VFW Post has new manager; making building improvements

A lot has been going on at the Superior VFW Missing Comrades Post in recent weeks.

On March 23, Eric Russell assumed the duties as club manager. Adolph Laluk had dutifully managed the club for more than 10 years. He hasn’t stepped away from the VFW. He is still in charge of military honors when requested at area funerals.

Club members are working toward revitalizing the building which dates to the late 1960s. Keno was added to the club last October and another gaming machine was added in early 2024. Several new television sets have been installed.

The VFW hosted the annual Superior Volunteer Fire Department banquet on April 27 and three graduation parties for 2024 Superior graduates. Five people, Duane Nelson, Terry Everhart, James Flores, Norrisa Flores and Kady Schnitker have joined the club.

The Nebraska Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. organization has a rich tradition of serving veterans, military families and their local communities. The VFW strives to do good things for deserving people, particularly veterans, their families and their communities.

The VFW traces its roots to 1899 when veterans of the Spanish American War fought in 1898 and the Philippine Insurrection fought between 1899 and 1903 founded local organizations to secrure rights and benefits for their service.

Many veterans of those wars returned home wounded or sick. There was no medical care or pensions for them and they were left to care for themselves. In their misery, some of these veterans banded together and formed organizations which would become know as the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States.

After chapters were formed in Ohio, Colorado and Pennsylvania, the movement quickly gained momentum. By 1915 membership had grown to 5,000. By 1936, the membership was almost 200,000. The Superior post was established in 1935. The original post home was a former two-story store building located on the now vacant lot north of Superior Spirits. The building had once housed a cigar factory. The land for the current building was purchased in September of 1965. The lot was cleared and the present building erected.

Over the years, the VFWs voice has helped in establishing the Veterans Administration, creating a GI bill for the 20th century, the development of the national cemetery system and the fight for compensation for Vietnam vets exposed to Agent Orange and for veterans diagnosed with Gulf War Syndrome, In 2009, VFW won a long-fought campaign with the passing of a GI Bill for the 21st Century, giving expanded educational benefits to America’s active-duty service members and members of the National Guard and Reserves fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The VFW also has fought for improving VA medical center services for women veterans. Besides helping fund the creation of the Vietnam, Korean, World War II and Women in Military Service memorials, the VFW in 2005 became the first veterans organization to contribute to building the Disabled Veterans for Life Memorial which opened in November of 2010.

Annually the 2.1 million members of the VFW and its Auxiliary contribute more than 11 million hours of volunterism including participation in a Make a Difference Day and National Volunteer Week.