Enumclaw VFW cites long list of community service

Enumclaw Post 1949 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars was chartered in 1934. The current Post Hall was built in 1967. Since its establishment the VFW has played a very active role in the community. In addition to conducting post meetings the facility has been the site for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and other gathering by members of our community. It is also the facility that allows us to fulfill our mission of “Honoring the Dead by Helping the Living.”

Our post, although one of the smallest in the state, consistently ranks near the top of all state VFW posts in the amount of community service we provide. We take pride in this and want to continue our service to the community. The following are just some of the services we provide:

■ Free use of the hall for all Scout activities;

■ Provide our property for two storage sheds for the Scouts;

■ Free use of the hall for the Enumclaw Garden Club;

■ Free use of the hall for the Enumclaw School District’s new teacher breakfast;

■ Free use of the hall for the Plateau Quilters (this group makes and distributes Quilts of Valor to veterans and has presented over 1,200 of these quilts);

■ Free use of the hall for memorial services (both veterans and non-veterans);

■ Provide storage facilities for all the flags flown at Evergreen Cemetery on Memorial Day;

■ Provide storage facilities for chairs, shelters, sound system and flags used for the annual Enumclaw Memorial Day service;

■ Provide storage facilities for flags awaiting proper disposal;

■ Provides secure storage for the Post’s Honor Guard equipment (the honor guard provides military honors for deceased veterans at local cemeteries and at Tahoma National Cemetery);

■ Provides a place for our post service officers to assist veterans and/or their families in filing V.A. claims;

■ Provides a place to store our poppy drive materials;

■ Provide representatives for local school assemblies upon request;

■ Sponsor scholarship programs for local middle and high school students.

Our post, through the generosity of the community and our membership have almost completed (90 percent) a renovation of the building to assure that we would be able to continue as a viable, important organization within the community. The monthly cost to keep operating is over $2,200 a month (utilities, insurance, garbage fees, etc.). The overwhelming portion of this is covered by rentals. If these rentals cease so does our ability to continue as we are. Funds that are donated during our semi-annual poppy drives cannot be used, with the exception of the scholarship programs, to fund any of the above services or to maintain the post home. Our post does not have any other source of revenue such as a bar and want to keep it that way because it does little to contribute to our mission.

Recently we have received a offer by the developer currently working north of our property to purchase our property. The same developers are also in negotiations with the neighbors that surround us to purchase their property. We have established a committee to review the bid. Our starting point is that we want to continue to be a asset within our community. This letter is just meant to inform the community and community leaders of the services we currently provide.

We hope to be able to voice our concerns to our community leaders and groups that utilize our facilities and will keep all apprised of our progress.

Tom H. Krueger

Commander

VFW Post 1949