The weekly Chamber Coffee was held at the VFW Post 1165 this morning. VFW Chairman Clint Walker told a little about what the VFW is doing in the community and thanked the businesses for their support.  The VFW sponsors a Voice of Democracy scholarship contest where high school students make an audio essay. Theresa Schafer won for the state of Kansas. (You can listen to her audio essay here.)  The VFW also sponsors a contest for middle school age children called Patriot Pen.

The flags that line the road to the National Cemetery are done by the VFW. Most of them are given in honor of someone. You can buy a flag in honor of a loved one for $35 through the VFW.  Mr. Walker said he would be setting up the flags at 7am tomorrow morning if anyone would like to come out and help.

Mr. Walker told the story of when he was working as a recruiter at the beginning of the first Gulf War. He said a 70 year old woman came in to show him a bag of medals and a newspaper clipping from her son who had died in World War II. The woman said that if she had it all to do over, she would give her son for America again.

A few other announcements that were made at the meeting:

• There two veteran’s programs tomorrow at 11am and 2pm at the National Cemetery.
• Jamie Armstrong announced that her Edward D. Jones office is going to be opening next to Subway on Thursday.
• Everything Pets will be opening on Saturday.
• The downtown Christmas open house (pdf) is tonight and many businesses will be staying open until 8.
• Life + Style will have a number of food samples available downtown tonight.
• The Kiwanis chili feed is tonight.
• Mercy has a chili cookoff on the 15th.
• The Citizen’s Bank Bowl will be played in Pittsburg on December 4th.
• The Chamber Community Guide is looking for content about local businesses.