Frankfort VFW Post Bravely Battles Economy and a New World

When he got out of the military, commander Stan Tylinski had no idea he was eligible for any benefits

"It took me a while to get that," he said.

But now, Tylinski said, today's veterans are much better informed than their older counterparts.

"I think the military is giving these people, as they are becoming civilians again, a lot of instructions. They have to get their lives back together. It's not the easiest thing in the world," Tylinski added.

But the reality for the local VFW post is that, like many other posts around the country, it is experiencing declining membership. Older members are dying.

"We only have a handful of WWII veterans left," said Tylinski.

And younger veterans aren't seeking out the VFW's support when they come home, perhaps overwhelmed by the lack of civilian jobs or other family or financial pressures.

So fewer members, combined with higher prices for food and fuel, along with a dismal economy means that the post is having a hard time getting by.

Tylinski also said Post 1493 was hoping to get a financial shot in the arm from , but that didn't pan out when the Village of Frankfort last November .

"We're the only VFW (post) in the state who doesn't have them. We really needed that," he added.

LIKE A GOOD NEIGHBOR

Part professional organization, part social club, part community resource, part legal advocate, the Veterans of Foreign Wars organization evolved out of a need to provide medical care, pension benefits and other services to veterans returning from the Spanish American War and the Philippine Insurrection at the turn of the 20th century.

These days, Frankfort's Post 1493  mainly serves as the local watering hole for its 150-plus members.

However, non-members are welcome, too, and considered guests of the commander, said Tylinski.

Signs along Sauk Trail and Pfeiffer Road also invite the community to the . Originally offered only during Lent, the dinner became a weekly feature because it was so popular.

More recently, a spaghetti dinner was added on the first Monday of the month, and poker nights and Texas Hold 'Em events are open to the public, as well.

"When we started we used four by eight sheets of plywood to block the wind and portable propane grills to cook the food," Tylinski recalled. "Our first 'building' was an outhouse over by that electrical pole. Our first real kitchen was originally a pop up camper."

The windowed dining room was built by post members in 1989, with the bar area added on later, followed most recently by a full indoor kitchen.

And, Tylinski noted, because the VFW is a non-profit organization, any other civic organization that might need a room can use the VFW dining hall free of charge. 

The post also helps with service projects for local veterans, too, including the handicapped ramp they will be providing for a Frankfort WWII vet in need. And, a Cub Scout Pack 237 came and used the post's 10 acres for a camp out last summer.

KEEPING TRADITIONS ALIVE

But the other part of the VFW's mission is honoring the lives of soldiers, living and dead, and remembering what they gave up on behalf of their country.

That's why each Memorial Day, the VFW's Steve Stigler organizes the Village of Frankfort's annual tribute, which includes a reading of all Frankfort veterans who have died,  a list of more than 600 names. The Hickory Creek Middle School Tiger Band provides patriotic music, and members of the VFW offer a 21-gun salute.

The VFW Post 1493 then takes its show on the road, repeating the military salute at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, the veterans memorial in front of the Frankfort Township building on Route 30 and the Frankfort Township cemetery, north of Route 30 across from Currie Motors.

"One thing I know," Tylinski said, "don't blame the people that go (into conflict). Blame the people that sent them. I always joked that I blamed my parents. They voted for the people who sent me (to Vietnam)."

To show your patriotic support and thank our veterans, past and present for their service to our country, area residents are invited to join the VFW for the annual on Breidert Green, beginning at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 30.

For more information on the VFW, contact Tylinski at 815-469-3993. The post is located at 22057 Pfeiffer Road in Frankfort, and the bar is open 7 days a week beginning at noon.