Erie VFW Auxiliary adds two new members

The Monroe News
·2 min read
Shown is the post home of Erie Post 3925, Veterans of Foreign Wars and its Auxiliary.
Shown is the post home of Erie Post 3925, Veterans of Foreign Wars and its Auxiliary.

Robert and Lisa Strugarek are the newest members of the Auxiliary to Erie Post 3925, Veterans of Foreign Wars, in Erie.

The Erie couple were voted in and part of a member initiation at the auxiliary’s monthly meeting Wednesday night led by new President Dan Dusseau. The couple were eligible because they are parents of Dakota Strugarek, who is serving in the U.S. Army and stationed at Fort Benning, Ga. He served a tour of duty in Afghanistan in 2017.

The auxiliary also held a memorial for 10 members who died in recent years. Those recognized during the ceremony included Vivien Parran, Mary Morrin, Lola Santure, Grace Connolly, Frank Connolly, Donna Cousino, Beverly Cousino, Billie LaPointe, Rita Stobinski and Eileen Freimark.

Senior Vice President Jan Locy read the names of the honorees and Dusseau placed a white flower around a Bible on an altar in memory of each person. Dori Rollins, auxiliary chaplain, also took part in the ceremony.

The post and auxiliary will hold their annual Memorial Day services May 30 at St. Joseph Cemetery at Erie and Cemetery Rds. The commemorative ceremony and VFW ritual will be held at the grave of Joseph Dusseau, grandfather of the auxiliary president. A potluck and open house will follow the service at the post. A fundraiser led by Bryan Glawecki, a Marine Corps veteran and member of the post, will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. that day to support guitar therapy for veterans who suffer from PTSD. Three veterans will provide music on guitar. Also that day, the auxiliary will draw the winner of a youth to attend Camp Trotter, a summer youth camp for children 7-12.

Treasurer Sharon Grodi said more than 80 flags will be placed May 27 in time for Memorial Day on graves of auxiliary members who are buried in four area cemeteries. Seventy of the flags will be placed at St. Joseph Cemetery.

Also at the meeting:

  • Val Brazeau, chairman of the Buddy Poppy Sale held last week end, announced the auxiliary raised more than $800 in donations at the Erie IGA and Food Town in Temperance. Proceeds will go to benefit rehabilitation services for veterans.

  • The post’s annual ceremony to retire old and torn flags will be held at 6:30 p.m. June 10 at the post, four days before National Flag Day.

  • The next public breakfast will be held on Father’s Day June 19 at the post. The fundraiser was pushed back one week due to the hall being rented, said Rose Sancrant, an auxiliary member.

  • Dawn Shock, auxiliary historian and conductress for the auxiliary, said she is compiling photos of auxiliary activities to be included in a scrapbook for 2022. Anyone with photos can email or turn them in to her.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Erie VFW Auxiliary adds two new members