Members of Bigfork VFW Post 4042 dedicate their lives to service of their country and to service in their community.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW) is a nonprofit national service organization and one of the oldest veterans’ organizations in the country. Membership is made up of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, guard, and reserve forces with the mission of fostering camaraderie among U.S. veterans of overseas conflicts, serving veterans and their communities, and advocating on behalf of all veterans.
Since its charter in 1976, the members of Bigfork VFW Post 4042 have been striving to fulfill this mission within their tight-knit community. Steve Gordon is the current Commander of the Bigfork VFW.
“We serve all veterans in our community, whether they are VFW members or not,” Steve says. “It doesn't matter whether you are National Guard or active duty, we’ll do whatever we can to help.”
The Bigfork VFW is comprised of a little over 170 members with rotating Post officers that are selected by an annual vote. As Commander, Steve is pretty much in charge of everything from making sure their insurance is in order to heading up service committees to working with the staff that runs the Post’s club, bar, casino, and restaurant located at 8098 MT Highway 35.
“It’s a lot for me but it's not a one-man show,” says Steve. “I have an excellent support team with the Board, our Quartermaster, Senior Vice Commander, and on down. Everybody is very helpful. I couldn't do it without them.”
A strong local VFW auxiliary organization made up of family members of veterans also lends a hand, and the Post is happy to accept help from any volunteer, whether or not that person has a military connection.
Service to veterans, and to everyone in the community, is the driving force for all of the members of Bigfork’s VFW. “We want to be involved with the community,” Steve says. They do this in a variety of ways from offering a helping hand to veterans in need to putting on or volunteering at local events.
Their physical club space is an important component of Post 4042’s mission and they are excited to have it. The upgraded facility is still fairly new since opening in 2017. For many years, they operated out of a much smaller building that did not have a proper kitchen. Active members at the time made the decision to buy the current building, which was the Masonic Lodge, and with a lot of help created the bright and airy space that stands today. Steve says, “The renovations were unbelievable. All the people working their butts off for months and months to transform the building. It was absolutely incredible.”
The facility serves as both an important revenue stream for the club, and a welcoming space for veterans and the whole community. “Some VFW chapters have private clubs that you cannot go in unless you are with them,” says Steve. “That's a different dynamic from us. We're open to the public and we want everybody to come in. It’s truly a community gathering place.”
It is also a place where veterans can find support among people who can understand their struggles and share similar experiences in service to their country. Steve says, “When (the military) has been your whole lifestyle for so long and then it's done, it can be hard to transition. We want to be a place where people can sit and talk and be around like-minded people that have been through it.”
Steve cites his personal story as an example. He is a veteran of the United States Navy and spent the bulk of his military service aboard a submarine. Submariners make up just a fraction of all veterans. “Few veterans had the same experience as me just because I did such a weird job. I always joke that we fought the ocean. The ocean's trying to get in all the time and we just had to keep it out to do our mission,” he laughs. “Everybody's had a different experience but that doesn't mean you can't share those experiences and commiserate. Here, you get to go and be around other people and just be there for your fellow veteran.”
Sometimes veterans need to talk, and other times they may need something more. Post 4042 is there to offer rides to the grocery store, hand out gift cards, help connect people to services through Veterans Affairs, or simply plow a driveway in the winter. “We just try to take care of veterans and their families in any way we possibly can,” says Steve. “We want to help them get on their feet and move forward.
But it is not just veterans that receive support from Post 4042. If the members see a need in the Bigfork community, they will try to do whatever they can to help. “Whether it's manpower or money, if we have it, we will donate it,” says Steve.
For Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Veterans Day, the Post provides free food to veterans, and to others for a small donation. They have served anywhere from 100 to 200 people during these events. They also take part in the national event, Wreaths Across America, in which wreaths are placed on veterans’ graves in the local cemeteries during the holidays. This is no small deed as there are just over 300 veterans buried in Bigfork’s small cemetery alone. Wreaths are purchased using the post’s funds and from donations received from the community.
Also, for Veterans Day this year, as they do every year, the Post will conduct a flag retirement ceremony. Torn or tattered United States flags are disposed of in a dignified manner that involves burning the flags while being given the reverence they deserve.
The Bigfork community can also thank Post 4042 for one of its signature annual events, Rumble in the Bay. Every August, gleaming vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles parade down Electric Avenue. The event gained national attention in recent years and has become a big festivity that people in town look forward to all year. Due to its growth, the Bigfork Area Chamber of Commerce took over organization of the event but members of the VFW still play an active role and proceeds continue to support the Post 4042’s high school scholarship program.
Mentoring the next generation is another way in which the Bigfork VFW gives back. They collaborate with Bigfork’s Boy Scout Troop 1923 on projects each year. Voice of Democracy and Patriot’s Pen are scholarships and awards programs offered to students who write patriotic-themed essays, not just in Bigfork, but in some of the smaller communities in the area as well that don’t have their own dedicated VFW post.
Steve is quick to say that all of the support that Post 4042 provides to the Bigfork community is recognized and given back in abundance whether it be people only buying fireworks from the VFW during their annual 4th of July fundraiser, or donating time and money when the need arises. “I do feel supported by the community,” he says. “I get a lot of ‘Thank you for your service,’ but also ‘Thanks to the VFW for what you do.’ Personally, I like that better. I think we do a lot for the size of our membership and there's a lot of gratitude from the public because we do give back. I encourage everybody to reach out if you have an issue. We’ll try to do the best we can.”
"We're open to the public and we want everybody to come in. It’s truly a community gathering place.”
"Here, you get to go and be around other people and just be there for your fellow veteran.”
“Whether it's manpower or money, if we have it, we will donate it."