Post Commander
Happy New Year everyone! We have come through a tough year but we came
out stronger on the other end. Working
together we are going to make 2021 one of the best years ever.
As our Post Quartermaster has
said, "we are closed but we are still here”. We continue to make a positive impact on our Post and Auxiliary members
but also on our Community. We were able
to hand our several holiday food baskets to deserving families. I want to thank Robin Bailey and Ken
Vanderwall for heading up that program. Thank you also to the Vietnam Veterans of America and the Marine Corps
League for their support of the effort.
We weren’t able to have our
Children’s Christmas Party, but we were able to distribute 108 brightly wrapped
toys to children. Thank you to Vern and
Lisa for organizing the wrapping party, and to the volunteers who wrapped
them. The call was put out for
volunteers and the call was answered. Way to go 2144 and Auxiliary.
We also had a Drive-Thru Santa
day on December 13th. Parents
could drive through and let their children safely talk to Santa. Santa was given several letters and he even was
gifted some milk and cookies. One parent
thanked us because his children wanted to see Santa so badly and there was none
to be found until we had our event. Thank you, Lawrence Diamond, Auxiliary Chaplain, for making those
children’s dreams come true. I hope you
enjoyed the milk and cookies.
Thank you to Maria Cantu, Vickie
Weatherwax, Adrianne Boman, and all the other volunteers who have been turning
out the delicious meals for our Friday night carryout’s that have been our sole
source of income during this shutdown.
We are hoping that when this
current shutdown order expires on January 15th that we will be
allowed to reopen. We have taken all
precautions for your safety and health. We have cleaned the building and had it professionally disinfected. When we open, we will be observing all social
distancing and masking protocols.
I am so proud of this Post and
Auxiliary for the way we have taken care of each other this past year. It is that bond that means that not only will
Post 2144 survive, but we will also thrive.
Michael Martin
Post Commander
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Auxiliary President
Greetings Auxiliary Members. Happy New Year! Hoping this finds everyone safe and
healthy. I hope everyone had a great
holiday season, considering the shutdown order from the Governor. Bingo has been cancelled until further
notice. Check out the Post sign or our
Facebook page for updates. We will
continue to have meetings by observing social distancing and wearing masks.
In our Scholarship Programs (Voice of
Democracy and Patriots Pen) we had four entries for VOD but none for PP. Congratulations to the first-place winner
from the Holland area who also took first place for District 8.
Our third and fourth programs are
Continuing Education and Young American Creative Patriotic Art contests. I am the Scholarship Chairman so for more
information email or call me. We also
have information on our website or you can go to www.vfwaux.org for forms and applications.
Thank you everyone for all you do and for
your support. Thank you and God Bless.
Elisa
Blauwkamp
Veterans and Family Support
Happy
New Year! Our heartfelt sympathy goes
out to the families of Julia Waldering, Shirley Zych, Lyda Numikaski and Flo
Behrendt who have passed away. Please
keep their families in your thoughts and prayers. Never forget our troops in harm’s way. Keep them in your hearts and prayers.
Membership
If
you have not yet paid your dues yet, please do so as soon as possible. Happy New Year! 2021 will be a better.
Ellen Robinson
Dad’s Post 132
Hope everyone is staying
safe and healthy. We’ll plan on a Dad’s
meeting in April of 2021. It will come
out in the next newsletter. –Hondo Robinson
Meeting Reminders
Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 73 meets
the 2nd 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.
Marine Corps League meets the Third Saturday
of each month at 10am. Everyone is welcomed
to attend.
House Committee
Happy New Year! Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.
What a time for us
all. The Post has been closed just about
5 months this year. We have not been
able to have hall rentals, wrestling, or any other live entertainment. It is a hard time for many including the
Post. Even though we have been closed the
electric bills, gas bills, insurance, Dish bills, etc., etc. continue to come. We are still here but we definitely need to
raise some money so we can have our reserve fund back. If anyone can assist in this, please let us
know. As soon as we can open safely, we
will be open. Please support your Post
and your Club.
We continue with our
food every day we can. Bingo will not be
back for awhile as that brings in too many people close together. The big, or newer, bar will be open as we can
social distance and have a safe environment for everyone.
Comrades, we really
need your help in membership this year. We have approximately 143 annual members. We already have 8 new members, but we need
our annual members to renew. If anyone
is having a financial hardship let us know and we will take care of it. If you are able please pay your dues.
We are offering a
special on Life Memberships. We will pay
the first $50.00 for anyone becoming a Life Member so please consider becoming
a Lifer and never having to pay dues again. It is a great deal for you and really helps the Post.
Thank you for making VFW
Post 2144 the great Post it is today.
Vern Blauwkamp
House Committee Chairman
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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: Robin Bailey (616)994-2239
Auxiliary
President: Lisa Blauwkamp (269)206-1810
Auxiliary
Treasurer: Nancy Vredeveld
(616)422-1403
Honor Guard: Harold Kuipers (616)886-0462
January 2021
Sunday
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Monday
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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Saturday
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Watch Facebook and Flyers
for Details
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Prices Subject to Change
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1—Happy New Year
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2—
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3—Closed
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4—
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5—
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6—
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7--
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8—Fish or Goulash Dinner
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9—
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10—Closed
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11--
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12—
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13--
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14— Post & Auxiliary
Meeting 7pm
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15—Fish or Smothered Pork
Chop Dinner
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16--
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17—Closed
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18— Euchre 1230
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19—Soup Night
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20-- 75¢ Wings
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21—Burger Night
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22—Fish or Tetrazzini Turkey
Dinner
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23—
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24/31—Closed
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25— Euchre 1230
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26—Soup Night
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27—75¢ Wings
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28—Burger Night
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29—Fish or Steak Dinner
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30
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February 2021
Sunday
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Monday
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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Saturday
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1--Euchre
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2—Soup Night
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3—75¢ Wings
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4—Burger Night
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5—Fish Dinner or Wet
Burrito
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6—District 8 Meeting 11am
lLunch/Meeting 1230pm
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7—Closed
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8— Euchre 1230
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9—Soup Night
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10—75¢ Wings
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11— Burger Night
Post & Auxiliary
Meeting 7pm
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12—Fish or Grilled Pork
Steak
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13—Prime Rib Dinner 5-7pm
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14--Closed
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15— Euchre 1230
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16—Soup Night
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17--75¢ Wings
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18— Burger Night
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19—Fish or Mexican Combo
Plate
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20—
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21—Closed
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22— Euchre 1230
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23—Soup Night
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24--75¢ Wings
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25-- Burger Night
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26—Fish or Swiss Steak
Dinner
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27—
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28—Closed
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Watch Facebook and Flyers
for Dinner Details
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Prices Subject to Change
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