Welcome to the Veterans Corner, a new monthly collaboration between American Legion Post 41 of Houston and VFW Post 473 of Cabool.
The mission of this column is to make vets and their families aware of upcoming events and opportunities that may be of interest and to pass along old news. Also we would like to cover the history of both organizations each month.
The American Legion was founded March 16, 1919, in Paris by members of the American Expeditionary Force. The VFW traces its roots to 1899, following the Spanish-American war and the Philippine Insurrection.
Both groups have similar missions or purposes: To ensure that our veterans receive assistance that may be needed.
UPCOMING EVENTS
There is a flag retirement ceremony scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, at VFW Post 473. These flag ceremonies are quite moving. If you have no plans for that afternoon, I would suggest stopping in to watch. I will not give out any spoilers, but there will be a grilling consisting of hot dogs and hamburgers followed by marshmallows afterward.
Anyone having an old flag may drop them off at either post before the event.
For students – both home-schooled and high schoolers – there is an oratorical contest coming up sponsored by the Legion. Information should be available at Cabool and Houston high schools. If not, (or home-schoolers), contact Terry Tryon of the American Legion for information and applications. I urge interested students to check with the schools first. The winner of the contest will receive a scholarship to use at the secondary school of their choice.
I would like to mention R.E.D. (remember everyone deployed). This is the reason of red shirt Fridays in quite a lot of offices.
GENERAL INFORMATION
VFW Post 473 operates a van to transport veterans to appointments. More information can be obtained by calling 417-962-3031 or 417-217-5687.
Last month, Terry Tryon, vice commander of the Legion Post 41, participated in a Legacy Run. The purpose of this 1,000-mile motorcycle ride is to generate funding for scholarships to benefit the children of people lost during 9/11 and the ensuing war on terror. Terry reported that this annual ride netted more than $1.2 million. Wow!
The ride started in Indianapolis, Ind., and ended in Baltimore, Md., with stops along the way war at memorials and veterans homes.
Earlier in the summer, the Legion held a quilt raffle, with the quilt being handmade by the ladies of the Ozark Baptist Church. Tonya Foster of Houston was the winner.
Meetings the American Legion Post 41 are at 6:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at the Legion Hall in Houston (next to Pizza Hut).
Meetings of the VFW Post 473 are at 10 a.m. the second Saturday of the month.
Each organization accepts new members, if any one is interested stop in during any meeting time and introduce yourself. There is pizza at the Legion hall on meeting nights.
Houston resident Keith Ford is a retired infantryman and an amateur writer whose work has appeared in publications around the world. Email him at kf4tap@yahoo.com.
