For the Chaplain Lyman Rollins Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 2005, one thing is clear: they aren’t just a place for vets — they’re a place for all community members.
Commander Ronny Knight and Sergeant-at-Arms Tim Donahue agree on many things when it comes to engaging with the community, but one thing in particular, which Knight said he “stole” from Donahue, is the importance of creating a buzz.
“There’s a lot of VFWs barely keeping their lights on. The biggest thing we’re trying to overcome is that a lot of people think this place is just for veterans,” Knight said.
Donahue said that when people are asked what comes to mind when they think of the VFW, most assume membership is required. But that isn’t the case.
“The specific criteria to be a member of the VFW is to be a veteran of a foreign war. In the American Legion, you just need to be a veteran, but we don’t have an American Legion here. We want to attract those people to come here,” Donahue said.
He added that the club wants to remind the entire community — not just veterans — that the Post is open to all.
“It’s your town’s VFW, and you’re all welcome here,” he said.
Post member Jim Full spoke about the VFW’s efforts to connect with the community.
“It’s a very special place, I can tell you that, and it’s nice to see that we’re really trying to re-engage the community and expand our horizons a little bit. I feel like we’ve always been a presence in Marblehead and that we’ve done a lot of good things for the town over the years, whether it’s scholarships or donations or whatever. And you know, we kind of got re-energized with some younger, newer members, and I’m just looking forward to good things happening.”
The Post continues to host numerous events throughout the year and is looking forward to its St. Patrick’s Day celebration, which will consist of Irish dancers, bagpipers, live music, and a cash bar and kitchen. The event is open to the public with no cover charge.
“We have all of these events. People think that these events are the only time they can come in here. That’s kind of our fault,” Knight said.
To change that perception, the Post is increasing its presence on social media and working on an official website, which is being developed by Brandon Miller. Miller has also helped the Post by designing flyers for events.
The hope is that the website will help reach a broader audience, including younger veterans.
“Brandon said to us, ‘You guys are about 15 years too late,’ and we told him we know…We have a shelf life we’re trying to get these young vets in here, and it’s just hard to get everyone on board,” Donahue said.
Knight and Donahue expressed gratitude to Miller for his time helping the Post, as well as to Claudette Mason and Glenn Waymen, who continue to help whenever they can.
Another integral member of the Post is Suzanne McCormick, who handles event planning, accounting, and notary work for the group.
Knight and Donahue reminisced about a time when the Post was filled to capacity.
“Our place was built in World War II. I remember the first time I ever walked into this place. It was when I returned home from basic training. There were two bartenders. There was no event; it was just a regular Friday night. It was full in here,” Knight said.
Though the Post enjoys hosting events, the goal is to see the Bunker Bar filled without needing a special occasion.
“Back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, most of those people that came here were baby boomers, sons, daughters, and friends of that generation. My father helped build this place, and his grandson, my nephew, it took 10 years to get him here, and he’s been a veteran since 2010,” Donahue said.
The two men are determined to bridge the gap between the Post and the younger veterans.
Post member David Rodgers spoke about the history of the building and the importance of preserving it. Rodgers, who was commander of the Post for many years, began participating around 1990.
“I’m not quite sure when the Post was formed, but it used to meet in a building on State Street…They met there for years,” Rodgers said.
He explained that in the late 1950s or early 1960s, a local developer gifted the Post a piece of land.
“They built it. Many of the members had a lot of skills, and they did a lot of the work themselves. The World War II vets, the Korean War vets. A couple of them were masons and whatnot, and they built the post. Maybe there was some outside help, but a majority of it was done by members in their spare time,” he said.
Rodgers also shared the story of Chaplain Lyman Rollins, the man for whom the building is named.
“He was a local minister at St. Michael’s for a period of time. He was on the battlefield in Europe with the troops, and he was quite a guy,” he said. “They used mustard gas and everything in those days. After a battle, he went out on the battlefield to see if he could help the wounded. As the legend goes, there was someone wounded in action with no mask on to protect him from the gas, and he (Rollins) took off his mask and gave it to the soldier.”
Rodgers said he is glad Knight has taken the lead at the Post and hopes the building remains open for years to come.
“We’ve lost a lot of good guys who put a lot of work into that Post. We’re hoping to get the young guys in there…Ronny’s trying to keep this tradition going, and he’s done a great job. We’re just trying to continue the mission,” he said.
One event that brought the Post back to its ‘80s and ‘90s heyday was a fundraiser in honor of Todd Norman, a beloved community member. This event raised money for a new athletic scholarship at Marblehead High School named after Norman, who coached at the school.
“Timmy [Donahue] actually called me a few days before the event and said, ‘We have to open the upstairs. Everybody is talking about this.’ Sure enough, the room upstairs was well filled, and the backyard with the horseshoe pits also filled up,” Knight said.
That night, more than $6,000 was raised in less than four hours. Miller also attended the Post that night and told Knight that they were sitting on an absolute gold mine — they just needed to properly market it.
“Our website is going to be key, especially for hall rentals… Some of the older generation don’t understand. People rent the hall because they’re local and they know it’s available and cheap. You get a website, and now you have more eyes on it,” Knight said.
Knight and Donahue are clear on their current mission: to provide a welcoming place where the entire community can come together, regardless of military service. They and other members have dedicated countless hours to marketing the Post and inviting the community in with open arms.
When asked what he hopes the club looks like in five years, Knight said, “I’d really just like to see it full with community members, not just veterans. I want to be able to hand the keys off to the next generation of veterans and know that they have a place that is thriving with no worries of the doors closing for good.”
