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Larece Galer brings you the latest military news. To submit items for this column or the online listings, send them to: The News-Herald, Attn.: Larece Galer, 7085 Mentor Ave., Willoughby, OH 44094; fax to 440-975-2293; or via email to LGaler@News-Herald.com.

Monday, October 29, 2012

Lakeland named Military friendly school

Lakeland Community College in Kirtland has been named a Military Friendly School for the fourth consecutive year by G.I. Jobs magazine.
The college’s inclusion on the list of 2012 Military Friendly Schools was based on criteria such as class flexibility, community
outreach, and veteran support services.
Barbara Mancari serves as the veteran programs coordinator.
She is a graduate of the United States Military Academy and a former United States Army officer.
She began the part-time position earlier this year and assists the 270 military veterans currently enrolled at Lakeland.
Terri Dietz is the veterans affairs coordinator and works to process and certify educational benefits for eligible students.
The two collaborate to see that veterans coming to college for the first time or returning to further their education get both the benefits and the support necessary to have a successful college experience.
The Veterans Supporting Veterans group on campus is active in helping veterans to learn to use the leadership skills they learned in the military on campus.
“The group supports veterans and families providing the support and encouragement throughout the educational process,” Mancari said.
Veterans who would like to learn more about available benefits may call 440-525-7246.
 
“We Can Do Better” tour stops in Mentor
J.C. Watts, former college football quarterback, former Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and Conservative Republican will speak at 4 p.m. at the amphitheater by Mentor High School, Sunday, Oct. 28.
He is a member of the Concerned Veterans for America bus tour titled, “We Can Do Better”
The “We Can Do Better” tour is a ten-day East Coast bus tour (October 19-28) of decorated military veterans traveling through campaign ‘swing states’ prior to Election Day to generate awareness of the mounting challenges facing service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and veterans of all generations.
The bus tour, sponsored by Concerned Veterans for America (CVA), will allow veterans and voters in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Ohio — and across the nation — to hear directly from leaders in the veterans’ community about critical issues.

Benefits to aid
Honor Flight program

Friends of Honor Flight Cleveland will host a dinner from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the post home, 7604 Lake Road in Madison Township. A performance by the Mathenys will follow dinner. All proceeds from the dinner and concert will benefit Honor Flight Cleveland.
For details, call Claire Jo Turkenburg at 440-428-6194.

A benefit dinner for Honor Flight will be 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 10 at AMVETS Post 109, 7847 Lake Shore Blvd. in Mentor-on-the-Lake. The dinner also will include a reverse raffle and only 100 tickets will be sold for the event. Tickets are $12 and include dinner and DJ entertainment. Sideboards will be available for $2 and $3.
All proceeds will benefit Honor Flight. For details, call the post at 440-257-9217.

Chardon post hosts
annual clambake

Chardon Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6519, 752 Water St. in Chardon, will host its annual clambake from 6 to 7 p.m. Saturday at the post home. Tickets are $25 per person and $10 for extra clams.
For details, call 440-285-3699.

Marines celebrate 237 years
The 237th Marine Corps Birthday Ball, semiformal dinner dance will be 6 p.m. to midnight Nov. 3 at Dino’s Restaurant and Banquet Center, 4145 Chillicothe Road in Willoughby. Tickets are $45 per person (eight people per table) Tickets are available at Gunny’s Hall, 8720 Twinbrook Drive, Mentor or call 440-974-9380 for details. Reservation deadline is Monday.

The 237th United States Marine Corps Birthday celebration sponsored by Marine Corps League Detachment 782 will be 6 p.m. to midnight Nov. 10 at the Fraternal Order of Eagles Hall, 133 S. Spruce St. in Jefferson.
Tickets are $45 a couple or $25 for a single. To purchase tickets, call Tom Lucas Jr. at 440-992-5861 or 440-813-3914, or send a check or money order payable to the Marine Corps League and mail to Tom Lucas Jr., 3105 Jefferson Road, Ashtabula, OH 44004.

Eastlake post to serve breakfast
VFW Post 3863, 33641 Vine St. in Eastlake, will serve a breakfast buffet from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Nov. 4 at the post home. Breakfast donation is $5 per person. For details, call 440-942-3980.

Benefits explained at
Wednesday night workshop

The Lake County Council on Aging will present a workshop to salute veterans at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 7 at the council office, 8520 East Ave. in Mentor. The Lake County Veterans Service Office and the Council on Aging will present information about available assistance and programs for men and women who have honorably served their country.
For details or to register, call the council office at 440-205-8111 or email maribeth@lccoa.org.

To submit items for this column or the online listings, send them to: The News-Herald, Attn.: Larece Galer, 7085 Mentor Ave., Willoughby, OH 44094: fax to 440-975-2293; or via email to LGaler@News-Herald.com.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

November brings veterans holidays

November is just around the corner, bringing with it Veterans Day and the Marine Corps birthday.
The Marine Corps birthday is Nov. 10; Marines in the area celebrate with a Birthday Ball. Marine Corps League detachments in Mentor and Ashtabula both have events scheduled.

 The Mentor detachment will host its ball from 6 p.m. to midnight Nov. 3 at Dino’s Restaurant, 4145 Chillicothe Road, in Willoughby.
Tickets for the semiformal dinner dance are $45 per person (eight people per table) Tickets are available at Gunny’s Hall, 8720 Twinbrook Drive in Mentor, or call 440-974-9380 for details. Reservation deadline is Oct. 29.

 The Ashtabula detachment will host its Birthday Ball a week later on Nov. 10 at the Eagles Hall on South Spruce Street in Jefferson.

Veterans Day is Nov. 11. I have never quite understood how we can honor our nation’s veterans but at the same time not all of the nation’s veterans get the day off? Let every honorably discharged veteran have the day off. It is the least we as a nation can do to say thank you.

Forty and Eight seeks new members
The Forty and Eight is welcoming new members to the group. If you are an honorably discharged veteran of any branch of service, you may be eligible to join the Forty and Eight. For details about the group and its mission, call Joseph Milmont at 440-275-1249; Bill Smith at 440-585-9682 or Amos Bartrug at 440-812-3396.

Burton Legion hosts chili and soup dinner
American Legion Atwood-Mauck Post 459, 14052 Goodwin St. in Burton, will host an all-you-can-eat chili and soup dinner with corn bread at the post home 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Donation is $5 for adults and $3 for children age 12 and younger. For details, call 440-479-0297.

Painesville Auxiliary to host breakfast
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2595 Ladies Auxiliary will host a breakfast at 9 a.m. Sunday at the post home, 570 Liberty St. in Painesville. For details, call 440-354-9090.

Annual clambake at Chardon post
Chardon Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6519, 752 Water St. in Chardon, will host its annual clambake from 6 to 7 p.m. Oct. 27 at the post home. Tickets are $25 per person and $10 for extra clams. Tickets must be purchased in advance by Saturday. For details, call 440-285-3699.

Benefit dinners for Honor Flight
 Friends of Honor Flight Cleveland will host a dinner from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Oct. 27 at the post home, 7604 Lake Road E. in Madison Township. A performance by the Mathenys will follow dinner. All proceeds from the dinner and concert will benefit Honor Flight Cleveland. For details, call Claire Jo Turkenburg at 440-428-6194.

 A benefit dinner for Honor Flight will be 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10 at AMVETS Post 109, 7847 Lake Shore Blvd. in Mentor-on-the-Lake. The dinner also will include a reverse raffle and only 100 tickets will be sold for the event. Tickets are $12 and include dinner and DJ entertainment. Sideboards will be available for $2 and $3. All proceeds will benefit Honor Flight. For details, call the post at 440-257-9217.

Eastlake VFW hosts breakfast
VFW Post 3863, 33641 Vine St. in Eastlake, will serve a breakfast buffet from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Nov. 4 at the post home. Breakfast donation is $5 per person. For details, call 440-942-3980.

Workshop to help explain benefits 
The Lake County Council on Aging will present a Wednesday workshop to salute veterans at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 7 at the council office, 8520 East Ave. in Mentor.
The Lake County Veterans Service Office and the Council on Aging will present information about available assistance and programs for men and women who have honorably served their country. For details or to register, call the Council on Aging office at 440-205-8111 or email maribeth@lccoa.org.

To submit items for this column or the online listings, send them to: The News-Herald, Attn.: Larece Galer, 7085 Mentor Ave., Willoughby, OH 44094: fax to 440-975-2293; or via email to LGaler@News-Herald.com.

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Willoughby American Legion honored at National Convention

Palmer-Roberts American Legion Auxiliary Unit 214 recently was honored at the National Convention in Indianapolis. The Post also received one of the National President’s Awards for Excellence, only five are awarded and Martha Setlock, President, was there to receive the award. They also received a National Community Service award. Skyler Mastronicola, a junior member, was honored as National Central Division Junior of the Year.

POW/MIA program at Willoughby Legion Post 214


Palmer-Roberts America Legion Post 214 recently hosted the annual POW/MIA program at the Post. In attendance were two former POWs, who are members of the post, John Duronsky and Nick Antonacci. They spoke about their experience in captivity. Also the brother of Corporal Pryor Gobble, who died in Korea and whose remains were just identified also spoke. Among the many who attended the service were Department of Ohio Commander Steve Masowick, his wife Cindy, and Past Commander Dennis Clausing and his wife Barbara. Logan Potosky sand the National Anthem and assisted Mia DiSanto, Dominic DiSanto, Skyler Mastronicola, Bryanna Brown and Kallie Kramp with the setting of the “missing man” table. Jim Trettin, Post Adjutant spoke about the Purple Heart Soldier.



Palmer-Roberts American Legion Auxiliary 214 honors Buckeye Girls State attendees



Palmer-Roberts American Legion Auxiliary Unit 214 honored their Buckeye Girls State (BGS) attendees with a reception at the Post Sept. 25.
The girls who attended BGS were Kara Farrone, Lindsay Palmisano and Entela Duka from South High School and Lily Hetson from Warren but only Entel could attend the reception. She gave an inspiring talk about her experience at BGS which was hosted in June at Mount Union College. Also in attendance were Dr. Culver Eyman, Head of the social Studies Department at Willoughby South. Dr. Eyman was honored at the American Legion Convention in June as the Educator of the Year, sponsored by America Legion Post 214.


Thursday, October 11, 2012

Fisher House closer to reality

Fisher House is a home away from home for families of veterans that are undergoing long-term medical procedures at a Veterans Affairs hospital.
And the Greater Cleveland Fisher House got one step closer to becoming a reality after a recent fund raiser at VFW Post 7754 in Fairport Harbor.
Gini Geffert, assistant executive director and senior county veterans service officer for the Lake County Veterans Service Commission, with help from her staff, VFW Post 7754 and the Men’s and Ladies Auxiliaries of Post 7754 raised $16,150 to help make Fisher House Cleveland a reality.
Fisher House homes are built near major veterans medical facilities to house veteran’s families free of charge.
And this is not the first Fisher House fund raiser that the post has been associated with. Three years ago the post raised over $10,000 for the Fisher House at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton.
The fund raiser was a huge success and shows what veterans and the community do to help others.

Card Party at Wickliffe Legion
American Legion Auxiliary Brewer-Tarasco Post 7, 29919 Euclid Ave. in Wickliffe, will host a card party 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 19 at the post home.
Tickets are $9 per person, with a salad bar, supper and desserts. The evening fun will include a 50/50 raffle, themed baskets and  door prizes.
For details or tickets, call Lucille Greig at 440-944-9732 or Dolly Hillier at 440-585-0449.

All-you-can-eat chili and soup dinner in Burton
Atwood-Mauck American Legion Post 459, 14052 Goodwin St. in Burton, will host an all-you-can-eat chili and soup with corn bread dinner 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 20 at the post home. 
The dinner is $5 for adults and $3 for those age 12 and younger. For details, call Martha at 440-479-0297.

Dinner and show
benefit Honor Flight

Friends of Honor Flight Cleveland will host a dinner 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., Oct. 27, at VFW Post 8548, 7604 Lake Road in Madison Township, with proceeds benefiting Honor Flight Cleveland.
Honor Flight makes it possible for veterans to visit Washington D.C. free of charge to visit their memorials.
Dinner, at $8 per person, will be followed by a performance by the Matheny’s presenting “This is My America.” A Chinese auction and a 50/50 raffle will be a part of the evening fun with all proceeds going to Honor Flight Cleveland.
For details call Claire Jo Turkenburg at 440-428-6194.

Annual clam bake in Chardon
The Chardon Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6519, 752 Water St. in Chardon will host the annual clam bake, 6 to 7 p.m. Oct. 27 at the post home. Tickets are $25 per person and $10 for extra clams. They are available by pre-sale before Oct. 20.
For tickets or details call 440-285-3699.

Lake County DAV Chapter meets Saturday
Lake County Chapter 42 of the Disabled American Veterans meets on the second Saturday of each month at the Marine Corps League’s Gunny’s Hall, 8720 Twinbrook Drive in Mentor.
The meeting begins at 11 a.m. and is usually one hour in length. All Disabled American Veterans are welcome.

Military Honor guard available
American Legion Post 459 of Burton has a full military honor guard available to perform military funeral services for any honorably discharged service man or woman. The honor guard is led by Newell Beaumier. Sergeant-at-Arms is available 24/7, with only a few days notice.
To request the honor guard call 440-834-8764, please leave a message if no one answers. This is a free service to all honorably discharged military personnel.

Spaghetti dinner at Mentor AMVETS
AMVETS Post 40, 9141 Jordan Road in Mentor, will serve a homemade spaghetti dinner each Thursday, 5 to 8 p.m. Dinners, which are open to the public, are $7 per person and include all the trimmings. For details, call 440-257-5825.

Fairport VFW offers fish fry dinners
VFW Post 7754, 540 New St. in Fairport Harbor, will host a perch fry tonight at the post home.
Lunch will be served 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and dinner is served 4 to 7 p.m. The dinners are open to the public and are served on the second and fourth Fridays of each month.
For details call 440-352-1123.

To submit items for this column or the online listings, send them to: The News-Herald, Attn.: Larece Galer, 7085 Mentor Ave., Willoughby, OH 44094: fax to 440-975-2293; or via email to LGaler@News-Herald.com.

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Thursday, October 4, 2012

Service to honor veterans of Grenada, Desert Storm

A memorial service to honor all veterans, especially those from Grenada and Desert Storm, will be 12:15 p.m. Saturday at Mentor City Hall, 8500 Civic Center Blvd. in Mentor. The public is asked to attend.
Admission is free and an open house will follow at the Col. Justice M. Chambers Detachment 555 of the Marine Corps League Gunny’s Hall, 8720 Twinbrook Road in Mentor. The service, now in the 10th year will include Beirut veterans from all over the country.
For details about the ceremony or the open house, call Joe Lucarelli at 216-235-9011 or Jon Warmeling at 440-350-2570.

Card party at
Wickliffe Legion

American Legion Auxiliary Brewer-Tarasco Post 7, 29919 Euclid Ave. in Wickliffe, will host a card party from 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 19. Tickets are $9 per person. A salad bar supper, desserts, 50/50 raffle, theme baskets and door prizes all will be part of the fun.
For tickets call Lucille Greig at 440-944-9732 or Dolly Hillier at 440-585-0449.

Chili and soup
dinner in Burton

Atwood-Mauck Post 459, 14052 Goodwin St. in Burton, will host an all-you-can-eat chili and soup dinner with corn bread from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Oct., 20 at the post home. Tickets are $5 adults and $3 for children age 12 and younger.
For details, call Martha at 440-479-0297.

Chardon post to host annual clambake
Chardon Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6519, 752 Water St. in Chardon, will host its annual clambake, 6 to 7 p.m. Oct. 27 at the post home. Tickets are $25 per person and $10 for extra clams. Tickets will only be sold in advance and must be purchased by Oct. 20. For details, call 440-285-3699.

Marine Corps Ball tickets now on sale
The 237th Marine Corps Birthday Ball, a semiformal dinner dance, will be 6 p.m. to midnight Nov. 3, at Dino’s Restaurant and Banquet Center, 4145 Chillicothe Road in Willoughby.
Tickets are $45 per person with eight people per table. Tickets include hors d’oeuvres, entrees, an open bar and dancing.
Tickets are available at Gunny’s Hall, 8720 Twinbrook Drive, Mentor or by calling 440-974-9380. Reservation deadline is Oct. 29.

Learn about Veterans Service Office
The Lake County Council on Aging presents Wednesday night workshops.
The workshop at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 7 will be of particular interest to veterans, as the council will host representatives from the Lake County Veterans Service Office.
Come and learn about available assistance and programs earned by the men and women who have honorably served their country.
The workshop will be at Council on Aging office, 8520 East Ave. in Mentor.
To register, call 440-205-8111 or email maribethg@lccoa.org

Dinner benefits Wounded Warrior Project
Veterans Day Campaign for a Cause, with all proceeds benefiting the Wounded Warrior Project, will be 2 to 8 p.m. Nov. 11, at Tizzano’s Party Center, 1361 E. 260th St. in Euclid.
Tickets at the door are $25 per person, and $20 for veterans and senior citizens.
Tickets include a buffet dinner served from 3 to 5 p.m., music, sideboards, Chinese auction, raffles, and two drink tickets (beer and wine only).
For details or to donate, call 216-337-8997; 216-346-6843; 216-973-3012 or 440-479-1410.

Spaghetti dinner
Thursdays at AMVETS

AMVETS Post 40, 9141 Jordan Road in Mentor, will host a
homemade spaghetti dinner on Thursday evenings from 5 to 8 p.m.
The dinner, open to the public, is $7 per person and includes all the trimmings.
For details, call 440-257-5825.

To submit items for this column or the online listings, send them to: The News-Herald, Attn.: Larece Galer, 7085 Mentor Ave., Willoughby, OH 44094: fax to 440-975-2293; or via email to LGaler@News-Herald.com.

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