Views Publisher: Carl Piacitelli

Contact Information: (928) 855-5374 ext. 2

quartermaster9401@gmail.com

VFW Post 9401 on the web: www.vfw9401.com

Comrades, Sisters and Brothers;

The officers for the 2016-17 year have been elected. It is my hope that you will

remember the pledge you took when you joined the organization and support them in a

positive manner while ceasing with the negativity. Remember, we are all volunteers and it

takes all to have a successful Post. Installation will take place May 14th at 3:00 PM with

entertainment to follow.

Memorial Day is coming up fast and we will be having street distribution of Buddy

Poppies. If you could spare an hour or two to help out it would be appreciated. Remember, this

is the only program that we have to raise money for our Relief Fund, which is used to help

those Veterans and/or their families who are in need. Owen and Bobbi will have a sign-up sheet

at the Post; please help them make this year a success.

A committee is going to be formed to look into the remodeling of the Post home. If you

have knowledge in this area and would like to help, please let Carl know. The rest rooms will

have to be brought up to ADA code before we can do anything major, so this will be a long term

process. A donation board and fund raisers will be put into place for this needed expansion as it

will be quite costly.

A good Post reputation does not spring up overnight, but grows slowly and soundly

because it is rooted in the solid ground of commitment to the Veteran’s needs.

Again, thanks to everyone for your help throughout the years.

Yours in Comradeship,

Frank Emery 2015-2016 Commander, Post 9401

I would like to start out by saying it is both an honor and a privilege to be voted as the

new commander of VFW Post 9401. I want to thank everyone for their support and trust

throughout the election process and I look forward to serving all members of Post 9401 to the

best of my ability. I also want to take a moment to congratulate and welcome aboard the

officers for the 2016-2017 year. I look forward to the opportunity to working with you all and

striving to enhance the mission of our post on wards and upwards in the year ahead.

Secondly, to the outgoing officers I want to thank you on behalf of the post for the job

you have done over the last year. With the fire and other setbacks you endured, our post

persevered and was back to operating in minimal time. This dedication on behalf of all officers,

bartenders, auxiliary, and general membership from the past year shows just what this

organization is capable of if we all work together towards a common goal.

Lastly, we as post members need to strive to build this organization bigger and better

every day. If we become complacent in our ways and happy with the same thing day in and day

out, we as VFW Post 9401 will become stagnant and this we cannot afford. We need to push

ourselves daily to become bigger and better than the day before like others before us to keep

our post strong. I look forward to any and all suggestions from comrades and auxiliary

members alike to enhance the stature of our beloved post not only within our walls, but into

the local community. With everyone’s help I believe we can do this together and I look forward

to the journey we have ahead of us.

Sincerely,

Stephen D. Knock 2016-2017 Commander Elect, Post 9401

The Life Membership Raffle will return soon for Comrades and the details will be

announced at the next general meeting on May 5th.

I have had to create a new email address due to technical issues. Please add

quartermaster9401@gmail.com to your contacts list. You can also add vfwvso9401@gmail.com

as that is the new email address for our VSO, Freddie Rubalcava.

As of this writing, we are at 96.47% membership. This means we need approximately

twenty-nine new or renewed members to attain 100%. You have achieved 100% in

membership for almost a decade and should be proud of that! This is not only a matter of pride

for Post 9401, but also for District 8 and the Department of Arizona. Just twenty-nine more

new or renewed Comrades is an achievable goal if everyone lends a hand and we still have time

to get there this year!

Not only do we need to bring the post up to code, but we need to stop talking about

remodeling the post and begin to raise funds with that goal in mind. If you are interested in

joining the Building Committee, see me and we will get things rolling.

Be sure to read Past Quartermaster Owen Johnston’s submission for the new section of

the Views, he has some important information to share with our membership. The new section

is intended for those members who have something to say which is of interest or importance to

all members of our Post and Auxiliary.

The parking lots will be repaved this summer, check at post for updates.

I am still working on a way to get the Views out to all our members; unfortunately hard

copies will not be available due to cost. I need help rebuilding the email directory on the

website so that we can easily send this out to all of our members electronically in addition to

posting on the website. You can reach me at the post or via the new gmail address.

When you see our bartenders, please thank them for all they do! Remember, they are

all volunteers.

God Bless America!

Carl Piacitelli

Quartermaster, Post 9401

Greetings everyone. Glad to have our Views back online. Hope we give you information

that will help.

Congratulations to all of our newly elected officers and we wish you all the best in your

new endeavors. Hopefully we can all work together during the transition and offer our full

support.

Thank you to Fred Mohun and the Golf Committee who did an excellent job in running

this year's annual Golf Tournament. A total success because of all of these volunteers who did

an excellent job. Too bad about the rain but it sounded like everyone had a nice time, all

considered.

I want to give special thanks to Dallas, Joyce, Carl and all who pitched in to make my

“staycation” an enjoyable time. You are all appreciated very much. Also, thank you to Sally

McClure and all of our volunteer cashiers. You make everyone's job so much easier.

A very good time at our Vino and Vodka tasting. Again, thanks to all who helped make

this happen. And yes, because of all the support we will be scheduling more in the future.

Upcoming events include:

Saturday, 5/7/16 Derby Day Party – prizes/raffles/food/fun

Sunday, 5/8/16 Mother's Day Brunch

Saturday, 5/14/16 Installation of Officers 3PM. Followed by music by Billy Mac

Monday, 5/30/16 Memorial Day Ceremony at Lake Havasu Memorial Gardens 10AM

Check at Post for updates and/or changes.

As always please remember our bartenders are volunteers.

God Bless America and God Bless our Troops.

Lynda Rodgers

Canteen Manager

The Good, Bad and the Ugly!

Now that the heat is back, and our annual winter visitors have returned home, we must

readjust our food menu and pricing. So! As of May 1st 2016, we will not be serving a Sunday

Buffet Breakfast, we will have a regular breakfast menu (to order) with some new specials

(check reader at the post). Our breakfast menu will be updated with specials and some small

price increases.

Our Buffet Breakfast will return in the Fall. The buffet will be featured for special dates

and occasions during our summer downtime.

(The Ugly) Because of rising food prices your Kitchen foods will see some price increases

for breakfast, lunch and dinner. All price changes will go into effect September 1st, 2016. That’s

the Ugly!

(The Good) The quality and quantity will remain as good as always.

(The Bad) There ain’t no bad days at VFW Post 9401 in Lake Havasu City, Az!

Check the Views for all prices and changes that affect our kitchen foods.

If you have a few free moments please consider a little volunteer time in our kitchen.

Help doing dishes, bussing tables, cooking, silverware, potato wrapping or general cleaning.

I would like to thank all our volunteers who gave us a hand in the kitchen, Debbie,

Donna, Kim, Carol, Gayle, Mary, Don, Billy, Casey and PFC Charlie, a tired dishwasher!

“Left-overs from the Kitchen Kooker.”

Luke Peterson

Kitchen Manger

Dates to remember:

May 8th Mother’s Day Breakfast Buffet. Free Buffet and flowers for all Moms.

June 19th Father’s Day, Fathers eat for free.

I want to congratulate our newly elected officers for the 2016-17 year. Thank you to all

who helped to keep our Auxiliary strong by taking offices and chairmanships. It is a good feeling

to know that by our hard work we are helping our veterans and their families.

Our new officers are:

President: Jim Mack

Sr. Vice President: John Maze

Jr. Vice President: Olga Knock

Treasurer: Dallas Emery

Chaplain: Joani Goll

Conductress: Connie Meyers

Guard: Patty Holley

Trustee 2 Year: Jeanette Lind

Trustee 3 Year: Suzie Gleason

I wish all of them the best, and will be here to help.

Sincerely,

Darlene Guhy

President, VFW Aux 9401

I would like to thank everyone for their support the other night, however the Auxiliary belongs

to everyone and it is everyone’s job to support all of its programs for the betterment of the Post and

Veterans. I hope to see the same turnout for all our meetings and events during the coming year.

Dates to remember:

All meetings the 2nd Thursday of each month

50/50 every other Friday your help is always needed, signup in the office

April 24th District Aux. Meeting, Mojave Valley

May 14, Installation of Officers

Signup for Poppy Weekend May, 27th thru 29th

State convention June 8th thru the 12th

Remember to support the Post and the Auxiliary.

Jim Mack Auxiliary President Elect jpmack747@yahoo.com

Congratulations to all of our newly elected officers. Having been elected as Treasurer (again!),

I’m looking forward to the Auxiliary enjoying another outstanding year.

I mentioned some of the changes for the Auxiliary in my last article; some more of those

changes are with the National organization. National’s website is http://www.vfwauxiliary.org/. They

have a wealth of information on the website, and as a member, you should make sure that you are

registered on the site. National sends an “e-newsletter” about once a month with updates and key

information if you sign up to receive it. If you have visited the website in the past, you will notice that

the site has been “remodeled”.

Our Department website is located at http://www.lavfwaz.org/. They also have a large amount

of information. The Department newsletter is called “Pin Points”; you can click on that link to read

previous newsletters, or to sign up to receive them via email. If you are considering helping our Auxiliary

by taking a Chairmanship, going to either or both of these sites might help you decide which

Chairmanship would be best for you.

This is your organization, you have paid to belong to it, and it needs your help to continue. We

had 35 members at our meeting on April 14. Hopefully some of them will step up and volunteer to help.

Those members, who move, get new phone numbers/email addresses, need to notify us. There are

forms for notifying in the hallway across from the ladies room. Please fill one out and drop it in the

Auxiliary Treasurer’s box in the office.

If you know of a member who is ill, in need of help, or who has passed on, please notify an

officer.

Thank you for helping our Veterans.

Dallas Emery

Treasurer, VFW Aux 9401

This is section is reserved for submissions from members to pass on information that may be of concern

to the post and its membership.

Buddy Poppy Distribution

The Post will again distribute poppies at various locations in Lake Havasu. This year we will

distribute poppies on Friday, May 27th, Saturday, May 28th, and Sunday, May 29th from 8am to 3pm

each day. The sign up Board will be posted on top of the knot board in the Canteen. Please donate your

time to distribute poppies at the time and location of your choice. Volunteers will give you a poppy bag

of two hundred (more if you request them) on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. It is very important to sign

up so that volunteer name tags can be available. Special requests for other material desired may be

given to the Auxiliary Poppy Chairperson, Bobbie Johnston at 928-854-8694, cell 928-846-5999, or the

Post at 928-855-5374.

Thank you for your support.

London Bridge Plaza Association (LBPA)

The March 1, 2016 minutes are available on the Post Bulletin Board. Current minutes will be

posted when received. The members of VFW 9401, should keep informed of events happening in the

London Bridge Plaza. Should you have questions/suggestions for the LBPA please submit them to the

House Committee suggestion box, ensure that you sign and provide a contact number so that the LBPA

representative can provide you with an answer. Unsigned suggestions or comments will be destroyed.

Yours in Comradeship,

Owen Johnston

Post Buddy Poppy Chairman / LBPA Representative

ozjohnston@aol.com

928-846-1678