By Scott D. Johnston

For North Coast News

About 40 members and guests of North Beach VFW Post 8956 gathered recently for an installation of officers and a celebration of retiring the mortgage on the post’s home, at 956 Trent Court SE in Ocean Shores.

Post Commander John Link said the group, which was founded in 1966, relocated from their old post at Hogan’s Corner in November 2014.

Link explained that a Post member has taken a sad situation and turned it into something very positive and enduring.

Ron Eckardt is terminally ill, and his family members contributed $25,000 to the North Beach VFW Post to help pay of the post’s mortgage. Link said other members quickly raised the remainder that was needed and the building was paid off.

A plaque proclaims the facility to be the “Ronald B. Eckardt Memorial Hall.”

Eckardt himself was planning to attend but he did not feel well enough to make it. Link noted that Eckardt’s legacy gift means, for the 137 local VFW members, “the future’s pretty much assured for the Post having a home.”

On hand for the mortgage burning were newly installed Post officers Otis Warren, Robert Hakanson, Bob Howe, Jim Docherty, John Link, Dan Martin and Robin Johnson. Afterwards, Post members gathered for a dinner at the facility.