VFW Post commander James Joyce, right, and James Federline, with the Knights of Columbus, talk as they pick up trash at Grafenwoehr, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018. (Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes)
VFW Post commander James Joyce, right, and James Federline, with the Knights of Columbus, talk as they pick up trash at Grafenwoehr, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018. (Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes)
VFW Post commander James Joyce explains the route the group will take as they pick up trash at Grafenwoehr, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018. (Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes)
Veterans, soldiers and their families pick up trash along the streets at Grafenwoehr, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018. (Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes)
Veterans, soldiers and their families pick up trash at the recycling center at Grafenwoehr, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018. (Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes)
Veterans, soldiers and their families pick up trash from the streets of Grafenwoehr, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018. (Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes)
Soldiers and their families prepare to pick up trash at Grafenwoehr, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018. (Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes)
Veterans, soldiers and their families pick up trash at the recycling center at Grafenwoehr, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018. (Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes)
GRAFENWOEHR, Germany – Veterans, soldiers and families braved the cold weather to better their community when VFW Post 10692 organized a group cleanup effort on base Saturday.
Almost 90 volunteers from units on base, JROTC, the local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and other groups donated their time to pick up trash around Grafenwoehr and clean up the local recycling center.
Trash is a problem at Grafenwoehr, even though the facility has won awards for being environmentally friendly, said VFW post commander James Joyce.
“We just wanted an event that would bring together all the different organizations here, to do something good for the community,” Joyce said. “In the States, VFWs are more confined to what they can do, and they’re more exclusive to being only for vets. But here, we try to bring together families and give them the opportunity to volunteer and do something good.”
After the cleanup, the VFW grilled lunch for all the volunteers.
egnash.martin@stripes.com Twitter: @Marty_Stripes
