Darien VFW Post 2838 Hopes For Its Own Home Sweet Home

As Darien Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2838’s membership continues to climb, members are hoping to soon have a building of their own to put down their roots.

In the past, Post 2838 has been able to meet at a variety of spots in facilities.

“Unfortunately, schools have things going on and, on some rare occasions, we've had to meet in uncomfortable places such as teachers' lounges and small meeting rooms,” said Brad Drake, who served for several years in Afghanistan and joined the Darien VFW in 2006.

“After one of these rare occasions, members became quite vocal and serious about us trying to do something to get our own building.”

Last year Drake and several other members began talking about how nice it would be to have their own building and a regular place to meet. Members have since established a building fund for a future post home, with a fundraising goal of $50,000.

“We realize that is a lot of money and it will take years to accomplish,  but we're going to do the best we can and work as hard as possible to get there,” Drake said.

The community is invited to help support the cause.

On the second Thursday of each month, Post 2838 holds a fundraiser at Papa Passero's, 6326 S. Cass Ave., in Westmont. Diners need to bring in a flyer and present it to their server, and the VFW will receive 20 percent of the proceeds from the order.

Fellow VFW member Bill Marchetti hopes the community will help support efforts to provide a home for the organization.

“We have a lot of old-timers, World War II vets, in our unit and they’ve paid their dues, so now it’s our turn to do that for the next group of guys,” he said. “We’re working hard at it.”

As one of the younger members, Drake, 29, said a post home is important for a VFW, especially for veterans who suffer from emotional issues due to serving in wars.

“Veterans like the company of other veterans,” Drake said. “They always have and they always will. The VFW already provides the camaraderie so many veterans miss from the military, but a post home increases and promotes even more camaraderie.

"A post home for a VFW is a place where, night or day, a veteran can be around other veterans and truly feel welcome and comfortable.”

He said a post home also gives the local VFW post the opportunity to get more involved in the community and do more community service.

Annually, the members of Darien VFW Post 2838 are involved in a variety of activities, including a community blood drive, sponsoring Boy Scout Troop 97, sending care packages to active soldiers fighting overseas, a flag retirement program, a scholarship program for graduating seniors, and support for veterans at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital.

Darien has a U.S. Army Reserve Center on South Frontage Road, and members of Post VFW Post 2838 have adopted a deployed unit there. The members also assist with the Family Readiness Group, an organization that supports a unit of deployed soldiers by taking care of their families at home.

Last winter, Drake said family members of some of the deployed soldiers were snowed in from the storms that hit the Chicago area.

“Three of us went and dug these families out," he said. "We take our adoption of this unit very seriously and we care about the deployed soldiers and their families very much.

"If we had a post home we would have the opportunity to host these families for dinner parties, dances and fundraisers, and when their soldiers return home they would have a place to call their own."

Find more information about Darien VFW Post 2838 on Facebook.

For more information about the Papa Passero's fundraiser or to request a flyer, e-mail Marchetti at chief423@aol.com.