Happy Hour Wasn’t Quite As Happy Without A Good Friend

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Tributes

Tuesday, Feb. 25 marked was one of our best Happy Hours of the 15 we have worked at — great jokes, fun volunteers, smiling veterans. Yet there was a sad note, because when we looked for one of our regular ‘customers,’ we learned that Miss Margaret Tuck passed away several days ago.

Miss Tuck was a stalwart at Jingo Nights. With her hearing difficulty, we would be her ears during the games. She played to win and loved the prizes. One time she insisted the staff get her out of bed so she could come down and play. She hated the idea that she would miss out on anything. While she preferred the games, she’d come to Happy Hour and stay a while as food and drinks were served. Then she’d ask, “Is this all there is?” and want to be taken back to her room.

When you told Miss Tuck she looked nice, her eyes would twinkle. She was a strong self advocate with a bellowing voice that would fit in a James Cagney movie. “Hey Mistah, can you get me a coffee?”

We miss you Miss Tuck. Thank you for your service to our country. Thank you for brightening our lives each time we stepped on campus to volunteer.

Photos: Miss Tuck doing what she loved best, playing a good game of Jingo, with Friends volunteers Patti DeBow (above) and Teddy Hughes (upper right).

Washington Commission Approves Grant for Friends of the Soldiers Home

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ANC 1A, Fund raising, Grants

Friends of the Soldiers Home is grateful to Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1A in Washington, D.C. for unanimously approving a $1,000 grant on Wednesday, Feb. 12. The grant will assist with a portion of the cost of signage, banners, flyers and letterhead to help communicate with the community about, and during, festival events such as Spring Fling, July 4 and Oktoberfest. Two festivals last year were attended by nearly 3,000 people, many from ANC 1A, which includes the Park View and Columbia Heights neighborhoods near the Armed Forces Retirement Home. The Oktoberfest festival was cancelled in 2013 because of the federal government shutdown. “Friends of the Soldiers Home is all about connecting the Home and the community,” Friends President John Hughes said. “We appreciate ANC 1A’s support of activities that enrich the lives of citizens as they interact with veterans on the historic, beautiful Home campus.” ANCs are non-partisan, locally-elected bodies that have been operating in D.C. since 1976. ANC 1A is one of 37 in the nation’s capital.

Volunteers, Veterans Team Up With Trivia on Saloon Night

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Saloon NIght with Friends

From Zach Hartman —

Residents of the Armed Forced Retirement Home and Friends of the Soldiers Home teamed up to face off in a battle of wits at Saloon Night with Friends on Tuesday, Feb. 4. Nine volunteers from the surrounding community, and across the District, paired up with residents in team trivia. Teams such as Guys & Doll, Stars & Bars, the Foul-Ups and others competed in a contest contending for control of the commanding collective cranium. In the end, Stars and Bars crushed the competition, only missing two questions the entire evening. Stars and Bars now claims bragging rights until the next meeting of the minds. Trivia was accompanied by the entertaining piano styling of AFRH resident Ray Anderson.

(Photo credit: Karina Lichtman)

(Photo credit: Karina Lichtman)

(Photo credit: Karina Lichtman)