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.”

Members of Otway Burns Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and VFW Post 9960 joined forces to bring their community in Swansboro, North Carolina, a revamped means of disposing U.S. flags last November.

Materialized into a disposable box for U.S. flags worth $1,794, the inspiration came from DAR chapter member Caitlin Phelps-Bourner, a daughter of VFW member and retired Marine Corps Chief Warrant Officer-4 Rodney Phelps.

“I brought the idea to the attention of the chapter after asking the local VFW about the flag retirement process,” Phelps-Bourner said. “The collection method was less than ideal because the VFW had to be open for donations, and the flags were being kept in a trash bin.”

Taking it upon herself after receiving approval from her DAR chapter, Phelps-Bourner conducted research and came across American Security Cabinets in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

Phelps-Bourner inquired about drop boxes, piecing together her idea to create a hub for retired U.S. flags that could go outside of VFW Post 9960 for enhanced accessibility.

“The flag drop box is worth every penny,” Phelps-Bourner added. “It is made specifically for the outdoors, which means that it has the perfect functionality and should last for years to come.”

The unveiling ceremony of the drop box for retiring worn and tattered U.S. flags was scheduled for November, but circumstances brought on by COVID-19 forced VFW Post 9960 members to open it without ceremony.

Despite the lack of a ceremony to introduce the community of Swansboro to its new drop flag disposal box, Phelps-Bourner added that members of her Chapter spread the word across social media outlets.

Phelps-Bourner also took it upon herself to begin printing business cards with U.S. flag code information and a suggestion to use the new disposal box to dispose of unserviceable flags.

“I knew that the community needed a more easily accessible place to drop off flags,” Phelps-Bourner said. “So I hope that this disposal box outside of VFW Post 9960 can now allow more people to get their old flags retired and replaced.”

In finding a way to help the less fortunate in and around their community of Monticello, Minnesota, VFW Post 8731 members donated $1,000 to the local food bank in December.

The Monticello Food Shelf, a community pantry for residents with limited financial resources, received the $1,000 donation following a unanimous decision by Post members in November.

“One of our members, Dan Kellas, is a volunteer there, and he made the motion to donate the funds at our November membership meeting,” VFW Post 8731 Quartermaster Ronald Widell said. “The motion was seconded and passed on a [unanimous] voice vote.”

VFW Post 8731 members raised the money through their charitable gambling operation in the Post’s clubroom, which includes a bar and restaurant for the community.

“This has provided us with a reasonably steady flow of funds, which we use to support veterans, active military, their families and the communities in which they live and serve,” Widell said. “Geographically, that’s primarily Wright and Sherburne counties, as well as northwestern Hennepin County.”

The Post’s fundraising efforts have over the years paved the way for donations made annually to serve its community and surrounding areas, as well as military service members and their families.

VFW Post 8731 offers four $1,000 scholarships per month to students seeking post-secondary education, as well as providing assistance to local youth sports leagues, the local school district and the 257th MP Company, a local unit of the Minnesota National Guard.

Through the Minnesota National Guard Enlisted Association, VFW Post 8731 donated $14,000 for the 257th MP Company’s holiday banquet in December, which provided service members and their spouses with food, drinks and hotel stay.

“We have a very active Post that works hard to make our community better,” Widell added. “We have [also] allocated $20,000 for our Department ‘Commanders Project’ and Auxiliary president. This year, it’s the ‘Folds of Honor, ‘ so we will be donating $10,000 at the Department mid-winter conference and an additional $10,000 at the Department convention in June.”

Widell also praised the Post’s Honor Guard, which remains a fixture in the community by serving at most funerals, parades and national holiday celebrations.

“That’s just a representative sample of the various activities our Post supports and in which we participate,” Widell said. “If it sounds like I’m proud to be a member of the USS Dorchester VFW Post 8731, that’s because I am.”

Members of a Nebraska VFW Post last year received a $1,000 #StillServing community support grant from VFW National Headquarters. Instead of using it for the Post, the members thought it was best suited for a few local nonprofit organizations.

VFW Post 10725 in Gretna, Nebraska, located about 20 miles southwest of Omaha, donated $1,000 to three nonprofit organizations focused on honoring veterans and first responders.

The Gretna Post donated $250 to Matt’s Music Memorial, which provides musical instruments to local students who want to learn to play music. The organization, a 501©(3), was established in honor of Army Cpl. Matthew Lee Alexander, who at 21 years old was killed in action on May 6, 2007, in Baqubah, Iraq.

Alexander, a graduate of Gretna High School, served with the 5th Bn., 20th Inf. Regt., 3rd Bde., 2nd Inf. Div., Regiment based at Fort Lewis in Washington State. His widow, Kara Alexander, is the president of the organization.

“She was very happy about the donation and cried,” said David Dietze, quartermaster of VFW Post 10725. “She wanted to make sure we all took a picture with her at the check presentation.”

Dietze, who served in South Korea and the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, is a 26-year Air Force veteran. He said Post 10725 does its best to help nonprofit organizations focused on veterans and first responders.

With that mission in mind, Post 10725 donated $500 to Avenue of Flags. The organization displayed 257 flags in Gretna’s Peterson Park on last year’s Memorial Day. The flags are in honor of every veteran with ties to Gretna, according to Omaha’s KETV. The Gretna Fire Museum also received a $250 grant.

“All the organizations that received a grant are very deserving,” said Dietze, a retired master sergeant. “It was all made possible by the VFW grant.”

When COVID-19 hit, VFW Post 7824 in Vancouver, Washington, paused all programs. But not for long. Thanks to dedicated leadership and members, the Post was able to continue serving those in need during challenging times.

“Despite everything that has happened in the world in the last couple of years, Post Commander Jim McEnry had a vision for how our Post could provide vital support to the community and veterans,” said Post Service Officer and Adjutant Stewart Bauer.

Last year, Post members spent thousands of hours volunteering, including at the Vancouver VA hospital. And to help members working through legal issues, the Post partnered with the office of the Washington State Attorney General to provide pro bono legal services. During the holiday season, members donated $500 in support of Wreaths Across America.

In addition to these larger acts of service, the Post is intent on helping individuals solve personal issues. When a veteran recovering from addiction struggled to find a home for her family, Bauer connected her with an organization that could help secure a place to live.

And when an elderly, wheelchair-bound veteran could no longer enter or leave his home safely, Post members jumped into action. After one phone call from the veteran, a team was at his home building a ramp.

“I can’t say it enough; we’re here to help veterans,” said Bauer. “That’s all I’m trying to do.”

The Post was also hard at work planning new outreach initiatives for 2022. Focused on revitalizing its youth education and engagement efforts, members will work with children and adolescents of all ages – from kindergarten through high school – to provide guidance and help them understand our nation’s history and values as well as ways they can serve, too.

“This program is vital,” said Bauer. “It will teach children what it means to be an American and how our nation was founded through patriotism.”

Although the pandemic caused disruption, VFW Post 7824 responded in a variety of ways, doing what it could to support veterans. As the Post looks toward the future and connects with the community in new ways, the VFW is proud to honor the work of its members who are #StillServing.

When you read about the life of Sam Hennessee, former commander of VFW Post 10452 in Princeton, Wisconsin, he sounds like the kind of man you’d want on your side.

He was active in his church and provided frequent buddy checks on older vets. The Vietnam War vet also would read to incarcerated persons at an area prison.

For fellow Post member Alecia Gende, Hennessee was a welcoming soul when she returned from Iraq and joined the VFW.

“Sam was very impactful to me,” said Gende, a former Navy nurse. “He said, ‘This is your Post, and I want you to feel comfortable.’ As one of only a few females and few vets under 50, he made me feel so at home.”

Gende recalled Hennessee taking her along on a visit to a WWII vet. When they arrived, they discovered the vet had accidentally cut his finger and was having problems getting it bandaged. To the vet’s surprise, Hennessee was at his door with a combat nurse in tow.

“That’s just the kind of guy Sam was,” Gende said. “Always looking after others.”

In his later years, Hennessee began experiencing extreme head pain. He discovered he had brain cancer in 2010 and died six months later.

‘A KIND AND GIVING MAN’
Gende said there was a hole in the community Hennessee left behind.

“He was taken from us too abruptly,” Gende said. “I decided we needed to do something to keep the spirit of Sam alive.”

That decision led to the Run for Sam 10K and 1-mile walk, an event that just had its 11th annual run/walk. Proceeds from the run benefit the VFW Post 10452 Sam Hennessee Scholarship.

The scholarship is awarded annually to residents of the Wisconsin counties of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara pursuing an education in health care. Gende said that applicants must be admitted into their respective programs and earn credits toward their degree, as well as meet a host of other requirements.

“Whether it’s the day you were born or the day you die, we are all impacted by someone in health care,” said Gende, who used the Post-9/11 GI Bill to earn her medical degree. “Since Sam had such a big influence on so many, that’s why we decided to do this.”

The scholarship has been awarded to 11 students. Each scholarship is at least $1,000.

Gende said the first year of the race, a nearby Army Reserve unit participated as part of its drill. There were 130 runners. Since then, there are usually about 100 participants in this town of 1,200.

“I’m a runner myself, so I set it up as something I would find fun,” she said. “We have a lot of repeat runners, and many are veterans.”

The run, held each July, is a community effort, Gende said. Businesses donate coupons or offer up volunteers to help. The Princeton Fire Department sets up a water arch and also does the 1-mile walk in full gear.

The local police and EMS personnel also are on hand for the event.

Participants get “Made in the USA” race shirts, which are printed in Wisconsin. Local bratwursts are served along with free tap beer for those 21 and over.

Gende, who served in Iraq in 2006 with Charlie Surgical Company, 1st Medical Logistics Group, said she and her dad are co-directors of the race, and her brother, a Marine and VFW member, also is actively involved.

“Sam would do anything for anyone,” Gende said. “He was a kind and giving man. So it feels great doing this.”

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) are proud to announce that for the second year in a row the “Uniting to Combat Hunger” (UTCH) campaign has provided more than 1 million meals for veterans, military families and communities in need, surpassing its goal for 2021.

A collaborative campaign established in 2018, UTCH was created to combat food insecurity, while also working to raise awareness of the issue that may affect 1 in 8 people in America, and as many as 1 in 4 Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans. To date, the campaign has provided more than 2.5 million meals to those facing hunger and food insecurity.

Despite the social-distancing guidelines and challenges the pandemic presented, VFW members and Humana team members worked year-round to support this important initiative, from hosting socially distanced food drives and collecting monetary donations, to hosting ruck marches benefiting local Feeding America food pantries.

“Social factors, like food insecurity and social isolation, have a direct link to the development of chronic diseases and mental health issues for our veteran community,” said Andrew Renda, M.D., MPH, Vice President, Bold Goal and Population Health Strategy for Humana. “We want all veterans to have access to the resources, food or otherwise, that they need to live their healthiest lives. Humana remains committed to honoring and serving our veterans by eliminating barriers to good health.”

“Having easy access to food is something that everyone deserves, but especially those who have put so much on the line in defense of our country,” said Fritz Mihelcic, VFW national commander. “Being able to provide 1 million meals to families who are struggling means a lot to the VFW, and the VFW remains determined to continue to work toward ensuring no more service members, veterans or their families go hungry.”

Despite making strides toward combatting food insecurity this year, the issue does not end with the start of a new year. According to a recent survey from Blue Star Families, 14% of enlisted, active-duty household respondents reported facing difficulty putting food on the table in the previous year. The UTCH campaign is pushing strongly into 2022, and both the VFW and Humana remain dedicated to addressing the challenges surrounding food insecurity. To find out what you can do to help in the fight or to help provide meals to families facing hunger, visit vfw.org/UTCH.

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About the Veterans of Foreign Wars: The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is the nation’s largest and oldest major war veterans’ organization. Founded in 1899, the congressionally chartered VFW is comprised entirely of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, Guard and Reserve forces. With more than 1.5 million VFW and Auxiliary members located in over 6,000 Posts worldwide, the nonprofit veterans service organization is proud to proclaim “NO ONE DOES MORE FOR VETERANS” than the VFW, which is dedicated to veterans’ service, legislative advocacy, and military and community service programs. For more information or to join, visit our website at vfw.org.

About Humana: Humana Inc. is committed to helping our millions of medical and specialty members achieve their best health. Our successful history in care delivery and health plan administration is helping us create a new kind of integrated care with the power to improve health and well-being and lower costs. Our efforts are leading to a better quality of life for people with Medicare, families, individuals, military service personnel, and communities at large.

To accomplish that, we support physicians and other health care professionals as they work to deliver the right care in the right place for their patients, our members. Our range of clinical capabilities, resources and tools – such as in-home care, behavioral health, pharmacy services, data analytics and wellness solutions – combine to produce a simplified experience that makes health care easier to navigate and more effective.
More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company’s web site at www.humana.com, including copies of:

• Annual reports to stockholders
• Securities and Exchange Commission filings
• Most recent investor conference presentations
• Quarterly earnings news releases and conference calls
• Calendar of events
• Corporate Governance information

Media Contacts:
VFW: Randi K. Law, communications director, rlaw@vfw.org
Humana: Matt Wheeler, Corporate Communications, mwheeler10@humana.com