Rotary Roundup: Rotary Club of Twinsburg hears importance of service
Posted by Guy Gentile
on Nov 18, 2010
The Rotary Club of Twinsburg was honored to have U.S. military veterans Ken Roddie and Joe Jasany speak to the club at a recent meeting.
Jasany presented an informative program honoring veterans, concluding his presentation with an emotional film depicting men and woman in service. Jasany is the commander of Twinsburg VFW Post 4929 and Roddie is a service officer and chaplain for Vietnam veterans.
Jasany began his presentation with the following thought provoking remarks.
"It is the veteran, not the preacher, who has given us freedom of religion. It is the veteran, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press. It is the veteran, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech. It is the veteran, not the campus organizer, who has given us freedom to assemble. It is the veteran, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial. And it is the veteran, not the politician, who has given the right to vote."
The first meeting of Post 4929 was Dec. 2, 1945. Founding members included Commander Herbert Richner Sr.; Sr. Vice Leonard Roach, Jr.; Vice Edward Smith; Quartermaster George Furka and Chaplin George Richner Jr.
They were installed at Grange Hall, which is now the Twinsburg Historical Society building located just south of the square on Darrow Road. Members Wilfred Terrill and George Morrow also were present at this first meeting. The first Memorial Day was conducted in May 1946.
In November 1946, the ladies auxiliary to the VFW became an important part of Post 4929. They have been instrumental in many programs and have made great contributions since that time. Members of VFW Post 4929 volunteer at the Brecksville Veterans Hospital, and Thursday night bingo and Saturday coffee and doughnuts represent just some of the post's accomplishments. In fact, Roddie has been at every coffee and doughnuts for more than 21 years.
On Memorial Day week-ends, members and friends of VFW Post 4929 place American flags and markers on more than 600 graves at Crown Hill Cemetery and 125 flags at Locust Grove Cemetery.
VFW Post 4929 has had a Memorial Day service every year since the charter was established. Jasany and Roddie set the bar high for their dedication in honoring those who served. And for that, Rotary members are eternally grateful.
"Not for fame or reward, not for place or rank,
not lured by ambition or goaded by necessity,
but in simple obedience to duty as they understood it,
these men and women suffered all, sacrificed all, dared all, and died."
-A memorial at Arlington National Cemetery