The Veterans Club Dispatch-May 3, 2026

Veterans & First Responders Weekly Update

President’s Message

Over the past several weeks, I’ve been thinking about a simple question:

Who’s not in the room yet?

Every week, we see familiar faces. We shake hands, share a cup of coffee, tell a few stories, and for a little while, life feels a bit lighter. That’s not an accident—that’s what happens when people who understand each other take the time to sit down together.

But for every one of us in that room, there are dozens more who aren’t.

Some don’t know we exist.
Some aren’t sure if they belong.
And some… probably need it the most.

Here’s something I believe strongly:

Before someone starts a new chapter of The Veterans Club, they should spend time in an existing one.

Because what we’re building here isn’t a meeting—it’s a culture.

You can’t fully explain that in a guide or a checklist. You have to experience it. You have to walk into a room where there’s no pressure, no agenda, no expectations… just a group of veterans and first responders who are willing to sit down, listen, and be real with each other.

You see how a quiet guy gets pulled into the conversation.
You notice how quickly strangers become familiar.
You feel the difference between a meeting… and a place you actually want to come back to.

That’s the standard.

As we continue to grow—and we will grow—it’s important that we don’t just start new locations. We build them the right way.

And that starts with you.

If you’ve been attending regularly, I want to challenge you this week: bring someone with you. Not someone who’s already plugged in somewhere else… but someone who isn’t. Someone who’s been on your mind. Someone who might say no the first time.

Invite them anyway.

Because the truth is, most people don’t walk into a room like this on their own.

But they will come if someone they trust says, “Come sit with me.”

And when they do… they’ll understand.

One cup of coffee at a time, we’re building something that matters.

Let’s make sure the people who need it most find their way to the table.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

UPCOMING EVENTS

May 5 @ 1100 – PATRIOT POUR-PF #1 at The Bunker Bar
May 6 @ 0900 – PATRIOT POUR-Hayden at Avondale Golf Course
May 7 @ 0800 – PATRIOT POUR-CDA at Best Western Plus
May 7 @ 1100 – PATRIOT POUR-PF #2 at American Legion Post #143
May 8 @ 0900 – PATRIOT POUR-Priest River at Infinity Cafe

May 13 @ 1730 – A Brief History of the KCSO at CDA Public Library
May 13 @ 1915 – Top Gun Movie at Regal Theater
May 14 @ 0915 – The Veterans Club Board Meeting at Best Western Plus
May 16 @ 0800 – North Idaho Stand Down at KC Fairgrounds
May 16 @ 1200 – Ray Bassler Celebration of Life

May 28 @ 1700 – First Responder & Veterans Dinner Gathering
(Best Western Plus – Conference Center)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Jun 13 – Kootenai County Sheriff Community Event
Jun 13 – Women’s Veterans Day
Jul 25 – The Veterans Club 2nd Annual BBQ Celebration
Aug 2 – National Night Out
Dec 5 – Christmas Dinner/Party

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

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

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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/ 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

One More Thing

Before you close this week’s newsletter, there’s something worth slowing down for.

The weekly Patriot Pour and our monthly dinner gatherings are where so many good things begin. They bring people together, create a sense of belonging, and remind us that we’re not alone. But the real strength of The Veterans Club isn’t just built in those group settings—it’s built in the moments that happen afterward, in the spaces between the scheduled events.

It often starts simply. Two people linger a little longer after a meeting. Someone says, “We should grab coffee sometime,” and this time, they actually do. Maybe it’s a quiet table in the corner of a café, or a quick lunch squeezed into the middle of a busy day. There’s no agenda, no structure, no need to share the floor with a dozen others. Just two people, sitting across from each other, with the time and space to really talk.

And that’s where something deeper begins to take shape.

In those one-on-one conversations, you start to hear the parts of the story that don’t always make it into a group setting. You learn more than just where someone served or what they did—you begin to understand who they are, what they’ve carried, and sometimes what they’re still working through. There’s a level of trust that builds in those quieter moments, the kind that can’t be rushed and doesn’t happen all at once.

Over time, those simple meetups turn into real friendships. The kind where checking in becomes second nature. The kind where someone notices when you’re not yourself. The kind where being heard isn’t something you have to ask for—it’s just there.

That’s a big part of our mission. We don’t just gather for the sake of gathering. We’re here to make sure that every veteran and first responder has a place where they are seen, known, and heard. And sometimes, the best way to do that isn’t across a table of twenty people, but across a table of two.

So this week, consider reaching out to someone you’ve met. Follow through on that “we should get together” conversation. Make the time, even if it’s just for a short cup of coffee.

Because the magic of The Veterans Club isn’t only found in the meetings we attend—it’s found in the relationships we choose to build beyond them.