With World War II won, 16 million uniformed Veterans returned to the U.S. Many of those returned to Disco and the surrounding Shelby Township areas. In 1945, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) was growing like a weed. On November 9, 1945, 56 Veterans filed their charter and were admitted into the ranks of the National Organization as Old Settlers Post 4659. Their goal was to assist their community and its Veterans. They were Veterans from World War II, World War I and one or two Spanish American War Veterans. Names of those Charter Member families are found today on street signs around the area. Aulgar, Hawald and Wilson, where the current Post Home is located, are some. A few of them, notably Jack Millard and Floyd Parrot, were prominent in the Township. They met for a while in the back room of Lavignes Bar then moved to the old Blue Bird Gardens near 29 Mile Rd and Van Dyke.
In 1948, we chartered our Ladies Auxiliary. In that same year, a road was cut (now Wilson Street) to the current location on land donated by the Mortimer Wilson family. That summer, those Veterans poured their own cement blocks and built the original building, a 2800 sq ft hall for their own use. Work was done on weekends with their mothers, wives and sisters cooking chickens and turkeys outside for their meals. The work progressed through the summer. The roof was added, tile was laid, restrooms were outfitted, and electricity was provided. With the building work completed, Post 4659 had its own Post home. A few years later, the canteen, kitchen, additional restrooms and storeroom were added, and the building had its current configuration.
Over the years, the Post membership grew from those first 56 to our current 402 members and we continue our mission to assist our community and Veterans and to uphold the VFW motto, "we honor the dead by helping the living”. Through those 80 years, we have provided well for our community and Veterans. Each year in May, we sell VFW Buddy Poppies during Poppy Days to assist our Veterans’ Relief Fund, held in post only to assist our local Veterans and Veteran families. In 1980, the Post funded and donated a memorial stone to Shelby Township to honor those from our community that gave their lives in service to their country in World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam. The stone was placed at the old Township Hall on Van Dyke and later moved to the current Township Offices location.
In 1994, one of our members, Carl F. LaRock, passed away and willed $62,000 of his estate to Post 4659 to use as we saw fit. The post membership voted to invest $50,000 in the Carl F. LaRock Memorial Scholarship Fund. Since 1995, we have given nearly $80,000 to deserving local students to assist in their continuing education. We used the remaining $12,000 from the estate to start building the Carl F. LaRock Memorial on our property across Wilson Street from our Post home.
When the Township installed a new memorial at the office complex, the original stone was made the centerpiece of our Post memorial. More Post funds were added, and a new stone was provided to honor those from our community who lost their lives serving in the Global War on Terror. With the addition of trees, shrubs and resting benches, it now stands as a beautiful and fitting tribute to honor the lost Veterans of our community. Proudly displayed along Van Dyke Road is our electric sign and surrounding garden, a lighted 35-foot flagpole, and the M60 tank that was dedicated in 2018. These all instill a sense of Patriotism and Americanism among our community neighbors.
Over the years, we have provided support for many Veteran issues. We invite homeless Veterans for dinner, clothing and some relaxation and games twice a year. We contribute to Veteran Stand Downs in the area. We donate to Veteran Assistance Programs and assist local Veterans in emergency situations and needs through our Post Relief Fund. We offer financial awards to students through our Voice of Democracy Audio Essay and Patriot’s Pen Essay Programs. We support scouting and Eagle Scout Project activities. We make annual $1000 donations and have nearly 350 paid Life Members to our VFW National Home for Children in Eaton Rapids, Michigan. Blood drives, donations to local food banks and use of our hall for community Veterans funeral wakes. Providing Veterans ritual services and firing for Veteran burials in the area. Monthly trips to Great Lakes National Cemetery for all-day firing duties in the rain, shine, heat or snow. We have been named an All-State Post by the Department of Michigan many times and have been named an All-American Post several times. Our Post and Auxiliary have provided 4 VFW County Council Commanders, 7 Country Council Presidents, 3 District Commanders, 4 District Presidents, 1 State Commander and 1 VFW Auxiliary President. We do it all!
We are proud of our Post and believe that our community joins us in that pride each day as we fulfill our duty to "Honor the Dead by Helping the Living”.
