Brainerd VFW Stories from 2024
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July 20, 2024: The Brainerd Color Guard led the parade on Saturday at Emily Day.
July 11, 2024: The crew of Let's Go Fishing is grateful for funding from the Brainerd VFW to continue their mission of taking people out fishing. Seen on the boat are five volunteers who assist in the operation. Normally an outing has two or three volunteers and twelve guests maximum. This is free fishing for seniors, disabled and veterans on Gull Lake, Rice Lake and Bay Lake.
The boat sports the Brainerd VFW Paul Bunyan logo. This beautiful 80-degree day they were out on Rice Lake at Lum Park in Brainerd.
Let's Go Fishing is a Twin Cities based organization with fifteen chapters in Minnesota and Wisconsin. There are 65 volunteers in Brainerd. Some 680 passengers were treated to fishing and river tours in the three-month 2023 season. Likely more in 2024.
The boat sports the Brainerd VFW Paul Bunyan logo. This beautiful 80-degree day they were out on Rice Lake at Lum Park in Brainerd.
Let's Go Fishing is a Twin Cities based organization with fifteen chapters in Minnesota and Wisconsin. There are 65 volunteers in Brainerd. Some 680 passengers were treated to fishing and river tours in the three-month 2023 season. Likely more in 2024.
July 9, 2024: Chaplain Rios was recognized at the Brainerd VFW meeting as Minnesota VFW Chaplain of the Year. Dave Meyer was similarly honored as Veteran of the Year. Cake was served to everyone.
Mark Persons and Sue Sterling showed their 1st place Minnesota VFW Media completion award certificate for the BrainerdVFW.org website and Facebook. In all, Brainerd VFW Post 1647 received four awards. One was 2nd place for an article that Sue wrote for VFW Magazine.
May 20, 2024: Trevor Pumnea, Executive Director at the Northland Arboretum, accepted the donation of a new 6 ft x 10 ft flag for the main building. Brainerd Honor Guard member Mike Williams was there as Pumnea raised the flag. The VFW also donated a 3 x 5 flag for a flagpole near an Eagle Scout built pavilion on the east end of the Arb. This is just another example of helping the community.
Interestingly, Trevor Pumnea, and his friend Ashley Thacker, volunteer at the Brainerd VFW as cooks at Sunday breakfasts.
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May 14, 2024: There was a Town Hall meeting at the Brainerd VA CBOC (Community Based Outpatient Clinic). The big news was they are searching for a new location in the Brainerd area. There is a proposed completion date of 2027. No location has been selected yet. The idea is to expand VA services in Brainerd.
April 25, 2024: The Brainerd VFW was thanked for the donation of $5,000 to have a motorized projector screen purchased and installed at Garfield Elementary School in Brainerd.
It all started in September 2023 when physical education teacher David Baloba and music teacher Heather Larson, from Garfield School, asked for the donation. VFW members were personally thanked by Larson at the event. She was the program director leading the first grade a music program, followed by the VFW recognition, then a second-grade music program.
April 13, 2024: A good crowd gathered as our own Helen Doucette celebrated her 90th birthday at the Brainerd VFW. Helen, as you may know, is the Senior Vice President of the Brainerd VFW Auxiliary.
April 12, 2024: The VFW Auxiliary exists to help veterans. We at Post 1647 were recently asked to make laundry bags to give to homeless veterans. Our member, Cheryl Hull, set to work to do just that, and immediately gave five of them to the Crow Wing County Veteran Service office. If you'd like to help with sewing tasks for veterans, just let someone know and we'll get you the patterns for the items they need.
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April 9, 2024: A funeral was held for longtime Brainerd VFW and Honor Guard member Matt Gilgenbach who died at age 91. Internment was in the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery near Camp Ripley.
Matt is survived by his children Diane, Anthony (Kaytey), Adam, Matthew Jr, his grandchildren Anthony Jr. and Ava Maria. Matt was a proud Army Veteran who served in Korea. A reception was held at the Brainerd VFW. |
Matt Gilgenbach grew up on a farm near Wahpeton, North Dakota. He joined the U.S. Army in 1952 and served until 1955. Matt was with the 4th Field Artillery Battalion at Camp Ripley. He remembers transporting 75 mm artillery shells on pack mules at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, something a farm boy would know how to do. Matt served with the Big Red One in Japan, Korea, and Okinawa. He was a Corporal and a squad leader. Back in civilian life, Matt was a plumber and construction foreman until his retirement.
March 21, 2024: (l-r) KBLB Radio Program Director Bill Satre, Richard Schmidt and Mark Persons from the Brainerd VFW. The interview was heard, via recordings, on 93.3 KBLB-FM (B93) and Cool 103.5 FM.
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March 21, 2024: (l-r) KLIZ Radio Program Director Danny Wild, then Richard Schmidt and Mark Persons from the Brainerd VFW. The interview was heard live on 107.5 KLIZ-FM at 8:15 am.
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February 1, 2024: The Four Chaplains story was told on Brainerd radio stations Chaplain Rios and Mark Persons of the Brained VFW. Also https://fourchaplains.org/
January 20, 2024: The Brainerd Honor Guard and the Auxiliary Honor Guard paid their respects at the funeral for Brainerd VFW Auxiliary member Karen Hanson, a long-time Brainerd VFW Auxiliary member who passed away at age 76. Karen was the wife of the Club Gambling Manager Chuck Hanson for 54 years. They had three children. Obituary. A celebration of life reception was held at the Brainerd VFW.