USO Volunteer Dinner

Last night I attended the USO Jacksonville Volunteer Appreciation Dinner.  It was a really good dinner, catered by the Carolina Ale House restaurant here in Jacksonville.  It was a typical Eastern Carolina menu:

Barbecue 

(in NC that means pulled pork, with a Carolina style sauce)

macaroni and cheese

coleslaw

 a potato side similar to scalloped potatoes

and a roll

The president of the USO NC was there and spoke about the past two months and how busy they were for the USO. When there were riots in Charlotte and the National Guard were called, the USO had to set up a mobile unit, and then again after Hurricane Matthew when the National Guard came out to help they had to set up another USO unit.  He said within 8 hours, they had a unit set up to help take care of the needs of the National Guard with the help of Walmart and Harris Teeter (a grocery store) Amazing.  He said Walmart and Harris Teeter said, "just come in and take what you need."  So they did.  Bottled water, sunscreen, wet wipes, socks, etc.  

He had very nice things to say about volunteers and said they couldn't do what they do without us.  The USO is "The Force behind the Force."  They gave out awards according to how many hours of volunteering you have done.  Many people have hundreds and hundreds of hours of volunteering.  I only have 43.5 hours, but would like to do more.  If I get a job, that may not be possible, but who knows.

I received these items:

a t-shirt, water bottle and a personalized letter from John Falkenbury, the president of USO NC

Normally, it would be volunteers setting up for events like this, so, somehow they got it all set up without us!

Mr. Falkenbury reminded us that if you give to the USO National Office, it stays there, but you can give to the USO Jacksonville and it stays right here in Jacksonville.  The NC USO is a charter of the National USO.  The Jacksonville USO is the longest operating USO in the world, operating since December of 1941!

Other USO's were opened during other wars, but closed down when the wars ended.  This one has never closed.  It's a neat old building too.  It feels like 1941 when you step inside.

In other news, my sister Sue and brother-in-law Ron are due here Saturday night!  My sister Dorcas will arrive on Tuesday afternoon. So excited!  We're going to have fun, and we're not going to talk about politics or elections AT ALL!  Hooray!

I have fun places to visit on the schedule and of course antique stores are the main ones! Hope they can handle all the "country folkiness" of Eastern North Carolina!