MONROE - The buffet will be piled high with fish, shrimp, chicken, onion rings and french fries.
But the décor will be sparse.
Cecil Jones VFW Post 2312 in Monroe is inviting all its members to one last buffet supper tonight at the post home at 1428 17th St. The buffet starts at 6 p.m.
The Monroe VFW members-only farewell supper promises to be a big one, according to Bev Stuckey, who will be overseeing the last meal.
All the food in the freezers is being removed for Tuesday's buffet, in preparation for the veterans' post closing the doors of its home on Thursday, Feb. 23. New owners take possession of the property Friday.
Stuckey has worked in the kitchen for the post's fish fries every Friday night for the past eight or nine years, along with Val Torkelson.
"It was hard to leave last Friday night," she said.
Stuckey, who oversaw all the parties and receptions held at the post and also took care of the bar's accounting, has been doing inventory. Every plate, cup, glass, knife, fork and spoon had to be counted before they were turned over to the new owner, she said.
"I've never seen so many dishes," she laughed.
Every picture on the wall has also been removed, she added, making the home seem bare and vacant.
Stuckey said the VFW Auxiliary will keep its fryers for the fish fries and scholarship breakfasts, but doesn't know yet where those might be held in the future.
The Monroe VFW is one of the last posts that traditionally held Friday night fish fries. Stuckey said competition has cut attendance to about one-third of what it was "years ago."
"But, lately, if we got that many, we figured we had a good night," she added.
The identity of the new owners has not yet been revealed. Stuckey said they wanted to remain "under the scene until after Friday."
But the décor will be sparse.
Cecil Jones VFW Post 2312 in Monroe is inviting all its members to one last buffet supper tonight at the post home at 1428 17th St. The buffet starts at 6 p.m.
The Monroe VFW members-only farewell supper promises to be a big one, according to Bev Stuckey, who will be overseeing the last meal.
All the food in the freezers is being removed for Tuesday's buffet, in preparation for the veterans' post closing the doors of its home on Thursday, Feb. 23. New owners take possession of the property Friday.
Stuckey has worked in the kitchen for the post's fish fries every Friday night for the past eight or nine years, along with Val Torkelson.
"It was hard to leave last Friday night," she said.
Stuckey, who oversaw all the parties and receptions held at the post and also took care of the bar's accounting, has been doing inventory. Every plate, cup, glass, knife, fork and spoon had to be counted before they were turned over to the new owner, she said.
"I've never seen so many dishes," she laughed.
Every picture on the wall has also been removed, she added, making the home seem bare and vacant.
Stuckey said the VFW Auxiliary will keep its fryers for the fish fries and scholarship breakfasts, but doesn't know yet where those might be held in the future.
The Monroe VFW is one of the last posts that traditionally held Friday night fish fries. Stuckey said competition has cut attendance to about one-third of what it was "years ago."
"But, lately, if we got that many, we figured we had a good night," she added.
The identity of the new owners has not yet been revealed. Stuckey said they wanted to remain "under the scene until after Friday."