The Olympic Peninsula Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) is joining with other chapters in Washington state to collect sports balls to be distributed to the children of active duty military through Santa’s Castle, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Go to jblmsantascastle.org for more information on Santa’s Castle.
I am the representative for my MOAA Chapter. We have pledged to collect 200 sports balls — football, basketball, soccer, playground, baseball and volleyball. This is the fourth year of doing this.
You can send them to me directly at 538 N. Seventh Ave., Sequim; please get deflated ones or collect a bunch and let me know to come pick them up by emailing to cdrlgilchrist@gmail.com. I need your donation by Nov. 15 so I can get them in the distribution pipeline.
Veterans dinner set in Port Townsend
The Port Townsend Elks Lodge 317, 555 Otto St., is hosting the 12th-annual Veterans Dinner and Auction, on Saturday, Nov. 4. Dinner starts at 5:30 p.m. For $25, attendees get lasagna, salad, garlic bread and cake. An auction begins at 6:30 p.m.
All monies raised go to meet a variety of local veteran needs. The Elks provide individual emergency financial assistance; funds are used to buy beds and household supplies for veterans moving from homelessness to permanent housing; they work with Voices For Veterans to put on a yearly Stand Down; they donate to many service organizations, the Veterans Home at Port Orchard, and they do a special acknowledgement with a gift to veterans in local care facilities on Veterans Day.
Please attend and be prepared to bid for all kinds of great items! You can get more info from Rita at rita.frangione@gmail.com.
Toys for Tots
Marine Corps League’s Mt. Olympus Detachment 897 will begin collecting new toys for Clallam County children under the Toys For Tots program at the Longhouse from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 25, and Saturday, Dec. 9.
The Marines will be at Swain’s in Port Angeles, the Walmarts in Sequim and Port Angeles from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, Dec. 1-2, Dec. 8-9 and Dec. 15-16.
Please consider donating new unwrapped toys for babies to 18 year olds; no clothing, bikes or food, however. Cash donations are also welcomed.
All toys go to Clallam County children. Thank you for helping local children have a Merry Christmas.
Veterans Day set at Coast Guard base
There will be a Veterans Day Ceremony at the Port Angeles Coast Guard Base on Saturday, Nov. 11. The base will open to ceremony participants at 8 a.m., and to the public starting at 9 a.m.
There will be music and static displays to look at while waiting for the ceremony to begin at 11 a.m. Everyone should be seated by 10:45 a.m. for the opening and welcome. The ceremony will be restricted to one hour, and every guest should be off the base by 1 p.m.
It is important to note the Base Exchange will not be open on Saturday, Nov. 11. They will be open Friday, Nov. 10, and reopen on Monday, Nov. 13.
Looking forward to the return of our customary Veterans Day ceremony!
Corps turns 248
The Mt. Olympus Detachment 897 of the Marine Corps League will be celebrating the Corps’ 248th birthday starting at 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 10, at 7 Cedars Casino, 270756 U.S. Highway 101.
The dinner and ceremony begin at 6 p.m. following a no host social hour. There will be a silent auction. All veterans, guests and family are invited. Cost is $45 per person.
The Port Angeles Coast Guard will present the colors, and the guest speaker is John Moysiuk, Commandant of the Department of Washington. For information and tickets by Oct. 20, contact Kathy at kmt@wavecable.com.
Contributors: American Legion, Carl Bradshaw, grennanalpost62@gmail.com; DAR and MOAA, Lorri Gilchrist, cdrlgilchrist@gmail.com; Voices For Veterans, Rita Frangione rita.frangione@gmail.com Marine Corps League, Mark Schildknecht, markisin2day@gmail.com; Korean War Veterans, Jerry Rettela, eletteor@msn.com; VFW 4760, Steve Henrikson, secretary.@vfwpost4760.com ; VFW 6787, Rod Lee, sealteam120473@gmail.com.
