By Robert Williams

Editor

There is a lot of good news coming from the Frazee-Vergas VFW Post 7702 since reopening May 2, 2021. It has been a year since the bar and club side of the business ceased operations until a new business plan could be established and relations with the city council were mended.

The VFW celebrated its one-year anniversary with a dollar off drink special and had one of their busiest days of the year last Tuesday.

“We were talking about all the improvements we’ve made,” said commander Bob Clarey. “The painting, redoing the flooring, doing the plumbing and the entertainment.”

The club also installed new security systems.

“We’ve come a long way since being $20,000 in the hole,” said Clarey. “We had one or two hiccups when we first started, but we got that resolved with the city and have had no issues since then.”

The club had post officer elections last week and given the positive progress over the past year, the officers will remain the same.

“We’re all going to do it again for one more year,” said Clarey.

Being a positive force in the community is something the Clarey emphasized and the club is contributing in new ways to improve the city, along with continuing some long standing traditions to honor veterans.

Clarey, along with club member and mayor Mark Flemmer, teamed up with the American Veterans Association (AMVETS) to purchase new United States flags for Frazee with Memorial Day coming up at the end of the month.

“We all chipped in about a third apiece and bought 50 new flags for the city,” said Clarey.

The VFW will host its annual Memorial Day ceremony to remember the fallen at 9 a.m., at Lakeside Ceremony, Monday, May 29.

The club is also running the VFW Buddy Poppy program, a nationwide fundraiser for VFW National Home for Children in Michigan. Participating families are welcomed to the National Home for Children in a small-town community where they may live for up to four years as they work with their case manager to set and accomplish major life goals.

Locally, patrons can remember someone or honor their own or someone else’s service with donations of $5 or more on poppy displays on the wall behind the club bar.

During Turkey Days, the VFW has taken over nightly entertainment from the Community Club. The VFW has the funding to be able to book bands for the three-day celebration July 27-30. The Fat Cats are the main headliner already booked, making a return to Frazee for the first time in nearly a decade. The band will play the street dance on the Saturday night of Turkey Days, karaoke by Atomic Events on Sunday night from 6-10 p.m., after the demo derby. Friday night entertainment is still to be determined.

The VFW is open Monday through Thursday from 3-11 p.m., happy hour from 4-6 p.m., Fridays. 3 p.m. – 1 a.m., Saturdays noon to 1 a.m. with two happy hours from noon to 2 p.m., and 5-7 p.m. Sunday hours are noon to 10 p.m., with both happy hours.

First responders and veterans receive happy hour deals all the time.