VFW At Work

1. San Benito Babe Ruth Bambinos take on VFW Post 9242

   At Babe Ruth Field in Hollister California's Veterans Park, the crowd's excitement was palpable as two San Benito Bambino teams came together on April 27 in the third game of their season to play the Warriors, composed of the members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9242.

   As the loudspeakers blasted her entrance music, Joan Jett's "I Love Rock and Roll," Bambino Fay Rendon was preparing for her turn at bat, carrying herself with a confidence that any ball player would admire.

   "I think we are going to kill these guys," said Rendon, 19. "We kick [butt] every time. I love coming out here - I feel like a superstar."

   The Bambino League, along with the companion program, the Challenger League, is part of a baseball program for players with either intellectual or physical special needs. "They come out and enjoy baseball just like anybody else," said Coach Daniel Gutierrez. "It's all part of getting some exercise, hitting the ball and having fun."

   Rendon's words proved prophetic. The 15 players on the team scored run after run while the Warriors seemed to have forgotten even the simplest fundamentals of the game, consistently throwing the ball too late or in the wrong direction - when they could even manage to catch the ball.

   The final score of the two-inning contest was 30-0, echoing the results of a game earlier in the day, 24-0 win for two other Bambino teams against the VFW Post members. The Bambinos somehow never suffered a single out, and the Warriors, no matter how many times they crossed the plate, never managed to score a run.

   "These kids do a lot of trash-talking," VFW Post Commander Bernie Ramirez said. "But we have a pretty slow group here. We're getting a little old for this."

   To be fair, the game's rules were weighted against the veterans. Each of the two innings does not end until every Bambino has batted. The players are pitched up to six balls, and if none are hit, the ball is placed on a tee. Assistance is available for any player who needs help batting or running the bases.

   "Coach Adam Mendolla asked us to come out and play," Ramirez said. "And anybody who's ever played with these kids can feel it in their hearts. It's amazing, just the greatest thing you can do."

   This story (edited for length) and photo are by Robert Eliason and re-printed with permission from the Benito Link San Benito County News.

2. WWII Vet Honored

   In a special ceremony on April 20 at Post 1333 in Neptune, New Jersey, World War II veteran Stanley Dubroff, 97, was awarded this year's Neptune Township/VFW Hometown Heroes Award.

   Nominated by Post 1333, where he serves as the oldest living member, Dubroff was selected by the Neptune Township Veterans Committee as its annual Hometown Hero for continued activity in assisting his Post reach its community goals.

   "I was humbled to receive the award," said Dubroff, who spoke of his being drafted at the age of 18. "I was in the Army as the son of a naturalized citizen. My father was a fierce American. I had two brothers who were medically unable to serve. It was a matter of personal pride on his part that he had a son going to fight for his country."

   Dubroff went on to serve in the Army from December 1944-46, his original enlistment into the Navy being rejected because of color blindness. He did his basic training at Camp Croft in South Carolina before being deployed with A Co., 382nd Inf. Regt., 96th Inf. Div., to the Philippines in July 1945.

   "I didn't feel that I did anything special," Dubroff said. "I was serving in the Philippines preparing to go into combat as a BAR man when I learned we were to be in the lead for the invasion of Japan. The atom bomb saved Company A from being at the forefront of the invasion of Japan as not invading Japan undoubtedly saved my life."

3. Serving the Underserved

   VFW Post 3641 members in Pueblo, Colorado, hosted nine veterans during their fifth annual Homeless Veterans Fair on May 3.

   With tents scattered around the Post's outdoor area, low income and homeless veterans in attendance were treated to several services provided by Post 3641's members and volunteers as part of their initiative to mind the gap.

   "We are here to fill a gap the best we can and it's not perfect, but, we have people who are in need that we can provide some resolutions to some of their needs," Post 3641 Commander Fred Gauna said.

   At the Post's fifth annual Homeless Veterans Fair, all veterans who participated were treated to free haircuts, health checks, warm meals and food pantry items to take with them for later.

   "We also had vendors that offered free government phones, Medicare assistance and education opportunities," Gauna said. "Our Post VSO was also there to offer assistance on compensation claims."

   Guana added that because his Post is very community-oriented, the VFW not only hosted veterans in need, but registered more than 66 other low income and homeless participants in providing them with these services free of charge.

   "Attendees were appreciative, thankful, hopeful and skeptical," Guana said. "Skeptical in that they were unsure on what services they could receive. We were glad to be able to provide all of them with these services."

   The next Homeless Veterans Fair at Post 3641 is slated for May 2.

4. Matching Veterans and Rescue Dogs

   A Vermont VFW Post Auxiliary in April hosted a successful bingo fundraiser to support a service dog training program that helps bring together service dogs with military veterans and first responders.

   More than 100 bingo players participated in the event, which featured a 50/50 raffle and additional prizes, at VFW Post 1034 Auxiliary in Brattleboro, Vt. The guests also had lunch and met service dogs, Mercie and Sasquatch, from Vermont Paws and Boots. Those attending also were educated about the Bennington-based program by Vermont Paws and Boots Executive Director Michelle LeBlanc, a member of VFW Post 1034.

   According to the organization's website, the mission of Vermont Paws and Boots is to save the lives of veterans and first responders who struggle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Military Sexual Trauma (MST) and physical disabilities.

   "Being in southern Vermont, we don't have any military bases, so we need to make sure we take care of organizations in our area," said Karen Campbell, president of VFW Post 1034's Auxiliary. "We felt that Vermont Paws and Boots was an amazing organization. Veterans and first responders give so much to our country and community."

   The fundraising event raised more than $1,300. For more information about Vermont Paws and Boots, visit www.vermontpawsandboots.org.

5. 'The Emotion Was So Strong'

   A VFW Post in the Land of 10,000 Lakes held a special ceremony to commemorate Vietnam War veterans for National Vietnam War Veterans Day in March.

   As reported in Virginia, Minnesota's Mesabi Tribune, emotions ran high at VFW Post 4456 in Gilbert, Minnesota, during a moving tribute for the area's Vietnam War veterans. Attendees were amazed by the display of respect shown to Vietnam War veterans in attendance and the war's KIAs from the region.

   "The whole thing was something I'll never forget," said VFW Post 4456 Auxiliary member Candace Barshaw, according to the Mesabi Tribune. "The emotion was so strong."

   National Vietnam War Veterans Day was first observed in 2017 after then-President Donald Trump signed the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act. Prior to this, Minnesota's first Vietnam War Veterans Day was in 2008 after then-Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty issued a proclamation, making Minnesota one of the first states to recognize the day.