Cleveland VFW Post 1839 serves up steak dinners, pizzas to support mission

By Rachel Hall

Members of the public are invited and warmly welcomed every Thursday night from 4 to 8 p.m. to a delicious steak dinner cooked-to-order and combined with a garden salad and baked potato served in-house or to-go at the Cleveland VFW Post 1839, 18 CR 396, Cleveland.

“People think we are only open to veterans and that is not the case. We are always open to the public, and I try to post the public is welcomed whenever I share on our Facebook page,” explained Post Commander Rick Clardy.

The $18 steak dinner is praised by new and returning guests as being one of the best deals in town and flavorful as well. However, the Cleveland VFW doesn’t stop serving guests at steak night. Recently the Ladies Auxiliary at the post have added pizza night to their fundraising efforts. A large 16-inch pizza is available for purchase every Friday and Saturday after 7 p.m. for $15.

“We have one family who comes in here with their young children on pizza night to order a pizza for dinner. They sit down at the table to eat and then play card games,” explained Auxiliary President Rhonda Kinder.

Families being welcomed, including children, is one challenge Post 1839 has faced when hosting an event such as fundraisers, live bands, and steak nights. Most people assume the VFW is only open to veterans, and while membership has certain requirements to join, attending is and always has been open to the public. This year the Post initiated a No Smoking rule inside to help make the setting more family friendly.

“People think all we are is a bar and the people are here just to get drunk. That is not the case. Sure, we have a bar, because we have to make funds to pay the bills, but that is not what we are all about. Our priority is helping the veterans and helping the community and being involved with the community,” said Clardy.

Ladies in the VFW Auxiliary go the extra mile when participating in events to show their support beyond assisting the Post’s veterans. They regularly participate in community causes, such as attending Treat Street to pass out candy, adopting senior citizens at the local nursing home to supply basic necessities, providing food and gifts to families in need at Christmas time, helping to serve food alongside other organizations at local events, providing scholarships to middle and high school students, and awarding teachers who display patriotism in the classroom are just a few of the ways the Auxiliary members choose to lend a helping hand.

“We work closely together with the VFW for fundraising and community service. Auxiliary has community outreach, so any business who has something going on and needs volunteers to come out and help – we will help them. All they have to do is call us. We will go out and serve plates if needed. We are willing to donate our time to help people,” said Kinder.

The Cleveland VFW Post 1839 struggles with attracting new members to join the organization who have time to volunteer, but they hope to see change as they continue their efforts in being a support system to veterans who served overseas, families of veterans, and the community in general. A need for membership has been an ongoing issue for years.

“We really need the younger generation to join us. We are not going to be around here forever,” said Clardy expressing an interest in seeing more young veterans who served in places like Iraq and Afghanistan join the Post and take an active role in keeping the doors open and the comradery alive.

“We are barely making enough to stay afloat paying the bills. We never have enough to get ahead, and we can’t get ahead with just selling steak dinners,” said Kinder.

The physical building is aging and in need of repairs, such as the air conditioning unit that experienced issues weeks ago and needs to be replaced – a price tag around $10,000. There are also some plumbing issues and cosmetic upgrades that need to be addressed, preventing the VFW from being able to utilize the full space, including a large gathering area that includes a room perfect for renting out to groups for weddings, birthdays, dances, banquets, and more. If repaired, it would become a viable source of income for the Post to maintain its operations.

Additional fundraising efforts have been planned to help raise the money for building maintenance, as well as for operational costs associated with owning the trailer park behind the VFW and for costs needed to continue providing supports offered at the Post through their Relief Fund. Veterans behind on their bills, homeless, or needing help dealing with medical issues can contact Clardy who will connect them with others who can assist with their needs.

“I see a lot of the younger generation come in here dealing with PTSD and trying to get help. When they come in here, I talk to them and offer to help them find places to go to get the help they need. We even had a young guy come in here with his wife and his wife was the one asking us for help. Sometimes with PTSD you have to be in a place where you can talk to other veterans, because there are veterans who don’t like talking to anyone – not even doctors – but they will talk to another veteran who has experienced the same thing,” said Clardy.

Supporting veterans in a safe place for them to socialize, meet like-minded people, and enjoy a good time in a family-friendly environment is part of the mission of the Cleveland VFW Post 1839. Only about a dozen members from the post and auxiliary regularly plan and participate in fundraisers despite having over 130 members listed on paper. Yet, the ones who have been lending a helping hand for years plan to continue to do so, even if it means fundraising one pizza and one steak dinner at a time.

“The best part of being a member here for me personally is being able to have a conversation with the veterans and to help them. That’s our goal,” said Clardy.

The Cleveland VFW Post 1839 is free to enter on Thursday – steak night and Friday – karaoke night. The only time there is a cover charge is on Saturday nights for the live band. The $8 entry fee pays for the band who is playing that evening and only cash is accepted. Billiards, darts, arcade games, digital slots, snacks, and drinks are available in addition to the band or DJ. The facility is smoke-free and welcomes families, including children, to attend any time.

Upcoming fundraising events planned for the financial support of the Post include a Lemonade Stand on July 22, End-of-Summer Bash on August 25, and Post Benefit on September 17. Details for each event can be found by following Cleveland TX VFW Post 1839 on Facebook or calling 281-592-7230.