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December 29, 2009
Well, the year 2009 is almost over and the first decade of the new milenium is coming to a close as well. What does the new year and new decade have in store for us? Only time will tell. If I could have a wish for the future, it would be that our brothers and sisters in arms serving abroad come home safely and that our Veterans here stay safe and have the comforts they need to live a long and prosperous life. May everyone have a safe and joyous New Year!
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December 16, 2009
For those who frequent this site and had to wait for it to come back up, there was a miscommunication with the hosting company where we house our website. For the past 3 years, we have been paying their hosting fees and everything was working smoothly, all of a sudden they let the domain name lapse and didn't bother to tell me about it or that any additional fees were due. The domain name (www.vfw3979.org) had to sit in suspension for a feew weeks so it could become available for purchase again. That situation has been rectified and should not ever happen again. I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
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October 23, 2009
You can definitely tell winter is on its way. There was hardly any time for autumn. Usually this time of year, a drive up the North Shore displays a colorful array of leaves changing from green to gold to red and about every color in between. This weekends drive was disappointing since most of the leaves have fallen and there was even snow hanging on the remaining leaves barely strong enough to hold on. If this weather is any indication of the winter ahead, we are in for a rough one. As with life, there are times when things don't go as they should and we are left with rough times. If you are a Veteran currently facing difficult times, and need a helping hand, let somebody know. There are resources to help you with your situation. But you have to be willing to do 2 things: 1. Step forth and let someone know you need help, and 2. Accept the solution offered. It may be just a quick fix or a long term plan, but either way you will be getting some resolution.
Regardless of your current situation, you are invited to our Veterans Day dinner at the Post Home on November 11, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. If you are a Veteran, your meal is free, if you are a guest, your meal is at the low price of just $4.00. Veterans Day is a holiday observed annually in the United States in honor of all those, living and dead, who served with the U.S. Armed Forces. Unlike Memorial Day, which honors those who have died in wartime, Veterans Day honors all those who have served, in times of peace as well as in war.
Hope to see you there.
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October 7, 2009
Well it was another successful and educational Department Fall Convention followed by the 8th District Fall meeting a week later. These are events that can be attended by any current VFW member or Ladies Auxiliary member. If you are an Officer in the VFW or Ladies Auxiliary, you should be attending these events any way. The knowledge you gain not only helps you learn more about the VFW, it gives you knowledge on how to help other Veterans and be a role model in the community.
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September 26, 2009
Here we are at the MN Department Fall Conference in Willmar, and last night was the Council of Administration meeting. There are a lot of different chairmen with a lot of work on their hands. It seems like the economic downturn in the recent past, with many Americans losing their jobs, homes or just trying to make ends meet has also made an impact on VFW membership. This is sad because the American dream that we have sacrificed so much for seems to be for not. Now is not the time to be let things stand as they are and let America down, now is time to unite and let America know that the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States will continue to defend and support our great nation and do what we can to help our Veterans. Our Veterans should not and cannot go homeless, our Veterans should have the healthcare and financial freedom to support themselves and their families. Now is the time to rally all Veterans who have earned the right and privilege to be a part of the Finest Veterans Service Organization on Planet Earth, get them signed up and continue to do what we have done for the last 110 years - help Veterans and their families.
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September 5, 2009
There are a lot of events going on this month and a couple milestones, one of which is the birthday of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. On September 29, 1899, James Romanis, a young Ohio Veteran of the Cuban campaign, called together about a dozen of his Veteran friends and organized a club called the American Veterans of Foreign Service. Membership in that club was limited to overseas Veterans. All members were pledged "to help one another and to work together for the benefit of our country and for the men who fight for this nation." That was the first of several units which later merged into what is today the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. Later that year, another group from the Spanish-American War held a meeting in Denver, Colorado and adopted the principles "comradeship, perpetuation of the memory of departed comrades and assistance to their widows. They pledged 'loyalty to the United States, fostering true patriotism and to extend the institutions of American Freedom'." Denver is the home of the John S. Stewart Post, Post 1 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. It is the oldest VFW Post in the point of continuous service. The pledges they made so long ago are the pledges we still live by today.
Another milestone is the birthday of the Ladies Auxiliary. On September 17, 1914, at the National VFW Convention in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Ladies Auxiliary was formed "to help Posts and members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars." These ladies continue to hold true to that pledge every day and contribute immensely with their help at the Post, Community Service, Hospital work and many, many other valuable programs. Their contributions and dedication are greatly appreciated.
The other milestone this month is the National POW / MIA Recognition Day on Friday September 18, 2009. On that we day, as we should every day, we honor the brave and patriotic Veterans who were held as prisoners of war and we remember those that are still missing in action. Captive Americans, cruelly stripped of their freedom, treated with contempt and brutality, or used as pawns by their captors in a political struggle, have fought long, lonely battles against despair, physical and psychological torture, and their ultimate fear of being forgotten. We will never forget those who have borne the indignities and suffering of captivity in service to our country, those missing in action, or those who died as prisoners of war, far from home and family. On this day we stress the commitment and pledge to those still held as prisoners of war and who are still missing in action and to their families that we will not rest until we have achieved the fullest possible accounting for every member of the Armed Forces missing in the line of duty.
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August 26, 2009
Thanks for your patience, I was finally able to finish the results of the 2009 State Golf Tournament with pictures of the winners and our gracious sponsors. If I didn't match the face with the name correctly, please let me know so I can get it corrected. If you want to access the tournament results at any time, you can get there by going to the Post Bulletins page and clicking on the year in the top banner. Enjoy!
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August 16, 2009
Another successful 8th District meeting took place last weekend at our post. A lot of good information was past and we had a great time. It was a busy week but I still managed to post the results of the 2009 State Golf Tournament. I still have the pictures of the winners to put up but at least you can see how the golfer faired. We even had our State Commander, Don Nix and 8th District Commander, Darrel Lindgren out there chasing that little white ball around, hoping to put it in the hole. They didn't do too bad for a couple old (you fill in the blank). If I need to make any corrections, please let me know.
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August 4, 2009
Another great State Golf Tournament has ended and a lot of golfers went home happy. Even though the skies were overcast Sunday, I think it was a great day to golf, there was barely any wind, no sun to blind you and the rain held up pretty good. I can't say that Friday and Saturday was that great, weather wise, but it sounded like everyone had a great time. Thanks to all you motivated golfers for coming up to our neck of the woods and sharing in our hospitality, without you our efforts would have been vain. Thanks to everyone who volunteered and helped make this years tournament a huge success, you all did a great job. And a special thanks goes to all who helped put this years tournament together, especially Dave Burgett and Louie Hubbell, it took a lot of work and a lot of coordinating but your hard work paid off. OUTSTANDING JOB!!! I will be posting the results as soon as I can sort out the information and pictures.
We also had a special treat this weekend, not only did we have helicopters and airplanes flying overhead, pretty much constantly, and law enforcement officers at just about every turn in the road, we had members of the Hells Angels staying at the Black Bear Casino/Resort as well. It goes to show how great our nation is. All of our different organizations got together for a weekend of bonding and camaraderie and everyone still had a great time. Thanks to all our Veterans for doing your part to allow this happen. Without your sacrifices and dedication, we would not have been able to enjoy this weekend. Let keep our membership strong, stay active in "The Greatest Veterans Service Organization on Planet Earth"!
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July 27, 2009
What a beautiful day for a picnic at Veterans Memorial Park yesterday. It turned out to be a very nice day to honor our Korean War Veterans (today is Armistice Day) and also to be appreciative of our members. There weren't quite as many members as we would have liked to show up but the ones that did come had a great time. We realize there wasn't too much advertising for this event, however, it was in the newsletter and personal letters were sent out. This may become an annual event.
This coming weekend is the State Golf Tournament at the Black Bear Golf Course which means there will be lots of food and friends at the Post. Friday night is a special Burger Night followed by the start of our mouth watering Steak / Fish Fry on Saturday night. Come by to get a great meal at a great price and join in the fun. I look forward to seeing you there.
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July 12, 2009
Welcome to the start of the new VFW year. We just ended a great year with a number of awards from District, State and National. I know we can make this year even better. With the outstanding members that we have we will continue to set the pace for the rest of the District to follow. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication. Alone we are but a mere pebble in the sand, together we are as mighty as a mountain Together, we can accomplish anything.
Let's not forget the State Golf Tournament coming up on July 31st, August 1st and 2nd. Get registered ASAP. Teams are filling up fast and the deadline of July 24 is coming up quick. Don't forget that the fees must accompany the entry. See the flyer "2009 Golf Tournament" for more details.
A big CONGRATULATIONS and a JOB WELL DONE goes out to our Auxiliary President Joanne Douglas for being awarded the Outstanding Auxiliary President award (only 10 were received statewide). "This award is presented based solely on the hard work and dedication of the members that support their President." There were many other awards presented and can be viewed on the
Accolades page.
And another Congratulations goes to the Post for being awarded First Place for the 2009 Best Website award. This is the 3rd year in a row that we have gotten this award. Thanks to everyone who helped get this outstanding achievement!
Since our Post sets the pace for the rest of the District, I want to welcome all our Post members, Auxiliary and families to a Membership Appreciation picnic at Veterans Memorial Park on Sunday, July 26, 2009 starting at 1:00. It will also be a day to honor our Veterans who served in Korea and to thank them for their service and dedication to our great country. I look forward to seeing you there!
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May 27, 2009
NEW HOURS - In order to reduce costs, the Post will be implementing Summer Hours starting June 1, 2009 through August 31, 2009. We will be open from 2:00 p.m. to midnight Monday through Saturday. If you require special hours for special events, please let us know. And to show our appreciation and share some of the savings with you, we will be extending Happy Hour on Saturdays. along with other summer specials.
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May 5, 2009
We just returned from the Loyalty Days Convention in International Falls. It was a nice long drive up there and once we got there we had a fun time. Congratulations to all the newly elected and appointed officers (Post and Auxiliary) for the 2009 / 2010 years, we are looking forward to the direction of the new leadership. And to kick off the new year of 8th District meetings, we will host the summer District meeting at our post on August 7, 8 and 9, 2009. Let's show the 8th District our pride and hospitality and why we are the best in the District.
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April 20, 2009
Congratulations to all the newly elected and appointed officers for the 2009 / 2010 years. I look forward to another year of working with such a great group of Officers and Chairmen/Chairwomen. You are AWESOME!! Don't forget about Loyalty Days coming up May 1st to 3rd in International Falls and Buddy Poppy Day in town on May 8th. See you there!!
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April 4, 2009
Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day a huge success! It was my intent to make everyone feel welcome and comfortable and to share the knowledge that there are many avenues of help for Veterans. I hope I succeeded with my intent. I hope that for those who had specific questions, that they were answered and if there are more questions, you now have a source to go to for answers. It was good to see so many brothers in arms gathered for camaraderie and brotherhood. It was very nice of Senator Lourey, Mayor Ahlgren and the 8th District VFW Commander Terry Randolph to take time out of their busy schedules to come down and spend time meeting everyone and answering questions. However, the honor goes to all the Vietnam Veterans who were there to get the Welcome Home they so greatly deserve. Thank you for your dedication to this country, honor to your service and patience for all these years. Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans, Welcome Home!!
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March 21, 2009
It's just a week before Vietnam Veterans Day (Sunday March 29, 2009). We will be having a Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day at the Post Home starting at 1:00 p.m. All Veterans and families are welcome. We will have dignitaries and many Veterans organizations attending. There's even a free meal. Check out the flyer. If you are unsure about how to get to our post, check out how to get there on our Contact Us page. See you there.
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March 2, 2009
Wow, is February ever a short month!! Next Sunday (March 8), it's Daylight Savings Time again so we get to set the clocks ahead one hour. And to think spring is just 3 weeks away. And with spring, comes the rain to wash all the snow away. Then it will be time to get those golf clubs out and start practicing for the 2009 Golf Tournament going at the Black Bear Casino on July 1, August 2
& 3.
Hold on a minute, let's just make it through March first. Check out the events calendar for all the great things coming up soon. But one event is too big not to mention. And that's Vietnam Veterans Day on March 29th. On behalf of our Post members, Auxiliary members, Minnesota Department of Veterans of Foreign Wars, Mayor Bruce Ahlgren, Senator Tony Lourey, Governor Tim Pawlenty and our community, we would like to Welcome Home our Vietnam Veterans. Come by VFW Post 3979 at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday March 29, 2009 and share in the camaraderie, friendship and hospitality of your fellow Veterans. It's been 36 years since the end of the Vietnam War, and the men and women who served our country in that war never received the appreciation they deserved. It's time to be Welcomed Home!!
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February 3, 2009
What a great Super Bowl, wasn't it? That fourth quarter was just edge of your seat kind of action that you didn't want to miss a second of. It had you going right up to the end. Of course, I knew the score of the game before it even started (0 - 0). For those who enjoyed watching the game at the Post, thanks for coming. It's always good to enjoy a great game with friends and comrades. And for those who enjoyed the game at home (yours or someone else's), I hope you had a great time as well. There were some pretty cool commercials as well. I think that the commercials are the reason some people watch the Super Bowl. What will they come up with next. And who do you think made all this excitement possible? It's not the TV station, the advertisers, or the NFL. That's right, it's the Veteran. Without the sacrifices Veterans made and continue to make every day, all this celebration wouldn't be happening. Remember to thank a Veteran for giving America the rights and privileges to enjoy our freedoms and for the opportunity to celebrate how ever we so choose.
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January 19, 2009
It was another successful Mid Winter Conference at the Crown Plaza Hotel in St. Paul this past weekend. Another opportunity to meet up with old friends and make new ones. We even had a visit from the Governor. There were a lot of work shops to attend which had a lot of useful information, however, they were overlapping so some work shops were missed. That's why it's important for several from our post to attend so we can get the most out of the work shops and have information to share. There are a couple things that I picked up and want to share. When it came time to discuss the state budget and what has to be cut, Governor Pawlenty made it perfectly clear that veterans benefits are off the table. There will be no state cuts to veterans benefits at all for veterans that live in Minnesota. On the other hand, Congress, and the Obama administration, are trying to cut veterans benefits to balance the budget. One of which is cutting out Tricare For Life for retirees (read more about TFL) (in the PDF document do a search for TFL or go to page 189). I ask that you contact your elected officials and register your strong opposition to the elimination of this program. Cutting veterans benefits is not an option. Thank you.
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January 5, 2009
I hope everyone was able to bring in the New Year safely and may this year bring you peace, joy and prosperity. We have a good year ahead of us, this is the year for change. Sometimes we need change to get a different perspective on things. Soon we will have a new Commander in Chief taking office, may he bring our troops home soon and safely. And when they do come home, let's show them the kind of support they deserve for they are one of us, Veterans of Foreign Wars. Let's show them why we are proud to be a part of the Finest Veterans Organization on Planet Earth.
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December 21, 2008
Christmas is almost here and are you ready for it? Do you have all the presents bought or made for all your friends and
relatives? Do you have plans for a big festive meal? Will you be spending Christmas with your loved ones? That sounds really nice and I
hope you have a safe and wonderful Christmas. Let's not forget why we are able to have the freedom to celebrate Christmas and all the holidays we want, remember to thank our veterans for sacrificing so we can enjoy these festive times. Thank a veteran when you can and if you know of someone who is in need this Christmas, like a homeless veteran or a family in need, extend your kindness to them as well. Merry Christmas to all and have a Happy New Year!
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December 4, 2008
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday. I know I did. One of the many things I am thankful for is to live in this great country, which would not be possible without the courage, dedication and sacrifices made by those veterans who came before us to fight for the freedoms that many take for granted. Every day is a thankful day because of the many veterans who are defending our freedom today. May God bless you all and keep you safe.
A great thing was passed on the post floor at the last post meeting. We unanimously passed to start and support the formation of a Men's Auxiliary to our post. We are in the process of collecting the signatures and information needed for the charter application which has to be approved at the National level. There is still time to partake in this historic event. If you want your name to be on the original charter application, please let me know. Here are the requirements. "Membership in the Men's Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars is limited to husbands, widowers, fathers, grandfathers, sons, grandsons, brothers and half-brothers (who attain the status prior to age sixteen (16) of persons who were or are eligible for membership in the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. Members must not be less than sixteen (16) years old. Men eligible for membership in the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States shall not be eligible for membership in the Men's Auxiliary."
Pearl Harbor observance is coming up this Sunday November 7, 2008. We will be honoring Gordy Caza for being one of the nations few remaining Pearl Harbor survivors on Friday, November 5, 2008. Come on by and pay homage to this great man. We will also have a representative from MAC-V on board to let you know all the good things they do for homeless and needy veterans. We are having a fundraiser for this worthy cause, which also happens to be the State Commanders project this year. And we will also have a special guest joining us, our Minnesota State VFW Commander Stan Kowalski. Come on in and enjoy a great meal, meet with friends, honor a couple World War II veterans and learn about a worthy cause. See you there.
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November 11, 2008
Happy Veterans Day - Veterans Day is a holiday observed annually in the United States in honor of all those, living and dead, who served with the U.S. armed forces. Unlike Memorial Day, which honors those who have died in wartime, Veterans Day honors all those who have served, in times of peace as well as in war.
In 1919, on the first anniversary of the World War I armistice (truce), President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation expressing pride in the heroism of those who had died during the war. Business stopped for two minutes starting at 11 am, and it later became customary to observe two minutes of silence from 11 am. Many states made Armistice Day a state holiday in the 1920s and 1930s, and in 1938 the Congress of the United States declared it a federal holiday.
Thank you for serving and doing your part so our country can enjoy the freedoms we have today. This day is dedicated to you.
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October 14, 2008
Wow, where does the time go? In the past month we've had an Honor Guard Banquet, a Past Commanders/Past Presidents Banquet, a POW/MIA awareness fundraiser, a Department Fall Conference in Alexandria, MN, another fundraiser for the troops serving in the war on terror and an 8th District meeting in Ely, MN, not to mention the normal stuff that goes on, like the Post and Auxiliary meetings, Burger Nites, Retired Men's Dinners and month end Fish/Steak dinners. All these events taking place within days of each other. If you weren't able to attend any of these great functions, you're missing out on a lot of fun and excitement. If you want to join in the fun, check out the Events page to see what else we have planned. For all you Marines out there, I'm also setting up for the first annual Marine Corps Birthday Ball on November 8, 2008 at the Post Home. If you need more information or are interested in attending, you can stop by the post and fill out a reservation slip or send me an email at MCBall@vfw3979.org.
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September 7, 2008
Hope everyone's summer has been good so far. Not too many warm days left before bundling up for the cold. I've posted the 2008 State Golf Tournament standings to remind us of warmer days and of how much fun we can have as comrades of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. And speaking of fun, check out all the activities we have planned in the upcoming months. Come on down to the post and have a good time.
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August 5, 2008
What a great time we had for the State Golf Tournament at the Black Bear Golf Course in Carlton. Everyone was doing great until the rain, thunder and lighting started. Then they had a chance to eat, drink and be merry. Then when the rain let up, it was much harder to get back out there to finish the course. But everyone had a great time. I'll be posting the standings when I get the final results (I may even have some pictures). Overall everyone was a winner. Congratulations to everyone who participated and special thanks go to Dave Burgett, Louie Hubble and all the crew who worked so hard to make this a successful weekend.
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July 15, 2008
Just finished loading all the awards on the
Accolades page and let me tell you there are plenty. What an OUTSTANDING JOB to all the Post and Auxiliary members for their dedication and devotion in helping veterans here and abroad, serving the community, and making our Post a better place.
And speaking of making our Post a better place, don't forget that we are hosting the VFW State Golf Tournament for the next 3 years starting August 2, 2008. We'll be kicking off the festivities with our mouth watering burgers on Friday August 1st, and after a long day on the golf course you are invited to our Post for a Steak or Fish dinner on August 2nd. There will be plenty of food, fun and hospitality for everyone. See you there.
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June 30, 2008
It was a great Department Convention in Moorhead this past weekend. It was a time to meet with new and old
acquaintances, build camaraderie and just have fun. Congratulations to all who received awards and recognition. Speaking of awards, our website again took 1st place as the best VFW website in the State of Minnesota. What a great accomplishment to be awarded this honor 2 years in a row. Thank you to everyone who contributed information and volunteered their time to make this website worthy of this award. And I will be posting more awards and certificates on the
Accolades Page as soon as I get them.
Congratulations to the 14 - Under Girls Fast Pitch Softball - Minnesota State Champions! Thank you so much for allowing us to sponsor such a great team. Outstanding job!!
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June 15, 2008
It is great to be a part of 'The Finest Veterans Service Organization on Planet Earth!' especially when there are so many great reasons to be a member. Check out only some of the
great benefits the VFW has to offer to it's members. Another great benefit of being a member of the VFW is the ability to attend meetings and getting involved with helping veterans, veterans families and the community. Whether it's a post meeting or a department convention, your insight is welcomed and appreciated. And I thank you all for making that commitment to being a part of this worthy and fulfilling organization and I look forward to seeing you and hearing from you at the next meeting.
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May 21, 2008
Memorial Day is upon us and it is time to pay tribute to our fallen comrades. There will be a dedication at several cemeteries honored by the Cloquet Combined Honor Guard followed by a Memorial Day Ceremony at Veterans Park, see the complete schedule on theMemorial Day page. If you are unable to attend, WKLK - 1230 AM will be broadcasting live.
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May 7, 2008
On March 15, 2008 Post and Auxiliary #3979 held the second Salad/Hot Dish supper as a fund raiser for phone cards for local troops serving overseas.
Our many thanks to Post and Auxiliary members, as well as club patrons for providing more than fifty dishes for this event.
The net proceeds from this fund raiser was $765.00, which will be sent to the Operation Uplink program along with the names and addresses of local troops to provide them with calling cards,
enabling them to call home.
Total net proceeds from both fund raisers held this year are $1,845.00 for phone cards for our troops overseas.
Again, many thanks to all who assisted with this effort.
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April 28, 2008
Loyalty Days is coming up this week and we are excited to be able to host this great celebration in our home town. A lot of preparation has been done to make this a celebration to remember. We hope you have a great time participating in all the festivities and events. Some of you will go back home with some wonderful prizes but all that come will be winners. On behalf of myself, the Loyalty Day Committee, the Mayor and surrounding community, "Welcome to Cloquet and the 8th District Loyalty Day Convention."
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April 6, 2008
Loyalty Days are just around the corner and things are moving along as scheduled. We're looking forward to having a great Loyalty Day Convention. What is Loyalty Day, you ask? You'll just have to check out the Loyalty Day page to find out.
Something else you should check out is out
Events page to see what else is happening this month. I've also made a change to something on the page (on every calendar month page as well). The first person to
email me
with what the new change is will win a free drink of your choice at the Post. (Actually there are 2 new changes on each month but I'll accept either one.)
Post Officer nominations are being accepted at the Post meetings. A nomination for Senior Vice Commander is still needed. We are also accepting motivated individuals for Adjutant and Gambling Manager. If you are interested in any of these exciting and challenging positions, please come on down to a meeting and put your name in.
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February 26, 2008
It was another great 8th District meeting this past weekend in Cook. It was a great time to see old friends from around the district and enjoy a laugh or two. It was like a family reunion, and the next family reunion for our veterans of foreign wars from the 8th District
will be right here is Cloquet. The 8th District Loyalty Days celebration will be May 2, 3, and 4, 2008. I've put up a new page for the
tentative schedule to give you an idea of some of the events we have planned.
I'm looking forward to a great celebration. Hope to see you there.
Here is some news from the Department of Minnesota American Ex-Prisoners of War. They are sponsoring a Student Essay Contest called "Behind Barbed Wire 2008". There are over $4,000.00 in cash prizes.
<more details>
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February 10, 2008
I want to thank all the ladies of the Auxiliary for putting on a wonderful "Post Volunteer Appreciation Dinner". I think it was a great meal and the service was excellent. There was plenty of food, fun and camaraderie. And thanks to all the volunteers throughout the year who help make every event (such as this one) a great success, we couldn't have done it without you.
Speaking of special events, coming soon is the 8th District Loyalty Days (May 2, 3, 4) being held right here at our post in Cloquet. There are lots of events planned so make sure to mark your calendar to attend. There will be more information to come after the next 8th District meeting going on February 23rd and 24th at Post 1757 in Cook, MN.
Check out the
8th
District website for times and events.
There are some things you don't have to wait for and can check out right now, like what's happening in the world of the Central Identification Laboratory of the
Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command. They are the largest skeletal identification laboratory in the world whose mission is to identify remains of missing Americans.
And for an organization that is headquartered here in Minnesota, the Veterans Airlift Command provides FREE air transportation to wounded warriors, veterans and their families for medical and other compassionate purposes through a national network of volunteer aircraft owners and pilots.
Check out their websites for more information.
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January 15, 2008
It's hard to believe another year is upon us. They say "Time flies when you're having fun." I must have been having a blast because time flew by so fast I didn't see where it went. Hope everyone's holidays were joyous and may you have a happy and prosperous New Year. If you haven't had a chance to make it to the post home yet on "Burger Nite", I recommend you give it a try. And if still haven't made it in for one of our "All you can eat fish fry's", what are you waiting for? Both are at prices you can't match and with hospitality you can't beat. And if those don't temp your palette for unbeatable taste and pleasure, don't forget "Taco Nite".
Thanks to everyone for making 2007 a great success and we look forward to making 2008 even better.
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December 3, 2007
I want to apologize for the delay in updating this website. I recently lost a very close friend of mine and the loss has set me back a bit. We were friends for many years and have been through a lot together. He was my fishing buddy, my partner or opponent on the pool table, a friend to walk and talk with. We shared a lot of the same
interests and views on politics, sports, fuel prices and war. He knew about war, as he was a World War II Veteran. He was always there to lend a hand when you needed him. He could always make you smile with his jokes and sense of humor. He will be greatly missed by many and especially by me and the rest of his family. He was my friend and my father-in-law, Harold Crotteau.
There are a lot of things going on through the end of the year and time is running out. Continue to bring in those Food Shelf items, it will give a smile to a lot of needy families over the holidays. The donations you give are greatly appreciated. And speaking of putting a smile on faces, don't miss the kids Christmas party on Sunday December 18th from 1:00 - 4:00. And for even bigger smiles, you don't want to miss out on this years New Years Eve party, but you must sign up by December 19th. Sign up now!! Happy Holidays to everyone and stay safe.
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October 17, 2007
The following article was found in the local newspaper -
The Pine Journal.
The Pine Journal - 09/27/2007
To date, the Hebert-Kennedy 3979 VFW Auxiliary have sent off a total of eight boxes to the troops in Iraq. So far the Auxiliary have alternated sending the care boxes to two units. If other units are in need, contact Joanne Douglas, chairman, at 218-384-4426 for more information. Each of the boxes have a total value of $100; Post 3979 has donated commissary cards costing $900.
Needed items may be donated to the VFW Post home at 210 Arch Street in Cloquet. Items include Twizzlers, hard candy breath mints, sugar packets, small boxes of cereal, gum, Christmas stockings, pre-paid phone cards, assorted greeting cards, Sudoku books, local newspapers, baby wipes, feminine hygiene products, disposable razors, Tylenol in individual packets, American flags, baggies, batteries of all types, battery-operated fans, fly strips and fly swatters, 2008 calendars, and Silly Strong that the troops spray out ahead of them to detect land mine wires. Cash donations may be sent to 3979 VFW Auxiliary, 210 Arch Street, Cloquet, MN 55720.
The project will continue until the troops are sent home.
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October 3, 2007
It's finally here!! The new 8th District website has arrived. Meet your 8th District Commander and Chairs and find out
what's happening in 8th District. Either click on the new link on the navigation bar on the left or
click here. Contact your 8th District Commander to let him know what you think.
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September 6, 2007
Wow, you would not believe all the upcoming activities that's going on, there are just too many to list here. Check them out on the
Events calendar. If you haven't received the bi-monthly Post Bulletin in the mail, check out what our leaders have to say on the Post Bulletins page. Makes for some good reading. In the new "Did you know?" section of the Club Activities page, find out how you can get a Free Drink! It's easy and doesn't require much physical activity, matter of fact you can do it sitting down.
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August 20, 2007
Mark your calendars for September 22, 2007 for the 6th Annual POW/MIA Recognition Day
&
Motorcycle ride.
Click here for more details. Also coming up real soon on August 26, 2007 is
the 25th Anniversary Lake Superior Life Care Center - Come and Celebrate Life.
Click here for more
details.
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August 7, 2007
Congratulations to the Ladies Auxiliary 3979 for 60 years of Loyalty and Service to Veterans, their families and the community. With
the Ladies Auxiliary (nation wide) only being in existence for 93 years, your steadfast dedication and devotion to the Veterans of
Foreign Wars is truly and honor. Thank you for all you do and all you have done and will continue to do!! Check out the great looking
Certificate on the Accolades page.
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July 30, 2007
I was finally able to get the awards and certificates copied and loaded on the website. The Ladies Auxiliary has sure been busy. Check
out all their awards on the Accolades page. On July 17th, the Combined Cloquet Honor
Guard (VFW and American Legion) had the honor of guarding the traveling Memorial Wall Honoring Minnesota's Fallen Heroes who fought in
the global war on terrorism. THEY WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN. We do have some pictures posted on the new
Honor Guard page and if you want to learn more about the Memorial Wall, go to
www.veteranslake.com for more information
and a link to see all the Fallen Heroes.
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July 14, 2007
What a surprise it was to be presented with a plaque at the last Post meeting for being "2007 First Place POST WEB PAGE Cloquet VFW
Post and Auxiliary 3979". The award is from the Minnesota State VFW. Congratulations and Thank You to all who helped
put this website together and kept it going!! This wasn't the only award presented, the Ladies Auxiliary also received some awards for
which will be also be posted on the new Accolades page as soon as I can get them copied.
It is a pleasure and an honor to work with such highly motivated and dedicated Post and Auxiliary members. Thank you for your continued
support and commitment to helping our veterans, veterans families and our community.
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June 18, 2007
The weekend of June 9, 2007 was a great weekend to honor our World War II veterans from all over the State of Minnesota. Two buses left
the Perkins restaurant on 40th Ave West in Duluth on Saturday morning in route to the state capital in St Paul. On board were WWII
veterans and their families from our area on their way to the dedication of the World War II Memorial in front of the capital building.
Among those on the buses were some of our veterans from Cloquet.
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Harold Crotteau
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Gordy Caza
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Wallace Johansen
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Nickolas Burggraff
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Bob Langenbrenner
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If the pictures don't appear or to view a larger picture of these WWII veterans, click on the picture.
( I apologize for any misspellings)
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June 7, 2007
Officer training at Camp Ripley went very well this year. I highly recommend going as often as you can. There is a lot to learn and
things are changing constantly - for the good of the veterans. If you weren't able to attend, speak with those who did. They will
tell you of the great time they had, the friends they made, and all the great stuff they learned.
(Ask 'em if they have an application in their pocket). And for those who did
attend, congratulations on completing the course! Camp Ripley will probably be the
meeting place next year as well. The accommodations might be better next year.
Quarters were a little cramped with the 10,000 Boy Scouts going through their
training at the same time. It's time to look forward to another great year of
helping veterans and their families, giving to the community and having a great
time with fellow veterans. Ooooorah and Hooyah!!
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May 9, 2007
It would appear there has been a gap in updating the website, but that is not the case. There have been a few changes, like the
newly designed Events calendar. You can now plan ahead or see what has passed.
To see a full description of an event, position the mouse pointer over the event to get a screen tip.
The time is approaching for new Officers to be sworn in. Check out the
Post Bulletin to see who
was nominated this year. Members, come down to the Post on meeting nights (2nd
Thursday of the month) to congratulate the nominees and enjoy the meal put on by
your fellow members and share in the camaraderie.
I've received great comments about posting the birthdays of our members
(sorry, no one wanted to give their age), so I've incorporated a birthday
calendar (on the right of this page). Stop in and wish your friends a Happy
Birthday. If you are a member and would like your birthday posted,
drop me a line or stop in and we'll post it here on the website and at the
Post.
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March 20, 2007
It appears that Deal or No Deal has come to an end for this season. For those
that participated, wasn't it just a great time. And for those that won, way to
go!!! Let Shelley know what your thoughts are for bringing it back next fall.
Come on down to see what Shelley has in store for the spring and summer seasons.
The final winner of this season were Nick Bruggraff $3.00 and Nan Stromsness
$20.00. Congratulations!!
Congratulations are also in order for the finalists in the Pool Tournaments.
There are some awesome pool players out there. Great
job to everyone that participated!! Here are the results:
Women's Doubles Pool Tournament
| 1st |
KariAnne & Shelley |
| 2nd |
Kathy & Jess |
| 3rd |
Cindy & Tracy |
Singles Pool Tournament
| 1st |
Mel Diver |
| 2nd |
Shelley Nelson |
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March 5, 2007
Happy 80th Birthday to Nick Burggraff and Happy 84th Birthday to Harold Crotteau. A couple of young guys
who make us younger guys look old. How do they do it? Do you think we should add a birthday box to this website?
Let me know your thoughts and ideas. Send me an email at
webmaster@vfw3979.org
or leave me a note at the club. I'm interested in hearing what you have to say.
There is a lot of new information in this month's Post Bulletin including contest winners, changes in the pull
tab sales and upcoming events. This month we even have a Challenge and an Apology. Check it out!!
Don't forget about the Bake Sale that is held during the Fish and Steak dinner. For those of you who can bake,
bring in a plate of baked goods to the Post by 3:30. Linda DeRusha will be glad to accept your goodies. For
those of you who like to eat, there will be plenty there for you to feast on. All the proceeds go toward a
worthy cause - our relief fund. What's that, you ask? Well, the Ladies Auxiliary members will be happy to
answer that question for you.
Believe it or not, this website has gotten big enough to add on some history pages
to it. Now you can just view current
information, but if you want to view past information you can as well. There is a link at the bottom of a few of the
pages which will take you to their history pages. Explore and see how many you can find.
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January 14, 2007
For your information... Please see that the word gets out!
Title: News Release: Minnesota Veterans eligible for new tax credit
Released January 4, 2007
Minnesota Veterans eligible for new tax credit
St. Paul, Minn.- More than 12,000 Minnesota veterans who served in the Armed Forces since Sept. 11, 2001, are now eligible for a new tax credit potentially worth thousands of dollars, the Minnesota Department of Revenue announced today.
The Credit for Military Service in a Combat Zone enacted by the 2006 Legislature is now available to any member of the military who served in a designated combat zone or hazardous duty area since Sept. 11, 2001. The credit is equal to $59 for each month of service in one of the designated areas. Partial months are counted as full months. For example, if you served any day in November, it would count as one month.
Eligible individuals can claim the credit immediately for any terms of service dating back to the origination date by completing Form M99, Credit for Military Service in a Combat Zone. The Department of Revenue expects checks to begin arriving next month. In future years, the credit will be added to standard income tax forms.
"This recently-passed law recognizes these men and women with a credit for their service," said Department of Revenue Commissioner Ward Einess. "These credits could provide a significant amount of money to individuals and families who have sacrificed much for our country and our state."
Eligibility Requirements
You are eligible to receive a credit for military time served in a combat zone if:
You served in a combat zone or qualified hazardous duty area anytime from Sept. 11, 2001 through Dec. 31, 2006; and
The pay you received qualifies to be excluded as combat pay from federal gross income under Internal Revenue Code Section 112; and
Your home of record during your months of service was Minnesota.
Combat and Hazardous Material Zones
There are currently three combat zones designated by the president, which include the airspace above each:
Arabian Peninsula Areas: Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, the part of the Arabian Sea north of 10° North latitude and west of 68° East longitude, the Gulf of Aden, and the countries of Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Kosovo area: Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro), Albania, the Adriatic Sea and the Ionian Sea north of the 39th Parallel.
Afghanistan.
Public Law 104-117 designates three parts of the former Yugoslavia as a qualified hazardous duty area to be treated as a combat zone:
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Croatia
- Macedonia
In addition, the following locations are certified for combat zone tax benefits due to their direct support of military operations.
In support of Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan combat zone):
- Pakistan, Tajikistan and Jordan
- Incirlik Air Base, Turkey
- Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan
- Philippines (only troops with orders referencing Operation Enduring Freedom)
- Yemen
- Djibouti
- Somalia
In support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (Arabian Peninsula Areas combat zone):
- Turkey
- Israel
- The Mediterranean Sea east of 30° East longitude
- Jordan
- Egypt
For more information about the tax credit, including required documentation and instructions, visit
www.taxes.state.mn.us or call 651-296-3781.
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The Officers and Staff at Cloquet VFW Post 3979 would like to wish everyone a safe and Happy New Year!! Ah, a New Year, what will the New Year have in store for us? What challenges will we face? What goals will we achieve? What sorrows and joys will we encounter along the way? Many questions which can only be answered by time and patience. But for a preview of what's in store for our VFW Post, check out our
Post Bulletin for some of out upcoming projects or the
Events page for what's happening in the near future.
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Thank you everyone for your contributions to this years FOOD SHELF. You kindness and
caring will help many families in need.
** FOOD SHELF ** Bring in a nonperishable food shelf item and get .50 cents off your first drink. Come on in or call 879-2447 for details. ** HELP THE NEEDY **
Hello and welcome to our Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3979 website. We are glad to stopped in for a visit. While you're here
browse around and find your points of interest.
We are a brand new web site and with birth comes growth. We will constantly be updating this site so come back often
to see our new changes.
We created this web site as an informational and educational tool for our members and community and to preserve and strengthen
comradeship. We dedicate this site to our service men and women serving in our armed forces defending our
freedom and to all those who have served in honor defending and protecting this proud nation.
Please enjoy learning about our post and grow with us as we take those steps in making this post and web site a place to go for
information, comradeship and fun, and help us make a difference in our community. We encourage you to
join the VFW, participate in the
many events, enjoy yourself while attending the
club activities or even
rent the hall for your own treasured activities.
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National Dues Increase: Life membership dues are going to increase effective January 1, 2007.
Last year we anticipated an increase in the dues, but the increase did not get the full 2/3 vote to pass. This year is
a different story .. read more..
