- Maricopa Mayor and VFW Post Commander highlights benefits of program.
- Junior high students asked to write an essay while high school students submit a 3 to 5-minute audio essay.
- Current location is being renovated, but still offering programs to the community recognizing students and leaders in the area.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
July 1990, that's when VFW Post 11012 was founded in Maricopa and it's still going strong today. The current location is being renovated but they are still offering programs to the community recognizing students and leaders in the area.
“Promote patriotism, so at a post level, we give community recognition through a plaque or certificate and usually a scholarship and a monetary donation,” says Cory Morse, VFW 11012 Post Commander
Morse says the Patriot's Pen and Voice of Democracy are two programs that support an annual scholarship for students.
The theme this year is the greatest contributions of democracy. Junior high students are asked to write an essay while high school students submit a 3 to 5-minute audio essay.
Morse says although the programs are organized nationally these scholarships start small and it varies for each post.
Maricopa Post 11012 gives out 100 dollars for the Patriot's Pen and Voice of Democracy, as you work your way through the competition they get up to really big numbers.
“The national winner for junior high is a 5,000 dollar scholarship and the national winner for high school is a 35,000 dollar scholarship and that can really help a kid, a young student excel” continues Cory Morse.
The post includes 50 members from the Maricopa community. They hold monthly meetings to recognize local 1st responders, firefighters, EMT’s, law enforcement, and educators.
Even with renovations still going on, Morse says with a smaller community, the post tries to get more people out of the house by offering bingo nights twice a month.
Their overall goal is to carry this patriotic torch into the future.
“We just want to make sure that each generation continues to discuss it, remember it, love it, and so the VFW as an organization that is one of their key facets,” says Morse.
This mission is to not only advocate on behalf of all veterans, but to support the community.
For more information you can head to their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/VFWPOST11012
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