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They
marched in all holiday parades on Broadway in Camden, NJ. and
participated in “out of town” parades and at State Conventions. Rose
Simon was the drum majorette.
The
Post home was at 523 Broadway in Camden, where meetings and breakfasts were
held. A credit union was established and many members contributed so that
less fortunate comrades could secure loans to survive the post depression
era.
After WW2 the Post was renamed the John F. Furer Post # 126 in memory of
Post Commander Jacob Furer’s son, who died in combat. During this period a
second post was formed in Camden, and named the “Herbert A. Barag Post #
539”. A few years later, as a result of reduced membership, the two posts
merged and named themselves the “Furer-Barag Post # 126 of Camden County”.
In the early 90’s Post activities became stagnant as membership severely
dwindled due to deaths and migration to warmer climates. At that time, then
Commander Ed Segal also had a debilitating stroke. The original Post home
had been sold years earlier and it was difficult to find meeting places.
In 1995, a core group of about 8 members was determined to restore Post
activities and presence in the South Jersey area. Robert Richter was elected
Post Commander and Arthur Seltzer was elected Senior Vice Commander. The new
leadership’s first priority was to increase membership. A regular meeting
location was secured by Bob Richter at Temple Beth Sholom in Cherry Hill, NJ
(Bob was then a Vice President at the Temple). The Post was renamed the
“Furer – Barag Post 126, Cherry Hill, NJ”. As a result of very aggressive
recruiting by Bob Richter, membership increased to approximately 300
comrades within six years.
The Post became very active at the local, county, state and national levels
and made its presence known at all echelons. In 1997, Commander Richter
received the Department “Commander of the Year Award”, and the “Recruiting
the Most New Members Award”. The Post received the Department “Post of the
Year Award” and the “Most Membership Increase Award”. Commander Richter has
received the National “Recruiting the Most New Members Award” for the past 9
years (as of 2006).
Arthur Seltzer was elected Commander and Larry Altersitz (a Vietnam Veteran)
was elected Senior Vice Commander in 1997. The Post continued to grow and
prosper and received the National “Most Membership Increase Award” for 1998
at the National Convention in Norfolk, VA. By the year 2005, the Post had
received that award every year at the National and State levels. In 1998,
Arthur Seltzer received the Department “Commander of the Year Award” and was
also elected to the NEC (National Executive Committee). Larry Altersitz was
elected Commander in 1999 with Marshall Baker being elected Senior Vice
Commander. Also in 1999 past Commander Richter was elected to the NEC and
appointed Chief of Staff South for the Department Commander. Commander Larry
Altersitz received the Department “Commander of the Year Award” in the year
2000.
Many active younger members from the Korean and Vietnam wars were
recruited to insure continuity of the Post for many years. An average
of about 45 new members have been added annually, increasing the
membership total to over 300 in 2001. In the year 2001, Post 126
became the largest and most active JWV Post in New Jersey.
In August of 2003, the Joseph Wolf Post 315 of Burlington, NJ merged
with Post 126 to become Furer-Barag-Wolf Post 126 of Cherry Hill, NJ.
As a result of this merger the Beverly Pilgrimage, in which wreathes
are placed at JWV graves at the Beverly National Cemetery and Crescent
Cemetery by family members, has continued as an annual Post event and
the Post 126 Scholarship was created.
In 2005 the Post became one of the top three largest JWV Post in the
country. |
