Program areas at Home Association of North Penn Post 676 VFW
Our principal support function is to operate the Post Home as a resource center for all veterans to assemble in fellowship for recreational and memorial activities, for friendship, fellowship, camaraderie and as a place of refuge, when needed. All of this is specified in Article 1 of the Constitution of the VFW. From this base we try to offer whatever services of constituent veterans and their families need/want. If we are unable to fulfill a need via our trained Veteran Service Officer we will invoke whatever outside resource available. Our Post home remains a familiar, convenient and available venue in which our veteran members can attend meetings and activities of interest or to host events for themselves, their families or the larger community. The current motto of the VFW is "No one does more for veterans." we are the local 'boots on the ground' to fulfill this need.
The Home Association is a major supporter of both the Pennsylvania National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve units in our community. We have adopted several and join with their Family Readiness Groups (FRG) in offering support programs from pre-deployment train-up to post deployment re-entry phases. Among the units that we have paired with are HHC and Company A, 1-111 Infantry, 56th Brigade (STRYKR) HQ and HHC, 157th Combat Support Sustainment Battalion and the 223rd Transportation Co (Medium Truck - Petroleum). We either organize and run or support frequent social events such as unit Field Days or Unit Picnics. Routinely, we host the Red Cross for monthly blood drives and special blood events targeted at a specific need. During times of local weather emergeniies, we will open our building to be a warming (or cooling) center providing a place to escape the conditions, recharge electronics and get a hot meal. Our local township, county, state and federal officials use our halls for special topical meetings with local concern/interest.
The Post Home and its facilities are a resource made available to veterans, their families and the broader community at-large to fill unmet needs within the Glenside/Abington neighborhood. Typical events held include those targeted specifically at the aging veteran population and their dependents, the families of deployed service members and those recently returned from deployment or preparing to deploy. We continue to be a primary sponsor and leading participant in the Greater Glenside Patriotic Association's July 4th Parade (117 years running) and their 5K and 2K Run/Walk. We either lead or are involved in a plethora of community based events and organizations - Abington Police Department's "P A L", Police Explorer Post 2900, C A P T (Citizens and Police Together) and so many Ardsley, North Hills Glenside community 'happenings' such as, Breakfast With Santa and the Easter Bunny, the Marine's Toys For Tots campaign, CAPT Bike Run and Town Hall meetings by politicians of both parties.