Veterans Corner: Christmas for children of Clallam County

American Legion Post 62 in Sequim will be hosting a Breakfast With Santa from 9-11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 21, at 107 E. Prairie St. There will be waffles and sausages with orange juice to eat and a toy for every child, plus photos with Santa. All are welcome!

Toys for Tots

The Mount Olympus Detachment of the Marine Corps League is diligently working on collecting Toys For Tots for the children of Clallam County. They will be at Walmart Fridays and Saturdays with members of the American Legion Post 62 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Dec. 13-14 and Dec. 20-2.

Please stop by and donate a toy or money to buy toys. Toys are always needed for toddlers and teenagers. No food or clothing please, and all toys must be new.

There are also toy collection boxes at various businesses around town where you can drop off toys.

Upgrade needed at Sarge’s

Sarge’s Place, temporary housing for homeless veterans in Forks, is seven years old and things are beginning to wear out, need to be replaced, etc.

The furniture for their living room is in this category. This is where they have resident meetings, watch television, read, etc.

They need a new sofa, love seat and chair. The originals were purchased at Costco and held up well.

Please consider sending a Costco gift card to: Sarge’s Place, 250 Ash Ave., Forks, WA 98331, to help with the purchase of new furniture.

POW/MIA Flag Act

The National Commander of the American Legion has announced that President Trump has signed the POW/MIA Flag Act. This act requires certain prominent federal properties to display the POW/MIA flag every day with the U.S. flag.

Commander Bill Oxford says that “it is important that Americans never forget that there are still more than 82,000 men and women who were taken prisoner or never had a full accounting.

“The American Legion reveres their memory and will continue to honor them at all of our meetings.”

Access expanded

Starting Jan. 1, 2020 all service-connected veterans, Purple Heart recipients, former prisoners of war and individuals approved and designated as the primary family caregivers of eligible veterans (under the Department of Veteran Affairs Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers) can use commissaries, exchanges and morale, welfare and recreation retail facilities, in-person and online.

For more information regarding these privileges and access to military installations, go to www.militaryonesource.mil/expanding-access.

Contributors: American Legion, Carl Bradshaw, thbkdragon@yahoo.com; MOAA and Voices For Veterans, Lorri Gilchrist, cdrlgilchrist@gmail.com; Marine Corps League, Mark Schildknecht, marana-s@outlook.com; Korean War Veterans, Jerry Rettela, eletteor@msn.com; VFW 4760, Steve Henrikson, secretary@vfwpost4760.com ; VFW 6787, Rod Lee, sealteam54@q.com.