Organizations honor those who served

Dozens of veteran related events took place last week as part of the Veterans Day celebration.

The Daughters of the American Revolution put on a free lasagna luncheon for veterans at the VFW in Plains on Friday. American Legion Clubs Post 52 in Thompson Falls and Post 129 in Paradise and VFW Post 3596 in Plains provided free dinners for veterans. Schools around the county paid tribute to veterans. The VFW auxiliary in Plains had a biscuit and gravy breakfast on Saturday, which was free for vets.

On Friday, Post 52 conducted a “Missing Man Table Ceremony,” also known as “Fallen Comrade Table,” at Elks Lodge 2757 in Thompson Falls. A free dinner, compliments of the Elks Lodge, was put on for more than 200 veterans and their spouses, said Ken Matthiesen, commander of American Legion Post 52. “Each item on the Missing Man Table represents the emotions and feelings reserved for those who did not come home,” said Post Chaplain Bill Beck, who conducted the ceremony. Beck opened with a prayer and explained the significance of items on the table, including the table itself, and how those items represented prisoners of war and those missing in combat.

The table was round to represent the everlasting concern for the missing men, said Matthiesen. He said the white cloth on the table symbolized the purity of their motives when answering the call to serve.

“The single red rose displayed in the vase reminds us of the lives of these Americans and their loved ones and friends who keep the faith while seeking answers,” Beck said at the ceremony. A yellow ribbon symbolizes the continued determination to account for the missing and a slice of lemon reminds people of their bitter fate, that of being captured or missing in a foreign country.

“A pinch of salt symbolizes the tears of our missing and their families, who long for answers after decades of uncertainty, the lighted candle reflects our hope for their return, alive or dead, and the Bible represents the strength gained through faith to sustain us and those lost from our country founded as one nation under God,” said Beck, a Plains resident who served 26 years in the Navy. He continued that the inverted glass symbolized their inability to share a toast. The missing are also represented with an empty chair, unclaimed at the table.

Matthiesen said that the crowd was hushed in reverence during the entire ceremony. “It wasn’t very long, but it was very touching,” said Matthiesen, who spent four years in the Navy and 24 years in the Army, retiring in 1995 as a first sergeant. He added that the post has conducted the POW/MIA Missing Person Ceremony all 10 years he’s been with the post.

On Saturday, the VFW in Plains held its 85th anniversary by treating the public to a free dinner cooked by members of Post 3596 Auxiliary. The celebration included a silent auction, numerous drawings and musical entertainment by DJ Matt Jaramillo of Secret Music.

One hundred and twenty-one people, including 38 veterans, attended the celebration, according to Post Quartermaster Heather Allen, winner of the 45-70 rifle. The post was chartered on May 8, 1937. The building caught fire and was destroyed in 1976, but they were able to rebuild and have it open by Veterans Day the following year, which is why it’s called an anniversary party, according to Allen, an Air Force veteran. The event included more than 100 door prizes and drawings and a silent auction of 27 items from a $100 Donald Trump gold bar to a 36x48-inch hand crocheted blanket by Mary K. Browning done in honor of the recently passed Doug Browning, who served in the Army for 30 years.

The silent auction raised just under $2,000 with a Stetson hat, donated by Christine Siebels of Plains, fetching the highest bid at $340. The festivities included a 50/50 drawing, with Barb Steward of Plains taking home $303. Allen said the 50/50 money will go in the scholarship that the post supports each year. The half of a beef drawing money goes toward the post’s community activities. Patti Winterfield of Hot Springs won the beef.

The top veteran prize, a Membership Legacy Upgrade, was won by Ray Middleton. Allen noted that the VFW appreciates the businesses and individuals who donated to the annual event.

“The Veterans of Foreign Wars, as a whole, is important for veteran advocacy nationwide,” said Allen. “Locally, however, VFW Post 3596 is focused on the community, providing honor guard services for veteran funerals, hall rental for all occasions, chairs and tables for loan, and medical equipment loans (wheel chairs, walkers, crutches, etc), as well as events free and open to the community, such as our 4th of July Picnic in the Park and the anniversary party,” she added.

The club also has a bowling alley and provides the hall free of charge for free kids dance classes on Monday evenings, and wood carving lessons on Tuesday evenings. She said they also put on $5 meals every other Tuesday and open mic night every other Thursday, and the post auxiliary offers biscuits and gravy on the second Saturday every month in the winter and spring and is starting a military appreciation lunch every third Thursday. It also sends care packages to military members overseas for the holidays.