Backbones of Edgemere VFW recognized in pavilion dedication ceremony

First published Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024 in the Dundalk Eagle.

The Edgemere Wells-McComas Veterans of Foreign Wars post managed to keep it a secret from Cathy and John Gistedt.

The secret: On Saturday, the post dedicated its newly built pavilion to the two long-serving members of the post and its auxiliary.

Minutes after the ceremony, the only word John Gistedt could find to describe the feeling was “overwhelming.”

“They kept it a secret,” Cathy said. “You work all those years not for recognition, but we did it to help veterans in the community. But to feel that much appreciated is really overwhelming.”

“It is, um…” Cathy said, trailing off, “I never imagined that. I really didn’t. It’s quite an honor to have something like that named after you.”

The pair have been serving veterans forever — John alone has been the post’s quartermaster, akin to a treasurer, for 30 years. And he’s had great successes: On Aug. 24, the post burned its 30-year mortgage. Cathy has been up and down the ranks of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary — she’s currently the auxiliary secretary and district president in addition to being a department chairman and historian for the state.

“Both of us have had a long history with the VFW,” Cathy said.

As the two sat at the bar after the ceremony, attendees came up to congratulate them.

Despite John’s poor health, neither plan to stop serving the Veterans of Foreign Wars organization anytime soon.