OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — This past Thursday VFW Post 2503 Commander Larry Quilliam had Creighton fans on their feet.
He was awarded the Mission Service Award by Berry Law at the Creighton University men's basketball game against North Dakota.
The next day he had me on my feet running around his post.
“Larry is a go-go-go guy,” active-duty veteran and current Army National Guard’s Ryan Sudbeck said. “I mean he starts doing something and he doesn’t stop.”
Quilliam found a place at the largest VFW post in Nebraska around five years ago.
“My wife felt that I wasn’t doing enough or didn’t have enough in my life so she thought I should get involved in things. We came up here to the VFW and I’ve been involved ever since.”
On this day, the Air Force veteran was hard at work, getting ready to honor others who have served with the post’s annual Veterans Day Spaghetti Lunch and Dinner.
“Roughly about 5.5% of the people alive today of the American population are veterans. That’s a very small number that have protected our borders, our country and our freedoms,” Quilliam said. “And they’re more than welcome to come up to my post.”
Veterans gather for a free meal and can also check out other services like the AV, insurance plans, benefits, lawyers and more.
“So, it’s one-stop shopping for my veterans and make it as easy as I can for them in order to get help if they need any,” Quilliam said.
Quilliam expected around 400 people to attend the event and check out the revamped post.
“The post has gone through an absolute makeover in basically everything it has here, just making this place a better place for veterans to come gather,” Sudbeck said.
“We have a brand new patio which is absolutely amazing,” veteran Michael Reeder said.
“It’s not your old man’s drinking bar anymore,” Quilliam said.
The only thing the post is missing is more younger veterans.
“It’s a very old post and I don’t want to say it’s been the same veterans the entire time doing all the work here but they’re always needing younger people to step up and volunteer and help out with the post,” Sudbeck said.
Sudbeck is one of the younger guys who has held various positions at the post since 2012.
“It’s my second home. I’ve slept here so many nights when I was working here, I mean, this is one of my favorite places to go in Omaha,” Sudbeck said. “I moved across town, and I still drive all the way back here just to be here.”
Reeder has only been coming for a year, but he will be sticking around for the long haul.
“Just trying to be there for other veterans who are older, trying to take the torch and carry it on for the future generations,” Reeder said. “Both my sons are in the military, so I want to try and build something decent for them, so they have something to support when they get out.”
More than 800 veterans are members at Post 2503, but they know there are plenty more in our community.
This is why they want all veterans to make their way down to the post to serve and to be served.
“Don’t be afraid to ask. We’re there to help you, we want to help you, we’ve all been in that position,” Reeder said. “Just come out and see what it’s about and see what we can help you with.”
“We’re here to help,” Sudbeck said. “The VFWs goal is to help veterans.”
And of course — have a good time.
“It’s that brotherhood, that sisterhood,” Reeder said. “No matter what branch you’re in it’s that camaraderie that you have that you know they went through something that you went through.”
“What we do is try and make it fun for our veterans, honor our veterans, and make this a place where they can come and relax,” Quilliam said.
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