• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Subscribe
Program Guide
Watch Live

CCX Media

Skip NavigationMenu
  • News
    • Close
        • CCX News
          • CCX News Home
          • News Stories
            • CCX Daily Newscast
          • CCX Media Schools
        • Feature Segments

          • Business Matters
          • School Spotlight
          • Standout Student
          • Weekend Showcase
          • Newsmakers
        • News Tip

          Send us a story idea or news tip!
          Facebook Instagram Twitter
          Watch Live
          CCX1 | CCX2 | CCX3
        • Apple News
    • Close
  • Sports
    • Close
        • CCX Sports
          • CCX Sports Home
          • Sports Tips
          • Hall of Fame
          • Upcoming Event Coverage
          • Play of the Week
        • Sports Coverage

          Adapted SportsAdditional SportsBaseballBasketballFootball
          GymnasticsHockeyLacrosseSoccerSoftball
          Swimming & DivingTennisTrack & FieldVolleyballWrestling
        • Social Media

          Facebook Twitter Instagram
          Watch Live
          CCX1 | CCX2 | CCX3
          Shop/Order
    • Close
  • Cities
    • Close
        • CCX Cities
          • CCX Cities Home
          • Cities Stories
          • In The Community
          • Our Town’s Story
          • Community Resources
          • CCX Media Schools
          • City Meetings
        • Your City

          Brooklyn Center Local News and Events
          Brooklyn Park MN Local News and Events
          Crystal
          Golden Valley
          Maple Grove
          New Hope
          Osseo
          Plymouth
          Robbinsdale
        • Social Media

          Facebook Twitter
          Watch Live
          CCX1 | CCX2 | CCX3
    • Close
  • Create
    • Close
        • CCX Create
          • CCX Create Home
          • Channels
          • Resources
          • Meet The Create Team
          • CCX Create Virtual Tour
        • Get Creative

          • Launch Your Creative Vision with CCX Create
          • Free Classes
          • Contact Us
          • Polka Spotlight
          • Diversity Minute
        • RueShare

          • Member Login
          • Member Guide
        • Social Media

          Facebook Twitter Instagram
          Watch Live
          CCX1 | CCX2 | CCX3
    • Close
  • Subscribe
  • Program guide
  • Watch Live

VFW Members Plan to Fight Dwindling Membership

4:44 PM | Thursday, June 7, 2018

This past Memorial Day, members of the Palmer Lake VFW gathered at Mound Cemetery in Brooklyn Center to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
It’s just one of the many programs that members of the VFW organize throughout the year, according to State Commander Rick Bugbee.

“We’ve had a lot of great success with these programs, and we love our programs,” said Bugbee.

Bugbee was in Brooklyn Park on Thursday for the annual VFW state convention, where officers plan to elect new leadership. If you talk to the man expected to replace Bugbee, he says that when younger generations think of the VFW, Memorial Day ceremonies aren’t usually the first thing that come to mind.

“The organization has a stereotypical history, if you will, of old veterans sitting around the post drinking liquor and telling war stories and that kind of thing,” said Tom Hanson, the senior vice commander of the Minnesota VFW. “That’s not what we’re all about.”

As a result of that stereotype, Minnesota’s membership has dwindled to about 38,000 members, after being as high as 86,000 in the 1970s.

VFW reaches out to Younger Veterans

“I don’t want to see this organization die,” Hanson said. “And consequently, the younger veterans are our answer to making sure that the organization does not die.”

That’s where people such as Jonell Wilson come into play. She’s in her 30s and served in Iraq for two years as a member of the Minnesota National Guard. She’s now a member of the Palmer Lake VFW in Brooklyn Park.

“I could always rely on the VFW to help veterans that were in need,” Wilson said. “So that’s a big reason why I joined.  I knew that they could help and they were always there for the community.”

It’s now her goal, and the goal of many of the leadership at this convention, to sell the benefits of the organization– such as camaraderie and access to veterans’ services — to the younger generations.

“This isn’t just a post where older veterans come to and sit at the bar. We’re more than that,” Wilson said. “We do community events. We’re out getting active. And we want everyone involved.”

The incoming commander of the Minnesota VFW says his goal is to increase membership by ten percent.

Sponsored
Delane Cleveland, reporting

Related Stories

Footer

NAVIGATE

  • CCX Media
  • NEWS
  • SPORTS
  • CITIES
  • CREATE
  • Job Opportunities
  • Meet the CCX Media Team
  • ABOUT CCX MEDIA
  • Annual Programming Reports
  • CABLE COMMISSION

SUBSCRIBE

Get email updates for daily story previews. “Week in Review” video links, and programming previews.

Subscribe Today

CONNECT

HAVE A NEWS TIP? CALL OUR TIPLINE AT:  763-533-1710
Send us story ideas and comments!
Get in touch with us
  CCX MEDIA     SPORTS
 NEWS                SPORTS
SPORTS.           SHOP/ORDER

LOCATION

CCX Media
6900 Winnetka Avenue North
Brooklyn Park, MN 55428

Main Phone:  763-533-8196

CCX Media serves the northwest suburbs of Minneapolis, Minnesota, including Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Golden Valley, Maple Grove, New Hope, Osseo, Plymouth and Robbinsdale.
Copyright © 2025 CCXMedia | All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Statement
Web Design and Development by CEL Marketing PR Design and BizzyWeb | Log in