GIG LINE
By Marsha M. Brown
Many of our neighbors have suffered wind, tide and exceptionally excessive rainfall damage from Hurricane Matthew and I’m so sorry but just remember that we Outer Bankers’ stick together through times like this and that many, even in the face of their own heartaches and loss, still reach out and sincerely offer help and support to others. When help is needed, there’s almost always a Dare Countian’ who is willing to be at your side. So please don’t hesitate to let people know of your needs and together we’ll get it done. Okay?
Most of the time when folks reference someone who has “opened a can of worms”…it’s not such a good thing. But in the case of our veteran community…it’s a GREAT thing! It seems that one good deed begets another and another and another. And the scope of veteran support is becoming more clear every single day…and in a MAJOR way!
Prior to the last monthly meeting of the Outer Banks V.F.W. Post 10950, I was invited to attend as a guest. Without question I wanted to be there. Post 10950 occupied a big part of my ‘sweetie pie’ Billy’s heart (as did our American Legion Post 26). I hoped that I could see them, hug their necks and enjoy spending an hour or two with the very dedicated members whose service to our country still carries on well beyond their ‘uniform’ years.
The meeting was as usual conducted very professionally and on point; each participant contributing valuable and helpful information about the past and future activities in support of our veterans across Dare County in particular but really encompassing all veterans of these great United Sates of America.
Primarily I was asked to join them because after hearing some time ago (before Billy’s passing in July) that they wanted to establish a V.F.W. Auxiliary for the Post, I had expressed interest in being involved. And of course, it was obvious the interest expressed at the meeting to see the plan come to fruition was especially encouraging.
So folks, this is the situation. The members are willing to help in any way they can to see the Auxiliary become established. Our job as family members is to make sure this happens for them and we can do that by expressing our support and working together.
Drum roll please…if you have interest in becoming a part of this ground floor opportunity in which to support our men and women in this way…to stand for our heroes…please act on it. According to vfwauxiliary.org members “must be citizens of the United States or a United States National and be at least 16 years old”, related as a husband/wife, widower/widow, parent, grandparent, son or daughter, grandchild or sibling.
That…takes in a whole lot of us folks and I can tell you that I’m just one widow who is anxious to carry on for my husband and do all I can to support our veterans overall. As most of you know, the V.F.W. is an abbreviation for Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. It is a respected organization with a long history of care and support of those who have served overseas. I will be writing more on this topic as the weeks pass but for now…I ask you to please call/text me at cell: (252) 202-2058 or email me at editor@giglineheroes.com to let me know you have interest in joining. It would help me demonstrate to our valuable veterans that we seek additional ways to give back and offer positive reference to the concept of a new Auxiliary charter for V.F.W. Post 10950. Right now, I’m merely a gather-er of information – so please for your veteran loved one and for me too…signify that you would like to participate either by phone/text or email as soon as possible and lets get this show on the road people!
Also, don’t forget…the long established American Legion Post 26 also has a very dedicated group in their Auxiliary too and they do great things each year for the Poppy booths, wreaths at Christmas etc. In my opinion, you (we) can never do enough love for our veterans. So thank you to both of these fine organizations for the blessings that they are!
Just a reminder…Election Day is fast approaching! Learn the agendas of our candidates AHEAD of time; don’t go by hearsay – go by your gut instinct and prayers too and exercise your right as an American citizen to make a stand one way or the other. And for goodness sake, if you have reservations about the choices before you…by golly VOTE ANYWAY! Our veterans have suffered and died to preserve the privileges we enjoy and appreciate today…do it for them if nothing else…but get out and vote for the person YOU feel will best represent your views and lead our country for all of our sakes! And if by chance your candidate doesn’t win…pray and pray hard for the one who does…please, please do that!
Until next time, be happy, be safe and be proud…that you have an opportunity to cast your ballot, to live in a free society where you can be proud to say…I’m an American and darned proud of it! Be good to yourself and be good to others. God bless you all and I love each of you!
Stay tuned.