VFW Post 5924 honors Washington’s fallen heroes

By Ryan Finnegan USMC/VFW POST 5924

On the third Friday of each month a small, rural Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Elk, Washington, takes time during its weekly dinner night to honor post-9/11 fallen service members and their families.

In November 2022, VFW Post 5924 partnered with the Washington State Fallen Heroes Project to display two fallen hero banners each month. These banners represent post-9/11 service members who died in service or as a result of their service. Alongside the banners, the post frames a one-page write-up about each of the fallen members.

A simple desire to honor and remember our fallen soon turned into a monthly event. Coordinating with the Washington State Fallen Heroes Project, the post now invites surviving families to a monthly steak dinner and pays for their meals. It’s a small token of the post’s appreciation for the sacrifice these families endure daily. ‘Hero Night’ dinners have become very popular and continue to grow each month as more come out to show their respect and appreciation.

At 6:30 p.m., the ceremony begins by drawing everyone’s attention to the illuminated banners, hung in the dining area of the post. Each fallen hero’s write up is read by a veteran from their respective branch of service. The goal is to send a small piece of the service member’s story home with each person in attendance. After the reading is complete, tribute is paid to the POW/MIA Missing Man table, and a moment of silence is observed for those men and women who never made it home. As the ceremony draws to a close, surviving Gold Star families in attendance are recognized.

Not only is this event special to the VFW Post and VFW Auxiliary members, but it is also a special evening for the Gold Star Families. Keirsten Lyons, a Gold

Star Mother and President of the Washington State Fallen Heroes Project agrees.

“Leave it to a small town to make such a big impact on our surviving families,” she said. “It’s been so heartwarming to see and be a part of these Hero Dinners. When they honor one, it’s as if they’re honoring all, and it has meant the world to us. We look forward to continued partnership with the post.”

To date, VFW Post 5924 has honored: Army 1LT Forrest Ewens, Army CW2 Ben Todd, Army National Guard Sgt. Shane Guszregan, Navy ND2 Jacob Bare, Marine Corps LCpl. Eric Ward, Army Staff Sgt. Danielle Nienajadlo, Navy FC2 Brandon Olson, Army CW2 Clint Prather, and Air Force MSgt. Jerred Shorthill. The most recent Heroes Dinner Night took place May 19. A toast is planned at 3 p.m. May 29.

To learn about future Heroes Dinners, or to read about the heroes who have already been recognized, please visit the “VFW Post 5924” Facebook page.

Ryan a Marine Corps veteran and member of VFW Post 5924 in Elk.