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FARMERS MARKET
WEDNESDAYS 5-8PM
581 S. HARRIS ST.
The best place to pick up
FRESH LOCAL VEGGIES
MEATS, HONEY, EGGS,
CRAFTS, CANDLES
& SOAPS!
ALL LOCALLY GROWN
EASTSIDE
Monday - Ladies Night
Half Price Wine Bottles, $3 Martinis
Tuesday - Trivia Night at 8:30!
Daily Beer Specials!
Reserve the Moose Room for your next private
party! TVs, private kitchen and restrooms!
1985 BARNETT SHOALS RD. • 706-208-0911
WESTSIDE
Daily Drink Specials
Happy Hour Mon-Fri 4-7
Tuesday - Trivia Night at 8:30!
2020 TIMOTHY ROAD • 706-549-7700
HARRIS ST. (campus)
Daily Drink Specials
Tuesday - Trivia Night at 8:30!
Huge Porch and Hi-Def Big Screens!
Reserve the Mooseyard for your next private
party before the weather turns cold! Private bar,
| restrooms, stage and UGA scoreboard backdrop!\
581. S. HARRIS ST. • 706-548-7803
locosgrill.com
restaurant - bar
Fresh Seafood,
South Florida Style
ON SITE PARKING!
Free Wi-Fi
Event Planning
Private Room
Reservations Accepted
706-353-TUNA
414 N. Thomas St.
www.squareonefishco.com
UGA vs.
New Mexico State
Happy Hour4-7pm
TUESDAY
DATE NIGHT
Appetizer, 2 Surf n Turf
Entrees, Dessert and a
Bottle of Chef's Choice Wine
$ 40
SUNDAY
BRUNCH
llam-4pm
OYSTERS
ALWAYS 50C
Prices exclude tan & gratuity
May not be combined with any
other oflers or piomotions
New Brunch Menu
Now Available Saturday & Sunday!
GNAT'S
f3&9cll
Drink while
you think!
Call us for your
catering needs!
Mon 4pm-until • Tue-Sun 11:30am-Until • Plenty of Parking
1080 Baxter St. • 706-850-5858 • www.gnatslanding.net
——.
party.
Custom invitations
for your perfect party.
163 E. Broad Street
Downtown Athens
706-548-3648
wwwbel^eamcon^
(706) 108-0588
285 W. Washington St. • Athens, GA 30601
MOffED
ATiHIENIS
kAWOjRIIiTiE
SfflUJDIO
XaVTiTiOIO
BODY
PIERCING
Provided by
Virtue &Vice,
Inc.
Athens' Own
Randy Smyre
& Bethra
Szumski
Association
Professional
Piercers Board
Member
The VFW Socks
REVAMPED AND OPEN TD THE PUBLIC
| T the robust turnouts to DIY house concerts and venues
|T like Hendershot's Coffee Bar have taught us anything,
3 -i it's that downtown clubs aren't the only places to find
great live music in this city. In fact, venturing beyond the
downtown bubble can be quite an adventure, and the Athens
VFW's show schedule makes for some fine exploration.
No matter how one feels about the U.S. military, every
civilian ought to agree that war veterans deserve our support.
The unique, interesting and far-too-often tragic experiences
that these folks share can be discussed and imagined by non-
vets, but only those who have been there can truly understand
them. VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) posts give these like-
experienced people places to congregate all over the country.
However, while the experiences that bring vets together may
be exclusive to them, the VFW is far from exclusionary. The
Athens post on Sunset Drive welcomes "all 21-plus locals
and out-of-towners," says member and Vietnam veteran Bob
McWaters.
Some may mistakenly think of the VFW as a place for old
men to swap war stories and participate in retirement-home-
style activities, but the Athens pnst is taking steps to change
that perception. "We've recently remodeled from a bingo hall
to one of Athens' largest dance floors, with seating for approxi
mately 400," McWaters says. This overhaul is part of an effort
to raise community awareness and involvement, highlighting
the demographic shift that the organization hopes to see.
As one might expect, the VFW has trouble attracting
younger crowds. "I didn't join the VFW until 18 years after
Vietnam," says member Mike Ginn. "I got drafted, and when
I finished my tour, I was out of the military. These [younger]
guys who have done four or five deployments... hell, they're
probably burned out, and the last thing they want to do is
join a veterans organization. The other thing is—and I've
heard this for several years—they think all we 3 is sit around
and tell war stories. That couldn't be further from the truth,
because here, you're preaching to the choir."
According to Ginn, the VFW's main purpose is community
service (as if its members haven't contributed enough). For
instance, before selling some neighboring land to Landmark
Hospital, the Athens VFW post leased it to the city for SI a
year, providing land for senior and little league baseball fields.
Everything else, say both Ginn and McWaters, is a means to aid
similar services.
The Athens post isn't merely a place to support veterans and
their continued contributions to society. It's a place to support
and enjoy the type of classic music that never goes stale.
"We at the VFW have been hosting live music since the
'50s," says McWaters. "The music varies from country to
Southern rock to Motown to beach music."
There's a reason that we call this music "classic" and con
tinue to listen to it today; even the hippest of modern artists
take cues from the greats, and listeners who are deterred by
"oldies" would be surprised at just how timeless the sounds
coming from the VFW are. Even so, the Athens post isn't con
tent with just the older styles.
"I wanted to reach out [to other local artists] because I
wanted to hear the different kinds of music out there. I wanted
to hear stuff that I might like," says Ginn.
Like the audiences they hope to bring in, the VFW organiz
ers are open-minded, and even McWaters' succinct thoughts on
what show-goers can expect evoke unity and diversity: "a good
time had by one and all." The folks at the Athens VFW don't
plan to stop serving any time soon.
Kevin Craig
14 FLAGPOLE.COM • NOVEMBER 2, 2011