Press Release: Calabash VFW Hosts Sesquiannual Charity Golf Tournament
By Frederick Walton
Calabash, N. C.- June 25, 2022- Saturday’s near perfect temperatures were a delight to the 107 golfers comprising 27 teams who participated in the Daniel J. Kossler Jr. Memorial Golf Tournament, at the Carolina Shores Golf and Country Club. Tournament organizer, VFW Calabash Post #7288 Commander Jim Milstead, has been praying for sunny weather. "I know we need rain”, he remarked, "but please not on the 25th!” In his latest newsletter to VFW members, the commander reported that the Tournament was sold out and thanked sponsors and players for supporting a fun day for a great cause. Jim got his wish. Watching the participants loading golf bags on over 50 assembled carts, preparing for the scramble start, he was heard to remark "What a Perfect day for playing golf!."
Holes were sponsored by 78 corporate and individual contributors, allowing the Veterans of Foreign Wars Calabash Post #7288 to raise Ten Thousand Dollars for charities helping Veterans in our community.
VFW Calabash Post #7288 hosts this event about every 18 months to honor a deceased post member whose service and dedication to fellow veterans, the community and the post are worthy of special recognition. This year’s event honors former Post commander, Dan Kossler, who took a special interest in helping both active duty and veterans, especially young vets, obtain suicide prevention counseling.
The Post has been sponsoring charity golf tournaments for over a decade, raising tens of thousands of dollars for Veterans causes including The Camp Lejeune Fisher House, VFW National Home for Children and the Wounded Warrior Foundation.
Suicide among veterans has been reported to be 50% higher than those who did not serve in the military. This troubling statistic is one reason that VFW Calabash Post #7288 has chosen "Give an Hour”, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides confidential, one-on-one, mental health care with licensed mental health professionals at absolutely no cost to service members and veterans. Founded in 2005 by Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen, Give an Hour has delivered more than 373,000 hours of mental health services primarily to our nation’s veterans, service members, and loved ones. This is especially important to young veterans struggling to transition from a military deployment, back to a civilian lifestyle while supporting a young family or starting new career.
Dan Kossler was born on March 8, 1949 in Pittsburgh, PA. He interrupted his college studies to enlist in the U. S. Army during the Vietnam War.. After graduation from Flight Operations School, he received orders to go to Vietnam assigned to the 478th Aviation Company, 159th Aviation Battalion of the 101st Airborne Division. Dan provided flight operation support by decoding daily mission direction and briefing pilots. The unit supported fire bases with artillery, ammunition and recovery services for downed aircraft using the CH54 Tarhe Sky Crane heavy-lift helicopter.
Daniel J. Kossler, Jr. (1949-2021)
After completing his service in Vietnam, Dan attended California University of Pennsylvania where he earned his Bachelor’s degree. Dan married Sharon Frame in 1975 and together they raised two children during their 45 years of Marriage. Dan retired from IBM after a 30 year career that included various assignments spanning the globe from Washington, DC to Greenock, Scotland; Guadalajara, Mexico and Sorocaba, Brazil. Dan and his wife Sharon retired to Ocean Isle Beach, NC and became very active in Calabash VFW Post #7288. Dan served in various officer roles for 4 years and served as VFW Calabash Post #7288 Commander from 2018-2019. He was very proud of his military service and wanted to do whatever was needed to offer support for all veterans and their families.
Dan passed away on January 22, 2021, at the age of 71, after years of suffering from complications of Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Dan’s sister, his wife, children, grandchildren, and other family members traveled to Calabash to honor Dan’s Memory at the Tournament. After 18 holes, the players returned to the air conditioned comfort of the Calabash VFW Post for a cool drink, a delicious luncheon of Prime Rib sandwiches with Au Jus, golden French Fries and macaroni salad, catered by the post, and the prize presentations.
Tournament standings
27 teams, divided into four flights (Mens A and B, Woman’s and Mixed) competed for $1,300 in prize money. All the players received goody bags full of useful items provided by sponsors, as well as door prizes after the match.
Earning top honors in the Mens A flight were: Frank Enders, Keith Barker, Don Shupe and Bill Daley.
Runners up in the Men’s A Flight were: Max Morris, Gary Lergner, Andy Huntley, and Gene Dugger.
First prize Winners in the Mens B flight were: Doc Hessman, Tim Parnell, Scott Townsend, and Jim Young.
Runners up in the Men’s B Flight were: Jim Edwards, Allen Payne, Gene Falls and Rich Moyer.
First Prize in the Women’s flight went to: Jeanie Weszka, Teri Gajewski, Maggie Kirby and Margie Sears.
Runners up in the Woman’s Flight were: Monica King, Maggie Schlottman, and Barbara Dagenais.
Earning top honors in the Mixed flight were: Kerry O’Connell, Mary Ann O’Connell, Maura O’Connell and. Lane Meadows.
Runners up in the Mixed flight were: Phylis Tucker, Joe Capone, Mark Kerr andDave Van Slyke.
Closest to pin winners: Men - Jim Lally, Ladies- Kim York.
VFW Calabash Post #7288 invites eligible veterans visit the website (https://vfw7288.org) for membership information and to learn more about programs to help veterans in crisis.
Photos. Please credit to Frederick Walton Photography
Caption: What a Perfect day for playing golf!- Maggie Schlottman (Dan Kossler’s sister) with tournament organizer, VFW Calabash Post #7288 Commander- Jim Milstead and Dan Kossler’s wife, Sharon Kossler.Caption: Jim Lally- Men’s closest to the pin winner.
Caption: Kim York- Ladies closest to pin winner.
Caption: (L to R) Keith Barker, Don Shupe, Frank Enders, Bill Daley- Men’s A Flight winners- 7 under par.
Caption: (L to R) Max Morris, Gary Lergner, Andy Huntley- Men’s A Flight runner up - 5 under par.
Caption: (L to R): Doc Hessman,Tim Parnell, Scott Townsend, Jim Young- Men’s B Flight winner- 14 under par.
Caption: (L to R) Allen Payne, Jim Edwards, Gene Falls, Rich Moyer - Men’s B Flight runner up- 9 under par.
Caption: (L to R) Jeanie Weszka, Margie Sears, Maggie Kirby, Teri Gajewski- Ladies Flight winner- 1 under par.
Caption: (L to R) -Barbara Degenais, Monica King, Maggie Schlottman (Dan Kossler’s sister)- Ladies Flight Runner up- 7 over par.
Caption: (L to R) Kerry O’Connell, Mary Ann O’Connell, Maura O’Connell, Lane Meadows - Mixed Flight winner- 9 under par.
Caption: (L to R) Joe Capone, Mark Kerr, Dave Van Slyke, Phylis Tucker- Mixed Flight runner up -7 under par.
Caption: More than 50 golf carts were need for the 27 teams of golfers competing in the Daniel J. Kossler Jr. Memorial Golf Tournament
Caption: Dan’s family members traveled to Calabash to honor Dan’s Memory at the Tournament
Caption: Memory Lane- Honoring past VFW Calabash Post #7288 members
Caption: Memory Lane at the Carolina Shores Golf and Country Club - Honoring past VFW Calabash Post #7288 members
Caption: Golfers competing in the Daniel J. Kossler Jr. Memorial Golf Tournament
Caption: Golfers competing in the Daniel J. Kossler Jr. Memorial Golf Tournament
Caption: Golfers competing in the Daniel J. Kossler Jr. Memorial Golf Tournament
