How VFW Post 969 Serves Tacoma, Pierce County, and Beyond
At VFW Post 969, our programs are how we live out the mission: honoring the dead by helping the living. From patriotic education in classrooms to Christmas toys for children in need, from color guard ceremonies at funerals to keeping the promise to those still missing in action — our programs touch every corner of the veteran and community experience.
Explore each program below to learn more, get involved, or support the work.
The Americanism program is at the heart of everything the VFW does: flag education, patriotic holidays, POW/MIA recognition, and teaching the next generation what it means to be American. From flag retirement ceremonies to Loyalty Day parades, from classroom visits to Star Family recognition — Americanism is patriotism in action.
If it makes Tacoma better, we show up. Community Service covers everything Post 969 does to strengthen our neighborhoods — parades, park clean-ups, blood drives, food pantry support, sponsoring youth sports, and lending our hall to community organizations. Last year alone, VFW and Auxiliary members contributed 8.6 million volunteer hours nationwide.
The Post 969 Honor Guard renders military honors at funerals, memorials, and patriotic ceremonies — flag folding, rifle volleys, Taps, and the graveside farewell every veteran has earned. We also present the colors at civic events, athletic games, school assemblies, and community programs across Pierce County. No veteran should be laid to rest without a salute.
Known as "The Honor Degree of the VFW," the Military Order of the Cootie is a special group of VFW members who dedicate themselves to one mission above all others: making sick, wounded, and hospitalized veterans smile.Cooties visit VA hospitals, deliver treats and gifts, throw parties, and bring laughter into places that need it most.
More than 81,000 American service members remain missing from our nation's wars. The POW/MIA program keeps their memory alive through the Missing Man Table Ceremony, POW/MIA Recognition Day (third Friday of September), the black POW/MIA flag flown at the Post, and advocacy to bring every one of them home. You are not forgotten.
The VFW Safety program promotes community well-being through pedestrian safety education, drug and alcohol awareness (DARE), recreational and firearm safety, highway rest-stop support, fire prevention (like changing smoke detector batteries for elderly veterans), and recognizing individuals who make our community safer. Small actions save lives.
Every veteran deserves to be sent home with the 24 sacred notes of Taps. The Post 969 Taps program supports our members and their families with funeral honors, memorial services, and the tribute page honoring Post members who have completed their final tour of duty. We remember. We honor. We keep the promise.
Every Christmas, VFW Post 969 partners with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program — collecting new, unwrapped toys and delivering Christmas joy to children in need across Tacoma and Pierce County. Founded in 1947 by Major Bill Hendricks, USMCR, this program has brought smiles to millions of kids who otherwise would have gone without.
Every veteran matters. Our Veteran Outreach program finds veterans in need, connects them with benefits and services, visits them in hospitals and homes, checks in on isolated members, and stands beside families in crisis.From welcome-home ceremonies to bereavement visits — this is where the promise of "no veteran left behind" becomes real.
The VFW Post 969 Rec Park in Orting, Washington is our outdoor gathering place — home to the annual July 4th America 250 Community Block Party, family reunions, ceremonies, and community events. Nestled in the shadow of Mount Rainier, the Rec Park is where Post 969 celebrates freedom the American way: outdoors, together, and with plenty of good food.
Post 969 also participates in the VFW's flagship national programs:
Voice of Democracy — Audio-essay scholarship contest for grades 9-12, with a national first-place prize of $35,000
Patriot's Pen — 300-400 word patriotic essay contest for grades 6-8, with a national first-place prize of $5,000
Scout of the Year — Scholarship for Eagle Scouts, Girl Scout Gold Award recipients, Venturing Summit recipients, and Sea Scout Quartermasters — up to $5,000
Smart/Maher VFW Teacher of the Year — Recognizes exceptional K-12 educators who teach citizenship and patriotism
Buddy Poppy — The VFW's signature memorial flower, distributed every spring to honor the fallen and fund veteran assistance programs — now marking 100+ years of remembrance
Interested students, teachers, and Scouts should contact Post 969 to enter through our local Post.
Every program above depends on volunteers who care. Whether you have five hours a year or five hours a week, we have a place for you.
📞 253-272-1405
✉️ adj@vfw969.org
Ready to serve alongside us? Contact Post 969 →