PARKERSBURG - In addition to the hundreds that attended ceremonies at City Park, veterans groups were out and about Monday afternoon, taking advantage of the traditional Veterans Day open house events to visit other group homes and activity centers.
Peter Brown, commander of the VFW Post 1212, said they expected several hundred folks in and out of the post all day. Brown said a lot of the older vets who don't get down to the post on a regular basis come in Monday to meet old friends.
"It's one of our busier days of the year," said Bill Sutton, a past commander at 1212.
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Photo by Jody Murphy
Mike and Lisa Small enjoy the hospitality at the VFW Post 1212 in Parkersburg Monday. The two, both veterans, went to several other veterans centers in the area Monday to visit the other clubs and rekindle friendship with other vets.
Sutton said groups from the American Legion, AmVets, the DAV and several other centers will show up. Traditionally small groups visit the area centers to take advantage of food and drink specials and more importantly rekindle old friendships.
Robin Vass, president of the Post 1212 auxiliary, said the people will come in and out of the post all day.
"They'll come in waves," she said.
Brown said the Post usually serves fish sandwiches, but broke with tradition offering hamburgers and hot dogs this year. They also offered karaoke and sometimes a program, such as flag folding.
He said groups from Williamstown, Marietta, Vienna and other post and veterans groups in Parkersburg will be in and out of the Post 1212 Monday.
Post 1212 has about 750 members, according Brown, making it the largest post in the district and third largest in the state.
Members of Post 1212 also made the rounds.
Mike Small, a Gulf War veteran and member of Post 1212, goes to the post at least once a week. He and his wife Lisa, also a veteran, were set to visit other centers. Lisa Small, who's an officer at Post 1212, said this was her first time hopping on Veterans Day.
"It always felt like I was cheating," she said. "I want to see what the other clubs do."
