The Enumclaw Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1949 mission and obligations will continue onward. We will always give combat veterans a place to find support. We will also continue serving our community. But our way of doing business is changing because of our new physical environment.

Our Post Home (our building and property) was built in the 1960s. For more than five decades we have used this building as our meeting hall for business and socials and given use of the building to many organizations and events gratis, including the Boy Scouts, the City of Enumclaw, Plateau Quilters, several service clubs and for memorial services. This building is truly a community treasure.

We also rent the hall to cover operating capital and maintain the building. This revenue also provides income for the obligations we have assumed as a post. Examples are having an honor guard that provides over 100 memorial services a year. We have service officers who assist veterans and their family members work through the US Department of Veterans Affairs. We provide outreach to schools including an annual essay contest with thousands of dollars in scholarships. The list goes on. We have no paid staff; all our work is accomplished by volunteers.

Settings have changed. Fifteen years ago our post home was outside the city limits and in a mostly rural setting. Today our building is within the city limits and enveloped by neighborhoods. Our primary rental customers had been gatherings that were too noisy for the current setting. They were fun if you were a renter but not if you were a neighbor. We had to change our rental policy where no live bands nor DJs are allowed. The noise stopped but our rental income has gone to nearly zero. Still, this was the right thing to do. We will be good neighbors.

Half of our costs to run our Post is operating the hall. To solve this financial shortcoming we came to an agreement with the City of Enumclaw’s. The city’s lease is $1 a year, but the City pays the utilities. The City agreed to allow all the gratis customers continued use at no charge. The City schedules no events on weekends giving us the opportunity to rent the hall on these days. We are developing a marketing plan to find new and quiet rental customers.

Our VFW members are grateful to Mayor Jan Molinaro, his staff, and the city council for their efforts and support for this win-win arraignment.

Attaining the other half of our needed finances is still a challenge to be solved. And we will find a solution to attain the funds needed to continue our mission.

Our VFW members will carry forward with our mission. We still maintain our ethos of service before self. We honor our fallen brothers and sisters by caring for those who are with us now. We have been through a lot and we have come through. We will do so again.

Larry Kauffman

Commander, Enumclaw VFW Post 1949