The Veterans Club Dispatch-May 17, 2026

Veterans & First Responders Weekly Update

President’s Message

This past week reminded me once again why The Veterans Club matters so much.

Over the last several months, we have talked often about the Three Pillars of our organization: Connection, Purpose, and Belonging. These are not just ideas we place on a flyer or website. They are the framework behind everything we do, and this week we saw all three pillars at work in very real ways.

The first pillar is Connection.

Connection begins with simple things. A cup of coffee. A shared laugh. A familiar face waiting at the table every week. It happens when veterans and first responders walk into a Patriot Pour meeting and realize they no longer have to carry life alone.

At its core, Patriot Pour is about creating consistent opportunities for people to reconnect with community and with one another. Week after week, relationships begin around tables, over coffee, through conversation, and by simply showing up. These small moments matter far more than most people realize.

The second pillar is Purpose.

More than a dozen members of The Veterans Club volunteered at the North Idaho Stand Down this week, helping work the table and connect with veterans throughout the event. What I love about moments like this is that they remind us something important: service does not end when the uniform comes off.

Many veterans and first responders miss the sense of mission they once had. Through service projects, outreach, and simply showing up for others, we help one another rediscover that purpose. Sometimes the smallest acts of service create the biggest impact.

The third pillar is Belonging.

Belonging happens when people stop feeling like visitors and start feeling like they are part of something bigger than themselves. It is the reason people begin inviting friends. It is the reason members step up to help lead meetings, organize activities, support events, and welcome newcomers into the room.

This week, many of us gathered to celebrate the life of Ray Bassler from our Post Falls chapter. Moments like this remind us that The Veterans Club is becoming more than a meeting. It is becoming a true community. We stand beside one another during the good seasons and the difficult ones. We notice when someone is hurting. We notice when someone is missing. And when one of our own passes, we gather together because that person mattered to us.

That is Belonging.

Right now, our organization is entering an important growth phase, and I want to encourage everyone reading this to embrace the ride ahead.

We are actively exploring new Patriot Pour chapters in Sandpoint, Spokane, Rathdrum, and Wallace. Our goal is to have at least ten active chapters by the end of 2026. But let me be very clear about something: this is not about collecting chapter names on a map.

This is about people.

This is about reaching another 300 veterans and first responders who may desperately need connection, friendship, routine, encouragement, and community. Every single person we engage matters. Every chair around the table matters. Every conversation matters.

Each person we reach is a life.

There are still far too many veterans and first responders quietly struggling in isolation across North Idaho. Some simply need a reason to get out of the house. Some need purpose again. Some need to laugh with people who understand the life they lived. Some just need to know somebody would notice if they stopped showing up.

That is why we keep building.

Thank you to every facilitator, volunteer, supporter, spouse, and member helping move this organization forward. Whether you are pouring coffee, greeting someone at the door, helping at an event, inviting a friend, or simply showing up consistently each week, you are helping save lives through connection and community.

The future of The Veterans Club is bright, and I truly believe we are only beginning to see what this organization can become.

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PATRIOT POUR MEETINGS

Tuesday May 19 @ 1100 – PF #1 at The Bunker Bar
Wednesday May 20 @ 0900 – Hayden at Avondale Golf Course
Thursday May 21 @ 0800 – CDA at Best Western Plus
Thursday May 21 @ 1100 – PF #2 at American Legion Post #143
Friday May 22 @ 0900 – Priest River at Infinity Cafe

UPCOMING EVENTS

May 28 @ 1130 – Ladies of The Veterans Club Tea Party (link)
May 28 @ 1700 – Dinner Gathering (link)

Jun 7 @ 1600 – Patriot Cigar Night at Stogies & Stories
Jun 13 @ 1000 – Kootenai County Sheriff Community Event (link)
Jun 13 @ 1200 – Women’s Veterans Day (link)
Jun 25 @ 1700 – Dinner Gathering (link)

Jul 25 @ noon – The Veterans Club 2nd Annual BBQ Celebration (link)

Aug 2 – National Night Out

Dec 5 @ 1800 – Christmas Dinner/Party (link)

For more event info, please visit www.theveteransclub.org/events/

For our full Google Calendar, please visit: www.theveteransclub.org/google-calendar/

Would you like your veteran and/or first responder event featured on TheVeteransClub.org and/or listed in our newsletter?  Submit a flyer with all information to info@theveteransclub.org.  All postings subject to editorial review.

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PATRIOT POUR is the heartbeat of The Veterans Club — a weekly coffee meetup where veterans and first responders gather for real conversation, steady encouragement, and authentic connection.  No dues. No pressure. Just coffee and camaraderie.  Click here to see all the locations:  https://theveteransclub.org/the-patriot-pour/ 

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One More Thing

As The Veterans Club continues to grow, I want to encourage everyone to think about one very simple habit that can make a tremendous difference in the life of a new guest:

Arrive a little early.

One of the most important moments in any Patriot Pour meeting happens before the meeting officially starts. It happens when a new veteran or first responder walks through the door and somebody immediately welcomes them into conversation.

That first five or ten minutes matters more than most people realize.

Many of the people coming to our meetings are stepping far outside their comfort zone just by showing up. Some have been isolated for a long time. Some have not sat around a table with other veterans or first responders in years. A warm handshake, an introduction, and a simple conversation before the meeting begins can completely change someone’s experience.

Never underestimate the power of making somebody feel expected and welcomed.

I also want to highlight something exciting happening inside our chapters right now. Both Hayden and Post Falls #2 have recently added food options to their Patriot Pour meetings. This is important because one of the easiest and most effective ways to build long-lasting relationships is simply by breaking bread together.

There is something timeless about sitting around a table, sharing a meal, laughing, telling stories, and slowing life down for a little while. Strong communities have always been built around tables, and The Veterans Club is no different.

Connection deepens when people stay after the meeting.
Connection deepens when breakfast or lunch becomes part of the routine.
Connection deepens when conversations continue beyond introductions and announcements.

This organization was never meant to be people quietly sitting in rows listening to speeches. It was meant to be relationship-building in its purest form.

So if you are able, come a few minutes early. Stay a little later. Grab breakfast or lunch with someone. Invite a new guest to sit with you. Those small moments are often where the strongest friendships begin.

And those friendships truly do save lives.