESSERT Cash Bar Available NO GIFTS PLEASE Cards may be mailed to: 4309 N 55 Street Omaha, NE 68104 From the Kitchen Winners for the free meal were Jan Davis, Trevor Oliver, Linda Jacobsen, and John Mangiameli. Congratulations and thanks for supporting the Post. **On Wednesday, June 25 the special will be SWISS STEAK. RESERVATIONS WILL BE RE- QUIRED SO I HAVE AN IDEA HOW MUCH TO PREPARE. PLEASE CALL THE POST AT 402-571-8397 OR LEAVE YOUR NAME AT THE BAR BY MON- DAY JUNE 23. THANK YOU. One Wednesday of each month the Post will be providing a dessert to celebrate all birthdays for that month. A special way to say THANK YOU and HAPPY BIRTHDAY! We will celebrate all birthdays in June on the 25th. Please come to the Post, enjoy a great meal and have a piece of cake on us. 2 Please plan to join us at the Post for Steak Night on June 20. We will have the Basket Night on June 27. We will be serving Wing, Shrimp, Chicken Strip and Fish Baskets. Drink prices are discounted from 5:00 to 7:00pm. Also, on June 12, Thirsty Thursday we will be serving Tacos, Tortilla chips with salsa or Cinnamon Sugar Chips. Breakfast will be served on Sunday, June 15, 8:00 am to Noon. THANK YOU TO ALL THE VOLUNTEERS. YOU DO A FANTASTIC JOB! If there is a food item you would like to see on the menu let me know. I am open to suggestions. The Post is looking for volunteers to help out on the nights food is served. There are plenty different things you can do from writing tickets to serving food. Everyone is welcome. We have fun. You may call me at 402-572-0651 or the Post at 402-571- 8397 or leave a note at the bar. Keep in mind on HAMBURGER NIGHT that hamburgers, chicken sandwiches and fish will always be served. The menu on the calendar is the SPECIAL for that day. Please remember to fill out a ticket for a chance to win a free meal. Thank you for all your support. Together we do make a difference. Please thank our Veterans and keep our members, families and Troops in your thoughts and prayers. Sincerely, Kathy Tiger Thielen and the Crews
During this changeable weather, the Blondo Bingo Hall is the perfect place to be. Join your friends for Bingo. The temperature is stable and you ll be comfortable and dry. Bring your friends on Wednesdays at 7 pm and on Saturdays at 1:00 pm. You can support the Post by playing Bingo and the same Pickles you play at the Post. Honor Guard Captain The Honor Guard is always looking for new members. Just come to the Post and ask for an application. New members are voted in at the meeting on the 2nd Thursday of each month. Chuck Wolf, Honor Guard Captain POST BREAKFAST Chaplain s Message I want to apologize for the inconvenience of changing my phone number. When I changed to another company it was long distance to home phones. Of course, nobody liked it. Now I am a local call from Omaha wherever I am. From now on, you may call or fax me at: 402-218-2000. I should be much easier to reach now, and the phone number is also easier to remember. I have faith that good things can happen when we veterans remember to pray for each other! Sincerely, Dennis Kerr, Post Chaplain Buddy Poppies The Buddy Poppy season began on Veteran s Day. Our Post has been generous as always. Thank you to all who participate, your care and compassion for our fellow veterans and their families is abundantly evident, as are your donations. A response form is contained in this newsletter on page 3. Cut out and send to me at the Post. Bob Fenton, Chairman Cootie Corner 3rd Thursday, 7:30 pm, Cootie Meeting at Post 2503 3rd Monday, 6:30 pm, Bingo at ENVH Seam Squirrel Gary Steckelberg Cootie President Dorothy Steckelberg 3 Thank you for your warm and generous donation, VFW Post 2503 Buddy Poppy Chairman JUNE 22nd 8:00 am to Noon $6.50 Telephone Number Memorial? Yes No Name to be displayed on Poppy Card: Your Name: It is time again for the annual sale of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Buddy Poppies. Although you may not be able to help with the sale of Buddy Poppies, we are sure you would like to contribute to this worthy cause. Donations received from the sale of Buddy Poppies are used to help needy veterans and their families.
From the Chaplains When there is a card for a deceased or sick member we encourage ALL members to sign the card even if you did not know the person. It is one way of supporting the family. Dennis and Marcia Auxiliary Chaplain s News Auxiliary Sisters: Please inform Auxiliary Chaplain Marcia Jones 402-926-2648 of any ill or deceased Auxiliary Member. Any Auxiliary member IN GOOD STANDING, may request that the Auxiliary Chaplain have a memorial service upon their passing. Please inform your families so the Auxiliary Chaplain or Auxiliary President may make these arrangements. What s Your VA Healthcare Story? The VFW wants VA-enrolled veterans to call the toll-free 1-800- VFW-1899 telephone line and tell us if your VA medical facility is properly serving you. According to VFW National Commander Bill Thien, recent allegations about improper care in Arizona, Colorado, Texas and elsewhere have made it difficult to separate truth from conjecture. Veterans die every day, but veterans dying due to wrong diagnoses, unsterilized equipment or while awaiting treatment is a failure of leadership and management both in Washington and out in the field, he said. We need to hear real-life stories, good or bad, not hearsay. Only then can we hold VA officials properly accountable for their actions or inactions. The toll-free number was rolled out in 1996 as the VA was transforming from primarily a hospital-based system into an integrated healthcare system that now includes 820 outpatient clinics that serve veterans closer to where they actually reside. Call 1-800-VFW-1899 to voice your VA healthcare experiences. Vets Needed for A Research Study A Harvard student wants to survey Vietnam vets to gauge their responses to representations of the Vietnam War in film, so that researchers can better understand how these movies portrayed combat in the Vietnam War. If you wish to learn more and participate in the survey, please contact Mr. Jake Mathews at jmatthews@college.harvard.edu Arlington National Cemetery For 150 years, Arlington National Cemetery has been the nation's most hallowed ground. It is the final resting place for more than 400,000 active duty service members, veterans and their families. 4 JOIN US ON: JUNE 27TH FOR SHRIMP/CHICKEN STRIP/FISH/ CHICKEN WING BASKETS WITH FRIES $6.50 5:30 7:00 PM Come early for Happy Hour
June 2014 Spaghetti/ Salad/Bread Sticks or Pork Tenderloin Soup Chili Crew Mike Rosso Hot Meatloaf sandwich/ Mashed Potatoes/Gravy/ Green Beans or Brats with sauerkraut Soup Vegetable Beef Crew K. Thielen Chicken Fried Chicken/ Mashed Potatoes/Gravy/ Corn or Shrimp Basket Soup Ham and Bean Crew Shirley Schaefer Swiss Steak/Mashed Potatoes/Gravy/Green Beans or McRib Sandwich Soup Chicken Noodle Crew Pat Petersen 5
See Inside Bob Fields Appearing Basket Night Happy Hours Steak Dinner Night Fathers Day Thirsty Taco Thursdays V.F.W. Post 2503 8904 Military Road Omaha, NE 68134 Address Service Requested Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage PAID Permit #610 Omaha, NE From Your Honor Guard Captain Chuck Wolf Military Members MILITARY RITES: April 2014 Deceased Cemetery Members 04/05/14 Merle Putz, USA Evergreen 8 04/05/14 Claude Nelson, USA Evergreen 8 04/08/14 Mark Freeto, USAF Westlawn 8 04/09/14 John Oberg, USA Westlawn 6 04/09/14 Larry Wieczorek, USA Westlawn 9 04/14/14 Jack Phillips, USA Evergreen 8 04/16/14 John Whitney, USN Resurrection 10 04/19/14 Darl Sloderbeck, USN Forest Lawn 10 04/21/14 Albert Berg, USN Forest Lawn 7 04/22/14 John Steenson, USA Calvary 9 04/22/14 Darrell Donner, USA Westlawn 9 04/23/14 Robert Ulrich, USAF Victory Church 8 04/23/14 Eugene Giventer, USA Fisher Farms 9 04/23/14 Richard Dreier, USA St. Mary Magdalene 9 04/24/14 Robert Hostetter, USA Roeder Chapel 8 04/25/14 Raymond Dundis, USN St. John's 10 04/25/14 Gearhardt Bahle, USCG Heafey Chapel 9 04/26/14 William March, USN Gentleman Chapel 9 04/28/14 Leroy Powell, USMC Forest Lawn 9 Funerals 19 Members 163 Hours 489 Post Member * April 2014 In memory of our unknown comrades NOTICE: All articles should be in the Newsletter Box, IN WRIT- ING, at the Post no later than May 3rd. If articles are not submitted by the deadline, they will have to wait for the next newsletter. We try to have the newsletter to the printers by the Friday following the meetings. If changes need to be made after the meetings, articles can be amended. When your article is late, the Newsletter is late to all our members. Please use a full sheet of paper. Little pieces of paper can get lost. Thank you CLUB HOURS Monday Closed Tuesday thru Thursday 3:00 pm 10:00 pm Friday 3:00 pm 10:00 pm Saturday Noon 11:00 pm Sunday Noon 8:00 pm PHONE: 402-571-8397 The Post is selling Memorial Bricks around the memorial walk and flag. Bob Fenton, Chairman Memorial Bricks are being sold by Post 2503 to be put around the outside of the Memorial flag pole. These bricks will cost $60.00 each. They will be for VFW, Auxiliary, AMVET & Auxiliary members, their families and people they sponsor. They will be memorials for living or deceased people. They will be ordered once a year on April 1st, for installation by Memorial Day each year. Max 16 spaces per line, 3 lines, cost $60.00 per brick. Name Please Print Phone # WORDS ON BRICK 6 Line 1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 Line 2 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 Line 3 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 Checks Only No Cash Return this form to the Post
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