In the picture at the left, Post Commander Ken Gippe and Junior Vice
commander Randy Clark observe as Senior Vice Commander Pat Cammilleri 
expains the function and membership requirements to an early visitor to the booth on Friday January 13th during a cold, blustery winter day.
Later in the weekend they were joined by Honor Guard member Roy
LaRose.  A number of potential members resulted from this effort!

December 7^th – Pearl Harbor Day Tribute

The Pearl Harbor Day Tribute was held in the post on Wednesday, December 7^th.  Past Commander Dick Grube reviewed the “Day of Infamy” at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese Navy launched a sneak attack and put the United States into World War Two. The casualty figures for the number of each branch of the service killed in the raid were read by Dick Grube and a bell was tolled by Junior Vice Commander Randy Clark.

County Executive Maggie Brooks read a Proclamation to proclaim December 7^th 2011 “Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day”.  Also Rich Turner, Chief of Staff for NY State Assemblyman Mark Johns presented a citation to Rosa Morrow for her husbands' Medal.

The Honor Guard, directed by Honor Guard President Pat Cammilleri presented a rifle salute and Taps for those lost at Pearl Harbor to end the Tribute.

Preceding the Tribute, a Bronze Medal was presented to the widow of a past Life Member of the post, James Morrow.  The medal was for bravery when PFC Morrow fought the Japanese in Okinawa in 1942. Major General John Batiste (Ret) reviewed the commendation with the medal and presented the medal to Rosa Morrow.  Many of the family were present and a display of Mr. Morrow’s military equipment including a canteen cup with the battles and ships he was on etched on the cup.  Also was pictures and his uniform and a multitude of other medals that he was awarded.

for pictures click here

For more details on the medal go to:

http://www.schumer.senate.gov/Newsroom/record.cfm?id=334720

Honor Flight receives $10,000 Check from Our VFW Post 8495

From the October 10th Democrat and Chronicle -
"Honor Flight Rochester started in 2008 and is part of a national network that provides free trips to the service memorials in the nation's capital to WWII veterans and to those of any era with a terminal illness. Honor Flight Rochester schedules six overnight trips each year — three in the spring and three in the fall.

Each trip costs about $30,000, which is generated through donations and fundraising. Honor Flight Rochester received a huge boost during a ceremony in the International Arrivals Hall when president Vince Hope was presented with three checks: $10,000 from the annual golf tournament of the Perinton Memorial VFW Post 8495; $9,096 from the 2011 ESL International Air Show (County Executive Maggie Brooks kicked in four bucks to round up the total); and $2,900 from the Holley Rotary Club.

"I think we paid for 48 more vets to go on a trip," Hope told the crowd after doing some quick arithmetic. "This is just unbelievable support."

Later on, at the post  -
Photo by Joan Peck

At the post, the photo shows Post Member Jack Peck a WWll Veteran who has been on a prior Honor Flight next to Commander Ken Gippe , WWll Veteran Hank Dinardo who was on this latest flight, POV President Jim Schenkel and at right, Dick Grube who is the Post 8495 Golf Tournament Chairman and also went with  Hank as a Guardian on the October 8-9th flight.

Post 8495's Voice of Democracy and Patriots' Pen Winners

The 2011 VOD and Patriots’ Pen competition was completed by Chairman Mike Lucci and co-chairperson
Gail Gropp at a meeting at the post on November 20. Post Commander Ken Gippe and Ladies Auxiliary
President Gail Gropp conducted the award ceremonies to a gathering of contestants, parents and teachers. 
At this meeting Pamela Stacy who teaches at Martha Brown School was presented the Citizenship Education
Teacher Award.

The Voice of Democracy winners, Fairport High School Students, were:

1^st Place Christopher Bechle

2^nd Place Brendan O’Shaugnessy

3^rd Place Jason Ephrain

The Patriots’ Pen winners, from Martha Brown School were:

1^st Place Diane Kulawiec

2^nd Place Ryan Albert

3^rd Place Jennifer Broderick

The winners were presented Savings Bond awards at the meeting.

Our Voice of Democracy winner went on to win Monroe County and District 8 competition and he will be
competing in the  New Your State Voice of Democracy competition.

We all wish Christopher the best !!!!!

Update

Our posts' winner Christopher Bechle went on to win the New York State Voice of Democracy competition.
He will now be competing for National Voice of Democracy championship.  We all wish him the best of luck.  He
deserves to win!!!!!