The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Pacific Beach Post 5985 will celebrate its 80th birthday by hosting a prime rib dinner for its members on March 12 at 6 p.m. Although some VFW meetings are open to the public, the 80th birthday dinner is reserved for VFW members only. The VFW Pacific Beach Post 5985 is located at 853 Turquoise St. The post has 396 members ranging from 18 to 96 years of age. Membership includes veterans who served in various conflicts, including World War II, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. The VFW of the United States, with its auxiliaries, includes 2.3 million members in approximately 8,400 posts both stateside and overseas. The primary function of the VFW is to provide assistance to veterans and their families, however, the organization is committed to finding ways to contribute to the local community. Every year, hundreds of thousands of students participate in the VFW-sponsored Voice of Democracy Scholarship Competition and the Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest, which provide more than $3 million in scholarships and incentives. Last year, the Pacific Beach Post 5985 received more than 90 entries for the Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest. An invitation to participate in this year’s contest will soon be distributed to local schools. Twice a year, in May and November, Post 5985 participates in the Buddy Poppy Drive to help raise money for veterans and their dependents. The VFW was formed in the late 1800s by veterans of the Spanish-American War and the Philippine-American War who returned from battle sick and wounded with no specialized medical care or veterans’ pension. These men decided to take on a new battle: to create an organization that would fight to protect the rights of returning veterans. The VFW exists today because of these early efforts. For additional information on programs and services provided by VFW Post 5985, visit http://vfw5985.com or call (858) 488-3631.