VFW Planning A Fundraiser Leading Up To Veterans’ Day

By Shannon Hicks

Debbie Sturges was one of the countless Newtown residents who liked the presentations of American flags this past summer that were done by Newtown Woman’s Club and Newtown Congregational Church.

In May the Woman’s Club ran a fundraiser for its OASIS Project, which is creating campus centers for veterans at colleges and universities across the state, which culminated locally with a presentation of 288 American flags on the lawn at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument on Main Street. Those flags were on view in late May and remained on view until just after Flag Day.

Newtown Congregational Church hosted the Field of Flags, a traveling display of 12- by 8-inch American flags, on its front lawn May 22 to June 14. Each of the 5,000-plus flags in that display represented the life of each American who has been killed in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Ms Sturges is a member of Newtown VFW Post 308 Ladies Auxiliary, and decided recently that she wants to do something similar at the post for Veterans’ Day this year. So she and other members of the Ladies and Men’s Auxiliaries at the post are hosting a fundraiser.

“When I saw the flags at the Monument for Memorial Day I thought it was so nice,” said Ms Sturges, who volunteers most weekdays at the VFW’s bar. “I thought we should do something similar.”

Between now and November 10, flag sponsorships are available at the VFW on Tinkerfield Road any time the post is open. For a $5 donation, anyone can sponsor a flag to honor any current or former soldier. Forms are available so that donors can supply the name of the person they would like to honor, along with their service branch and any other pertinent information.

The flags will be placed in the ground next to the post building, near its flagpole and cannon. They will be in place for the post’s Veterans’ Day ceremonies.

“If we can get enough flags, we’ll put some more up by South Main Street,” said Ms Sturges.

Flags can be picked up by the donors after Veterans’ Day, or the post will keep them for future use.

The auxiliaries will use the proceeds from this fundraiser for its Christmas projects.

“We get phone cards for soldiers, sometimes things for the residents at Masonicare,” she said. “Wherever we can help, we like to.”

For additional information call VFW Post 308 at 426-9316.