Save the date for The Home Depot’s Veterans Appreciation Day on Saturday, Aug. 12, starting at 10am in the parking lot of the Sequim store at 1145 W. Washington St.

All veterans are welcome to come out and talk to veteran service organizations and learn what they do to help the community.

There will be hot dogs, chips, water and cake to eat, as well as raffle prizes of Home Depot gift cards in the amounts of $150, $100 and $75 and a grand prize of a 50-inch flat screen TV, with the raffle ticket sales money going to help and support local veterans.

Youth lead the way

Sequim VFW Post 4760 recognized Ozzy Minard (Eagle Scout and Sea Scout Quartermaster) and Solas McGruther (Eagle Scout) in the annual VFW Scout of the Year contest.

Ozzy also won the District 14 competition and went on to the state competition where he won the Washington State VFW Scout of the Year award.

Congratulations to two outstanding young men. The annual competition is open to boys and girls scouting organizations. For more information about this contest, email to secretary@vfwpost4760.com.

Marine Corps League’s convention set

The Marine Corps League Department of Washington held their annual convention on June 10. Eric Minor of the Mt. Olympus Detachment was named Marine of the Year and Lorri Gilchrist of the Detachment was named Associate of the Year at the evening banquet.

Eric has been a driving force in Toys For Tots, keeping the MCL “float” working and getting it to parades. He is the Judge Advocate for the coming year. Lorri (yes, that is me!) focuses on housing homeless veterans and getting sports balls for active duty troops’ kids for Christmas.

Both were awarded certificates, plaques and medallions. For more information about the detachment, email the commandant at markisin2day@gmail.com.

MOAA gets kudos

The Olympic Peninsula Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) was honored by the presence of the Dungeness Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) at their June luncheon.

Cadets provided the flag honors and a thorough presentation on the status of the Squadron. They were crisp, professional, had an interesting story to tell, and mixed very well at lunch with the members.

MOAA’s next general membership meeting and luncheon will be at 1p.m. on Wednesday, July 19, at Las Palomas Mexican Restaurant, 1085 E. Washington St., where the program will include a Navy Gold Star Program and remarks by a MOAA (National) representative.

If interested in attending, please RSVP by Saturday, July 15, to Judy Havel at 540-287-4254.

Stand Down set in PT

Voices For Veterans will hold a Stand Down from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Monday, July 31, at the Elks Lodge, 555 Otto St., Port Townsend. All veterans and immediate family members are welcome.

There is free transportation from Jefferson Transit. There will be hot breakfast and lunch. The VA, legal assistance, employment assistance, health, dental and mental health screenings, clothing, bedding, hygiene kits and outdoor equipment for veterans without homes will all be available.

If you have questions, call Rita at 360-301-9732.

Honor Flight event set

Save the date: Puget Sound Honor flight coordinators Levi and Tom Cox will be at the Veterans Center, 216 S Francis Street, Port Angeles, at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 30, for the Honor Flight public presentation. Veterans and families are welcome.

An Honor Flight is composed of U.S. military veterans and their guardians taking a free trip to Washington, D.C., to visit and reflect at the memorials built in their honor.

Right now the focus is World War II, Korea and Vietnam veterans. Guardians go with the veterans to ensure every veteran has a safe, memorable and rewarding experience.

Check out pugetsoundhonorflight.org for more information, then come to the presentation and meet the people who make it happen.

Contributors: American Legion, Paul Renick, grennanalpost62@gmail.com; DAR, MOAA and Voices For Veterans, Lorri Gilchrist, cdrlgilchrist@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.

County honors Korean War veterans

Clallam County commissioners presented a proclamation to the Korean War Veterans Association at the commissioners’ June 27 meeting in Port Angeles.

The proclamation, recognizing Korean War Remembrance Day, recognizes the loss of lives of U.S. Armed Forces personnel during the action (33,628) — including 2,000 personnel losing their lives during the conflict period after the truce was signed in July of 1953.

Out of the more than six million Americans who served in the Korean War, 122,000 were from Washington state. Out of those, 528 Washingtonians and six Clallam County residents were killed in action between 1950-1953.

In 2006, the Clallam County Chapter created plaque which included the names of the six Clallam veterans; the plaque is displayed at the Veterans Memorial Center.

They are: Robert Guy Price, U.S. Marines, killed Nov. 30, 1950; Jack D. Sanders, U.S. Army, killed Sept. 16, 1950; Melvin E. Constable, U.S. Army, killed Feb. 15, 1951; Virgil L. Fisher, U.S. Army, killed April 5, 1951; Herman H. Hodge, U.S. Army, killed Sept. 29, 1950; and, George A. Svicarovich, U.S. Marines, killed Dec. 6, 1950.

“Now, therefore be it proclaimed the Board of Clallam County Commissioners hereby declare June 27, 2023 as Korean War Remembrance Day and urge all citizens to join me in remembering the thousands of American service personnel who made the ultimate sacrifice during and after the Korean War,” the proclamation reads.