The deep freeze that consumed Northeast Ohio is thawing, and better weather is sure to be close. For those who like to make their dollars count, there are a good many posts and detachments in the area that serve meals all weekend.
These meals are normally staffed by volunteers, with proceeds benefiting one of the post groups. The funds could be for the membership to defray a repair cost; for the auxiliary for holiday food baskets or for the color guard unit for uniforms, rifles or flags.
I have been to many of these meals; I can tell you that I have never been disappointed in the amount of food served, the quality or the price. This is a win-win for all concerned, a night out for the single or couple, needed funding dollars for the group waiting on tables and a chance to check out the posts and detachments in the area, just in case you are thinking of becoming a member of a post.
The money spent on this night out will be used for any number of projects in the post home and help to continue the work done by each of the posts in the area.
One local auxiliary touched many local lives with their hard work. The auxiliary donated food baskets for Thanksgiving and Christmas; hosted a Thanksgiving dinner for veterans at the Veterans Affairs Clinic and those veterans who are less fortunate; adopted a mother and her three children from the Forbes House shelter for domestic violence victims; donated warming items for homeless veterans; and collected hats and gloves that were donated to Hope Chest in Painesville.

Veteran ID cards coming to Lake County
Lake County Veterans ID Cards will be available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 17 in the basement conference room of the Lake County Administration Building, 105 Main St. in Painesville.
Veterans need to bring their original honorable (DD-214) discharge and a photo ID. There will be a $1 charge to offset the cost of the card.
For details, call the Lake County Recorder’s Office at (440) 350-2510.

Willoughby post still serving fish fry dinners
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1500, 38295 Pelton Road in Willoughby, holds fish fry dinners on the first and third Fridays of each month until Lent. The menu also offers nonfish items for those who do not like fish. Reasonable drink prices and a homemade dessert table is also part of the fare. For details about the dinners, call the post at 440-951-9233.

American Legion Post 112 offers Saturday Lucky Shoots until March
American Legion Post 112, 6671 Middle Ridge Road in Madison, will offer Lucky Shoots each Saturday, starting this week through March 15. Sign-ups will begin at 9 a.m. and breakfast for shooters will be $2.50 or $5 for nonshooters.
For details, call the post home at 440-428-7893.

Fish fry in Fairport Harbor
VFW Post 7754, 540 New St. in Fairport Harbor, hosts fish fry dinners every second and fourth Friday of the month. Lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and dinners 4 to 7 p.m.
The public is welcome. For details, call the post at 440-352-1123.

Steak dinners offered at AMVETS
AMVETS Post 40, 9141 Jordan Drive in Mentor, will serve a steak dinner from 5:30 to 8 p.m. the second Saturday of each month at the post home. Dinner will be $12 and includes steak, salad, corn, baked potato and roll. The dinner is open to the public. For details, call 440-527-1911.

Pancakes and sausage at Burton post
Atwood-Mauck Post 459, 14052 Goodwin St. in Burton, will host a pancake and sausage breakfast from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday at the post home. Adult tickets are $8 and tickets for children age 12 and younger are $5. For details, call “Bo” at 440-834-8765.

Young Marines now accepting registrations
The Greater Lake County Young Marines group is now accepting registration for the next recruit class. Orientation will begin at 2 p.m. Feb. 15.
The nonprofit youth education program for boys and girls ages 8 through high school focuses on character building through a combination of self-discipline, teamwork and leadership, while promoting a healthy, drug-free lifestyle.
This is the official youth program of the U.S. Marine Corps and the focal point of the Marine Corps Youth Drug Demand reduction efforts.
For more information, visit www.glcyoungmarines.org or call 440-413-6707.

Catholic War Veterans host national membership drive
The Catholic War Veterans of the USA will host a national new member recruitment drive after all Masses on Jan. 18 and 19. CWV Post 1959 The John Paul II of Lake County will participate in the drive at all of the Catholic churches in Lake County. Those eligible for membership must be practicing Catholics and honorably discharged veterans or active duty members of any branch of the U.S. armed forces.

Funeral detail available in Geauga County
American Legion Post 459, 14059 Goodwin St. in Burton, has a full military funeral detail available to any honorably discharged veteran eligible for full military honors. The honor guard, led by Newell Beaumier, sergeant at arms, is available 24/7, with a few days’ notice. For details call “Bo” at 440-834-8764. Please leave a message if no one answers.

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.

The following are some of the events being planned to commemorate Memorial Day. All events are May 28 unless otherwise noted.

Lake County

-- The annual program at St. John Baptist Church, 361 West Jackson St. in Painesville, will be 2 p.m. May 27 and will be "Not For The Glory."

The service will feature state Sen. Nina Turner and 11th District Court of Appeals Judge Mary Jane Trapp. For details about the event call 440-840-0834.


-- AMVETS Post 109 in Mentor-on-the-Lake will host the annual Mentor-on-the-Lake parade on May 27.

The parade will form at Rice Elementary School, 7640 Lake Shore Blvd., at noon and step off at 1:05 p.m. The parade will head east on Lakeshore Boulevard then north on Andrews Road ending at Mentor Beach Park. A memorial service will be performed at the park with speaker Mayor John Rogers. Food and refreshment will be provided by AMVETS Post 109 and open house is scheduled at the post after the ceremony.

For details call Joe Kirkpatrick at 440-728-4635.


-- The annual parade in Kirtland will be 10 a.m. The parade will step off from Kirtland High School, proceed south on Route 306, and conclude at the Kirtland Veterans Memorial between the library and City Hall.

A ceremony will be at the Veterans Memorial as well as at both North and South Cemeteries.

-- In the Madison area, the parade route has changed this year and will start at the Madison Memorial Complex and go directly to the Madison Village Park. All youth groups are invited to participate. The ceremony will include rifle volleys, riderless horse and services after the parade at the park.

A bus will be provided for those veterans and guests who cannot walk in the parade, and the USO will have a donation box at the bandstand.

For details, call Mike Evangelista at 440-417-4804.

-- The Perry American Legion Post 697 will host a program at 11:30 a.m. in front of the Perry Historical Museum.

The ceremony will include the placing of wreaths, a rifle salute and taps in memory of the departed veterans of all previous wars. All veterans attending the service will be asked to step forward and be recognized for their service to our country.

The parade steps off at 11 a.m. from Harper Street, then proceeds down Main Street and will conclude at the Perry Historical Museum. Earlier in the day groups will assemble at the United Methodist Church of Perry and will motorcade to the Vrooman Road Bridge; Lane Road Cemetery and the Perry Cemetery for ceremonies.

All uniformed groups are invited to participate in the activities beginning at 9 a.m. followed by the parade at 11 a.m. For details call Post Commander Don Densmore at 440-259-3218.

-- Willoughby's parade will start at 9:30 a.m. and the route is Erie Street to Euclid Avenue to Park Avenue to Hughes Avenue to the cemetery. A ceremony there will follow the parade. For details, call 440-953-4200.