Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM 16 UCW AUGUST 17 - 23, 2022 R. ELGIN ZEIBER, Contributing Writer. COMMENTS? Editor@upand- comingweekly.com. 910-484-6200 On the hunt for pulled pork and live music? Look no further than the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 670, located at 3928 Doc Bennett Road at 5 p.m. on Aug. 21. Post 670 is hosting this event as a fundraiser for its "core programs." Core programs include "Teacher of the Year," "Voice of Democracy," "Patriot's Pen," "Scout of the Year" and safety awards. "Each post has core programs, [and] each VFW has to do these things," said Post 670 Commander Mike Baker, retired USMC. e "Voice of Democracy" and "Patriot's Pen" are VFW youth programs that provide $3 million in awards and incentives to students and families each year, per the VFW's website. "Patriot's Pen" is for junior high and middle school students and requires them to write a 300-400- word essay on a "new patriotic theme each year." Entrants of "Pa- triot's Pen" will first compete at the Post level, followed by state and national levels. e "Patriot's Pen" offers a $5,000 national and $500 state-level prize. "Voice of Democracy" is de- signed for high school age students. It is a three-to-five-minute long written and spoken essay. Winners receive prizes and incentives at the post, district and department levels, as well as the national level. e prize for national first place is $35,000. Winners will be awarded during the event. According to the VFW, "Some of [its] earliest ties to the community involve youth groups and perhaps none are stronger and more lasting than the relationship between the VFW and America's Scouting orga- nizations." Top area Boy and Girl Scouts will be announced during the event. Once a year, the VFW chooses local emergency medical, law enforcement and firefighter per- sonnel to be presented with the VFW's "Public Servant Award." Winners will be announced during the event. "e Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is a non- profit veteran service organization comprised of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, Guard and Reserve forces," according to the VFW's mission statement. ere are 5,883 world- wide VFW Posts and 1.5 million VFW and Auxiliary members. e "VFW Auxiliary" is made up of "members from all walks of life with a common connection: All are relatives of those who served over- seas in a conflict of foreign origin," VFWAuxiliary.org explains. ere are nearly 470,000 members at 3,600 auxiliaries across the country. Doc Bennett Road runs by the Fayetteville Airport. Coming from 301, take Airport Road for less than a mile to Doc Bennett Road. Keep in mind that if you travel over the I-95 bridge, you've gone too far. Coming from I-87 to Doc Ben- nett Road, Post 670 is just over the bridge on the left, Baker said. To enjoy the food with music will cost $25. To enjoy the food in silence will cost $12. Live music will be provided by "Reflections II," a widely regarded local cover band who plays a vari- ety of 80s and 90s rock 'n' roll hits. If you are interested in more information about the VFW, if you would like to make a donation or if you are an eligible veteran or fam- ily member, please visit VFW.org or VFWAuxiliary.org. VFW Post 670 hosts food and live music fundraiser event by R. ELGIN ZEIBER EVENT