Veterans Corner: Wishing you safe and happy holidays

By Lorri Gilchrist

Many thanks to all who have contributed food, clothing, items for The Attic and supported veterans and their families in our community this year. Thank you to the New Dungeness Chapter DAR for supplying the six residents of Minsky Place Thanksgiving dinner.

A gentle reminder for clothing donations to the Veterans Center Clothing Closet – all must be clean and washable, no used socks or underwear, focus on jeans, flannel or long sleeved shirts, sweats, waterproof boots and parkas, no clothing over size 2X. The volunteers have to sort through all donations and most end up going to Goodwill or in the garbage if you aren’t focusing on the requested needs. We don’t have the room or volunteers to deal with unwanted items.

The 2025 Toys For Tots campaign will be over on Dec. 21. Individual families can request toys. Go to port-angeles-wa.toysfortots.org where community nonprofit agencies can request toys, community members can sign up to volunteer and businesses can request a drop box for toy donations.

Clallam County Toys For Tots provides new, unwrapped toys for needy children at Christmas. For any questions please contact the coordinator, Kim Costello, at port.angeles.wa@toysfortots.org or call 253-625-6450.

American Legion Department of Washington Evergreen Boys & Girls State is set to take place from June 21-27, 2026, at the Warm Beach Conference Center in Stanwood, WA. This premier summer program is designed for high school juniors (class of 2027) and aims to inspire and empower future leaders through civic education, teamwork, and leadership training.

The electronic application form can be found here and may be used by any student: form.jotform.com/EBSOffice/2026-ebgs-application. Email office@evergreenboysstate.org with questions.

Sequim VFW Post 4760 at 169 E. Washington St. is holding an Army-Navy game party on Saturday, Dec. 13. Doors open at 11 a.m. The game starts at noon and it will be projected on a big screen. Tickets are $10. Please contact the post at 360-683-9546 if interested. A maximum of 70 tickets will be sold. The ticket price includes wings, sandwiches, and chips, and the event will include a raffle, prizes and trivia.

May you all have safe and happy holidays. Please remember our deceased veterans by attending a Wreaths Across America Ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 13: Mt. Angeles in Port Angeles at 9 a.m., Sequim View Cemetery at 9 a.m. and Gardiner Cemetery at 1 p.m.

When you place a wreath on a veteran’s grave, please say their name out loud and thank them for their service. This way they are not forgotten. Thank you to all who have purchased wreaths.

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Contributors: American Legion, Nancy Zimmermann, nmtzim@gmail.com; MOAA & Marine Corps League, Lorri Gilchrist, cdrlgilchrist@gmail.com; Voices For Veterans, Rita Frangione, rita.frangione@gmail.com; Korean War Veterans,Jerry Rettela, eletteor@msn.com; VFW 4760, Steve Henrikson, secretary@vfwpost4760.com ; VFW 6787, vfwcarlsborg@gmail.com, Fleet Reserve, Mike Sieg, mybadfish@gmail.com .