By Bill Parry
Woodside’s and Sunnyside’s veterans are on the move.
VFW Post 2813 is in the last stages of moving its post into a former bar and restaurant, at 47-51 43rd St., after the vets were forced from their old headquarters, at 51-27 Queens Blvd.
“Our landlady sold the building, so we had to get out,” Commander Michael Smith said. “I was driving past our new location and saw the rent sign and thankfully everything worked out. It’s better than the boulevard and the rents are cheaper, too.”
The post was paying $6,000 rent at its last club and now it pays $2,000 a month. That is important savings for an organization that has lost significant membership over the years.
Established by World War I veterans in 1933, Post 2813’s ranks swelled after the soldiers returned to Woodside and Sunnyside following World War II. Now down to two members of the Greatest Generation, the post is made up mainly of Korean and Vietnam vets with a handful from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
“The new location should help us recruit more younger vets because it’s in a more residential area with a lot more foot traffic,” Smith said.
The new post is off Queens Boulevard, where the dangers from speeding motorists was always a concern among veterans.
“A lot of our guys would rather take a cab than chance the dangers on the boulevard, and the costs can really add up,” Smith said.
The move also serves many of the current members who live in the area. Former Commander Bill Kennedy said, “I live one block away and now I don’t have to bother with buses to get me to the post.”
Another former commander, George Custance, who lives two blocks away, agreed, saying, “I’m glad it’s closer because I’ve got a bad leg and arthritis.”
Custance added that it is a return to familiar surroundings. In 1965, Post 2813 bought a building at 41-20 Queens Blvd. that included the largest post rooms of any VFW post in New York City. That property was sold in 1992 and is now home to the trendy restaurant Salt & Fat, a Dunkin’ Donuts franchise and a large vacant space where the Nak Won Korean Church used to be.
The new post is undergoing a renovation and should be ready for occupation by the end of the month. A dedication ceremony will follow in early spring.
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718.260.4538.
