POST &

AUXILIARY

MEETINGS

3RD Thursday,

both 7 p.m.

Benson VFW Post 2503 AUGUST 2017

www.VFWPost2503.org

POST 2503 OFFICERS 2017-2018

Commander: Ricky Johnson Sr. Vice Commander: Duke Humphrey

Jr. Vice Commander: Ross Winn Quartermaster: Ryan Sudbeck

Chaplain: Dennis Kerr Surgeon: Terrence White

Judge Advocate: Tom Penke Officer of the Day: Bill Fead

Adjutant: Tom Penke Guard: Ron Karn

AUXILIARY OFFICERS 2017-2018 President: Lynn Krause

Sr. Vice President: Pat Dembowski

Jr. Vice President: Judy Erb

Treasurer: Sue Stark

Secretary: Pat Dembowski

Chaplain: Nora Van Cleave

Conductress: Jan Brown

Guard: Jan Davis

Patriotic Instructor: Geri Brown

From the Commander

Greetings!

July has been a busy month and a hot weather one as

well. Kudos to the Honor Guard and the Color

Guard for performing their duties despite the

extreme temperatures. Speaking of hot days, come

out to the Sarpy County Fair Parade at 10 A.M. on

Saturday, August 5, in Springfield and cheer on the

Post 2503 Color Guard.

The Hamburger Nights on Wednesdays are still do-

ing well, and the Post is especially pleased when the

veterans from the Eastern Nebraska Veterans’ Home

join us. Last month, about 15 veterans from the

Veterans’ Home made the trek north for Hamburger

Night. In related news, Post 2503 has received the

Award of Excellence for “Outstanding Work” from

the Eastern Nebraska Veterans’ Home.

Not only has Linda Humphrey been doing wonder-

ful kitchen work for Hamburger Night, but also

Kathy and Dan Raabe have made the Post’s Taco

Thursday a big success as well. Congratulations to

all our kitchen volunteers. However, the Post is still

in need of more volunteers for Hamburger Night. If

you can work one night per month or every other

month please make an effort to join a kitchen crew

to keep Hamburger Night going.

Don’t forget to say HELLO to the Post’s new

kitchen manager Leslie Mason.

Finally, the Post has a new Membership Chairman:

Duke Humphrey; and a new Poppy Chairman: Ross

Winn; and a new Memorial Brick Chairman: Mike

Rosso. Congratulations to all of them for the vital

work they do for the Post.

Ricky L. Johnson

Commander

Honor Guard

Meeting

2nd Thursday

every month

7:00 pm

URGENT Because of normal

attrition, more volunteers

are needed for the kitchen

crews to assist in the kitchen

and the dining room for a

few hours each month. To volunteer please contact

Tom Penke at

402-330-6860

From the Auxiliary President

Hello Everyone,

The New Year has started and there are

changes being made. Let me start off with

the lowering in membership dues, this

pertains to VFW Auxiliary members.

For Life members, the $7.00 that you paid

every year, is no longer mandatory. A per-

centage of that money was sent to National

for Cancer Grants, which are no longer

necessary. Now if you still want to pay the

$7.00, we will send it to National as a

donation to the Cancer Grant fund.

For Annual members ( those members

who pay their dues yearly) the same

applies: a percentage of your dues went to

National again for the Cancer Grants.

Even though we no longer need to send the

money, Cancer Grants are still available to

members if the need should arise.

So what does this mean to you as Auxilia-

ry members? It means we can lower dues

for Annual and New members only. For

annual members (those who pay yearly)

the dues are now $19.00. For new mem-

bers just joining the Auxiliary, the fee is

$24.00. Hopefully, with the lower fees, not

only will we get some new members, but

also those who need to renew their

membership will do so. As for Annual

members your dues are due now.

As some of you know, we recently lost a

devoted member: Connie Liebsack passed

away. She was one of our Auxiliary Presi-

dents and Department President 98-99.

The family requested any memorials be

directed to our Auxiliary. John her

husband asked if the money could be used

for a Department Scholarship in Connie’s

—CONTINUED ON PAGE 2—

THE 33rd ANNUAL

NEBRASKA

VIETNAM VETERANS

REUNION August 10th to the 13th at the

Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln,

NE. For information call

402-435-0454

ANNOUNCEMENT

Please place any paper

suggestions for the Newsletter

in the Post Newsletter Box on

the south wall on the bar-top

or in the Suggestion Box by

the front door. For those with email access,

please email suggestions to the

Newsletter Editor at

editorvfwpost2503@gmail.com

LADIES OF THE AFTERNOON The Post 2503 Sewing Ladies always welcome new members to

create items to be distributed to the Eastern Nebraska Veterans

Home, the VA Hospital, Lutheran Family Service, and other nursing

homes and hospitals.

Assistance is welcomed for various sewing projects: Lap

Robes, Bibs, Fleece Cancer Hats, and Neck pillows.

Donations of cotton cloth materials are appreciated as

well as financial assistance to support the purchase of

needed sewing materials.

Please contact Nora Van Cleve at 402-571-5213 to join

in on the fun. It really is!

IN HONOR OF PURPLE HEART DAY AUGUST 7, 2017

The Ways of Men

The sky is dark, the stars shine bright,

A mortar round breaks the silence of night.

Again and again the rumble comes,

Enemy damage is now being done.

Young men look with fear in eyes,

Hoping the shrapnel didn’t take many lives.

They say “God Damn” to cover fear,

But deep down thinking, God please be near.

The second phase has now begun,

When men face men and guns meet guns.

Blood is spilled and lives are lost,

The enemy continues at any cost.

The blood is dry, the bodies cold,

Now the awful job comes,

Loved ones must be told.

The job is done and families cry,

Why, God, why, must young men die?

By Jon Jensen

August 21, 1969

Jon Jensen was a USMC corpsman in Vietnam 1967-69.

THE SAND-FLEAS NEW SEASON: AUG 14

VFW Post 2503 sponsors a Sand-Lot Volleyball

Team that plays games on Monday evenings (when

the Post is closed) at 6:30 and 7:30 at Tanner’s on

North 90th Street. Come out and watch our

Quartermaster and Bartender—Ryan and Candy—

and cheer them on to victory.

See the flyer in the Canteen for more information.

DID YOU CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS or EMAIL?

If so, please send the new information to

VFW Post 2503 by letter or email to

editorvfwpost2503@gmail.com

titled Attn: Post Membership

or Attn: Auxiliary Membership

Please provide full name and new address and email

TACO THURSDAY

IS BACK!

NEW RECIPE

STILL ONLY $2.50

PER TACO

August 10

5:30 PM

From the Auxiliary President—CONTINUED

name. At our July meeting, the membership unanimously

voted for this request. If anyone would wish to make a

donation towards this project, you may send the money to

the Post to the attention of Treasurer Sue Stark or Lynn

Krause President and earmark it for the scholarship.

A Big Thank You to Linda Humphrey, Nora Van

Cleave, Mardell Ludwig, and Ron Kerm who helped clean

out the pantry and Auxiliary room; your help was greatly

appreciated.

As Auxiliary President, behavior unbecoming of an Auxil-

iary member at meetings will not be tolerated. My goal is

to have a pleasant, cordial, and informative meeting. Our

Department President’s theme is STAY ON COURSE

FOR OUR VETERANS, and that is what we are about.

Loyally Submitted

Lynn Krause

Auxiliary President

Leo Harrington is the

Volunteer of the Month

Recently elected to the House Committee, Leo has been working very hard in reviewing Post contracts, and making long-needed repairs to the building both inside and out. One of his major accomplishments was terminating our janitorial service and hiring our current janitor, a savings of $900.00 per month. A life member of the VFW and a Vietnam Amy veteran, Leo is also a member of the Honor Guard. Please say hi to Leo when you see him working in and around the building.

THOMAS H. PENKE

Attorney at Law

Practice Limited to Estate

Planning and Probate

12020 Shamrock Plaza

Suite 200

Omaha, NE 68154

402-330-6860

PENKELAW@GMAIL.COM

Thank you to all the dedicated honor

guard members for their participation.

We are still looking for more

members for the honor guard.

All post members should be signed up

with the VA. This is a benefit we

have all earned.

If you need information on how to

sign up, ask one of the honor guard

members. We will help you.

Thank You for your service.

Ricky Johnson

Honor Guard Captain

HONOR GUARD

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AUXILIARY SISTERS! As the Hospital Chairwoman for 2017-2018, I need the

following information by meeting night each month:

Volunteer Hours at the VA Hospital, Non-VA Hospitals, the

Open Door Mission, Victory House, and other places.

Dollar Amounts of donated money or donated items; e.g.,

store-bought cookies.

Please call me prior to meeting night to provide any of the

above information at 402-391-2292.

Or better yet, get in and involved—

ATTEND A MEETING!

Connie Dohse Ross

Hospital Chairwoman

Like to Play Poker?

Post 2503 hosts a group of people, men and

women, who play every Tuesday from

4:30—9:30 pm.

Please call Mary Ryder,

(402) 614-5111 (Cell ) or

(402)-332-6086 (Home)

PURPLE HEART DAY

AUGUST

7th

PLEASE FLY YOUR FLAG

AUXILIARY SISTERS!

If you have any news regarding an Auxiliary’s illness

or death, please notify the Auxiliary Chaplain

Nora Van Cleave at 402-571-5213. Thank you.

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Non-Profit Org

U.S. Postage

PAID

Permit #610

Omaha, NE

V.F.W. Post 2503

8904 Military Road

Omaha, NE 68134

NOTICE:

All articles should be in the Newsletter Box, IN WRITING, at the Post no later than August 23rd, for the August newsletter . If articles are not submitted by the deadline, they will have to wait for the next newsletter. Thank you.

From Your Honor Guard Captain

Ricky Johnson

MILITARY RITES: June, 2017

Military Members

Deceased Cemetery # Hours

06/01/2017 Jim Christensen Westside Church 8 24

06/05/2017 *Paul Knievel Calvary 16 48

06/07/2017 David Pratt Omaha National 6 18

06/08/2017 David Wade Omaha National 6 18

06/09/2017 Alfred Skar Calvary 6 18

06/12/2017 Thomas Upton Voss Mohr 11 33

06/12/2017 Francois Nick III Omaha National 11 33

06/13/2017 Ryamond Horky Resurrection 8 24

06/15/2017 Donald Byers Omaha National 6 18

06/15/2017 Hans Rath Omaha National 6 18

06/16/2017 Lawrence Smith Forest Lawn 11 33

06/19/2017 Edward Trudell Omaha National 9 27

06/20/2017 *Robert Fenton Hillcrest 12 36

06/21/2017 Robert Chin Forest Lawn 9 27

06/22/2017 William Bennett Omaha National 9 27

06/26/2017 Jack Smothers Omaha National 9 27

06/26/2017 *Andrew Anderson Forest Lawn 9 27

06/27/2017 Clyde Christian St Benedict Moor 10 30

06/27/2017 Clifford Fisher Omaha National 11 33

06/28/2017 Wayne Victor Calvary 7 21

06/30/2017 Charles Pittman Forest Lawn 9 27

*Post Member

Month Total: 21 Funerals, 190 Member Participation, 570 Hours

CANTEEN HOURS

Monday Closed

Tuesday thru Thursday 4:00 pm—10:00 pm

Friday 4:00 pm—10:00 pm

Saturday Noon—10:00 pm

Sunday Noon—8:00 pm

PHONE: 402-571-8397

Name_____________________________________________ Phone # ________________________________________

WORDS ON BRICK

Line 1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 Line 2 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 Line 3 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1 _1

Checks Only—No Cash Return this form to the Post

The Post is selling Memorial Bricks around the

memorial walk and flag. Memorial Bricks are being sold by Post 2503 to be

put around the outside of the Memorial flag pole.

These bricks will cost $60.00 each. They will be for

VFW, Auxiliary, AMVET & Auxiliary members,

their families, and people they sponsor. They will be

memorials for living or deceased people. They will

be ordered once a year on April 1st, for installation

by Memorial Day each year. Max 16 spaces per line,

3 lines, and cost $60.00 per brick.

June 2017

All of our brave brothers and sisters who

have passed before us

SEE INSIDE FOR:

Volunteers needed in the Post Kitchen

Purple Heart Day

Five Hamburger Nights in August!

ROOM RENTALS Please keep in mind that the Post is available for your

meeting/party plans, Monday through Friday during

the day. Contact Geri Brown at 402-943-9067 to

reserve your date. Spread the word to your friends

and family. The Post looks great decorated for

weddings, birthdays, and graduation parties, too.