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By Joe Joe Wright

 

As you read this, look upon the article as a report on Leisure in Crisp. You know you all have heard of “Sports and Leisure”. This past weekend my wife and I decided to pay a second straight trip to the VFW POST 4742 in Cordele. So why in the world would a sports reporter wanna discuss a local non sports related organization in his sports column? That’s easy the place rocks! Before last week I hadn’t been in there for 20 years. I use to go in there from time to time when my Dad was alive. My dad an Uncle and several cousins were founding members of the VFW in 1945. Called the William L. Sanders POST named after the first person from Crisp County killed in WWII.

So you are asking why does this seemingly average place ROCK so much? Well first of all, at the VFW everyone in there loves America. Its real easy to see because about half way through the nightly festivities. They stop everything turn on the lights put their hands over their hearts and sing the national anthem. For a guy like me who is about as patriotic as people can get, this is a tear in the eye moment. Never before in my 40 years of going to a night club have I ever seen or been apart of more inspiring event at a dance. That simple gesture by itself made me have hope again for the USA. Yes I realize that’s a simple thing but with so much in America going into the toilet this was uplifting. Then you take the people inside the members and regular attendees. They are there to have a good time not fight. In my experience when you put men and women in a place together and mix in alcohol there is always some testosterone infused young moron who wants to show “he is a man”, and trouble starts. Not that way at the VFW. Men and women down there dance and rub bellies like you suppose to, down there no one hates anyone. Now of course a lot that has to do with the fact we are mostly from 50 to 80 years old and way past our fighting days but the music is off the CHAIN and dancing is the name of the game. You go to nearly any bar/club anywhere and it takes hours of the band playing before folks wanna dance. Yall know exactly what I’ m talking about. Not at the VFW, hell they all glad to still be moving and they come to dance. By the way the Slaughter Creek Band is fabulous. There is a lady with a walker dances all night.

The VFW stands for Veterans of Foreign Wars. To be a member a person must serve in the US Armed Forces in a War Zone. The younger eligible people have not yet taken up the banner for which they are entitled. There is a need for members and the dues are very cheap. The dances are open to everyone and they are awesome. This is a place in our town worth supporting and saving from the “dusty mantle piece”. These people represent what all the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice were fighting for God, Family and country. Personally I wish everyone could see the VFW and there history as I do, maybe God will open your eyes. These people represent what is best about our country. God Bless them and their organization. Take it from Joe Joe go visit you will be glad you did.