From the Post Commander

  Greetings Comrades!  For the third year in a row our Post has achieved 100% in membership with over 20 new members. A big thank you to everyone who helped reach this goal especially Quartermaster Garrett Dickey who is one of the top recruiters in Michigan.  Thanks again to everyone!

   It has come to my attention that some folks did not receive their invitations to the Past Commanders/Past Presidents banquet that will be on March 21, 2020 at 6pm.  If you are a Past Commander or Past Auxiliary President and you did not receive an invitation and wish to attend please call me at 616-594-9151 or email me at cmd@vfw2144.org and let me know.  I’m not sure what happened with the Postal Service and I apologize to anyone who did not receive an invitation.

   I would like to thank Maria Cantu for stepping up and being such a huge help in the Club and Post.  She has done such a great job that we have offered her the position as Club Manager and she eagerly accepted.  There will be a transition period while she learns some of the aspects of being a club manager such as the accounting.  I have complete faith in Maria’s ability to do the job and do it well.

   It’s time to start thinking of new things to do at our Post and club. If you have new ideas for the Post bring them to the Post meeting at 7pm the 2^ndThursday of the month.  We can’t act on an idea if we don’t know about it!

Michael Martin

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From the Auxiliary President

   Hello Brothers and Sisters of the Auxiliary.  I hope everyone is enjoying the mild winter.  Spring is in the air and our days are getting longer! Congratulations to our Voice of Democracy Winners—Aiden Fickel 1^stplace and Joslyn Van Til 2^nd place. Congratulations also to our Patriots Pen winner Katherine McCullough.  Also welcome to our new members.

   Wow, time flies fast, nominations and elections are coming up.  Please come out to our next meeting March 12, 2020.  I know we all have busy lives, but we need people to step up and fill positions.  We need officers and people to chair committees, and Tulip Time Volunteers.   We are a growing auxiliary, but we need positions filled.

  Thank you to all the members for helping us reach 100% for the second time in a row. Let’s make 2020 another great year for Auxiliary Post 2144!

Elisa Blauwkamp

                                                                                               

Veterans and Family Support

   Our heartfelt sympathies go out to the families of Isla Buikema who died December 24, 2019, Mary Babbs in January of 2020, and Joann Slotman’s husband Harvey passed away January 15, 2020.  Please keep these families in prayer.  Please never forget our troops in harms way.

Membership

   Let’s welcome our new members with a smile and glad you’re here.

Ellen Robinson

Veterans and Family Support/Membership

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Dad’s Post 132

   Our next Dads meeting is at the Post Saturday April 18^th at 9am. We will have elections for new officers then some of us will be going to the Dads State Meeting at Adrian at 1pm

Chaplain

   Sent Mike Garcia a speedy recovery card, also to Preston Bradley. Mike Vera was hit by a car and I visited him.  Sent a speedy recovery card to Harold Kuipers who had heart surgery.  Sympathy card to Bill Penna who lost his wife, also to Don Ryzenga and Howard Lankheet who lost loved ones.  Also sent cards to Rodney Bosma whose mother passed away and Jay Bruischart who also lost his wife.  Sent thinking of you cards to Jim Holley, Robert Gordon, Al Vande Vusse, Ralph Burley and Wayne Lee.

   Jim Holley, Harvey Slotman, Guerino Frank Amatangelo and Wayne "Larry” Lee also passed away.

Hondo Robinson

Meeting Reminders

   Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 73 meets the 2^nd Tuesday of every month at 7pm.  All Vietnam Veterans are welcome.

   Vet to Vet support group meets every Wednesday from 630 to 730pm.  Veterans of every era are welcome to attend.

                                                                                                               

Club Manager

Greetings Comrades and Auxiliary Members;

   Life is awesome!  It starts with a positive attitude.  Every day we strive to make your VFW Post the greatest place to go with a positive attitude. Our Post is once again 100% member with more than 20 new members!  Commander Mike and his TEAM have met all the requirements to be an "All-American Post” this year.  Our Post is doing fantastic!  Our canteen is doing fantastic!  Please come to your Post with a positive attitude.  If you have things you do not like come to a House Committee meeting at 6pm the second Thursday of the month.  If you have ideas how to assist us in becoming even bigger and better than step up and help also.

   We continue to grow.  Our sales continue to increase which is letting us help the Post in updating our building and grounds.  If you haven’t been in for years for whatever reason, check us out.  You may be surprised at what is going on in your Post. Check out a meal, a Wednesday wing night or a Thursday burger night.  We even have Marie playing some patriotic music on the piano.

   We need additional members to put on a Friday night meal for us. We will be doing fish dinners for Lent every Friday.  This year we will have Perch dinners for $12, Walleye dinners for $10, and Smelt dinners for $8.  They will come with fries, coleslaw, and a roll.

  I would like to thank Maria Cantu for stepping up and doing a fantastic job in the daily operations.  Lisa and I are busy traveling the state and appreciate all she does.  Please say thank you to her when see her.  She does a lot!

Vern Blauwkamp

House Committee Chairman

 

 

Officers and Contact Info

Post: (616)392-2144

Commander:   Mike Martin (616)594-9151

Senior Vice:   Jenna Schaub (231)649-1745

Junior Vice:   Adam Cameron (309)212-1148

Quartermaster:  Garrett Dickey (937)570-8254

Chaplain:   Hondo Robinson (616)644-3300

Auxiliary President:  Lisa Blauwkamp (269)206-1810

Auxiliary Treasurer:  Nancy Vredeveld (616)422-1403

Honor Guard:  Harold Kuipers (616)886-0462