Brookfield Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post #2868 will host a two-day long Oktoberfest event later this month in an effort to expose residents to what the organization does and raise money for its charitable efforts.
The event, which will feature food, beverages and musical entertainment will be held Sept. 29 and 30 both inside and outside the VFW Hall at 8844 Ogden Ave. The VFW proposes to close a portion of Forest Avenue from Ogden Avenue just south of the east-west alley behind the hall for the event. The hours of the fest will be from 4 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, Sept. 29 and from noon to 9 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 30. The general public is welcome to attend.
“We want to bring the public in and make them more generally aware of what the VFW is and what we do,” said Dave Kivi, the post’s commander.
Weather-permitting, most of the activity will be held outside the VFW hall, although the building will be open to visitors.
“A lot of people in the area don’t know we have a hall that we rent out,” Kivi said.
In addition to selling food and drinks, the VFW will host split-the-pot raffles to help raise money that will go to fund some of the organization’s charitable work. The post will also have recruiting tables set up to try and enlist recent veterans to join the organization.
Kivi noted that the money will help support the VFW’s visits to Hines Veterans Administration Hospital in Maywood, where members bring gift bags with such items as toiletries to the veterans residing there. The VFW also donates money to the VFW’s National Home for Children in Michigan and annually hosts a Thanksgiving dinner for recruits at Great Lakes Naval Station.
Last year, the VFW hosted some 50 Navy recruits, providing them a break from basic training. U.S. Cellular provided cell phones so recruits could call family members, while the VFW set up big screen TVs, videogame systems and a Thanksgiving spread.
-Bob Uphues