VFW Post 764 Post Bulletin and News

VFW MEMORIAL PARK POST 764
NEWS & EVENTS

2nd Quarter 2008 Newsletter (PDF-533KB)




Ride for Homeless Vets Motorcycle Poker Run Sunday, June 22, 2008 Registration 10:00 am - 11:00 am Ride starts at: Tarentum VFW 208 East 4th Avenue Tarentum, PA 15084 *Ride and ends at:* Choppers Grill 6th Avenue Tarentum, PA 15084	More details

COMMANDER'S COMMENTS March 2008 Post 764 has gone through some tough times in the last four months, but like true soldiers we have endured, and are back on the road to recovery. As we move into spring and summer we hope to see a lot more of the members who have been hibernating. Our kitchen is open and some new items have been added, so come in and check us out. We are also asking you to tell friends, neighbors and relatives about the best kept secret in Peters Township: VFW Post 764. We would like to start different games, and are always open to suggestions to help us to be the BEST. We value all comments from staff and members. It is through this input we will be able to improve all aspects of your club. In closing, we want to thank all of you for your patience and hope that the new changes will be a great benefit to all. James Tippmann Commander, Post 764

QUARTERMASTER'S COMMENTS March 2008 Paid your 2008 dues yet? All regular VFW members should pay their 2008 dues as soon as possible. Send your $20.00 check to National Headquarters with your dues notice. If you have lost the notice, send the check to me at the post. VFW members with a computer and email account can now simplify and enhance their VFW membership. To create your eMembership account you should visit: http://emem.vfw.org and register using your email address, your VFW ID number from your membership card, and create a password to use with your account. If you like, you can also add a photo of yourself and access the profiles of other registered members. Annual VFW members can also change their mailing address online. Since the last newsletter we have admitted to the Post: New annual members Frank McKain, Victor Yartz, Louis Dallas and David Carr. Reinstated James Johnston. Life transfers were Clyde Fragapane and Harry McGovern. Answering the final call were James Tilton, Walter Maxwell and Stanley Shadler. May they rest in peace. Gary McLaughlin Quartermaster PTVA ASSOCIATE MEMBER DUES & CARDS The Post is nearly finished rebuilding the Keri system (PTVA card printer) so Associate members should send in their renewal checks for 2008 now. You will get a temporary receipt which will verify you are a current member. Carry it with you in the Canteen. DUES ARE: Renewal (under 65) - $22.00 Renewal (65 and over) - $15.00 Lost card - $5.00 New membership (under 65) $28.00 New (65 and over) $21.00 You will have until May 31 to pay your 2008 dues. After that date your card will be turned off, and rejoining will cost $27.00 Dues are on a calendar year basis. Dues notices are not mailed but reminders will be in the 3rd and 4th quarter newsletters.

THE LADIES AUXILIARY March 2008 Due to the recent resignations of our President, Sr. Vice, Treasurer, and Secretary, interim officers were elected and installed at our March meeting. Good luck to these new officers for the remainder of the year. The new officers are: President: Mary Ellen Werner, Sr. Vice: Marge Klauer, Jr. Vice: Chris Lieberman, Treasurer: Mary Ellen Grosick, Guard: Jennifer Tomayko, and Chaplain: Gay Massey. Just a reminder, our next elections will be at our April 9th, 2008 - 7:00 pm meeting. We hope to see you there. Please support your Auxiliary and vote! Thanks to Sam Walther in completing our year end report. Great job Sam. We hope you see our "Coin for Cancer" jar in the Canteen, the Auxiliary is collecting for Cancer Aid and Research. We also want thank all who collected pop and beer tabs for us. We delivered the tabs to the Ronald McDonald House 112 lbs. of tabs to be recycled. These tabs contribute to approximately $4,000.00 annually to needy families. Thank you all for your support. I hope to see you at the next meeting. Guests are welcome. Remember Our Troops! Mary Ellen Werner Auxiliary President

2008 ALMANAC/VFW GOLF CLASSIC Monday June 30th Rolling Hills Country Club 11:00am—Noon Registration 11:30am—Lunch in the Clubhouse 12:30—Shotgun Start 5:30 Dinner—Door Prizes & Awards Still need golfers and advertisers: Greens fee $150 per golfer includes dinner Dinner only $50 Tee sponsorship signs $100 Need door prize donations. For pickup of donated items call: 724-941-3358

POST 764 ELECTIONS Final nominations and election of officers will take place at our April meeting. April 17, 2008 @ 7:30 pm

CANTEEN

= IMPORTANT DATES =

April 9—Election of Ladies Auxiliary officers.

April 17—Election of VFW 764 officers.

April 22—Pennsylvania primary election.

May 26—Memorial Day parade and services.

May 31—Deadline for paying your PTVA dues for 2008.

June 15—Advertising and newsletter article deadline for 3rd Quarter newsletter.

June 30—Almanac/VFW Golf Classic.

2008 MEMORIAL DAY PARADE
May 26th

In remembrance of all Veterans who have served our country and those who gave their lives in its defense, the Peters Township Veteran's Council consisting of VFW Post 764 and the American Legion post 944 will sponsor the Memorial Day parade and services on May 26, 2008. We cordially invite all the members to participate with us in this commemoration on Memorial Day.

Dawn patrol meet at Post 5:45am depart 0600 to salute fallen comrades at the five local cemeteries.

Breakfast at Post at 0700.

Parade assembly area PT Middle School 8:45am, step off at 0900.

Parade will end at the VFW parking lot. The memorial service will then be conducted at the Veteran's Monument.

Dom De Franco
Chairman

= MEMBER PROFILE =
GENE ROCKACY

At 91 years of age, Gene Rockacy is still an active member of the VFW 764 Honor Guard. Gene also spends time visiting with local students to share his living history from WWII. He said the kids love to see his artifacts, especially the sword he brought home from Nagasaki.

Gene was with the 43rd Seabee Battalion when they entered Nagasaki, only three weeks after the atomic bomb was dropped. He will go on to tell you how many GI’s lives were saved by the bombing, since the Japanese were so heavily fortified and well prepared for an Allied invasion.

After joining the US Navy in 1942, his first duty station was the Great Lakes Naval Station. From there it was on to Norfolk Virginia, where he became part of the 8th Seabee Battalion. His next assignment took him to the Bremerton Naval Shipyard in Washington state, where he later boarded the USS Chaumant for Dutch Harbor in Alaska. He says the 18 months he spent there verifies that it has the worst weather in the world…. and the Japanese were bombing them as well.

Following 20 days leave, he was off to Pearl Harbor, Saipan and on to Nagasaki.

In civilian life, Gene worked 40 years for Allis-Chalmers in Pittsburgh, where he ended up in charge of manufacturing. In its heyday on the North Side, the company employed 3,500 workers. He was also there in the mid-70’s to see the plant closed. Gene and his wife Rose reside in Peters Township and celebrate their 63rd anniversary this year. They have 2 daughters and 3 grandchildren. Gene was one of the original members of VFW 764.

VFW POST 764 AMBULANCE

Many people don’t realize that VFW Post 764 owns and operates the ambulance service that is often thought to be owned by Peters Township. Since 1963, transportation for medical emergencies occurring in Peters Township and surrounding areas has been furnished by our VFW Post 764 Ambulance Service, which celebrates its 45th Anniversary in 2008. Congratulations and thanks to all the volunteers, supporters and employees of our Ambulance Service for making it such a great success over nearly five decades!

The VFW Post 764 Ambulance Service utilizes up-to-date special training and new equipment to provide the best service to Peters Township and surrounding communities. Our modern ambulance facility was completed at a cost of $650,000 and more than 200 calls per month have been answered in recent years.

To help continue the work of the Ambulance Service, The Almanac and VFW Post 764 partner a benefit Golf Classic every year at Rolling Hills Country Club in McMurray, PA. For more details see the web page at http://www.vfw764.org/golf.htm or phone 724-941-3358 for more details. This year’s golf event is June 30th.

EMT Blogs New!

Pennsylvania State Commander Visits Troops in Iraq
	John Getz, of Reinholds, Lancaster County, the state commander of the VFW, recently left for Iraq on a mission to reach out to members of the Pennsylvania National Guard currently deployed.
With his body armor and Kevlar helmet packed in his luggage, he planned to tell units like the 316th Expeditionary Sustainment Command of Coraopolis that their service is as appreciated as much as those who served in World War II, Korea, Vietnam and the first Gulf War. The unit is stationed at Camp Anaconda in Balad, Iraq. "Nobody wants war, and we don't have to agree or disagree with what the reasons are, but we support our troops 100 percent," Mr. Getz said. A Vietnam veteran, he has a son who helped sift through the rubble after the Pentagon was hit on Sept. 11 and who later did tours in Afghanistan and Iraq with the Army's 10th Mountain Division. Support for military families while their spouses are deployed is also a VFW priority. "About one-half of 1 percent of the U.S. population is directly involved in this war," said Mr. Getz. "It's hard for most people to understand what's going on over there and hard to understand the pressures and the worries on their families." [Complete March 23, 2008 story in the Post-Gazette]

WHICH ARE YOU?

Are you the active member --- the kind that would be missed,
or are you content that your name is on the list?

Do you attend the meetings and mingle with the flock,
or do you stay home and criticize and knock?

Do you take an active part to help your post along ---
or are you satisfied to simply say that you belong?

Do you ever volunteer to help the guiding stick?
Or do you leave the work to just a few, then talk about the clique?

Come out to the meetings, and help with hand and heart.
Don't just be a member --- TAKE AN ACTIVE PART!!!

Just think this over members --- you know right from wrong...
Are you an active member, or do you just belong???

(Seen on the side of a file cabinet in the VFW 764 office)