Members of a Nebraska VFW Post last year received a $1,000 #StillServing community support grant from VFW National Headquarters. Instead of using it for the Post, the members thought it was best suited for a few local nonprofit organizations.
VFW Post 10725 in Gretna, Nebraska, located about 20 miles southwest of Omaha, donated $1,000 to three nonprofit organizations focused on honoring veterans and first responders.
Members of VFW Post 10725 in Gretna, Nebraska, present a $250 check to Kara Alexander, president of the nonprofit Matt’s Music Memorial. The organization, which provides a chance for students to learn an instrument, was established in honor of Kara’s husband, Matthew, who was killed in action while serving in the Iraq War. Photo courtesy of David Dietze.The Gretna Post donated $250 to Matt’s Music Memorial, which provides musical instruments to local students who want to learn to play music. The organization, a 501©(3), was established in honor of Army Cpl. Matthew Lee Alexander, who at 21 years old was killed in action on May 6, 2007, in Baqubah, Iraq.
Alexander, a graduate of Gretna High School, served with the 5th Bn., 20th Inf. Regt., 3rd Bde., 2nd Inf. Div., Regiment based at Fort Lewis in Washington State. His widow, Kara Alexander, is the president of the organization.
“She was very happy about the donation and cried,” said David Dietze, quartermaster of VFW Post 10725. “She wanted to make sure we all took a picture with her at the check presentation.”
Dietze, who served in South Korea and the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, is a 26-year Air Force veteran. He said Post 10725 does its best to help nonprofit organizations focused on veterans and first responders.
With that mission in mind, Post 10725 donated $500 to Avenue of Flags. The organization displayed 257 flags in Gretna’s Peterson Park on last year’s Memorial Day. The flags are in honor of every veteran with ties to Gretna, according to Omaha’s KETV. The Gretna Fire Museum also received a $250 grant.
“All the organizations that received a grant are very deserving,” said Dietze, a retired master sergeant. “It was all made possible by the VFW grant.”