GIG LINE
By Marsha M. Brown
Thank you all for reading GIG LINE and for sharing your stories, articles, references and ideas along the way! You matter…a LOT…as do your questions and input…so please keep your emails and calls coming!
Hip…hip…hooray! You can now find the Veterans Advisory Council expanded info on the Dare County website. The site will now give you the list of businesses where you can use your Dare County Veteran I. D. Card (which we’ll update as businesses sign up) along with other important information, helpful suggestions and sources of veteran meetings, events and celebrations. If you aren’t familiar with how to access it…it’s easy, just go to www.darenc.com and follow these steps:
- once on the Dare County Home page – click on DEPARTMENTS & SERVICES
- below that, click on Departments T-Z
- click on Veteran’s Office…there you’ll see an option to search the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Forms. This is an easy way to access a request for your duplicate DD-214 if you’ve misplaced or lost it. You’ll also see the email address for our Veteran Service Officer, Rhonda Creef as well as her office address, phone and Fax number. Information relating to veteran benefits can be found…take the time to look it over…its very helpful…read it over carefully in the event you aren’t fully aware of what you may been entitled to.
In the box below you’ll see a picture of Rhonda and an arrow. Clicking on the arrow will activate a video & message from Rhonda where you’ll hear first hand about our Veterans Advisory Council and why it was established by our Dare County Commissioners in May 2012. The video shows familiar local veterans coming in to obtain their Veteran I. D. Card which entitles Dare County (only) veterans to discounts at nearly 40 local businesses. In addition you’ll see clips of local veteran meetings and officers of the American Legion Fort Raleigh Post 26 and the V.F.W. Outer Banks Post 10950. It’s a well presented video and very helpful!
Looking to the left again, you’ll see a box itemizing:
Advisory Council where you can access the list of Members, their contact info and Upcoming Meetings of the Council which is open to everyone; under that, see Sponsored Events (if there are any that are pending) and info on veteran Activities…which of course change from time to time. SPECIAL NOTE: the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade sponsored annually by Kelly’s Outer Banks Restaurant & Tavern where veterans lead the procession is coming SOON…Sunday, March 15th and our local veteran organizations NEED YOUR HELP walking and carrying banners, flags & rifles! Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Veterans Day events will follow in the months to come…please keep a check through this feature and stay abreast of celebrations that honor YOU! On that page you’ll also see my sweetie pie Billy’s phone number as well as mine to make it easier to reach us if you need to.
The Veteran Recommendation option is next: on this page you’ll see a list of things that we feel is in your best interest to do for yourself as a veteran. You probably know all of the info…but please read the list at least once – what could it hurt? See important phone numbers to access potential V.A. health care etc. too!
On the last page of the site: see the list of businesses that thank you and support you by offering our veterans a discount of at least 10% on the goods and/or services you purchase from them. The list is identified by townships and villages and they’re in alphabetical order to make it easier. Please note: the discounts are daily! Veteran business owners…please consider signing up with the Veterans Advisory Council to also acknowledge your fellow brothers and sisters and offer a discount. The veterans who have a ‘Card’ issued by the Council tell us often how much you mean to them and they express real gratitude for your show of appreciation. If you don’t own a business but frequent businesses that might consider signing up, please refer them to Billy or I and we’ll happily email, mail, Fax or hand deliver to the owner (only) of that business a simple one page sheet to fill in and join. We need more businesses to help our vets and in turn it helps business too…why? Because our vets are faithful to those who are faithful to them!
Last Sunday V.F.W. Post 10950 hosted a luncheon for the 1st District of the V.F.W. at Kelly’s Outer Banks Restaurant & Tavern and it was a big success! Not only local but V.F.W. members from sister counties within the 1st District came together to eat, fellowship and discuss upcoming events and plans for the future. Speaking of the V.F.W., don’t forget…our local Post meets as follows:
V.F.W. Post 10950 – 1st Monday monthly @ 7:00 pm, Colington Fire Department, 108 School House Rd., Colington where you’ll find an elevator and ample parking on site.
American Legion Post 26 – 4th Tuesday monthly @ 12:00 Noon, 302 W. Lake Dr., K.D.H. 9.5 M.P. (turn west side bypass directly across from the new Ladles Soups). Lunch is served at no charge.
Interest is revived in both organizations of late and memberships are renewed and growing. Please consider joining, re-joining if yours has expired and in transferring to the local Posts if you live in Dare County permanently. Your involvement and support would mean a lot to the commitment veterans who believe there is ‘strength in numbers’.
Please let us know of any special meetings or celebrations for veterans within Dare County and in close proximity and we’ll do our best to help you get the word out!
Also, on that note…with numerous veteran sponsored events and celebrations coming up in the months ahead…YOU’RE NEEDED! Ifyou’re a veteran, please get involved and help these members in parades, fundraisers etc.
Interested in a night of fun and frolic? All V.F.W. members are invited to celebrate Valentine’s Day at the V.F.W. Post 6060, 1433 N. Road St., Elizabeth City, N.C. 27909 – Saturday, February 14th beginning at 5:00 PM. The “Hairy Legs Contest” will be followed with a dinner and dance for $10 p/person – music provided by a DJ! The Adjutant of Post 6060 also wrote that they serve lunch onsite each Wednesday starting @ 11:00 AM for $8.00 with the menu varying weekly if you’re a V.F.W. member in the area and would like to join them. If you have questions, please call Rob @ (252) 338-2828.
It’s a good thing for you all to get together you know? Meetings and special activity events are good for the heart and good for the soul! Who doesn’t enjoy fellowship with comrades and friends…it feels good to laugh and tell tales of ‘back in the day’. Just because you might be older and find it a little harder to get around doesn’t mean you can’t still have a good time! Do more of it…help each other…learn about each others needs…and then gather up reliable resources to help you’re buddies! Keep the momentum going…live life…embrace friends who have been through much of what you have and strut your stuff! Remember the canteen? the mess hall? the Officer’s Club? the NCO? places where friendships were established…and where that special bond of ‘brotherhood’ grew? Relive the good times…have fun…joke…and laugh. Make new memories with those so dear…hug your ‘sweetie pie’ and thank God for them every day.
Until next time…be happy, be safe and be proud…you veterans…you wonderful veterans…we love you. Thank you for all you have done not only for your brothers in the foxholes and trenches but for the rest of us too; thank you for caring…protecting…and sacrificing even to the ultimate degree; thank you for serving in foreign lands and on our homeland too as a barrier between good and evil.
As a nation we’re grateful even if at times it seems we’ve forgotten. And just know that multitudes of prayers are spoken daily…often unnoticed by others…but most assuredly softly and sweetly spoken close to God’s ear in your behalf. God bless all of you who have served and God bless the families who have stood beside you. Stay tuned.