_ There will be a Veteran’s Rally from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday, May 23, at the Elks Lodge, 143 Port Williams Road. The Lloyd Strand fund is sponsoring the rally. There will be a raffle for toasters, blenders, figurines, pictures, an auction for two quilts and a painting, plus free hot dogs, clowns and live entertainment. All monies raised will go to the fund to help veterans and their families. Everyone is invited.
_ Social Security numbers no longer will be printed on military ID cards. If you are a retiree with an indefinite expiration date and want to replace your card with one without an SSN, the earliest you may do so is January 2010. For more information regarding the SSN Reduction Plan, go to www.dmdc.osd.mil/smartcard. This will help combat identity theft.
_ Monday, May 25, is Memorial Day. As in past years, the American Legion and the VFW will place flags on service members’ graves and conduct services at the local cemeteries.
The main ceremony will be a joint effort conducted at Sequim View Cemetery at
11 a.m. From there, the American Legion will go to the Jamestown Cemetery, the Dungeness Cemetery and the Blue Mountain Cemetery. Bugler for the ceremonies will be Life Scout Alex Bullock.
The VFW will do honors at the cemeteries in Pioneer Park and in Blyn.
The flags will be placed on the graves on Sunday morning and removed Monday afternoon. I hope you can come out to one of these services to show respect for those who served and for their families. If you have questions, call me at 683-6419.
_ The American Legion has selected Danny Hall, son of Jeff and Robin Hall, to attend Evergreen Boys State. He is a high school junior, a member of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe and is student body president-elect. Evergreen Boys and Girls State are held for a week in June each year on the campus of Central Washington University. The student "citizens" learn how government works from the town level up to the state. Congratulations Danny!
_ Voices For Veterans has chosen Col. Don Roberts USA (Ret) as its Veteran for 2009. Roberts served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.
Last year, the honoree was Walter Zergman, a survivor of the Bataan death march.
The organization is doing this as a way to thank older veterans for their service.
Voices for Veterans conducts stand downs to make sure homeless veterans get access to organizations that can assist them. They just completed one in Forks with assistance from the ladies of the DAR. Port Townsend is coming up in July and Port Angeles will be in October.
If you have sleeping bags, tarps, toiletries or nonperishable food to donate, call me at 683-6419.
Contributors: DAR, Regent Kayellen Garrison, kgarison@olypen.com; American Legion, Lorri Gilchrist, lpgilchrist@webtv.net; VFW Commander, Roger Padie, commander@vfwpost4760.com; MOAA, President Jim McEntire, jmcentire1@wavecable.com, Marine Corps League, Jake Fish, jafish76@msn.com.
