Veterans organize dance for local kids, parents

Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) post 6968 in Linden hosted a Valentine’s Day themed dance for parents and their children, Saturday, Feb. 13., after an annual Valentine’s Day dance was cancelled in Hughes Springs.

VFW Post 6968 Commander, Jered Graham, said that the event was organized last minute after a colleague in Hughes Springs reached out to him expressing a need for a space to host the event.

“I had a retired US Army officer reach out to me after a dance in Hughes Springs was cancelled. We spoke and he told me how his daughter was heartbroken because this is her dance she goes to every year with her daddy since she was a baby”, Graham said.

Graham said he agreed to help by offering the post as the venue, and with less than two weeks to organize the event, he credits Chaplain Fred Odierno and Treasurer Beverly Odierno of the VFW Auxiliary, an organization that works in tandem with and in support of the VFW, as the reason they were successful.

“The VFW and its Auxiliary are the organizations that will benefit from this event. The COVID-19 pandemic has crippled VFW Post 6968, financially. Schools have canceled events due to the regulations the state has implemented, so we took action. The families in our community have nothing to look forward to these days so we took action to give them something to enjoy as a community”, Graham said.

“As a former Army Ranger and spouse to a retired Army soldier, my wife and myself have missed way too many opportunities to spend with our children. Valentine’s day is not only about adults in my eyes. Some people are single parents, and I wanted to help them build special moments with their children”, he added.

Graham said the dance was well received by the community as approximately 100 people were in attendance.

“The dance went off without a hitch! The community showed up in force, kids running and playing getting all sugared up and just enjoying life. I don’t know about you, but that is what I call an amazing Valentine’s day dance”, Graham shared, “We raised $480.00 on February 13, and all the money will go to helping the veterans in our community have a place to call home, the VFW Post 6968 in Linden TX.”

Graham expressed gratitude on behalf of the VFW and VFW Auxiliary for the outpouring of support from organizers and the community.

“They will forever be remembered in this community, and to every single family that came out and supported us and every single person who got to spend a special moment with their babies, you are all rock stars, and we will always be there when you need us because you were there when we needed you.”