VFW hosts annual events to support veteran programs
Published 3:16 pm Wednesday, November 7, 2018
- An annual golf tournament is the VFW Post 5377’s biggest fundraiser of the year. It was held on Oct. 5. Pictured above are, from left, Post Commander Billy Drake, first place winners Jake Rich and Jeff Thomason, second place winners Legrane Cave and David Gadd, third place winner Guin and Jeff Emory, Post 5377 Quartermaster Luther Massey and Golf Tournament Coordinator Mike Black.
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The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3577 hosted two classic events in October, a golf tournament fundraiser on Oct. 5 and a visit to an Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs nursing home on Oct. 17.
The golf tournament is the main source of funds for the VFW.
On Oct. 17, members of VFW Post 5377 visited the William F. Green State Veterans Home in Bay Minette and presented a donation to the veterans. Pictured are, from left, William F. Green State Veterans Home Director Kathleen Voll, VFW Post 5377 Quartermaster Luther Massey, and William F. Green State Veterans Home Activities Assistant Vanessa Cole.
“We raised enough money that we’ll be able to carry out all of our programs and projects for the coming year,” Post Surgeon Phillip Spence said, unable to disclose any dollar amount.
Spence said the money raised on Oct. 5 will pay for all scholarships and donations made during the year by Post 5377.
Twenty-two teams participated in the two-person scramble tournament. First place winners received $500, second place $300 and third place $175.
“It was a tremendous day. Last time, we froze to death and got rained on all day. This time, the sun was out glorious,” Spence said.
Door prizes, breakfast and lunch were also provided at the event, which was sponsored by several businesses in Demopolis, Linden and Greensboro.
Later in the month, members of the VFW visited a veterans nursing home, the William F. Green State Veterans Home in Bay Minette. This is the fifth year in a row that members of Post 5377 have visited an Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs nursing home.
“That golf tournament allowed us to go down there and to do this,” Spence said of the post’s largest fundraiser.
In addition to visiting, Post 5377 donated money to the nursing home, which goes into a fund that is divided evenly among the residents allowing them to purchase some items that the VA can’t provide itself, such as certain hygiene items or candy.
According to Spence, many VFW Posts do this particular kind of outreach to “show them we appreciate their service.”
“A big part of our job is to reach out and provide a helping hand to men and women who served our country in arms,” Spence said, along with “meeting needs that are not met otherwise for our veterans.”
(This article originally appeared in the Saturday, November 3 issue of the Demopolis Times.)
