The plan had consisted of a fundraiser to raise money for an operation at the Mayo Clinic on behalf of veteran Greg Crane, but things changed.

When VFW Post 280 members in Columbia, Missouri, heard that their fellow member had died on the operating table, they contacted his family to ask if they wanted to continue with the fundraiser.

Through advertising and ticket sales, Post 280 members turned the fundraiser into a celebration of life concert in January that helped raise more than $1,800 for the veteran’s family to use for funeral arrangements.

“Brandon and Megan from [music group] the Baldknobbers out of Branson, Missouri, drove three hours one way just to donate their time and talent to provide us with the entertainment,” Post 280 Quartermaster Larry Lammers said. “They’re great people.”

The concert consisted of several songs by the Baldknobbers, while 10 volunteers from the Post assisted in ticket sales at the door, as well as concessions. Upon the final performance, Lammers and Post Commander Ed Miller took the stage to present the veteran’s surviving family with the honorary donation.

“Helping others in time of need is very gratifying, and I am very thankful to have that opportunity throughout the year,” Lammers said. “It is, to me, a hidden benefit of being a member of the VFW.”

Over the last five years, VFW Post 3769 members in Pikeville, Kentucky, have weekly basked in the energetic and affable company of canines.

Dubbed “Veteran Dog Days at the Pound,” most veterans from Post 3769 took up the weekly tradition after Quartermaster Darian Hylton realized the power of canines in holistically helping veterans struggling with PTSD.

“This has directly helped seven [of our] veterans,” said Hylton, who based his decision on the book, “War Dogs: Tales of Canine Heroism, History and Love,” by Rebecca Frankel, which details how the military utilized canines, specifically during the Iraq War. “For veterans, it causes them to take care of something. It gives them a purpose again.”

While venturing into the pages of Frankel’s book in 2017, Hylton and his daughter also began visiting the local Pike County Animal Shelter weekly, where they petted and walked dogs. The more he read about therapeutic canines helping service members with PTSD, coupled with his personal experience, the more Hylton desired to invite others in sharing the experience.

Every Wednesday since, Hylton has welcomed a growing group of fellow veterans and community members into the animal shelter at roughly 10 a.m. for “Veteran Dog Days at the Pound.” The weekly event allows veterans, in particular, to connect with the canines, as well as find purpose in helping socialize them before adoption.

“Dogs have the mentality of about a 3-year-old,” Hylton said. “So with the therapeutic dogs, they [veterans] get up in the morning, feed, water and exercise them. During all of that, it’s the socialization. It’s very common for veterans with PTSD to get into plant care, and once they get comfortable with that, then they will get into other things like working with people or working with animals.”

Though the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 slowed the process of welcoming more and more volunteers to bask in the benefits of connecting with canines, Hylton is hopeful that numbers will grow steadily in years to come. He added, however, that part of the hesitance in potential volunteers falls on the perception that they must adopt upon visiting.

“A lot of people consider this too hard because they think that every dog wants to go home with them,” Hylton said. “That’s not true. Now, the big thing that the dogs like to do is to get out and be dogs – sniff the grass, sniff the trees and mark their territory. They are just happy with a visitation.”

Among the horde of Post 3769 members joining Hylton at the animal shelter each week, Vietnam War veteran Billy Ousley remains a most frequent devotee to visitation hours.

“Once I came up here with Darian, I just kind of got hooked on it,” Ousley said. “It’s fun to get them out, play and kind of socialize them a little bit. I just love dogs.”

Hylton, Ousley and other members of Post 3769 welcome any and all volunteers to the Pike County Animal Shelter for what could help propel the process towards healing in the company of loving canines. For more information, visit “VFW Post 3769 Pikeville Ky” on Facebook.

Debra Lewis vividly recalls the extra dessert placed at her table in the cavernous mess hall during her first week at West Point in 1976.

She was among the first group of women allowed to enter the military academy that year but quickly realized that not all were so welcoming.

In that medieval-like dining hall, hazing was all too common, said Lewis, commander of VFW’s Department of Hawaii. It wasn’t just the women getting hazed, of course. Male cadets were often hazed merely for talking to the female cadets. Yet there was something about that extra dessert that struck a chord in Lewis.

It turned out that Jorge Chavez, a Chilean waiter, had noticed Lewis getting especially picked on in the mess hall and was making sure she had an extra bit of sweetness at mealtime.

“It made such a difference in my life,” Lewis said. “It just takes one act of kindness to make a difference in life. At the end of my time at West Point, I presented Jorge with an engraved saber.”

Lewis, whose father also attended West Point before embarking on a prestigious Army career as a lieutenant general, had not planned to follow in her dad’s footsteps. Instead, she had her eyes on the University of Virginia, followed by medical school, where she would study to be a doctor.

However, through friends of friends, Lewis was encouraged to apply to West Point so that she could be on the equestrian team since she was an avid horseback rider. She went on to become the
riding team captain during her time at West Point.

Lewis laughed recalling how she felt she was fully prepared for West Point. That is, until the running began on day two. For Lewis, who admittedly is not a runner, it was brutal.

“It was a 2-mile run in formation but I had only prepared for 1.5 miles,” Lewis said. “I was getting very nervous. In front of me there was another woman who ran like a gazelle – she was smiling
and not breaking a sweat. The run was beyond my abilities, but what I did next changed my life. I just learned to focus on each stride.”

That lesson has been the driving force throughout Lewis’s life. It’s also a lesson she shares with others to this day as a stress management coach.

‘I LOVED WHAT I DID’
Following her time at West Point – Lewis was one of 62 women in her graduating class – she embarked on a career in the Army, which included a deployment in 2006-2007 to Iraq with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where she commanded the Central District in the Gulf Region Division.

In Iraq, Lewis led engineers in building everything from firehouses and treatment plants to schools in Baghdad and Al Anbar Provinces. She said it was “meaningful” engineering work in how it helped the people of Iraq.

“I could have never succeeded in combat if I hadn’t had all those experiences leading up to it,” she said. “I learned so much from those experiences. I may not have liked all the people I worked with, but I loved what I did. I was an engineer.”

Lewis said for her, life is about always looking ahead and looking for ways to make things better. She said that after getting knocked down, yelled at, spit at and harassed, she figured out the key is to simply get back up.

“Bad stuff happens to everyone,” she said. “Focus on what gets you through.”

After retiring from the Army in 2010 as a colonel, Lewis embarked on a career as a stress expert helping others manage life stressors. Her website, www.mentallytoughwomen.com, offers two free
online courses on stress management in addition to other resources.

Lewis made two of the courses free after COVID-19 plowed through the world in 2020. To date, the courses have helped more than 4,000 people in 119 countries.

In 2021, Lewis released a book “Why is Pono not Pono Today?” She never intended it to be for children necessarily, but it has been widely received by educators.

Set in Hawaii, Pono the bull and his friend Kuleana help adults and children alike bring out their best when stressed. A fifth-grade teacher reached out to Lewis after she shared the book with her students. She told Lewis that an autistic boy in her classroom asked if he could look at the book again after hearing it. He told his teacher he wanted to learn how to manage his emotions.

“I knew that even if I just changed one life with this book, that it was worth it,” Lewis said. “I did that.”

An online companion course to the book – “Take Your Kids from Stressed to Success” – also is available on Lewis’s website.

Lewis said she believes that a lack of stress skills holds most people back from achieving full potential. It’s particularly true, she said, in the veteran community.

“Veterans are constantly labeled with PTSD as though it’s a life sentence,” she said. “They just need ways to overcome it. We have to make people stronger. Veterans are our greatest source of strength.”

‘UNITED IN ALOHA’
In 2011, Lewis and her husband, retired Army Lt. Col. Douglass Adams, to whom she’s been married 22 years, embarked on a U.S. continental journey called “Duty, Honor, America Tour.”

Adams, also a West Point graduate, cycled his way across the country with Lewis following in an RV. The 18,000-mile trip, which crisscrossed every state, gave Lewis and Adams the chance to thank veterans and active-duty personnel as well as their families for their service.

The duo understands the sacrifices military families make in supporting their uniformed loved ones. Between the two of them, Lewis and Adams have three children – Emily Cardarelli, Douglass Adams and Theresa Adams – and one grandson, Mac Adams.

The last 222 miles of the trip was in Hawaii, where the couple decided to put down roots in Hilo on the Big Island. It was on that last leg of the journey that Lewis became acquainted with VFW Post 3830 in Pahoa, about 45 minutes from her home. In 2016, she became Post commander, a position she held for three years.

Lewis was encouraged by Department of Hawaii Quartermaster Norbert Enos to run for the position of Department junior vice commander.

After her election as Department commander last year, Lewis announced her theme, “United in Aloha.” Her logo is a shield – protection from harm.

“I chose this theme because we overcome our greatest challenges by working closely together and supporting each other with aloha,” she said. “Every organization faces leadership challenges,
and we must be up for the challenge. It’s up to me to help people armor up.”

Lewis said she and Adams find Hilo to be the “perfect community” in which to live because of the caring nature of the people there.

One example of that caring spirit is the partnership between VFW Post 3830 and the Yukio Okutso State Veterans Home in Hilo. The Post Auxiliary made fidget blankets – blankets adorned with
buttons, zippers and Velcro to keep hands busy – for the residents.

Lewis plans to finish her year as Department commander doing what she does best – helping people be the best version of themselves.

“Veterans have some of the biggest gifts to offer the community,” she said. “Together, we can lift people to be more empowered to do what they want to do in life.”

This article is featured in the 2022 March issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Janie Dyhouse, senior editor for VFW magazine.

Members of VFW Post 10380 in Green Township, Ohio, were at their recruiting best at the 161st Harvest Home Fair in September. Held in Cheviot, Ohio, a suburb near Cincinnati, the fair kicked off with a parade through the city’s downtown.

Life member Bill Ostermeyer pulled his Iwo Jima-themed float while the Post’s 2½-ton truck was packed with Post members in the parade.

Following the opening festivities, veterans filed into the fair for free. Once inside, folks flocked to the myriad booths, including one sponsored by Post 10380. Set up by VFW Post Jr. Vice Commander Ed Murphy and Joe Augustine, both Vietnam vets, the booth featured informational literature, copies of the Post newsletter and VFW Service Officer Roger Giblin on hand to answer questions.

“We had 16 Post volunteers man the booth,” Murphy said. “Bill ran a shuttle service from his house so that our members would have a place to park. He also provided pizza and drinks for our volunteers.”

Augustine said the fair drew about 300 to 400 veterans, and more than 100 of those came to the VFW booth. He said several had questions about VA compensation while others wanted more information on service projects the Post performs for the community. Post volunteers also distributed membership applications.

Post Chaplain Bob Abrams said that Murphy had requested informational pieces from the VFW Membership Department at National Headquarters to give out during the fair.

“Ed had some really good literature which talked about the different campaigns,” Abrams said. “Roger provided information about the VA’s list of presumptive afflictions related to recent medical findings and the proper way to file a claim.”

Post Commander Mike Donnelly called the event “a success.” At press time, his staff was processing paperwork for possible new members.

“It will take time to know the exact number of new members joining our Post,” Murphy said. “But people attending ‘The Biggest Little Fair in Ohio’ definitely got to know about the VFW and Post 10380.”

‘WE HAVE BEEN PRETTY FORTUNATE’
Founded in 1988, VFW Post 10380 does not have a bar or restaurant, which keeps overhead low, Murphy said.

“Our fundraising efforts not only support the necessary expenses of our Post, but allow us to give back a majority of our funds to veterans and their families,” he added.

Post members are especially proud of their color guard, which is trained by the U.S. Army Color Guard. Murphy said the Post performs more than 80 military funerals each year, in addition to serving as the official color guard at numerous other events.

“Our Post is very active in the community,” Murphy said. “We have a good reputation, and people call on us all the time.”

Abrams noted that with 140 members, about half are active. He added that the past few years, the Post has seen an increase in membership growth. He attributes that to the Post’s positive influence in the community.

“Between our talks in the school and our scholarship program to our Post color guard, our community relationships are strong,” Abrams said. “We have been pretty fortunate.”

This article is featured in the February 2022 issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Janie Dyhouse, senior editor for VFW magazine.

Each workday, Joe Riener, 55, commutes 54 miles roundtrip from his home in Cottonwood, Idaho, with his wife Angie, to the North Central Idaho Office of Veterans Advocacy in nearby Lewiston.

“The drive isn’t bad,” he said. “It gives my mind the time to spin up for the day and wind down at the end of it.”

As a VFW-accredited service officer with the state of Idaho, Riener’s days can be demanding, but for him, it is worth it.

“I describe my work as the most miserable job I’ve ever loved!” he said. “I get to help so many diverse and wonderful people, but I’m never done and never caught up.”

Although his responsibilities vary, the goal remains the same – to ensure veterans receive the support they earned through their service. For some, it can be as simple as providing the VA crisis line phone number.

Riener recalled, “After handing it out to one veteran, he called back weeks later to thank me for saving his life. I was truly humbled.”

More often, Riener helps veterans enroll in VA health care or file claims to receive compensation for service-connected conditions. If a claim has been denied, Riener will help prepare and file an appeal.

For some veterans without service-connected conditions – those who served in a war, are over the age of 65, are considered low income or have high medical expenses – Riener helps them file for a non-service-connected pension.

He also conducts outreach services in eight surrounding counties to assist remote veterans and visits other veteran service organizations to inform them on benefits, news and issues. Regardless of the task, Riener is determined to help veterans work through complex processes.

“The bottom line is, veterans’ benefits are included throughout 38 Code of Federal Regulations, which amounts to several thousand pages of law,” he explained. “The state of Idaho, as well as the VFW, does not want veterans navigating that mess on their own.”

Having gone through the claims process himself, Riener understands the value of a knowledgeable advocate. After a 20-year career in the Air Force, during which Riener earned four National Defense Service ribbons, he looked to the VFW for assistance.

“When I retired, a very dedicated VFW Service Officer took the time to go through all 400+ pages of my military medical service treatment record and helped file my VA compensation claim,” said Riener.

The experience had a lasting impact.

“I was very impressed by my VFW Service Officer’s dedication and never forgot what he did to help me. I got to know the local VSO and told him to let me know if he ever retired. When he did, he forwarded me the job posting, and I applied.” said Riener.

Since being hired in 2016, Riener has taken every chance he gets to provide veterans the same level of support he received years ago.

“As a VFW Service Officer, there are so many opportunities to change the lives of veterans and their families,” he said. “Being a crew member on Air Force jets and flying the air refueling boom was a major accomplishment, but it pales in comparison to seeing a smile or a grateful tear from a veteran who didn’t believe anyone cared or could help.”

For veterans seeking assistance, Riener has two pieces of advice: do your best to obtain and organize all medical and travel paperwork, and trust that your VFW Service Officer has your best interest at heart.

“I encourage veterans to ask for everything, but also, to listen to the answers from your VFW Service Officer – we’re on your side,” he insists. “The key element to a favorable claim is a cooperative and patient veteran, especially one with good documentation!”

Although each day presents new challenges and the job is far from easy, Riener cherishes it.

“Helping veterans is a huge responsibility,” he said. “But when it goes well, there’s no better feeling in the world, and the appreciation of veterans and their families is a reward beyond description. It’s pretty amazing work.”

Learn more about the VFW’s National Veterans Service (NVS) program.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is proud to announce the inaugural VFW Day of Service – a dedicated day of service led by VFW members throughout the country and the world.

The VFW Day of Service is an outgrowth of the organization’s #StillServing campaign launched in 2020 to recognize the ongoing dedication of veterans and service members who continue to serve their communities. VFW Day of Service, led by veterans and in concert with other organizations and civic groups, is open for anyone to participate. The inaugural VFW Day of Service kicks off the first Saturday in May (May 7), marking the start of veteran-led community service projects to take place throughout the month.

“The positive feedback from VFW members and the communities we serve tells us the stage is set to expand our #StillServing initiative,” said Fritz Mihelcic, VFW national commander. “We have already seen how the campaign amplifies the volunteer efforts and camaraderie of America’s veterans. The time is now to take its visibility to the next level.”

Veterans are more likely than civilians to volunteer in their communities, according to a recent civic health survey1 of veterans. The same study showed veterans donate to charities, register to vote, and are involved in their communities and local government at a greater rate than their civilian counterparts.

“We are calling on all VFW Posts and members across America and around the world to join in the VFW Day of Service by planning an activity for May 7, or at another point during the month, to show that we never stop serving” said Mihelcic.

The VFW urges its members and all veterans to visit VFWDayofService.org to register their event on the interactive Day of Service map and receive a special participation decal, or find a local event to join and see what other veterans around the country are doing to make a difference.

For three consecutive years, VFW Post 7096 in Brooklyn, New York, has achieved 100% membership. Focused on supporting veterans as well as uplifting area youth, its dedicated members demonstrate the good work that is possible when many band together.

In addition to providing vital assistance to its members – like suicide prevention and information about upcoming food drives and job fairs – the Post also participates in various VFW programs throughout the year. By taking part in activities like “Buddy”^® Poppy distribution and fundraising for VFW’s Veterans & Military Support Programs, VFW Post 7096 provides a emotional and financial support to veterans.

To ensure lessons of service and patriotism reach new generations, the Post is heavily involved in the Patriot’s Pen and Voice of Democracy essay competitions. Each year, it encourages area students to participate in the contests to examine and share their views on American history, democracy and modern society Kids who take part have the chance to win a cash prize or scholarship. And they receive support and motivation to achieve their goals from Post members.

As recognition of these efforts and more, VFW Post 7096 was presented with All-American Post status in July 2021. Post Commander Brian Rodriguez attributes this achievement to its members.

“We are honored to have this recognition from our national leadership,” said Rodriguez. “Despite the pandemic, we were able to reach this level thanks to our members.”

One of only six Posts in the state of New York to achieve this status, Michael Hoag, VFW Department of New York State Commander, agrees with Rodriguez – it was a group effort.

“To me, this is an example of a combination of great leadership and members who are willing to ‘chip in’ to do the meaningful work of the VFW,” said Hoag.

With a commitment from all members to protect and support fellow veterans as well as champion and guide new generations, VFW Post 7096 sets the example for an entire community. The VFW is proud to honor the work of its members who are #StillServing.

There’s a calm surrender within Donna Zephrine every time she finds herself pedaling her kayak along the tides that flow across Long Island Sound.

The Army veteran and Bay Shore, New York, native spent several years fighting off her PTSD and a growing sense of isolation brought on as a side effect of the overwhelming transition from active-duty to civilian life.

Zephrine, who deployed to Iraq in 2003 and 2004 with the 416th Transportation Co., 260th Quartermaster Bn., 3rd Inf. Div., resolved to fill her silence by delving into veteran-based organizations that could provide her with the camaraderie she once experienced in the military.

“Having a veteran’s organization as an outlet to meet fellow veterans and provide you with resources can honestly help save lives,” said Zephrine, a Life member of VFW Post 2913 in Patchogue, New York. “The problem sometimes is in spreading the word. Not a lot of veterans suffering from PTSD or other combat injuries have that support system in place.”

With many veteran acquaintances suffering from PTSD and a few succumbing to suicide, Zephrine took it upon herself to not only listen to the whispers, but to amplify the awareness for veteran suicides and mental health to a crescendo.

She earned a graduate degree from the Columbia University School of Social Work in New York City in 2012. She parlayed that into a career as a mental health therapy aid at Pilgrim State Psychiatric Center in Brentwood, New York.

It was around this time that she met a fellow veteran, Ryan Weemer, through Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), a nonprofit based in New York City.

Weemer, who served IAVA as an education case manager to help veterans with their GI Bill benefits, introduced Zephrine to an opportunity that would change her life.

‘IT WAS FOR A GREAT CAUSE’
The event had no name at the time, but Zephrine was among the first wave of veterans to join co-creators and veteran trio Frank Lombardi, Chris Levi and Alex Rohman. The 22 veterans, a symbolic number close to the 20 veterans lost to suicide daily, according to the VA, were to spread suicide awareness across the cool, September currents of the Long Island Sound, a tidal estuary that sits between Connecticut and New York.

Without much kayaking experience, Zephrine inhaled the salt-infused euphoria alongside her brothers and sisters for what has since become an annual phenomenon dubbed the 22 PTSD Awareness Challenge (22PAC).

“I didn’t know what to expect at first, but I fell in love with it,” Zephrine said. “It was therapeutic for my PTSD and such a calm environment being out there on the water. Not to mention that it was for a great cause, the kind that can save a veteran’s life.”

Each year since 2016, Zephrine has joined Lombardi, Levi and Rohman in peddling across the 22-mile trek. They annually depart from Bridgeport, Connecticut, around 10 a.m., kayaking across the Long Island Sound waters with the intention of arriving in Port Jefferson, New York, by 5 p.m.

Rohman, an executive financial advisor for the Port Jefferson-based Time Capital Securities, had his business join three others in backing the first kayaking event. They accommodated several nonprofit, veteran-based organizations with booths to help advise veterans in need of help or simply someone to talk to.

“I found that the best way to help veterans is to get them help from other veterans,” Rohman said. “A lot of organizations compete for veterans, in a way, so we wanted to open this up to as many nonprofits as we could for a veteran to walk in and see a multitude of services that can help.”

With Levi and Lombardi, CEO of New York-based Independent Group Home Living Program (IGHL), a nonprofit supporting people with intellectual disabilities, the 22 PTSD Awareness Challenge has grown exponentially.

Through word-of-mouth, social media and networking, the “22PAC” has established a horde of organizations and nonprofits that annually cram into the Port Jefferson Village Center to help veterans.
The legwork in promoting the event falls on the 22PAC committee members and organizers each year. Zephrine joined the planning committee in 2017 to help veterans find some semblance of that camaraderie and peace that has helped her maneuver civilian life.

“I try to share the event with veterans, as well as organizations and politicians each year,” Zephrine said. “My VFW Post is always there with a booth ready to serve veterans. It’s neat to see so many veterans helping one another.”

Since the inaugural trek across the Long Island Sound to help raise suicide awareness and connect veterans to nonprofits, 22PAC also has raised more than $100,000. That amount includes $60,000 22PAC raised in the first year alone, according to Lombardi. Each year, the funds go toward the Victims Information Bureau of Connecticut’s Suffolk County, a subsidiary of IGHL that provides therapy services for veterans, among its other services for those experiencing family violence and rape.

Although the annual event has proven profitable, Lombardi added that the main focus is to serve as an outreach to get veterans in touch with the services that can help them.

Following the 22-mile kayaking expedition each year, Zephrine and all kayakers participating in the event celebrate their completion with an assortment of music, food trucks and on-site veteran services at the Village Center in Port Jefferson.

For Zephrine, watching the event blossom over the years has been a blessing. She hopes to continue to do her part in reaching veterans that may be weathering an internal storm of doubt and combat-ridden complications by spreading the word on behalf of 22PAC.

“I want to keep doing this for all my brothers and sisters who are still struggling, as well as those suffering from PTSD like myself,” Zephrine added. “And for those who are no longer with us, I do this in remembrance of them.”

This article is featured in the 2022 February issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Ismael Rodriguez Jr., senior writer for VFW magazine.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is proud to announce that for the fourth year in a row, it is teaming up with Humana to kick off its annual “Uniting to Combat Hunger” (UTCH) campaign, focusing its 2022 efforts on furthering awareness and providing meals to those facing hunger and food insecurity.

Established in 2018, the UTCH campaign was created to raise awareness of food insecurity, which can affect 1 in 4 Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans, and 1 in 8 people in America. To date, the UTCH campaign has provided more than 2.5 million meals to service members, veterans, military families and communities in need.

With a goal of providing 500,000 meals, this year’s campaign will culminate at the 123rd VFW National Convention being held in Kansas City on July 16-21, 2022.

“When the men and women of our armed forces put on their uniform, the last thing on their mind should be where the next meal for themselves or their family is coming from,” said VFW National Commander Fritz Mihelcic. “Together we know we can ensure America’s military and veteran communities have access to the sustenance and fulfillment every person deserves.”

“Education and awareness are an important part of the battle against food insecurity for our military affiliated community,” said Andrew Renda, M.D., MPH, Vice President, Bold Goal and Population Health Strategy for Humana. “We are committed to helping our communities better recognize and respond to veteran food insecurity while also connecting our veterans to the food they need to achieve their best health.”

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 60 million people turned to food banks and community programs for help and putting food on the table in 2020 according to Feeding America. The support raised now through July will help provide vital support for thousands of service members, veterans and their families.

To help provide meals to families facing hunger, donate today at vfw.org/UTCHDonate. Learn more about the “Uniting to Combat Hunger” campaign and how you can directly help in the fight against food insecurity by visiting vfw.org/UTCH.

On June 22, 2015, a tornado struck Portland, Michigan, wreaking havoc throughout the area. When residents of Mayfield, Kentucky, experienced similar destruction after a tornado tore through their town in December 2021, the Portland community was ready to help.

“Knowing firsthand the devastation and emotional strain brought on by such an event, the citizens of Portland generously stepped forward in support of our fundraising event,” said David Reed.

Reed is the Commander of VFW Post 4090 in Portland. He worked with District 9 Senior Commander William Almy and Senior Vice Commander Andy Huhn to organize a burger fry to raise funds for victims of the tornado.

After the event was featured on the evening news, people from around mid-Michigan turned out to show their support. Between 200 burger orders filled and other contributions received, VFW Post 4090 was able to donate $3,000 to the veterans and community of Mayfield.

Reed appreciates everyone who helped make the event a success.

“I’d like to extend a special thank you to all the volunteers who helped organize and pull off this event on such short notice,” he said. “Their commitment to veterans and our fellow Americans – at a time when it was needed most-has not gone unnoticed.”