I have noticed a number of outdoor activities coming up in the next few weeks: motorcycle events, golf outings and picnics. Could this possibly mean that spring has finally arrived?
If this is the case, then Memorial Day cannot be far behind. I have already received two announcements about events for this holiday. Each post should be participating in something: a ceremony to remember the fallen or perhaps a local parade.
If your post is doing something, please send the information to me for listing in the annual Memorial Day events list.
I hope to see a long list of memorial ceremonies.

Auxiliary dinner benefits Cleveland Fisher House
American Legion Ladies Auxiliary of Post 336, 60 Chester St. in Painesville, will host a shepherd’s pie dinner from 5 to 7:30 p.m. April 24.
Proceeds from the dinner will benefit Cleveland Fisher House. For details, call 440-357-7711.

Annual Rally for the Troops
The 13th annual Rally for the Troops will take place at 11 a.m. April 26 at the Greater Cleveland Veterans Memorial, between Saint Clair and Rockwell avenues, west of East 6th Street in Cleveland. The location has been changed because of the ongoing construction at Public Square.
Group rides will leave from many of the Northeast Ohio Harley Davidson dealerships to the rally. Call in advance to determine the plans for each dealership.
For details, call John “Kiks” Kikol at 440-263-8121 or kiksharley@aol.com.

Work party will raise flags at memorial
The Eastlake Boulevard of 500 Flags Volunteers Committee will host a work party beginning at 9 a.m. May 2 to sort and raise the flags, with a rain date of May 3.
Please bring gloves and pliers if you plan to volunteer. The work parties are open to anyone. The committee operates completely on donations and with the help of volunteers.
To make a donation, checks can be made payable to the City of Eastlake (Boulevard of 500 Flags on the memo line) and sent to City Hall, 35150 Lake Shore Blvd., Eastlake, OH 44095.
For more information on volunteering, call Joe Strand at 440-942-9344.
The new website for the boulevard is up and running. Visit www.500flags.org.

Young Marines work toward Pearl Harbor
The Ashtabula County Young Marines are working to raise money for a trip to Pearl Harbor in December 2016 for the 75th anniversary of the attack on America.
The Young Marines will host a reverse raffle at 5:30 p.m. May 9 at the Jefferson Eagles, 133 S. Spruce St. in Jefferson.
Social hour is 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. and dinner will be at 6:30. The drawing begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $50 and include a dinner, open bar and one chance at the main board. Dinner for two will be $65 with open bar and one chance at the main board.
For tickets, call Doc Lee at 440-344-8237.

Celebrate mothers 
at VFW post
A Mother’s Day Brunch will be hosted by the Ladies Auxiliary of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4358, 29412 White Road in Willoughby Hills, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 10.
Tickets in advance are $10 per person or $5 for children ages 5 through 10. Tickets must be purchased by May 3 at the post canteen from 3 to 9 p.m. For details, call Rosina Drenski at 440-944-4903.

Operation S.T.A.T. 
open house
Operation S.T.A.T. (Standing Tall for American Troops) will host an open house May 16 at VFW Post 3863, 33641 Vine St. in Eastlake.
The group will offer free hamburgers and hot dogs at the event, and will educate the public and veterans about services offered by Operation S.T.A.T. Other military organizations have been invited and will be on hand to answer questions, provide information and promote their organizations. The event is open to the public.

P.L.A.V. Auxiliary hosts 
golf outing
Polish Legion of American Veterans Ladies Auxiliary Chapter 31 will host a golf outing May 16 at Briardale Greens Golf Course, 24131 Briardale Ave. in Euclid. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Greater Cleveland Fisher House.
Tickets for the event are $70 per person and include coffee and doughnuts, lunch at the turn, green fees, cart and a full buffet dinner at PLAV Post 31, 850 E. 200th St. in Cleveland immediately following the outing.
Arrive at the course by 7 a.m. with a shotgun start scramble at 8. Tickets are available for the dinner only at $15 each. For details, call Theresa Krysiak at 216-337-8997 or John Major at 216-337-8996.

Blessing of the bikes
in Hambden
Hambden Congregational Church, 13840 GAR Highway in Hambden Township, will host a bike blessing and veterans tribute service on May 17.
All motorcycles are to gather on Chardon Square at 9:30 a.m. and depart at 9:45 a.m. for the service, which will begin at 10:30. All two- and four-wheel vehicles are invited to attend.
A picnic gathering will follow at Hambden Township Park, 9891 Old State Road in Chardon. Please bring a dish to share with all.
Hamburgers, hot dogs and drinks will be provided by Hambden Congregational Church and the cooking will be done by the Chardon VFW. Cleanup and other assistance will be by the Young Marines.

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.

Rolling Thunder Ohio Chapters 1 and 8 will participate in the Piston Power show at the I-X Center, March 14-16. They will be collecting funds for the Greater Cleveland Fisher House.
The effort is sponsored by the Medina Veterans of Foreign Wars and the three-day event will include a color guard, opening and closing ceremonies, speakers and an auction for a Johnnyville Slugger bat. Narration of the Missing Man Table will be done each day by Rolling Thunder.
Fisher House will be built near the Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center and will house the families of military veterans undergoing treatment at the center.
For details about Fisher House, call 440-377-0067 or email stokesfisherhouse@gmail.com.

Book is a thank you to Korean veterans
“Korea Reborn, A Grateful Nation” is now available at VFW Post 9295, 8682 Mentor Ave. in Mentor. The book is free to any Korean veteran or their families. This book is a tribute to the 60th anniversary of the end of hostilities and is a thank you to the soldiers who helped keep South Korea free.
For details, call the post home at 440-255-3473 after 1 p.m.

Eastlake post cancels St. Patrick’s Day dinner
VFW Post 3863 in Eastlake has canceled the St. Patrick’s Day dinner originally scheduled for March 15. Call the post for further details at 440-942-3980.

Rigatoni rescheduled
Because of the power outage on March 8, the Junior Girls of VFW Post 2595, 570 Liberty St. in Painesville, rescheduled the rigatoni dinner. The dinner will be 1 to 4 p.m. March 23. The dinner is $6 and proceeds raised will be used for their trip to the state conference. For details call Jill Householder at 440-352-9522.

Men’s Auxiliary serves breakfast
The Men’s Auxiliary of VFW Post 8548, 7604 Lake Road E. in Madison Township, will serve a sausage gravy, biscuits, potatoes and scrambled egg breakfast with coffee and juice from 8 a.m. to noon March 16 at the post home.
Adult breakfast will be $5 and breakfast for children ages 10 and younger will be $3.50. Takeout orders will be available. Proceeds will benefit the men’s auxiliary, food bank and the scholarship fund. For details, call 440-428-4467.

Painesville Legion serving Sunday breakfast
American Legion Post 336, 60 Chester St. in Painesville, will be serving breakfasts from 9 to 11:30 a.m. each Sunday through the end of May.
The menu will contain meals ranging in price from $3 to $6. For details, call the post home at 440-357-7711.

Lucky Shoots Saturday in Madison
American Legion Post 112, 6671 Middle Ridge Road in Madison, will host Lucky Shoots beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturdays through March 15. Sign-ups start at 9 a.m. and breakfast for the shooters is $2.50; breakfast for everyone else is $5. For details, call the post home at 440-428-7893.

Veterans dinner offered in Kirtland
A Veterans Hospitality Dinner will be served beginning at 6 p.m. March 19 at Old South Church, 9802 Chillicothe Road in Kirtland. The dinner is free for veterans and their families. This is a family event to bring together area veterans in appreciation of their service. The dinner also will offer activities for children. Please register in advance at ghostriderfoundation@gmail.com to assure adequate food. For details, call 440-463-5400.

Abbey Rodeo appears at Willoughby VFW
Willoughby VFW Post 1500 will host its fifth annual fundraising spaghetti dinner from 6 to 8 p.m. March 22 at the post, 38295 Pelton Road in Willoughby. Entertainment by Abbey Rodeo will follow dinner. Proceeds from the event benefit The Littlest Heroes, VFW charities and local veterans in need.
Tickets are $18 a person and might not be available the night of the event because of advance sales. For tickets, call the post home at 440-951-9233.

Chili cook-off at Willowick post
American Legion Post 678, 570 E. 328th St. in Willowick, will host a chili cook-off at 3 p.m. March 23 at the post home. Entry fee for chili is $20 and to try a bowl, the cost will be $5. Call Kevin Carroll, commander, for information about the cook-off at 440-567-1847.

Oink and Squeal Party
Ladies Auxiliary Unit of American Legion Post 459, 14052 Goodwin Street in Burton, will host an Oink and Squeal Party, raffle and Chinese auction beginning at 5 p.m. April 12 at the post home.
Raffle tickets are $2 each. Admission is a nonperishable food item, bath item or cash donation for the local food bank. Food will be available through the American Legion kitchen. For details, contact any Ladies Auxiliary member or call the post home at 440-834-8621.

Willowick Legion to host Blessing of the Bikes
American Legion Post 678, 570 E. 328th St. in Willowick, will host a “Blessing of the Bikes” at noon April 13 in the post parking lot. The parking lot will open at 10:30 a.m., with the blessing scheduled for noon. Vendors, food, music and raffles will be a part of the event. All proceeds will benefit local veterans. For details, call the post home at 440-943-9659.

Vendor, craft and garage sale at Willowick post
American Legion Unit 678 Ladies Auxiliary will sponsor a vendor, craft and garage sale 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 26 in the post social hall, 570 E. 328th St. in Willowick.
Proceeds collected will go to the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary Charities. It’s all about the veterans. Please call 440-943-9659 or 216-408-6284 to reserve a table.

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.