The Guy W. Iversen AMVET Post 49 maintains a very active schedule of Post activities throughout the year.  Below you will find a listing and description of the activities and the months in which they fall.  Other activities occur on an irregular basis.

AMVET/Red Cross Blood Drives:

The Guy W. Iversen AMVET Post 49 and the Red Cross have a long history of cooperation in the Cedar Valley area.  For over 40 years the Red Cross and Post 49 have worked to help save the lives of countless people who have needed blood as a result of traumatic injury and subsequent surgery.  The participation of the Ladies Auxiliary, in the staffing of the canteen and the recovery area, and providing the refreshments, has been instrumental in the success of this longterm venture.

Blood drives are scheduled for the following Monday dates: July 21, 2008; October 20, 2008; January 19, 2009; March 16, 2009; May 18, 2009; July 20, 2009, and October 19, 2009.  The hours of the drives are 12:30 pm. to 6:00 pm.

All who read this page are encouraged to participate in the worthwhile lifesaving activity by calling the Post at 1-319-277-6655, or Marv Mattfeld, the Coordinator, at 1-319-268-1280 to reserve a time to give blood.

Meat Raffles:

Meat raffles are held the first Friday of each month at 5:00 pm., sponsored by each of the Post organizations, the AMVETS, the Ladies Auxiliary, the Sons of AMVETS, and the AMVET Riders, for each group to raise funds for their particular projects and charities.

Steak Nights:

Every Saturday evening (except on nights when the Post has another Post activity planned) a steak fry is held at the Post under the sponsorship of one of the AMVET organizations within the Post.  These steak nights are one of several ongoing activities that the Post uses to raise the money necessary to fund the various projects and charities the Post and it’s several organizations support.

The current price for a steak dinner at the Post is under $10.00.  The menu typically includes the following:  rib eye, T-bone, or sirloin steaks, baked Idaho Russet potato, lettuce salad, a vegetable, a roll, and a beverage.  Pork chops and turkey breasts are also available for those preferring something other than beef.

The kitchen is staffed and tables are bussed by members of the group sponsoring the steak night. each group is ralso responsible for the clean up afterward.  Diners are responsible for the preparation and grilling of their own meat entrée.

The hours of the steak night are 5:30 pm. to 8:00 pm.

Pancake Breakfasts:

For many years the local American Legion Post in Cedar Falls, held a pancake breakfast in the spring of the year to raise funds to support their Boys State program and other community projects.  In 2006 the project became a joint AMVET/American Legion money raiser when American Legion numbers became so low that their options were to drop the program, turn it over to the Post 49 AMVETS, or make it a joint fall project.  In 2007, the AMVETS and the local VFW Post made it a joint spring project.  In the fall of 2007 it became a joint fall and spring fund raiser for all three Cedar Falls veterans organizations.

It is now an event held in the fall, on the Saturday just before Veteran’s Day, in November, and then again in the spring in late April or early May.  The success of the first two events has demonstrated that we veterans can effectively work together to support projects that help fellow veterans.  With the expertise of the Legionnaires, the enthusiasm of VFW members, and the facilities of the AMVETS, we anticipate many years of successful joint pancake breakfasts.

The date for the next Veterans Helping Veterans Pancake Breakfast is Saturday, November 8, 2008.  The spring date is tentatively set for April 26, or May 3, 2009.  The hours are 7:00 am. - 12:00 noon.


Memorial Day Activities:

Guy W. Iversen AMVET Post 49 is recognized throughout the Waterloo/Cedar Falls metropolitan area for the outstanding program of activities it produces for its Memorial Day Week-End remembrance.

We start, on Saturday afternoon, with members of the Post setting up the Flag Park with nearly 250 flags honoring veterans who have died in service or after service to their country.  We have an investment of more than $35,000 in flags and flag staffs, which means that weather condition figure very strongly in the decision to put up the flags or not.  When all the flags are up in the Flag Park, it is a truly awesome sight. 

Flag Day - June 14:

Each year, on June 14, the Post 49 AMVETS hold a flag retirement and flag disposal ceremony at the Post, as well as a flag retirement ceremony at a local senior retirement community facility.  The flag program has a history of being well received and much appreciated.

Sturgis Falls Celebration:

The Sturgis Falls Celebration honors the founders of the community of Cedar Falls, and has had a successful run of twenty-five years.  One of the highlights of the festivities has been the participation of the Marine Corps Band from Albany, GA.

The Marine Corps Band participates in the Sturgis Falls Parade, led by the AMVETS Post 49, Color Guard, and puts on a concert at the Overman Park Band Shell, in the evening.  The seating for the concert in the park is at a premium and many people arrive at the park an hour and a half in advance of the program, to guarantee their seat for the performance.

Normally the Marine Corps Bands do not choose to play the same community two years in succession.  The Albany based Marine Corps band has chosen to return here several years in a row.
We believe this is due to the warm reception they receive at the parade, the enthusiastic turnout by the community for their band concert, and the great Iowa beef steak dinner and treatment given them by the AMVETS of Post 49. 

This year's celebration will start Thursday evening, June 26 and run through Sunday, June 29.

White Clovers:

White Clover sales is the largest money raiser in terms of causes helped at one time, total amount of money raised, and the numbers of members involved in the successful conduction of the campaign.

The amount raised in the 2007 campaign amounted to a little over $10,000.00, and helped state and local veterans in need.  Each group in the AMVET organization gets back a percentage of the total proceeds, based upon the total hours worked by members of those groups, to be donated to the causes of their choice.  The goal for the 2008 campaign is $12,000.00.  With good weather and plenty of workers, our goal should be realized.

The dates for the 2008 White Clover Fund Raiser are August 21 - 23.

Golf Tournaments:

The annual Guy W. Iversen AMVET Post 49 Golf Tournament will be held on August 24, 2008, at Pheasant Ridge Golf Course, in Cedar Falls.  More details will be posted as they become available.

Guy W. Iversen AMVET Post 49 has been chosen by the Iowa Department to host the Annual State AMVET Golf Tournament.  The date for that event is Sept. 13, 2008. More details will be posted as they become available.


Veterans Day - Nov. 11:



Pearl Harbor Day - Dec. 7: