Roscoe VFW Post 2955 & VFW Auxiliary
OCTOBER, 2025 - Monthly Newsletter
SAVE THE DATE!! November 6, 2025; VETERANS' DAY DINNER; 4 - 7 PM
Veterans - No Charge; All others $18.00
Notes from the Editor
Leaves are beginning to turn color and starting to fall from the trees. The days are getting shorter, and pumpkin and apple-picking, buying, eating, and baking season is upon us. Try to take some time out of your schedule to enjoy the colors, sights and sounds of the fall season!
A great big THANK-YOU to everyone who worked at the Fall Festival recruiting/informational booth. Also, thanks to everyone who participated in the Fall Festival parade. Thanks again for volunteering!
Even though Burger Bombs at the Bunker are now done for the season, the weekday lunches are doing well – Chicken Salad Sandwich Monday, Taco Tuesday, Wiener Wednesday, and Italian Beef Thursday. When you have an opportunity, stop in to the Canteen and try the lunches. More on this later in the newsletter.
If you have a school-age grandchild, friend, or neighbor in the area, encourage them to participate in the Patriot’s Pen program if they are in 6th, 7th, or 8th grades; or if they are in high school, the Voice of Democracy program. There are more details on these programs later in the newsletter.
‑Tom Cleland, Editor
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Some Real Groaners:
Why aren’t koalas actual bears? Because they don’t meet the koalafications.
My boss asked me why I only get sick on workdays. I said, “I don’t know, it must be my weekend immune system.”
If money doesn’t grow on trees, why do banks have branches?
As I get older, I remember all the people I lost along the way – maybe a career as a tour guide wasn’t the right choice.
Singing in the shower is fun, until you get soap in your mouth…Then it’s a soap opera.
Do you know that gravity is one of the most fundamental forces in the universe? Do you know what happens when you remove it? You get gravy.
My girlfriend keeps accusing me of cheating. She’s starting to sound like my wife.
In the last 17 years, 114 people have died from accidents in the gym. In the same 17 years, only one man has ever died from eating a donut. Life is about the choices you make.
VFW and VFW Auxiliary Monthly Meetings
The VFW holds its monthly meeting on the first Tuesday of each month (this month it is October 7th) at 6:00 PM at the Post Home.
The Auxiliary holds its monthly meeting on the first Monday of each month (this month it is October 6th) at 6:00 PM at the Post Home, 11385 Second Street.
All VFW and Auxiliary members are invited to attend their respective meetings.
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From Commander Gene Mund:
The month of September started off with a bus trip to a Brewers Baseball game sponsored by Vets Roll. At the beginning of the game, World War II veterans and Rosie Riveters were honored. A 100-year-old vet threw out the first pitch which almost made it to home plate. All WWII vets were introduced to the crowd with tremendous applause. Food and drink were included in the outing. A great day was experienced by all who attended.
Another outing this month was the golf outing at Red Barn golf Course. After the game, all participants enjoyed a steak on the “barby” back at the Post Home. It was a beautiful day to be outside.
At the Fall Fest in Roscoe, the Post had a booth to show a presence to the community. Thanks to all the volunteers who manned the booth from Friday thru Sunday evening. As many of you know, this year we did not serve food as in past years.
The Horseshoe League finished their season with a steak fry with all the trimmings. If you would like to play next spring, bring your team of two or show up as a substitute. It is a handicap scoring league so any level of expertise can be competitive.
On the 11th of September, a Quilts of Valor presentation was held in the Post hall. Several Viet Nam Veterans were honored with a quilt to commemorate their service. Pizza was served and a good time was enjoyed by all.
The last Friday of the month saw the end of burger bombs being served at the Bunker. A huge “THANK YOU” to Rick and Mike for all their hard work on the grill. Billy Graves helped by running burgers and condiments to the grill area and burgers out to the patrons.
Finally, I would like to encourage the Post veterans to come out to the monthly meetings held the first Tuesday of each month. You have a say in how the Post is run. The Board of Directors also meets monthly to discuss and give recommendations to the membership but as stated, they are recommendations only. This advice is presented at the Post meeting where the membership discusses and then approves or disapproves expenditures at the Post Home. Always remember, the Post membership has the final say.
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From the Auxiliary:
Well, the busy month of September is finally over! We have been helping our VFW with a few of their special projects – helping prepare and serve breakfast for the Jaimie Cox Motorcycle Run, serving the food at the Corn Roast, helping with the Roscoe Fall Festival, and participating in the Fall Festival Parade. We then had a District meeting in Freeport.
Thanks to our VFW for allowing us to help – that’s what our Auxiliary is supposed to do – help the VFW. Not to imply that the Auxiliary now has nothing to do!
Our Auxiliary donates money to various veteran and community organizations and projects. Since July 1st, the Auxiliary has donated to the following: towards an ATV for the VFW National Home; the Madison VA Hospital food drive; VetsRoll; Veterans’ Drop-In center in Rockford; the National Auxiliary President’s Special project, and the State Auxiliary President’s Special Project.
The Auxiliary also hosted a Quilts of Valor ceremony where eight members of VFW Post 2955 (Hometown Heroes!) were presented with and wrapped in homemade quilts to thank these veterans for their service. The veterans who were honored were: Morrie Buffo, Donnie Vaughn, Tom Cleland, Donald Ball, Darwin Wilcox, Ed Suchoski, Mark Friedenauer, and Rooster Engelkes. We hope to have this ceremony every year.
The tentative date for the Veterans Day dinner is Thursday, November 6th. The menu and other details are still to be determined.
This month, the Auxiliary will be hosting two meat raffles; October 4th
and 18th. Hope to see you there!
Please try to attend the Auxiliary meeting on Tuesday, October 6th at 6:00 PM!
WEEKDAY LUNCHES AT THE VFW:
All lunches are served from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
Monday the menu is chicken salad sandwiches and chips.
Taco Tuesday’s menu is hard-shell or soft-shell tacos, or taco salad.
(Past Commander Bill Graves says Jerri’s tacos are the best in the Stateline!)
Wienie Wednesday features hotdogs or brats and chips.
Thursday’s menu is Italian beef sandwiches and chips.
REMEMBER RED SHIRT FRIDAY!!
RED SHIRT FRIDAY continues every Friday in the Canteen. The purpose of wearing a Red Shirt on Friday is to Remember Everyone Deployed. We will strive to continue wearing Red Shirts on Friday until there are no more military personnel deployed!
If you wear a Red Shirt into the Canteen on any Friday, you will receive your second drink free, after purchasing your first drink. (One free drink per person
each Friday!)
Remember, we are wearing Red Shirts to Remember Everyone Deployed – not just to get a free drink!
Fall Blood Drive
The Fall Blood Drive will be November 11th from 12:30 – 6:30 PM. More details in the November newsletter.
Voice of Democracy and Patriots Pen Programs
Two of the programs that the VFW and its Auxiliary sponsor every year are the Voice of Democracy program, for high school students, and the Patriot’s Pen program, for students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. Both programs are open to public, private, parochial, or home-schooled students. The deadline to submit entries in either program to the Post is October 31, 2025.
High school students in grades 9 through 12, participating in the Voice of Democracy program, must write a 3 - 5 minute essay on this theme: "How Are You Showing Patriotism and Support for our Country?" The student then records the essay on a flash drive or emails the speech to be judged at the local level.
The Patriot’s Pen program is open to 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students. These students write a 300 - 400 word essay on the same theme, “How Are You Showing Patriotism and Support for our Country?” This essay is then submitted to a local VFW Post for judging.
Both programs are normally run through the students’ schools. However, if you have a child, grandchild, friend, or neighbor who would like to participate in either of the programs, but the appropriate program is not offered in the school, contact Tom Cleland to see if the student can be sponsored by our Post/Auxiliary or another Post/Auxiliary.
Please encourage all students to participate in these worthwhile programs.
I asked my wife, “What’s my chances of getting lucky tonight?”
She said, “Spell way.”
I said, “W-A-Y.”
She said, "You forgot the F."
I replied, "There’s no F in way."
She said, "Exactly!"
I did not find that very funny!_
One big difference between women and men is that when a woman says “smell this,” it usually smells nice.
October Historical Happenings
October 7 - Afghanistan War began - 2001
October 13 - US Navy established - 1775
October 14 - Columbus Day
October 23 - Grenada Campaign begins - 1983
October 27 - Navy Day
October 31 - Halloween
.