Beatty hosts VFW mid-winter conference

About 170 people gathered in Beatty Jan. 10-12 for the Nevada Veterans of Foreign Wars mid-winter conference.

The event was held in the Beatty Community Center and began with a breakfast with VFW Quartermaster General Debra Anderson.

State officials conducted matters of business and answered questions from members in attendance regarding programs, policies and executive decisions.

Sessions were also devoted to Auxiliary business and topics including suicide and homelessness prevention.

Officials from the Nevada Department of Veterans Services, including Director Kat Miller, were on hand to share information.

Beatty Town Advisory Board Chair Dick Gardner, who is also the VFW Nevada State Adjutant and Quartermaster, said that attendees filled a lot of hotel and motel rooms in Beatty.

Gardner said that Beatty’s John Strozzi, Post 12108, which was the host for the conference, is a particularly successful post, with its canteen providing all the financial support it needs.

Physically, the post in Beatty, occupying the former Episcopal church and pastor’s residence, is not very large, and Gardner says it’s about to get smaller because they are going to double the size of the kitchen and set off a non-smoking area for restaurant patrons.

Richard Stephens is a freelance reporter living in Beatty.