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Luca Magliari, a sophomore at Westerly High School, was named the VFW Post 8955’s first-place winner of the Voice of Democracy Scholarship program. Second-place winner was Brynn Maynard and third-place winner was Laci Cole. Both Luca and Brynn have advanced to the next level of the competition for the $35,000 national scholarship.
“The Voice of Democracy competition provides high school students with the opportunity to speak out on freedom and democracy,” said VFW Department Commander Al Lipphardt. “The program has been popular and successful since its beginning in 1947, and we’re proud to keep offering it to America’s young people.”
The Voice of Democracy is a worldwide audio-essay competition that requires entrants to write and record a three-to-five-minute essay on a patriotic-based theme. “Is America Today Our Forefathers’ Vision?” was this year’s theme.
The National Association of Broadcasters started the Voice of Democracy Scholarship program in 1947. The VFW became a national sponsor in the late 1950s and assumed sole responsibility for the program in 1961. The competition was created to provide students in grades 9-12 the opportunity to express themselves in regard to democratic ideas and principles. Around 40,000 students participate in the competition each year and VFW awards more than $2.1 million in scholarships every year.
VFW Post 8955 is pleased to announce that Elizabeth Hosford, a 6th-grade student at Westerly Middle School, is the Post’s first-place winner of the 2024-2025 Patriot’s Pen youth essay contest. Elizabeth wrote her winning essay based on this year’s theme, “My Voice in America’s Democracy?” Elizabeth has advanced to the next level for the $5,000 national scholarship.
The VFW enacted the Patriot’s Pen youth essay competition in 1995 as a way to encourage young minds to examine America’s history, along with their own experiences in modern American society while improving their writing skills.
The contest is a worldwide competition that gives students in grades 6, 7 and 8 the opportunity to write a 300- to 400-word theme-based essay expressing their views on democracy while competing for worthwhile awards and prizes.
Buddy Poppies
Each year on Memorial Day and Veterans Day the members of the Amancio-Falcone-Gaccione Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8955 conduct their Buddy Poppy displays throughout the community of Westerly. These poppies serve as a reminder of lives sacrificed during World War I and future wars.
In 1922 the VFW at the national level conducted its first poppy displays. Shortly thereafter the poppy was adopted as the official memorial flower of the VFW. The funds collected through the donations of the poppies are used to assist and help fund programs for veterans.
The Amancio-Falcone-Gaccione VFW Post 8955 and Auxiliary thank you for your generous donations that will assist all veterans and their families who have given selfless service to our country.
Christmas Cheer
In keeping with our yearly tradition, you are invited to participate in a very special opportunity to bring some holiday cheer to our brothers and sisters on Christmas morning at the Rhode Island Veterans Home, 480 Metacom Ave, Bristol, RI 02809.
We’ll gather in the front parking lot of the Veterans Home at 8:45 on Christmas morning and then proceed to the home to sing carols and bring cheer to the 130 residents. Holiday costumes and accoutrements are highly encouraged. Song books will be provided.
Veterans in Crisis
Project Outreach is here to assist, at no cost, all Westerly and surrounding community veterans to gain access to the VA and eligibility for all benefits and programs they offer. The program is staffed by certified Chapter Service Officers that have attended the yearly Disabled American Veterans training. The service officer provides the proper VA forms and guidance to properly complete required documents to then ensure that they have proper representation at the VA. If a veteran is not in the VA system, they or their family are not eligible for all the great services and benefits the VA offers. Hours: VFW Post 8955, first Wednesday and third Monday, third Thursday of each month at 5 p.m.; Senior Center second Tuesday 10:30 a.m. to noon; Library second Friday 10 to 11 a.m. For appointments call 401-596-0470.
Amancio-Falcone-Gaccione Post 8955
New members to VFW Post 8955 are always welcome to attend our next monthly meeting on Dec. 4 at 6:30 p.m. at the Post Home. We meet the first Wednesday of each month. There are two qualifiers for membership in the VFW, as set out in our National Bylaws. An individual must meet both to become a member. They are as follows: 1. Honorable Service – must have served in the Armed Forces of the United States and either received a discharge of Honorable or General (Under Honorable Conditions) or be currently serving. 2. Service in a war, campaign, or expedition on foreign soil or in hostile waters. If you know of a veteran or family of a veteran in distress please contact Dora Vasquez-Hellner at 401-212-6377 for assistance.
Medal of Honor
Who: Private First Class Noah Odell Knihgt, U.S. Army, Company F, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division.
Place and date: Near Kowang-San, Korea, 23 and 24 November 1951.
What: PFC Knight, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and indomitable courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. He occupied a key position in the defense perimeter when waves of enemy troops passed through their own artillery and mortar concentrations and charged the company position. Two direct hits from an enemy emplacement demolished his bunker and wounded him. Disregarding personal safety, he moved to a shallow depression for a better firing vantage. Unable to deliver effective fire from his position, he left his shelter, moved through heavy fire in full view of the enemy and, firing into the ranks of the relentless assailants, inflicted numerous casualties, momentarily stemming the attack. Later during another vicious onslaught, he observed an enemy squad infiltrating the position and, counterattacking, killed or wounded the entire group. Expending the last of his ammunition, he discovered three enemy soldiers entering the friendly position with demolition charges. Realizing the explosives would enable the enemy to exploit the breach, he fearlessly rushed forward and disabled two assailants with the butt of his rifle when the third exploded a demolition charge, killing the three enemy soldiers and mortally wounding Pfc. Knight. Pfc. Knight’s supreme sacrifice and consummate devotion to duty reflect lasting glory on himself and uphold the noble traditions of the military service.
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