1. March events: March 26th, Friday night, Pat Purinton (a VFW member) will hold a meeting concerning an upcoming June Flag Retirement Ceremony. Anyone wishing to help, please come to the Post building at 6 pm. All are invited to attend.
2. March 27th, this Saturday, is our VFW Monthly Breakfast. The event is at our Post at 130 Shelton Road; Manchester, from 7 am to 9:30 am. We will appreciate anyone who wishes to help. If not, please come eat a good breakfast and support us.
We have Captain Bill Robinson’s book, “The Longest Rescue” for purchase. Bill will be our special guest speaker in May at our Vietnam-Era Veterans events. Captain Robinson (he was promoted after his release) was the longest held enlisted Prisoner of War (POW) in Vietnam.
Hardback books are $30 and paperback, $20. We have NOT increased the price to make money for the Post. All proceeds go to the Captain. We highly recommend this book about Bill’s experiences in Vietnam as a prisoner.
3. March 27th, also this Saturday, there will be a Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Fair put on by the Daughters of the Am. Revolution (DAR) at Northside Baptist Church, 655 W. Thompson Lane, in Murfreesboro, from 9:30 to 11 am. If you attend, the event will be under a large white tent on the property. All are invited. Come eat our breakfast on your way there!
April:
1. April 7th and 13th: Wednesday, Operation Joy will have a practice at 10:30 am. We have been asked to perform at McArthur Manor on April 13th, Tuesday, at 10 am followed by Autumn Oaks at 1:30 am. Anyone interested in this wonderful event, please contact me. Operation Joy is a singing, comedy group and we have great fun sharing that with others.
2. April 8th: The VFW District 5 meeting will be at the Tullahoma VFW Post starting at 6 pm. Post officers are asked to attend with me.
3. April 10th: There will be a clean up day at the Post building that Saturday, starting at 10 am. All are asked to help. This will be inside and outdoors work.
4. April 12th: Our monthly VFW meeting will be on Monday night, at 6 pm. Light snacks will be available. New members especially, are asked to attend.
May:
1. May 7th: There will be an Armed Forces Day Parade in Chattanooga, starting on Market Street. The parade starts at 10:30 am eastern time.
2. May 13th and 15th: Attached are the flyers for this year’s Vietnam-Era Veterans Dinner and the accompanying Fair. The Dinner will be at 6 pm on May 13th (Thursday night) and the Fair on May 15th (Saturday) from 8 am to 2 pm.
3. May 29th: A Memorial Day Ceremony this year will be held at Manchester Square, Saturday, starting at 6 pm. The Master of Ceremonies will be Lamar Wilkie, our Post Adjutant. A wreath laying will follow the official ceremony. The event was changed to later in the day to avoid the heat and direct sun.
Later in the year but noteworthy…
1. November 11-14th: Next November, the Wall That Heals or the Traveling Vietnam Wall will be at Barfield Park, 697 Veterans Parkway, in Murfreesboro. The event will be from November 11th to 14th. Take exit 84 to get to the park. Many of us may go together as a Post. More later on this.
Attached are the flyers for many of these events. Let’s get out and help or support these. And as always, I appreciate all of you and thank you for all you do for our community.
