The VA Volunteer Services Picnic Committee and Homer American Legion Auxiliary  would like to thank the following  organizations for their donations and assistance with the Veterans Picnic that was held Sunday, Aug. 18, at the American Legion in Homer: Kachemak Bay Marines; Emblem Club, Homer; Ninilchik American Legion Auxiliary Unit 18; VFW, Anchor Point;  Homer American Legion Post 16, S.A.L. and Legion  Auxiliary Unit 16.   

A “special” thank you to the Army Guard fellows for bringing their inflatable tent, obstacle course and boxing ring. That kept the kids and a few adults busy most of the afternoon. What fun.

A big thank you to the following businesses for their donation of groceries and door prizes: McNeil Canyon Meats, Safeway, Save-U-More, 3 Bears Kenai, Bidarka Inn, Judy and Cecil, Ulmer’s, Carolines, Salty Girls, Eagle Vision, The Fish Connection, Coal Point, Sport Shed, Wagon Wheel, Wildberry Products, Blackbeary Bog, Cosmic Kitchen, Radio Shack, Kharacters, Homer Spit Camp Grounds, and Nora and Donna for getting entertainment and scouting for door prize. 

Thank you to Phyllis and Carol and husband from the Kenai VA Clinic that came and answered questions and visited with the veterans and their families.

 Thanks you to the bands: Jim Hornady and Mike Murray, and The 8 Mile Band.

A  thank you to the Sons of the American Legion fellows who manned the barbecue grill all afternoon, put up the tent and various other duties; the ladies of the American Legion Auxiliary who helped put this picnic together, baked cookies and brownies and helped in the kitchen and manned the serving line during the day; Mary for making baked beans, Ruth and Sheryl’s friend for making potato salad,  Jane for the macaroni salad. 

Thanks also to Janice plus her granddaughters and Helen from the Emblem Club who made yummy cookies.

 Thanks to Sheryl, Shannon and the Junior Auxiliary for doing the Flag Presentation and leading The Pledge of Allegiance; Jan, Val, Carolyn and Sadie for registering people; Jackie, Nora and Terry for handling door prize distribution; Cassie, Garrett, Allen and Colleen, who came into help cleanup; Spud Dillion for extra parking space; Bill for seeing that the ladies from the VA were set up; and the American Legion for the use of their hall and grill.

And many thanks to the 100-plus veterans and their families that registered. We hope you had a good time and come back next year. The committee had a fun time organizing the picinic. It was a beautiful day so we had an outdoor/indoor picnic, and for those of you who didn’t make it we hope you come next year. If I missed thanking somebody, I am sorry and we thank you also.

Darlene Sheldon

VA Volunteer Services Picnic Chairman