POST LEADERSHIP

Post Commander – Tammy Doffek– VFWPost2496Commander@gmail.com

Senior Vice Commander – Paul Prevost Junior Vice Commander – Chris Reed Quartermaster – Jeremiah Shields Adjutant – Wade McElhanon

Chaplin – Bill Romstadt

 AUXILIARY                            COOTIES          LEADERSHIP                         LEADERSHIP

President – Darryl McQuarrie                                                           Seam Squirrel– Paul Prevost

Senior Vice – PatNiedzwiexki                                                           Blanket Bum – LouisDudas

Junior Vice – Mike Kruse                                                                   High Gimlet – Vacant

Treasurer – Barb Stevens                                                                  Keeper of Lousy Records– Vacant

Secretary – Cheryl Ludwiczak                                                          Sky Pilot – Bill Romstadt

MARINE CORP LEAGUE

Commandant – Matt Hagaman

Senior Commandant – Kevin McHenry Junior Commandant – Frank Szymanski Adjutant – Dan Tibbals

Paymaster – Aggie Ferguson Sergeant at Arms – MichaelWarner Chaplin – Bill Romstadt

BINGO POCs                          HALL MANAGER               LOUNGE MANAGER

Vickie Roznowski - Post                       Tammy Doffek                     Connie McElhanon

Tammy Stoutenberg - Auxiliary

Tammy Doffek – Cooties Pup Tent

THOUGHTS FROM THE COMMANDER

When I first took on this job I figured I would do it for a year and hope that we could stay open and make it to the other side of the COVID Pandemic. Little did I know almost three years later I would still be trying to lead us to theother side of COVID. Just when we think we can relax a new variation comes along and another vaccination is made available to combat the new "strain”. I think we can all agree that

COVID in whatevervariation it comes in is most likelyhere to stay. Probably how folks felt after the first big flu epidemic back in 1918.

We are losing our members at a much more rapid pace than we are gaining new members. This is a fact for almost every post out there and everyone is struggling. Some posts have managed to connect to some of those younger veterans and welcomed them as new members. Our post has NOT figured out how to accomplish this and if we want to survive the next 20 years and beyond we better figure it out and sooner rather than later. I welcome any serious suggestions on how we can accomplish this.

Just as important is the connection to our current members. We have over 200 life members on our rolls yet see maybe 10-20 of them on a regular basis. This newsletter is an attempt to validate the mailing address of those that we currently have an address for. If you are reading this then hopefully you will reach out to us and validate your physical mailing address and if you have one provide us your email address. You can providethe email addressby emailing it to VFWPost2496Commander@gmail.com My hope is to send this newsletter out bi-monthly and to provide it mainly thru email. Monies are always at a premium and if we can email the newsletter to you - it is much cheaper than trying to physically mail it using the US Post Office.

While we are on the subject of tight monies let me share how we are struggling. Our post building is starting to show the signs of age.This year we had to get the main roof replaced and though insurance paid the lions share of it we barely were able to pay our portion (almost $12000) of the bill. Ken Robb Construction won the contract and gave us a break in the labor and the cost of some of the supplies – which was very much appreciated. The Auxiliary stepped up in a huge way and donated almost ½ of the final bill. Each of the post bingos donated monies, as well as the pulltab account and the hall rental account. It was great to see how we were able to pull together and get that debt paid. However, with that being said we continue to struggle to pay the monthly bills. As a non-profit we rely on donations from our entities and outside sources to help us to keep the lights on and home fires burning. I have had a lot of folks tell me how the lounge should be helping to pay these bills and they do what they can but the lounge is not being utilized as much as it was in the past. Less usage less money. We cannot rely on them to be donating thousands of dollars as they did in the past.They are not bringing in enough money to do that. In fact they are barely keeping their proverbial head above water. The post cannot supportthe lounge and the lounge cannot support the post. It is going to take ALLof us to keep this post open.

If you haven’t been in for awhile pleasecome in have a drink and talk with us and let us know what would make it a place that you would like to come into a few times a week or a few times a month. I bartend

most Wednesdays and Sundays and would LOVE to talk with you.

Things on the horizon for us as a post. First weekendin November is the Districtmeetings for both Post and Auxiliary. As always these will be held in Harbor Springs and start at 10AM.

We will be having Pizza the first Friday of every month so November 4th and December 2nd are dates to mark in your calendar. We will also be hosting a Prime Rib Christmas dinner on December 16th and while the final menu is still to be determined we are hoping for a good turnout.

This year we will be having a live band for our New Year’s Eve party. We have secured a special license so the party will be open to the general public and we will be charging a cover charge. The cover charge prices will be $10 a ticket or $15 at the door and can be purchased at the lounge starting November 15th. This will help cover the cost of the LIVE band and the cost of appetizers/snacks that we will be serving.

We would really like to pack the lounge with 50-60 people and welcome in the next year in abig way. I will personally offer free rides to anyone who needs one at the end of the night.

In January we are hostingback to back pool tournaments in the main hall (20-22Jan and 27-29 Jan). We can always use help to make it a smooth running event for the competitors and also it is a way for us to earn some money by providing food from our main kitchen. But that takes volunteers who are willing to show up and work a few hours a day. Please consider volunteering to help with those events. As always during Lent we will be hosting our famous fish frys. Every Friday for 8 weeks and we are always short on volunteers and need all hands on deck.That is just a few hours on a Friday night. A great way to make some new friends or reconnect with some old ones.

In closing I want to say thank you to every person who has volunteered their time and help while I have been the commander. There are too many to list individually but know that I have valued your help, cooperation and mentorship and sometimes your ear to vent to. I don’t know what the next year holds much less the next six months but I know that we have a great post with great people and that when it is my time to pass the mantle of leadership to the next commander I will do so knowing that they will have people who will support them - including myself.

Tammy Doffek- Post 2496 Commander

POST 2496 AUXILIARY UPDATES

Auxiliary President – Darryl McQuarrie

Greetings from the VFW 2496 Auxiliary. Just a quick note of someimportant dates to keepin mind. Our upcoming meeting dates are November 8th and December 13th at 6PM to end the 2022 year. The next District 13 meeting is November 5th in Harbor Springs at 10AM. We are donating two gift baskets for the District Presidents fundraiser. Come join us and help support the Auxiliary.

Also remember, all annual members,it is time to pay your $30 yearly dues. Please help us reach100% before December 21st.A big thank you to Nancy & Jim Flasck for removing the auxiliary flags from the cemeteries. There are 140 reusable flags and approximately 55 were damagedand needed to be retired.

The lounge scheduledto have live music on November 5, 11 and 19. Authored by Cheryl Ludwiczak

            Marine Corp League Detachment – Alpena 1327

Marine Corp Commandant – Matt Hagaman

Marine Corps League Alpena Detachment 1327 meets the last Wednesday of every month at 1800.

Meetings are held in the hall of theVFW Post 2496 at2900 Connon Street. Just a reminder – annual memberships are due the end of August every year. Nominations for Detachment officers are held in October and November with voting in November. New officers take command in January.

The Detachment will be sellingflags at differentbusinesses around Alpenaon Saturday, November5th,to help support different projects. MARK your calendar fo the Marine Corps Birthday party on November 10th. The party is held at Bogart’s Tavern in Alpena starting at 1500 until ?. Food is potluck and there is usually plenty of it. Cash Bar. The MCL will be hosting a Polish Dinner on Friday January 13th from 1600-1900 in the lounge of the VFW Post 2496. Publicwelcome! Your MCL is alwayslooking for new members and associatemembers. Talk to yourfellow Marines and ask them to join us in camaraderie and understanding. SEMPER FI!!!