Teddy Bear Tea set Feb. 29

Jan 31 2020
Annie Charnley Eveland |Union Bulletin

Walla Walla-Columbia School Retirees Association‘s 14th annual Teddy Bear Tea will be 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Feb. 29 at St. Francis Church Social Hall, 722 W. Alder St. Tickets will be sold at the door for $6.

The tea is the primary fundraiser for annual WWCSRA college scholarships.

A traditional service of tea, fruit, sandwiches, cookies and chocolate will be served.

There will be exhibits, a story corner, coloring table and a store with teddy bears and other fun mementos.

There will also be a bid-to-win section with baskets containing Seattle Seahawks memorabilia, Walla Walla Sweets hats, game tickets, bats and balls, Mod Pizza, garden supplies, a baby doll with cradle, quilt and clothes, fishing tackle box with supplies, and a set of porcelain dolls and art from Kris Takemura, and raffle tickets at $1 each will be sold for two handmade bears, shown at right.

Gold Star benefit set Feb. 15

Dance to older country and classic rock music by the High Mileage band and help support the Gold Star Families Monument fund.

In a release, Penny Linterman, fund chairwoman, said a celebration for the monument will begin at 3 p.m. Feb. 15 at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 992, 102 N. Colville St.

High Mileage will perform from 4:30-6:30 and 7:30-9:30 p.m.

A silent auction of original art by Dory Milistefr and Helen Boland will be featured.

There is a $10 cover charge. Profits will benefit the Gold Star Families Monument fund.

The goal is to raise $80,000 for the monument, expected to be installed near the new World War II Monument close to Fort Walla Walla Museum, 755 Myra Road.

Currently, there are 60 Gold Star Families Memorial Monuments dedicated with 45 states/countries represented and 68 memorial monuments in progress according to the Hershel “Woody” Williams Medal of Honor Foundation, which stewards the project.

The monuments are a tribute to Gold Star families and relatives who sacrificed a loved one for the nation’s freedom. It also tells a story through homeland, family, patriot and sacrifice panels.

The gold star first appeared during World War I after one was placed over a service flag’s blue star when a servicemember was killed in combat.

Williams was guest of honor at the VFW here in May 2019 for a Gold Star monument fundraiser. He received a World War II Medal of Honor, co-founded the Medal of Honor Foundation and is a retired member of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Checks should be made to HWWMOHF, P.O. Box 2983, Walla Walla, or contributions may be made online at hwwmohf.org.