Monroe County Council Veterans of Foreign Wars

200 West Avenue, Rochester, NY 14611

585-436-6130 or e-mail MONROEVFW@AOL.COM

 UPCOMING EVENTS:

·       March 2^nd – County Council Meeting – 6:30 PM Fairport Post 8495

·       March 14^th – District 8 Meeting – 2 PM Newark Post 2883

·       March 18^th -- Monroe County Veterans Forum – 5:30 PM Monroe Community Hospital

·       March 19^th – 21^st – Spring Conference – Holiday Inn Liverpool

·       April 24^th – 25^th – State Bowling Tourney

·       May 1^st – 2^nd – State Bowling Tourney

·       May 2^nd – Merit Awards Dinner – Tavern on the Green

·       May 4^th – County Council Meeting / Election of Officers

        From the County Commander:

I hope this letter finds all of you in the best of health. As I compose this, the prediction is for a major snowstorm to hit this area this evening and into tomorrow. So I want get it in the mail as soon as possible and settle in to ride out the storm.

At this time, I’m aware that 9 posts have been inspected. The balance should be done by the end of March.

Membership is moving along nicely. We need 185 members to reach last year’s total. The county stands at 92 %. The following posts are leading the way in recruiting & membership:

Post 8495 = 104.1%             Post 6591 = 100%                Post 6703 = 96.4%               Post 16 = 96.28%

Post 820 = 92.59%               Post 412 = 92.54%               Keep up the good work!

Poppies have been ordered by 9 posts. These posts have ordered 32,500! If you haven’t ordered your Buddy Poppies, I encourage you to do so ASAP. Don’t run short in May.

The District 8 Meeting will be held at Post 2883 in Newark on March 14^th. The meeting will begin at 2 PM. Each post should have a representative at this important meeting.

The County of Monroe has begun a Veterans Forum. The next will be held at Monroe Community Hospital on March 18^th. The meeting will begin at 5:30 PM. Please join your fellow veterans and make our voices heard at the county level.

 The Department of New York Spring Conference and Gold Chevron Ball will be held at the Holiday Inn in Liverpool March 19^th thru 21^st. Information should have been received by all post commanders.

 Finally, May 2^nd is the date of our annual Merit Awards Dinner. Information will be mailed to all posts in the coming weeks. We will return to Tavern On The Green for this event again this year.

 At our May County Council meeting we will be taking nominations and electing officers for the coming year. Please give serious thought to bringing your talents to the Council by accepting if nominated.

 Look forward to seeing you all at our March County Council Meeting. Stay warm J

Your comrade,

Rick Gough, Commander --Monroe County Council

From the Sr. Vice Commander:

We as a county have supported the JROTC for years financially. If any of you can make it to this event to show our support, I'm sure it would mean a lot to the kids participating.

"The East High School Navy Junior ROTC would like to request your support for the 2010 Rochester JROTC Drill meet. This year should be a great event with 10 JROTC's (Navy, Army, Air Force and Marine Corps units) participating."

 "The goals of the JROTC program are to instill in students the values of citizenship, promote patriotism, developing a high degree of personal honor, self-reliance, individual discipline and leadership. JROTC provides and alternative to gangs, incentives to live healthy and drug free, promotes high school completion, and encourages teamwork."

 "On Saturday, 27 February 2010, the Navy JROTC of East High School will host the Annual Rochester JROTC Drill Meet. We would like to invite you to come see this wonderful event and the professionalism of these high school students."

 "This activity begins at 10:00 AM. We look forward to your continued support and hope that you can attend this event."

 Don Makely, Sr. Vice Commander

FROM THE COUNTY LADIES AUXILIARY PRESIDENT:

 Dear Comrades and Sisters:

It just doesn’t seem possible that March is already knocking at our door, which only means that Spring is right around the corner.

I would like to extend my thanks to all the auxiliary sisters of Monroe County Council for their support of all our programs as we have achieved 100% in participation and donation...   Great Job Sisters!

Membership statistics as of February 19, 2010, Monroe County Council Ladies Auxiliary has achieved 97% in Membership and District 8 has achieved over 94%.  The Department of New York is currently at 94%.  Great Job Sisters!  Congratulations to Ladies Auxiliary 6105 for winning the October Saturn Life Membership Award and to Ladies Auxiliary 8495 for winning the December Milky Way Award. 

As announced at the December District 8 meeting, I am asking all auxiliaries to participate in the “Treats for Troops Mission” which is requesting supplies for our female troops.  Fliers of suggested items to collect have been sent to Auxiliary Presidents.  Items collected for our female troops should be brought to the March County Meeting or to the March District Meeting.  If you have any questions, please contact me at 607-648-9271. 

Please note the schedule change for our next Monroe County Council Meeting. The Council meeting has been rescheduled for March 9, 2010 at 12 Noon, Danforth Community Center.  Letters have been sent to Auxiliary Presidents and Monroe County Council Line Officers for their awareness.

Please mark your calendars that our next District 8 meeting is scheduled for Sunday, March 14, 2010 at Post 2883, Newark.  The audit will be at 1 PM and the meeting will begin at 2 PM.  There will be a special presentation by our Jr. Girls at the meeting; so I hope many of our auxiliaries will be able to attend.

The Dept of New York Spring Conference is scheduled for March 19 – 21 at the Holiday Inn, Liverpool.  The following items have been requested b y the Department Chairman to be brought to the conference.  If your auxiliary will not be able to attend the Spring Conference, your donations can be brought to either the County or the District Meeting and I will be happy to bring them to the Spring Conference.

Americanism – Small Basket of Goodies (Think Spring and Americanism)

Cancer Aid & Research – Sweet Basket

Hospital/VAVS – New White Socks

Veterans and Family Support – Sponsor Sheets for Hole in One Golf Classic

Ways and Means - $10 worth of scratch off tickets

The District 8 Commander and President’s Testimonial Dinner is schedule for Saturday, May 15^th at Post 2882, Newark.  More details are to follow in my monthly news letter.

Please remember to send your monthly birthday card and maybe a St. Patrick’s Day Card to the children at the VFW National Home as well as to our hospitalized veterans.  Memorial Day is fast approaching; please make sure you have plenty of buddy poppies for distribution. 

I look forward to the next Monroe County Council meeting and I thank you again for all your support.     God Bless our veterans, our troops, and God Bless America!

Loyally,

Karen Dotson,

Monroe County Council President

THIS JUST IN!

Annual VFW Memorial Day Essay Contest

All students, grades 6-8, in all Penfield schools, or who are Penfield residents, are invited to submit essays to compete in the VFW’s annual Memorial Day Essay Contest.

TOPIC: Penfield’s Bicentennial and the contributions made by the founders and those whose deaths have assured our enduring freedoms.

Essays should be 500 words or less, typed at 12 point Times New Roman font, double-spaced, and no more than 2 pages in length. Please do not put names directly on the entry. Please submit entry form attached to entry for identification.

Essays are judged by a panel and each entry is ranked for excellence by each judge. Each judge’s rankings are entered into a mathematical matrix from which overall placements are determined. All entries are marked only with a number for identification before being sent to the judges, in order to assure fairness. The top three entries will receive cash awards. Winners must be able to be present at the Town of Penfield’s Memorial Day Ceremony in order to be eligible to win.

All entries become property of VFW 820. After judging, essays are sent to troops serving overseas (without identification).

Congratulations to Commander Strawhand and all the officers and members of Penfield Post 820. Great outreach to the community and our youth!