The Jack Grennan Post 62 of the American Legion hosts a Flag Day Ceremony at 2 p.m. on Friday, June 14, at the Post, 107 E. Prairie St. All are welcome to attend. Please bring unserviceable flags for disposal.
June 14, 1777, was the day that Congress officially recognized it as the flag of the United States. Yearly Flag Day observances started in Wisconsin on June 14, 1885. The colors have meaning: red is for hardiness and valor, white is for purity and innocence and blue is for vigilance, perseverance and justice.
Please replace your flag if it is torn or faded. Show your pride in the U.S. with a new flag!
Help with the bell
Donations are needed for the Veterans Memorial Park Liberty Bell protection project. The project is up and moving forward. An account has been established at the Strait View Credit Union. Make your check out to “PA Veterans Memorial Park Fund.”
The Strait View Credit Union has offered to provide cameras and their installation. Angeles Electric has offered to provide the labor to install the electrical work for the project. Bob Stokes has come up with a preliminary design for the fence that will protect the bell. It will be pleasing to look at.
We need more donations so that this project can proceed quickly and be completed before the bad weather comes this fall. This fence will just encompass the bell and its tower. The rest of the park will be as it is now. The bell has been damaged and the wood of the tower cut into. This is a expensive asset and needs to be protected.
Stand Downs
The first Voices For Veterans Homeless Veterans Stand Down of 2019 was held on May 2 in Forks. There were 106 veterans in attendance — of which 30 were homeless. The Clothing Room helped 57 veterans and six veterans received outdoor equipment.
This is a big endeavor. Many thanks to the Forks Elks for their facility and the delicious breakfast and lunch, the many service providers who came from near and far to offer help and guidance and the many veterans who stood the Flag Line, manned the check in table, were “personal shoppers,” bused tables, etc. It does take a village to help those in need.
The next Stand Down is at the Port Townsend Elks Lodge on Monday, July 29. All veterans are welcome. Hope to see you there.
Way to go!
Congratulations to Cadets Makayla Peabody and Betty Cameron from the Port Angeles NJROTC. At the NJROTC Awards Ceremony on, June 7 Betty Cameron was awarded the Gilchrist Medal for Community Service. She also had donated in her honor $100 to The Answer For Youth. Makayla Peabody was awarded the Military Officers Association of America Leadership Medal and the Daughters of the American Revolution National Defense Medal.
This ceremony is a wonderful event to recognize the hard working cadets.
Honoring our veterans
Save the date! Veterans Appreciation Day at The Home Depot will be Saturday, Aug. 10, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. As in years past, there will be a raffle, hot dogs, cake and many veterans organizations to chat with.
Contributors: American Legion, Carl Bradshaw, thbkdragon@yahoo.com; MOAA, DAR and Voices For Veterans, Lorri Gilchrist, cdrlgilchrist@gmail.com; Marine Corps League, Mark Schildknecht, marana-s@outlook.com; Korean War Veterans, Jerry Rettela, eletteor@msn.com; Fleet Reserve Association, Marty Arnold, martinarnold2001@yahoo.com.
