Illinois VFW News - June 2018

June 2018 Illinois VFW News Page 7
Vienna VFW celebrates 75 years of service to community
By Barb Wilson
Editor, Illinois VFW News
For seventy-five years,
Beggs-Gurley VFW Post 5222
in Vienna has been a beacon
for veterans in the Vienna
community.
On Saturday, February 24,
2018, the Post and its members
were honored for seven and a
half decades of service to the
Johnson County community and
its veterans.
Past District 15 Commander
Richard Brumley gave a brief
overview of the Post’s history
during the celebration.
Beggs-Gurley Post is named
after two Johnson County men
who made the ultimate sacrifice
in service to their country.
Harold Eugene Beggs and Jesse
Herbert Gurley were both Killed
in Action aboard the USS Arizona
on Dec. 7, 1941.
The Post was originally chartered
in 1946, but consolidated
a few years ago with the VFW
Post in Metropolis, which actually
gives Post 5222 an earlier
charter date. During a consolidation
of Posts, the Post assumes
the earlier charter date
of the Posts included in the
consolidation.
During the Post’s early history,
members met at various
locations around town until they
decided to build – at which time
they secured the current location
and constructed a building
– reportedly all for $1,200.00.
The Post recently added to its
real estate, securing property
across the street from its current
location.
Over the years, according to
Brumley, the Post has hosted
several bands and well-known
singers and has produced four
District 15 Commanders.
However, it’s the VFW programs
which makes the Post an
asset in the Vienna community.
“We continue to support veterans
and our local community,”
Brumley said. “We continue to
work our VFW programs which
benefit both our veterans and our
community, as well as provide
honor guards for veterans funerals
and other functions.” The
Post was also instrumental in the
construction of the new memorial
honoring Johnson County
veterans which was dedicated
in 2017.
“There is a lot the VFW does,
that we don’t take or get credit
for,” Brumley said.
Past State Commander Philip
Maughan was on hand to honor
the post during its Diamond
Jubilee celebration.
“This is a wonderful example
of what a VFW can be in a community,”
Maughan said. “This
shows the power the VFW can
have at the Post level.”
Maughan congratulated the
Elk Grove Village Post 9284 in pre-construction
phase of installing an elevator in post home
In our posts founding years
having young and very energetic
members it was decided
that we should have Post Home
of our own.
To maximize the amount
of space in the building it was
decided to build a two story
structure.
At no point could anyone
fathom they would at some
time in their lives would they
have any trouble getting up or
down that “beautiful staircase”.
Well as time moved on
as well as their ages some
members, wives, and guests
are having issues with that
“beautiful staircase”.
One Friday a village citi-
zen thought she would bring a
wounded warrior to our Friday
night Fish fry. Arriving at our
front door she realized that she
would be unable to get him and
his chair down and back up that
“beautiful staircase”.
She came into the club and
several members came to her aid
and brought the warrior in and
helped take him out.
Later that night she was
thinking about the older vets
that assisted her and thought
that someday they too may not
be able to get up or down that
“beautiful staircase”.
The next week she approached
our village Mayor
and told him about our dilemma.
Remembering Desert Storm
Desert Storm veteran Scott Buennemeyer spoke about the sacrifices made by armed forces on the
27th anniversary of the end of combat in the conflict. He shared these comments Feb. 28 at the Middle
East Conflicts Wall in Marseilles. Military honors were rendered by the Marseilles Honor Guard.
Each of the Beggs-Gurley Post 5222 50-year members were presented with a 50-year member
pin and patch, and ball cap.
His response was “We will
just have to get our vets an
elevator”.
The Mayor went to the local
car dealer and asked if he
would help by providing a car
for a donation to assist in a
fund raiser , not only did the
dealership come across with a
car they came up with a new
Corvette that he could raffle.
The Mayor also sent letters
to all the businesses in the Village
and asked for their help,
the response was fantastic.
We are now in the pre-construction
phase and as soon as
the weather clears we will start
construction of our “beautiful
elevator”.
members of both the Post and its
Auxiliary who made the VFW
what it is today.
“For a reason, veterans in
this community decided Vienna
needed a VFW,” Maughan said
during his remarks. “As World
War I ended, the government did
not do anything to take care of
its veterans. The early leaders
in the VFW decided ‘if we send
people to war, the country needs
to be prepared to take care of
them who have suffered as part
of their service to this country’.
“Whatever the motivation
was 75 years ago to start a
VFW here, this Post remains a
beacon to pull people together,”
Maughan said. “What a vision
Piccioli
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provide folding and presentation
of the U.S. flag and can also play
‘Taps,’ either by a high-quality
recording or a bugler,” according
to the National Cemetery
Administration.
In his efforts, Picciolo aimed
to involve VFW and American
Legion Posts. Patriot Guard riders
now are participating as well.
In 2007, Picciolo said, he
began working with the Chicago
Homeless Sandwich Run after
hearing about it from Illinois
VFW Homeless Chairman Paul
Bezazian at the state convention.
The run was started by Marine
Corps veteran Jim Proffitt in
1989. A few years ago, Picciolo
brought that effort to his own
county.
“It was very eye-opening,”
Picciolo said. “We had a truck
and sandwiches and food and
everything … Maybe four or
five out of 10 [homeless that
we spoke to] could be a vet.
Then we started finding out the
problems they had.”
Their concerns included lack
of employment and medical
problems.
So Picciolo and others started
connecting veterans with the
VA. Picciolo also said most of
the veterans “just wanted someone
to talk to.”
Even though he was “just
they had – and the members
throughout the 75 year history
have continued to make this post
a beacon in the community to
help veterans. This is a tribute
to all of you.
“This celebration offers an
opportunity to recommit ourselves
to the same values as
those founding members to continue
the same level of service
to the Vienna community and its
veterans.”
Post Commander Clarence
Caraker, who also serves as District
15 Commander, presented
pins and hats to its 50-year
members. Six of the 23 50-year
members were on hand for the
celebration.
a draftee for two years,” Picciolo
said being there for other
veterans to talk to “really opens
them up.”
One veteran Picciolo and
Proffitt assisted in the Chicago
area was Harold Lewis, a resident
at a men’s hotel.
When Lewis died, Proffitt
was contacted about providing
Lewis a proper burial at Abraham
Lincoln National Cemetery.
“We’ve buried probably
some 80 more homeless vets
since then,” Picciolo said.
Those efforts have been the
most impactful for Picciolo.
“[It’s nice] to provide a veteran
with a last salute and some
kind of going off … It really
helps me to work on something
like that, to make it possible and
do as many as we can,” Picciolo
said.
Picciolo also served as Post
5788 commander from 2013 to
2015 and has been a member of
the Will County (Ill.) Veterans
Affairs Commission for three
years.
This article is featured in
the April 2018 issue of VFW
magazine, and was written by
Kari Williams, associate editor,
VFW magazine. Photo courtesy
of Jack Picciolo.
Editor’s Note: This article
was reprinted with permission.