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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.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

11th annual Rally for the Troops on Sunday

The 11th annual Rally for the Troops will be Sunday at Cleveland Public Square. The rally will be directly in front of the Terminal Tower in the southwest quadrant.
The purpose of the event is to honor Ohio’s fallen heroes, all veterans and their families for the many sacrifices made in defense of our country. This annual event takes place rain or shine and you do not have to arrive by motorcycle to be a part of the rally. A reading of the names of Ohio’s fallen from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom will end the ceremonies.
The Lake County staging point will be at Western Reserve Harley Davidson in Mentor. In case of bad weather, please come by car to express support for our troops, our veterans and the Gold Star families.
A post-rally event is planned from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. that will include food and entertainment at Cleveland Harley-Davidson, 14550 Lorain Ave. in Cleveland. For details, call John “Kiks” Kikol at 440-263-8121 or email to kiksharley@aol.com.
 
Auxiliary to serve cabbage rolls
American Legion Auxiliary Unit 336, 60 Chester St. in Painesville, will host a cabbage roll dinner from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the post home. Cost is $8 a person. For details, call 440-357-7711.
 
AMVETS District 20 reverse raffle
AMVETS District 20 will host a reverse raffle Saturday at Mentor-on-the-Lake Post 109, 7847 Lake Shore Blvd. in Mentor-on-the-Lake. The dinner is $25 a person and includes one big board ticket. There also will be side boards, music and a cash bar. For details or ticket information, call 440-463-3452 or 440-521-7235. The event is open to the public and proceeds will benefit AMVETS veteran projects.
 
Pasta dinner to
benefit Wounded Warrior

Gunny’s Hall, 8720 Twinbrook Drive in Mentor, will host a benefit pasta dinner at 5 p.m. Sunday. Doors will open at 2 p.m. with the dinner beginning at 5. Tickets are $15 per person. The event includes side boards and a 50/50 raffle. Half of the proceeds will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. For details, call the hall at 440-974-9380.
 
Breakfast buffet before
Louie Run at Post 336

American Legion Auxiliary Unit 336, 60 Chester St. in Painesville, will host a Louie Run breakfast buffet from 9 a.m. to noon May 5 at the post home. Cost of the breakfast is $5 a person. For details, call the post at 440-357-7711.
 
Euclid Auxiliary walks
for Fisher House

Euclid American Legion Ladies Auxiliary Unit 343 will host a Walk for Fisher House on May 11 at the Euclid Sparky DiBiasio Stadium.
Walkers may register for $20 and are encouraged to collect sponsor donations. For details or registration, call Karen Kilkenney at 216-407-1286 or email walkforfisher@roadrunner.com
 
Mother’s Day breakfast
at Eastlake VFW

Eastlake Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3863, at 33641 Vine St., will serve a Mother’s Day breakfast from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. May 12 at the post home. Breakfast is $5 a person and mothers eat free.
For details, call the post home at 440-942-3980.
 
DAV Chapter 42 hosts
Run for the River

Disabled American Veterans Chapter 42, Lake County will host the sixth annual Run for the River.
The 70-mile run will begin at Western Reserve Harley Davidson, 8567 Tyler Blvd. in Mentor, and end at The Wagon Wheel, 1388 Hubbard Road in Madison. Staging will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m. and bikes will pull out at 11 a.m. Tickets are $8 a bike in advance and $10 the day of the run.
All proceeds raised will benefit Fisher House and DAV Chapter 42. For tickets, call Mandi at 440-382-6818.
 
Geauga County World War II
veterans wanted

Geauga County Historical Society is attempting to identify all current Geauga County residents who are World War II veterans.
The Historical Society will be hosting a tribute dinner for the veterans on May 25 at Century Village Museum’s Bond Building. The dinner is part of a major weekend-long event to commemorate the World War II era.
If someone you know is a veteran of World War II and a resident of Geauga County, contact the Geauga County Historical Society and Century Village Museum office at 440-834-1492 or email info@geaugahistorical.org.
 
Flag Day June 14
Flag Day is June 14, and members of Jay Wilson Post 112 of the American Legion remind everyone that if your U.S. flag is worn out, torn, or faded beyond proper use, drop it off at the post home, 6671 Middle Ridge Road in Madison. There is a drop box painted red, white and blue for fast and hassle-free drop off from your vehicle.
Post members will present a public flag retirement ceremony at 6:30 p.m. June 11. For details, call the post home at 440-428-7893.
 
Annual Burton Rotary
Motorcycle Run June 20

The eighth annual Burton Middlefield Rotary Motorcycle Run to raise funds for local veterans will be June 20 beginning at the Geauga County Fairgrounds, 14373 N. Cheshire St. Burton Township. The ride will be led by Sheriff Dan McClelland and his dog, Midge. Registration and sponsorship information can be found at www.bmrmotocyclerun.com.
 
Chardon VFW
to host rummage sale

Chardon VFW Post 6519 at 752 Water St. will host a rummage sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 21 and 22 at the post home. No furniture or clothing will be available. For details, call the post home at 440-285-3699.

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, April 18, 2013

Military and first responders angels in uniform

The Boston Marathon bombing brings yet another week to be thankful for this country’s first responders and military personnel.
The video of the Boston Marathon explosions and the reaction of those on site illustrate how lucky we are to have the police, fire, emergency medical and military personnel we have in this country.
The video of the blasts in Boston are short in length, but in that brief time, the clips show men in uniforms tearing apart the crowd control barriers and attending to the injured.
The blast had occurred moments before and the smoke was still clearing, yet these brave souls gave no thought to their own safety and charged ahead to help anyone needing assistance.
The photographs and video of the aftermath are graphic and even at such a dark time, the uniformed angels were in the center of the turmoil, showing an intense calm in a chaotic situation.
Security again will change and life as we have known it will also change. One constant will be the military and first responders who will be there to help in these tumultuous times.

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

Veterans dinner a family event
A Veterans Hospitality Dinner will be served beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Old South Church, 9802 Chillicothe Road in Kirtland.
The dinner and dessert are free and there will be activities for children.
This is a family event to bring area veterans together in appreciation of their service.
Register in advance at ghostriderfoundation@gmail.com to assure adequate food and staff. The event is sponsored by Ghost Rider Foundation.
Reverse raffle benefits

AMVETS District 20
AMVETS District 20 will host a reverse raffle April 27 at the Mentor-on-the-Lake Post 109, 7847 Lake Shore Blvd.
The dinner is $25 per person and includes one big board ticket. There also will be side boards, music and a cash bar.
For details or ticket information, call 440-463-3452 or 440-521-7235.
The event is open to the public and proceeds will benefit AMVETS veteran projects.

Annual Rally for the
Troops at Public Square

The 11th annual Rally for the Troops will begin at 11 a.m. April 28 in downtown Cleveland’s Public Square. The rally will conclude at noon. Monica Robins, WKYC-TV Channel 3 senior health correspondent, will serve as master of ceremonies and sing the national anthem.
The rally will conclude with a reading of the names of each of Ohio’s fallen heroes, followed by a gun salute, taps and “Amazing Grace” by the Cleveland Firefighters Memorial Pipes and Drums.
The rally will take place rain or shine. The public is encouraged to attend to express support for active military, veterans and the families of Ohio Gold Star families, many of whom will attend the rally and read some of the fallen heroes’ names.
For details, call 440-263-8121 or email kiksharley@aol.com.

Pasta dinner benefits
Wounded Warrior

Gunny’s Hall, 8720 Twinbrook Drive in Mentor ,will host a benefit pasta dinner at 5 p.m. April 28. Doors will open at 2 p.m., with the dinner beginning at 5. Tickets are $15 per person.
The event includes side boards and a 50/50 raffle. Half of the proceeds will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project.
For details, call the hall at 440-974-9380.

Walk for Fisher House in Euclid
Euclid American Legion Ladies Auxiliary Unit 343 will host a Walk for Fisher House on May 11 at the Euclid Sparky DiBiasio Stadium. Walkers may register for $20 and are encouraged to collect sponsor donations.
For details or registration, call Karen Kilkenney at 216-407-1286 or email walkforfisher@roadrunner.com

Celebrate Mothers Day
with Eastlake VFW

Eastlake VFW Post 3863 at 33641 Vine St. will serve a Mother’s Day breakfast from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. May 12 at the post home. Breakfast is $5 a person and mothers eat free. For details, call the post home at 440-942-3980.

Old flags wanted
Flag Day is June 14, and members of Jay Wilson Post 112 of the American Legion remind everyone that if your American flag is worn out, torn, or faded beyond proper use, drop it off at the post home, 6671 Middle Ridge Road in Madison.
There is a drop box painted
red, white and blue for fast and hassle free drop-offs from your vehicle.
The membership of the post will present a public flag retirement ceremony at 6:30 p.m. June 11.
For details, call the post home at 440-428-7893. 

Korean War Veterans
Association members wanted

Korean War veterans and Korean service veterans are encouraged to consider joining the Korean War Veterans Association.
The group meets the last Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at VFW Post 1056, 580 E. 200th St. in Euclid.
Visit the Korean War Veterans Association website at www.kwva.org to obtain a membership form or call the national membership office at 217-345-4414.

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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Wednesday, April 10, 2013

One Day in HIstory

Have you ever been curious about what happened on a given day? I was curious to see what happened on April 12 so using the Internet, I looked it up. I found a few historical happenings on this date.
n 1865: The American Civil War was almost at an end, and on this date, Mobile, Ala., fell to the U.S. Army.
n 1945: President Franklin D. Roosevelt died while in office, and Vice President Harry Truman was sworn in as the 33rd president of the United States.
n 1961: Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin went into space in Vostok 1.
n 1975: Operation Eagle evacuates the American ambassador and staff from Phnom Penh in Laos as the Communist Khmer Rouge forces close in around the city.
It was interesting to pick a day and see what historical things had happened in previous years. In 100 years, the American Civil War ended, a president died, a manned space capsule circled the earth and Communist forces seized an Asian country.

Willowick auxiliary hosts flea market
The Ladies Auxiliary of American Legion Post 678, 570 E. 328th St. in Willowick, will host a flea market from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the post home. This is a fundraiser for the veteran causes that the auxiliary supports. For details, call the post at 440-943-9659.

Breakfast served at Painesville VFW
The Ladies Auxiliary of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2595, 570 Liberty St. in Painesville, will host a Sunday breakfast beginning at 9 a.m. April 21 at the post home. For details, call the post at 440-354-9090.

Veterans Hospitality Dinner
A Veterans Hospitality Dinner will be served beginning at 6 p.m. April 24 at Old South Church, 9802 Chillicothe Road in Kirtland. The family event will bring area veterans together in appreciation of their service.
The dinner and dessert are free and there will be activities for children.
Registration in advance is requested at ghostriderfoundation@gmail.com to assure adequate food and staffing.

Reverse raffle at AMVETS post
AMVETS District 20 will host a reverse raffle April 27 at AMVETS Post 109, 7847 Lake Shore Blvd. in Mentor-on-the-Lake. Tickets for the raffle, which is open to the public, are $25 and include the big board ticket. For details, call 440-463-3452 or 440-521-7235.

Auxiliary unit celebrates 25 years
VFW Post 3863 Ladies Auxiliary will celebrate the group’s 25th anniversary from 3 to 6 p.m. April 28 at the post home, 33641 Vine St. in Eastlake. Dinner will be catered by Koumbaro’s Catering. Cost is $10 per person and reservations are requested before April 19. Call Jean Powali at 440-944-8943 with questions or to make reservations.

Rally for the Troops in Cleveland
The 11th Annual Rally for the Troops will be 11 a.m. to noon April 28 on Cleveland Public Square. There is no cost to attend and parking is free at Tower City and Network Parking. Bikes will stage at various Harley Davidson dealerships beginning at 8:30 a.m. Contact the Harley Davidson dealer closest to you for details. For information about the rally, call 440-263-8121.

AMVETS Post serves spaghetti
AMVETS Post 40, 9141 Jordan Drive in Mentor, will host a spaghetti dinner 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursdays at the post home. The public is welcome. For details, call the post at 440-257-5825.

Yankee Doodle Salute
The Western Reserve Junior Service League will present the annual Red Stocking Revue “Yankee Doodle Salute!” at 7:30 p.m. May 3 and 4 at Harvey High School, 200 W. Walnut Ave. in Painesville.
The program is a fundraiser for the league and the work it does in promoting the enrichment of educational, cultural and charitable organizations in Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula counties. The program will be a patriotic salute.
This year, donate toiletries for the troops and receive a one free Chinese raffle ticket.
Tickets for the show are $15 for general admission and $35 reserved seating. To thank those who have served our country, all veterans and active duty personnel with a military ID will be admitted free the night of the performance, based on available seating. For details visit www.wrjsl.org.

Walk for Fisher House
American Legion Ladies Auxiliary Unit 343 of Euclid will sponsor a Walk for Fisher House on May 11 at Euclid High School’s Sparky DiBiasio Stadium. The walk will be one mile, and the event includes a wellness clinic. Representatives from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Fisher House will answer any questions about benefits available.
Registration is $20 per walker, with children ages 12 and younger admitted free. For details and a registration form, email walkforfisher@roadrunner.com or call the post after 3 p.m. at 216-531-5344.

Geauga County World War II veterans wanted
The Geauga County Historical Society is trying to identify all current Geauga County residents who are veterans of World War II.
The Historical Society will be hosting a tribute dinner May 25 at Century Village Museum’s Bond Building. The dinner is part of a major weekend-long event to commemorate the World War II era.
If you or someone you know is a veteran of World War II and a resident of Geauga County, please call the Geauga County Historical Society and Century Village Museum office at 440-834-1492 or email info@geaugahistorical.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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Friday, April 5, 2013

Event a Success for Littlest Heroes

A perfect example of what can be accomplished by the post family and the community has to be the recent fundraiser at the Willoughby VFW Post 1500.
The post hosted a sold-out, standing-room-only fundraiser March 23 at the post home, 38295 Pelton Road, Willoughby.
The event was a benefit for the Littlest Heroes, a local nonprofit charity that provides financial assistance to families with children affected by cancer.
The event featured a spaghetti dinner and music by Abbey Rodeo, a band that performs music of the 60’s. It raised $1,000 for “The Littlest Heroes” because of the generosity of those who attended and from corporate sponsors OE Exchange, Century Plating, Lake County Roto-Rooters and National Threaded Fasteners.

Winter clothes
collection concludes

The Ladies Auxiliary of Perry AMVETS Post 1971, 4129 Main St., Perry, has concluded the collection of new or gently worn, warm clothes and blankets for Homeless Veterans. The project was a great success and items donated were of great quality as well as quantity. Thank you to all who contributed. For details about AMVETS projects call 440-259-5131.

Leathernecks host
spaghetti dinner

The Gold Star Chapter of the Leathernecks Nation MC will host an all-you-can-eat Spaghetti Dinner at 5:30 p.m. April 6, at the American Legion Post 678, 570 E. 328th St., Willowick.
Tickets are $15 adult single ticket and children age 10 and younger free with a paid adult ticket. For details, contact leathernecksmc@sbcglobal.net.leathernecksmc@sbcglobal.net.

Catholic War Veterans
membership drive

John Paul II Post 1959 of the Catholic War Veterans will host a Membership/Poppy Drive at St. Cyprian Catholic Church, 4223 Middle Ridge Road, Perry at 5 p.m. April 6 and 9 and 11 a.m. Sunday, April 7.
There will also be a 50/50 drawing to support our troops.
For details, call Ken Kirchner, Second vice Commander at 440-257-2156.

Legion Riders new at Post 214
American Legion Post 214, 4304 Center St., Willoughby, now has a Legion Rider Chapter.
The riders meetings will be the second Monday of each month beginning at 7 p.m.
The first one is scheduled for April 8.
If you own a motorcycle and belong to the American Legion or if you eligible to join the Legion come be a part of the Riders at the ground level and build it up.
For details,  call the post at 440-942-7762 after 3 p.m. or email legionpost214@gmail.com.or email legionpost214@gmail.com.

Auxiliary hosts Flea Market
The American Legion Auxiliary Unit of Post 678, will host a flea market 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 13 at the post home, 570 E. 328th St., Willowick.
This is a fundraiser for veteran causes supported by the Auxiliary.

Veterans Hospitality Dinner
A family event to bring area veterans together in appreciation for their service will be 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 24, 2013 at Old South church, 9802 Chillicothe Road, Kirtland.
The dinner is free and there will be activities for the children. Please pre-register at ghostriderfoundation@gmail.com to assure adequate food and staff.

AMVETS host district dinner
AMVETS District 20 will host a reverse raffle and all-you-can-eat Spaghetti dinner April 27, at AMVETS Post 109, 7847 Lake Shore Boulevard, Mentor-on-the-Lake.
Tickets are $25 per person and all proceeds will benefit AMVETS 20th District that works to support veteran’s rights.
Tickets are available at all local AMVETS Posts including Post 109.

Auxiliary celebrates 25 years
VFW 3863, Ladies Auxiliary will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the auxiliary 3 to 6 p.m. April 28, at the post home, 33641 Vine St., Eastlake.
The group was originally chartered on April 17, 1988, according to VFW National offices. Reservations are requested by April 19. Tickets are $10 per person with a cash bar. The event will be catered by Koumbaro’s Catering.
Call Jean Powali at 440-944-8943 for questions or for reservations.

Yankee Doodle Salute
Western Reserve Junior Service League will host the annual Red Stocking Revue entitled “Yankee Doodle Salute!” at 7:30 p.m. May 3 and 4 at Harvey High School, 200 West Walnut Ave., Painesville
Tickets are $15 general admission and$35 reserved seating.
To thank those who have served out country, all veterans and active duty personnel with a military ID will be admitted free the night of the performance, based on available seating.
For details or to purchase tickets call 440-256-1547.
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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