The Greenwood and New Whiteland Honor Guard presented a check in the amount of $2,677.89 to Greenwood VFW Post 5864 from money donated by residents and others who visited Forest Lawn Cemetery over the Memorial Day weekend. The money donated is used specifically for the post’s Veterans Relief Fund.
The event was a 32-hour Buddy Poppy Drive over a four-day period. Grave flags, donated by Forest Lawn Cemetery, were also passed about by those serving on the Honor Guard. Over the Memorial Day weekend, the Honor Guard was able to collect $8,033.67, which was divided up among three groups – Greenwood VFW, New Whiteland VFW, and the Greenwood American Legion Post 252.
The Relief Fund is dedicated to being used for veterans and their families in need. We pay for items like gas bills, electric bill, water and sewer bill, groceries and money for gas for autos to get veterans back and forth to work. Since the money which is collected is disbursed over the period of a year, the amount provided to veterans may not help them totally, but we then provide them with the names and numbers of other organizations who have a Relief Fund also.
The Post Relief Fund was established by the National Veterans of Foreign Wars to aid those in need; sick and so forth. The information below concerning the Relief Fund is contained in the 2023 Podium Edition of the Manual of Procedures, Article II – Posts, Section 219 – Relief Fund. The Quartermaster of the Post will be the custodian of the Relief Fund and will expend monies as directed by the Post for the eight purposes only:
- Aid, assistance, relief, and comfort of needy or disabled veterans or members of the Armed Forces and their dependents, and the surviving spouses and orphans of deceased veterans.
- Maintenance and expansion of the VFW National Home for Children and other facilities devoted exclusively to the benefit and welfare of the dependents, surviving spouses, and orphans of disabled, needy, or deceased veterans or members of the Armed Forces.
- Necessary expenses in providing entertainment, care, and assistance to hospitalized veterans or members of the Armed Forces.
- Veterans’ rehabilitation, welfare and service work.
- To perpetuate the memory of deceased veterans and members of the Armed Forces, and to comfort their survivors.
- To foster true patriotism through historical and educational programs.
- Remission of dues of sick, needy, or disabled veterans.
- Necessary expenses to support the Relief Fund such as the purchase of Buddy Poppies. One hundred percent (100%) of all money donated to the Relief Fund is used to help veterans and/or their families.
