Members of the Mercer Island VFW Post 5670 have served in every foreign war or conflict from WWII to Afghanistan.

Most recently, they demonstrated their ongoing spirit of patriotism through community support by donating $1,000 in QFC gift certificates to Mercer Island Youth and Family Services (MIYFS).

The presentation was made by Dean Quigley, the Chairman of the Board of the original MIYFS organization, senior member of the VFW post and WWII veteran along with Robert Harper, the post’s Senior Vice Commander and Vietnam veteran.

Harper said some VFW members have used the services of MIYFS during their transition and spoke very highly of the benefits they received.

Cindy Goodwin and Sari Weiss of MIYFS said the gift cards gave the MIYFS customers more flexibility.

The post also donated $1,000 to the local organization “Heartbeat – Serving Wounded Warriors”, which provides emergency assistance, morale-building, and innovative therapeutic services for wounded warriors and their families.

Kevin Jackson, a Marine and Mercer Island VFW member who served in Iraq, is getting together with a few active duty Marines and going to local toy stores to spend another $1,000 donated by the post in support of the Marines’ Toys for Tots program.

The VFW knows today’s youths are tomorrow’s leaders, so in additional support of children, the post donated $500 to the VFW National Home for Children.

As VFW members recognize, war can take a terrible toll on American military and veteran families.

Emotional wounds, financial stress, fractured family relationships, hopelessness and more can often be the outcome for families with a parent serving our country. The home provides for veteran families with children.

The families can live for up to four years in the home and they are provided with; housing, education, daycare and basic needs such as food, health care and clothing.

The only requirement is that they must be committed to making changes in their lives and demonstrate consistent progress toward family goals.