VFW POST 4490 on mission to attract young veterans

Leaders of Monroe County VFW post say attracting younger members is vital to the mission

ABERDEEN, MISS. (WCBI) –  A Monroe County Veterans of Foreign Wars post is doing what it can to attract younger members.

Members of VFW Post 4490 are on a mission, with two main objectives;  to recruit new members and get more younger veterans on the membership rolls.

“We’ve lost our Korean War vets, there’s only a few of them left, we’ve lost all World War II vets and we’re losing our Vietnam Vets, so we need other eras to step up and take our spots,” said Anthony Daniels, commander of Post 4490.

Nationwide, VFW posts have seen a decline in membership, so attracting younger veterans is vital.

“We want people to understand, it’s not just a bar, just not a place for veterans to come to hang out, we do want to do things in the community, we want people to know, the VFW is here for you,” said Sam Gilleylen, a member of Post 4490.

It wasn’t long ago that Post 4490 was in danger of shutting its doors.  But with new leaders, there’s now a fresh vision and a determination to bring in new members and keep the mission alive.

Post 4490 is also re-starting its auxiliary, which raises money to help disabled veterans.

“We had a veteran down the road who passed away, his daughter adopted the children and she couldn’t get up and down the driveway, because his driveway washed.  We donated the money so she could get the children up and down,” Daniels said.

“I’m in the business of getting wheelchair ramps, hospital beds bought and paid for at no expense to the veteran, but in order to make that happen we need community involvement,” said Chris Roberson, Post Quartermaster.

Post 4490 hosts concerts each weekend and next month, members will take part in a womanless beauty pageant, as a fundraiser to help the post continue to carry out its mission.

That womanless beauty pageant is set for the evening of February 12th.  For more information, go to the Facebook page of VFW Post #4490.