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FRASER/ROSEVILLE — In 2014, the Fraser Veterans Of Foreign Wars Post No. 6691 merged with the Roseville Cpl. Neil W. Reid Veterans Of Foreign Wars.
By November 2019, the post was renamed the Lt. Wood-Cpl. Reid Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 6691 to honor Fraser’s first post commander, Army Lt. Claude Wood and Cpl. Neil Reid, the first soldier from Macomb County to be killed in action during World War II.
Gena Gordon is the post commander. The VFW hall, located at 17075 Anita Ave. in Fraser, is looking to add new members, including those who live in Roseville. There is a banquet hall and a club room, and Abby Gordon is the hall manager. The VFW hall is involved with the Eastpointe-Roseville Chamber of Commerce.
“Lt. Wood-Cpl. Reid VFW serves the cities of Fraser and Roseville,” said Shannon Tennant, VFW Post No. 6691 auxiliary president. “One of my goals as auxiliary president this year and moving forward is to get more involved in Roseville to make sure residents and veterans of both cities know we are here for them all.”
On Dec. 8, the VFW members and the auxiliary held its annual award banquet to recognize local students who placed in regional essay contests.
Richards Middle School student Haven Hixon and Salk Elementary School students Alexandra Smith, Antonietta Greenbaum-Porpora and George Clark were winners in the Patriot’s Pen contest.
Fraser High School students Hailey Burns, Codenne Fleming and Gabriel Laing were winners in the Voice of Democracy contest.
“It was kind of surprising to win first place,” said Burns, who wrote several drafts and had friends and teachers read her essay before she submitted her final copy.
The VFW’s teachers of the year were James Rodgers, high school; Kelly Jenks, middle school; and Milene Farkas, elementary school.
“Congratulations again to our teachers of the year,” Tennant said. “Congratulations and thank you to our students. Your essays were amazing. It was an extremely hard judging competition this year.”
According to Tennant, the post winners move on to a district competition, then the state competition and then nationals.
The Patriot’s Pen essay contest is open to any student in grades 6-8, and the Voice of Democracy is for students in grades 9-12. The students must be enrolled in a public, private or parochial high school or home study program in the U.S. and its territories.
The students do not have to be related to a VFW or VFW Auxiliary member to participate, but the student must submit entries to a local VFW Post. Although U.S. citizenship is not required, students must be permanent residents or have applied for permanent residency (the application for which has not been denied) to become a U.S. citizen.
During her speech, Burns spoke of family members who were veterans and lived with post-traumatic stress disorder. Post Public Affairs Officer R. Michael “Mike” Sand reflected on that during the awards ceremony.
“A lot of service people have post-traumatic stress. A lot of people that have traumatic experiences in their life have it. We are here to share and get past it and make it the best we can,” Sand said. “Being a high school teacher myself, a lot of you kids, you see some horrible things going on around you. Most of us care, and most of us are here for you. We don’t want you to be afraid. If you want to see what the people who protect our country do, pay us a visit.”
Sand also thanked all those who attended the awards dinner.
“We have people all over the community that are involved here,” Sand said. “We have a lot of things here. We need to see more young faces out there.”
For more information on the Lt. Wood-Cpl. Reid Veteran of Foreign Wars visit vfw6691.org or call (586) 294-1450.
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