VETERANS’ VOICE AMVETS Post John King Road Crestview, FL VETERANS HELPING VETERANS AMVETS Post John King Road Crestview, FL

AMVETS (American Veterans) was the first World War II organization chartered by Congress and signed into Public Law 216 by President Harry S. Truman on July 23, AMVETS as one of America’s foremost veterans’ service organizations has a proud history of sponsoring programs and assisting all veterans and their families who have served our great nation. AMVETS are staunch supporters and advocates of providing America’s Veterans with the benefits and services they earned through their honorable military service to our country. We work with local, state and federal legislators to identify and implement solutions necessary to ensure our veterans obtain the entitlements they have so justly earned. MEMBERSHIP Membership is the cornerstone of AMVETS Post 35’s ability to conduct programs and activities which raise support to meet the requirements of all our deserving veterans. Throughout our history, courageous men and women have donned the uniform of our Armed Forces and built a noble tradition of faithful and dedicated service for our great nation. It is by the membership of these same great veterans, we at AMVETS Post 35 are able to repay our debt and gratitude for such noble service. It is through these contributions to our city, state and nation of offering skills, education, leadership, maturity, and dedication, we learned during military service that we can better help live the motto “VETERANS HELPING VETERANS”. Veterans and those still serving can become one of us at AMVETS POST 35 in Crestview, Florida further enhancing our abilities to fully honor and thank these great warriors for their sacrifices. “VETS HELPING VETS”

“BECAUSE WE CARE” Please help us assist our dedicated veterans by attending one or more of our annual social events: The Super Bowl Chili Cook-off The Annual Valentines Dinner/Dance The St. Patty’s day Dinner The Annual Easter Day Party & Egg Hunt The Annual Memorial Day Ceremony at Live Oaks The Annual “Riders for the Stone Poker Run” The Annual Golf for Scholarship Fund Tournament The Annual 4 th of July Cookout The Annual “USO” Poker Run The Annual Halloween Party The Annual Veterans’ Day Parade & Cookout The Annual Thanksgiving & Christmas “Meals on Wheels” Celebration The Annual Christmas Party for Kids and Adults The Annual New Year’s Eve Party This is just a sample of some of the fundraisers we use to enhance our abilities to assist meeting the needs of our nation’s dedicated warriors. “BECAUSE WE CARE” & “THEY’VE EARNED IT!”

AMVETS POST 35 HISTORY In the beginning, the "Finish-Line“ was an entrepreneurial effort created as a commercial bar, by Earl Phelps and Claude Stiles. Claude Stiles acquired a 'new post' application package and found it required ten eligible members to apply for a AMVETS Charter. A temporary charter was granted on Jan 7, 1986 and the new AMVETS Post operated as a 'bottle club'. In April 1986 the AMVETS Post was granted its charter. Operating hours often fluctuated and post membership grew to 100/150 members. In 1988 members talked of owning a property and the search ended with purchasing an adjoining property with a small building on it. Our Post offered the owner his selling price, provided zero down payment and amortized the payment schedule over 30 years. A SEC (State Executive Committee) meeting was held in October 1988 at the Holiday Inn here in Crestview. Post 35 cleaned things up and received its first license from Tallahassee with the effective date of September 30 th. Our Post officially opened to a packed house with a standing room only crowd and was a major success. Over the years, things have changed and we have added many new services for Veterans. The Ladies Auxiliary started ice cream socials at Crestview Manor plus they also conducted birthday parties at the Crestview Nursing Home. Post 35 has been a major participant in the "Old Spanish Trail Festival". AMVETS Post 35 moved their alcohol license and liberally shares alcohol profits to employ entertainment for a number of local Crestview community events. Post members conducted pot-luck dinners and picnics during numerous 4th of July events. We’ve sponsored campouts and canoe trips on the Blackwater River during Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends. AMVETS Post 35 initiated the first annual Veteran's Day parade in downtown Crestview. One community service our Post is most proud of is assisting with covering the "Meals- on-Wheels“ Program. Post 35 chose to cover meals for Thanksgiving and Christmas Days, to include shouldering all expenses. Members prepared, boxed and delivered dinners so each person might enjoy the holiday season. Other community services include our Ladies Auxiliary making "ditty bags" for patients at the VA Hospital. Post 35 adopted two miles of Highway 85 for the local community program "Adopt-a-Mile”. Post 35 started a traditional Christmas party establishing a Christmas Wish Tree for a number of deserving children in Crestview. The WW II "Sherman" tank parked at Post 35, use to be at Twin Hills Park in downtown Crestview. The City Council voted to remove the tank from the park. The same City Council approved AMVETS Post 35 request that the tank be placed outside our Post. Since being moved to its present location the tank received a new paint job plus new markings helping restoring it to its well deserved glory as a retired vet. Our Post survived and prospered because our members are made up of some of the greatest men and women who have built a noble tradition dedicated to honoring and supporting veterans of our Armed Forces who have sacrificed and served our great nation. Living the motto “VETERANS HELPING VETERANS”... “God Bless Our Men And Women in Uniform”