Last month, the “Gary Lillie Recognition Dinner” and awards ceremony came off successfully once again.  The meal from Angel Food Catering was delicious.  We served about 88 dinners which was the most in recent memory.  We owe a big “Thank You” to Wendy Hibbits who chaired the event and tended bar, Roy Hall who put on the bucket raffle, silent auction and 50/50 drawing (which together raised over $1000), Kathy Driscoll who headed up the AVVA part of the evening, and all of the many volunteers who pitched in with the set-up, clean- up and during the meal tasks that made the event go.  Cory Frost and UAW Local 898 earned our gratitude for once again granting us the use of their hall.  Jim Robison of Robison-Bahnmiller Funeral Home and Cremation Services gave a generous donation along with his in-person support.  My thanks to all involved.

Note: Click here tro view the awared presentation images.  Scroll down to the 2021 section at the bottom of the awards page.

     Things are happening at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Ypsilanti Township too.  Our new building is going up!  The grounds are a little out of sorts right now but I promise you that it will continue to be a place to take pride in when we are done.  Last year we had a big problem with ground moles tearing up the “infield” lawn right in front of the memorial.  We tried having Al “Fredo” Merritt sit out there with a large mallet but that proved ineffective.  This year we hired a professional to coax them away.  Let’s hope it works.  When the building is completed, we want to install a sprinkler system and sod on the infield.  We just have to figure out how to pay for it (hint, hint).  We want and expect this to be the finest memorial around.  Those honored there deserve nothing less.

     By the way, the part about Fredo and the mallet was a joke.  No actual moles were harmed during the writing of this message.

     Our most important day of the year is coming up.  I hope to see all of you that can make it at the memorial at 1300hrs on Memorial Day for our formal program.   As is our custom, on the evening before Memorial Day, we will have a watch-fire where we respectfully dispose of (burn) warn flags, each dedicated to a veteran who is no longer with us.  Bring a lawn chair and join us.

In the meantime,

Stay safe.

Stay proud.

President Stan Harrison