Veterans put on fine chili spread

A solid force of more than 120 veterans and friends gathered Saturday for the 2nd annual Great American Chili Feed, a fundraiser benefiting the joint Sisters American Legion and VFW posts.

Sisters Community Church was filled to near capacity with hungry veterans and their families, all out to support the events and assistance programs promoted by area veterans organizations. Guests dined on homemade chili, cornbread and slices of patriotic cake decorated in red, white and blue icing and donated by local pastry chef Yuridi Durantes.

Tables and displays set up around the hall highlighted the varied accomplishments and experiences many of our Sisters veterans have endured, from World War II to the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Displays of antique weapons, old photo albums and aircraft models added an interesting angle to the day and provided reasons for a short stroll to work off the heaping bowls of chili.

Pearl Harbor survivor Harold Mulligan and his wife, Connie, made the drive from Redmond and were joined by an entourage of friends and family sharing a meal.

VFW District 10 Commander Bob Cusick manned the weapons table, fortified with dozens of vintage rifles, bayonets, knives and dummy grenades.

"I was with the 27th Marines in 1968 when they shipped over to Vietnam," he said. "This looks like a real good turnout and all this memorializes the men. It's good for people to see and feel what we carried when we were over there fighting."

Retired Colonel John Miller's table included his famed Air Force flight suit and helmet, framed photos, aircraft mockups and a colorful collage of squadron patches for every fighter unit he flew in or was associated with in his 31-year career in the Air Force.

"Twenty-six of those years I was in fighter aircraft, mostly F-4 Phantoms and A-10s for the bulk of it," he said. "I just grabbed a bunch of stuff to show-and-tell from home. Most of it was in boxes and I had to dust them off a little. It's great to have an event like this and be able to see all the veterans from the different branches sharing war stories."

Vietnam veteran Dave Culver brought along some of his candid Kodak snapshots and memorabilia from his days in Vietnam.

Chuck Marshall, retired Air Force, leaned back in his chair after polishing off his lunch and smiled.

"It's been a great day, and nice to see all kinds of displays and a military slide show and John Miller's aircraft models," he said. "The chili was so good and I even got a piece of cake that was all frosting. I still ate it and had to go back and get a second piece."