Summer Celebration
The annual Mercer Island Summer Celebration is a two-day community festival with activities, food and fun for all ages. The event features over 100 juried arts & crafts booths, live music & theatre, a community parade, fireworks show, food booths, classic car show, hands-on activities, Lake Washington boat rides and more. During the celebration – held in concert with the Independence Day holiday – members of VFW Post 5760 traditionally lead off the community parade much as they’ve done in years past. Pictured here are Post members Hu Riley and Don Schumacher, both World War II veterans and long time island residents.
Following the parade, veterans present local parents with sons or daughters on active duty military service with Blue Star banners. Six families were presented with banners this year – five during 2009 – and the Post hopes to increase awareness and build support for the Blue Star program with each successive year.
This portion of the celebration is held in concert with a Mercer Island city tribute to veterans held at the Pergola in Mercerdale Park. Post favorite and long time Arts Council member Mrs. Judy Leithe continues to coordinate all aspects of this tribute and local veterans certainly appreciate her tremendous efforts. This year’s celebration was a first for members of VFW Post 5760; we manned our own “command post” booth complete with military memorabilia, historic photographs from Keewaydin Clubhouse and of course membership information for veterans to learn about our organization and hopefully join our ranks. For more on this year’s Summer Celebration visit www.misummercelebration.com.
Standing Strong
Veteran’s Pergola
It was with great pride that the Mercer Island’s City Council and Art’s Council presented the Veteran’s Pergola, “Standing Strong” by artist Richard Frombach. The Pergola is located in the heart of our city, Mercerdale Park Plaza, so we may keep central the ongoing service our veterans bring to our community as we visit the park to picnic, enjoy live music, watch plays and spend time with loved ones.
"Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!" - William Prescott
Do You Need To Contact the VFW Mercer Island?
vfw.5760@gmail.com
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