I would like to thank everyone who joined us for Bingo last Thursday. It was a fantastic night of fun and community spirit.
Each time we host the event, we gain more experience and it’s truly heartwarming to see our hall filled with members of the community enjoying themselves. If you haven’t yet joined us, we’d love to see you at our next event!
As I’ve mentioned in previous articles, the Center for Development & Civic Engagement (CDCE) at the Department of Veterans Affairs at Stratton VA Hospital operates a food pantry and clothing room for indigent veterans.
They are currently in need of the following items men’s sneakers (sizes 9-12), Men’s sweatpants (sizes s-XXL), men’s sweatshirts (sizes s- XXXL) and T-shirts (sizes s-XXXL) for their clothing room.
For the food pantry they need canned chicken/tuna, instant potatoes, Chef Boyardee products, canned fruit, spaghetti/macaroni products, mac and cheese, instant rice, and tomato sauce.
Toiletries in need are toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream, body wash and lotion. You can contact Dom Domingues, chief for CDCE at 518-626-5507 or email him at erwi.domingues@va.gov for more information.
Should you want anything you plan on donating delivered to the hospital, let me know and I will bring up whatever you donate.
With Memorial Day coming this month I want to remind everyone that the post will be attending an assembly on the front lawn of the Windham, Ashland, Jewett CS on May 22nd at 8:30.
We will then proceed to the cemeteries and the monument on Route 296. All are invited to attend the VFW Memorial Day Ceremony.
Originally called Decoration Day, from early tradition of decorating graves with flowers, wreaths and flags, Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice to our country.
It was first widely observed on May 30, 1868, to commemorate the sacrifices of Civil War soldiers, by proclamation of Gen. John A. Logan of the Army of the Republic, an organization of former Union sailors and soldiers.
After WWI, it became an occasion for honoring those who died in all of America’s wars and was then more widely established as a national holiday throughout the United States.
In 1971, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act and established that Memorial Day was to be commemorated on the last Monday of May.
On May 17, Jewett will dedicate their new veteran’s memorial. I will be getting more information regarding this important date.
Let us all remember the fallen who gave their lives for our country. This week we honor WWII veteran, US Sgt. Ivor Thornton from Martinsville, Virginia.
On June 6, 1944 “D-Day” Thornton landed on Omaha Beach with Company H, 2nd Battalion, 29th Infantry Division. Fellow soldiers last observed him wading ashore but was never seen thereafter. On June 7 , 1944 , the day after the invasion, Thornton’s unit unsuccessfully searched for him and on June 8th was declared missing in action. On June 8th they recovered the remains but could be identified and were designated X-159. Thornton’s family and the family of another soldier requested that X-159 be disinterred and compared to Thornton. Through anthropological analyses he X-159 was identified as Sgt. Thornton.
Thornton’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, France along with other still missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for. Sgt. Thornton will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery on a date yet to be determined.
Since the end of the Revolutionary War, over 1.19 million U.S. military members have died, including 651,031 battle deaths and 539,054 non-combat deaths. Specifically, over 600,000 have been killed in military conflicts since World War I, according to government data.
Remember to keep all veterans in your thoughts and prayers along with those who are serving our county today. God Bless America.
Marc Farmilette – Commander VFW Post 1545
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