Sea Isle City officials and members of the VFW Post 1963 Auxiliary, including President Peggy Moore, center, stand behind the POW-MIA Chair of Honor on display in City Hall. (Photo courtesy of Sea Isle City)
VFW Post 1963’s Auxiliary has donated a POW-MIA Chair of Honor to Sea Isle City.
The ceremonial chair is an unoccupied seat dedicated to those American soldiers who served as prisoners of war and who are still missing in action.
It is located on the second floor of City Hall adjacent to the City Clerk’s office.
Earlier this year, VFW Post 1963’s Auxiliary also furnished supplies and donated gift cards for the Sea Isle Police Department’s “Comfort Room,” which is used when a victim or a family faces difficult challenges, and they need a quiet space to relax and gather their thoughts. The comfort room is also used by children while their parents speak with officers.
Post 1963 Auxiliary President Peggy Moore and her fellow auxiliary members hope that when people see the chair and the improvements to the comfort room, they will realize the importance of honoring the nation’s veterans and helping others in need.
“Our ongoing goal is community outreach, getting the word out about our veterans and promoting patriotism,” Moore said in a news release. “We hope when people visit the busy second floor of City Hall that the POW-MIA chair serves as a reminder of the soldiers that are still unaccounted for.”
Regarding the comfort room, Moore added, “Our main goal was to spiff-up the room and create an environment for people to wait in peace and quiet. The gift cards the auxiliary donated will allow the police to buy snacks and beverages for people using the comfort room, which is now equipped with a children’s table with chairs, as well as books, games, stuffed animals and blankets that kids are welcome to take home when they leave the comfort room.”
Members of the VFW Post 1963 Auxiliary and Mayor Leonard Desiderio, at right, show some of the donated items in the police department's "comfort room." (Photo courtesy of Sea Isle City)Moore also noted that the auxiliary will continue to replenish the items in the comfort room.
“We can’t do any of our community outreach without the generosity of the auxiliary members and the people of Sea Isle City,” she said.
Sea Isle Police Chief Anthony Garreffi thanked the VFW Auxiliary for the donations to the comfort room.
“It was really great for the VFW to make improvements to this room, provide toys and games for children to enjoy, and to donate gift cards,” Garreffi said.
Sea Isle’s VFW Post 1963 is the largest and most active auxiliary in the state of New Jersey, according to the news release. In addition to their community outreach programs, the group also hosts an annual POW-MIA ceremony in September, an annual Christmas Caravan to the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home in Vineland, and other efforts to raise funds and awareness for their mission of serving the nation’s veterans and active-duty military members.
For more information, visit vfwauxillary1963.com, call 609-922-3383, or email [email protected].
