Newsletter

American Legion Post 56 Monthly Bulletin

January 2012

Commander's Message

Dear Legionnaires,

This is the year end report. Since taking Command in July, many challenges have confronted Leo Carey Post 56. In true fashion, our Post 56 veterans and friends have stepped up to meet the challenge. Thank you for supporting the Commander’s Project for Debt Reduction goal of $10,000. To date we stand at 96%, and with your help, one final push will put us over the top, but the challenges ahead are still great.

The Facts

In July we welcomed a new Club Manager, Dave Nelson, and he has done a great job turning things around. The club was faced with more than $40,000 in debts to vendors, and unpaid bills. With your help and contributions, we have managed to reduce our debts, and make payments to our vendors.  Thank you for your support.

Also in July, I was contacted by the Department of Employment, State of Minnesota, and informed the State Withholding Tax and the Unemployment Tax had not been paid since the 4th quarter of 2008, for all the employees. The CPA firm of Hammer, Dieser and Mangskau was hired to work with the State, to resolve these tax issues. They have negotiated a repayment plan of $1,300 per month over a period of 18 months. This repayment plan started in December, and must not be missed or altered in any manner, or the agreement will be rescinded, and many thousands of dollars in interest and penalty will be added back to our obligation. Our CPA firm has also been negotiating with the IRS over none payment of Federal withholding taxes, however, we will not know the exact amount until February. You can help us with our tax payments through contributions to the DAM account.

Changes

Your Post 56 has a new Gaming Manager too. Kyle Olson and Selma Engebretson have decided to retire from the duties of gaming at Post 56. Lyle Hinz has agreed to managing the gaming duties in November, and was awarded a gaming manager’s license, after completing a 2 day course. Lyle comes to us with accounting experience, and is very qualified for this most important job. Please join us on Saturday, January 14th, at 3:00 p.m. as we host a reception for Kyle and Selma for their dedicated service to Post 56.

Outlook

Your board and committees have been considering opportunities to expand our Club business, and our members have been offering ideas and suggestions on generating more revenue. Volunteers are needed for Club and Post events, please step forward, and ask how can I help, don’t wait to be as asked. We need your help, so please patronize your Post 56. Your board and committees are committed to the future, and a GREAT 2012.
 

Commander Mick
 

Auxiliary News

Auxiliary:

First, I hope you had a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  The Auxiliary continues to do the usual things at this time of year so I would like to thank the officers for their great support. Our membership continues to renew but we could use some new members so please ask. 2012 starts out with mild weather so lets please continue to attend our meetings and support veterans in as many projects as possible.

Something new for 2012 is that we will not be able to do our salad lunches anymore so we have asked the Legion to do a couple of breakfasts. They have placed on the calendar April 29th and September 30th as Auxiliary breakfast dates. Do you have an idea as what to offer? Maybe you can bring it to our next meeting as we will
be planning for our up coming year. Note - We will NOT meet in January so our next meeting will be Wednesday February 1st.
 

President
Janet Scherb

Season's Greetings from the Club!

New Years Eve and Day bring lots of fun to the Club Lounge. Supper including Steak, Chicken, Ribs, and Shrimp. A free champaign toast will be at Midnight. Then, on Sunday Morning we have Tom and Jerry's starting at 11am and goes till 2pm. Vikings Football at Noon. Karaoke with Tiny's Tunes at 3:30pm till 7:30 or ??? We will have drink and food specials all day too. I urge everyone to stop in and support your Club Lounge, and bring a friend or two with you.  The fall bean bag league was a good time. We will be starting up again in late January. We may be turning it into a City League. But we will see. So thanks to those who came up and played or cheered! Let me know if you are interested in joining the winter league.

The Event Center has been doing well also. We are getting many compliments on our food, service, and atmosphere. If you or know someone looking to host an event, please look into our Event Center, we have many different food choices and options for an event.

We also now have set Lunch Specials for our Monday thru Friday Lunches. There is also a second special which will be a chefs special. Legion Made Mondays - Legion Made Burgers with Chips, 1 for $4 or 2 for $6. Taco Tuesdays- 2 small tacos or 1 large for $5 or get a taco salad for $6. Wing Wednesdays- just $.50 a wing, add sides for an additional cost. Hot Commercial Thursdays- a different hot commercial every week. Could be beef, pork, turkey. And Fried Friday- a different fried item every week. Could be Fish, chicken, baskets. We also have new Saturday Specials too. Check them out on the calendar

Club Manager Dave

TOM & JERRYS

New Years Day
11:00am - 2:00pm
Food available all day
Meat packs, dog & horse races
Karaoke

MEMBERSHIP

Have you sent in your membership for 2012? If you haven't effective 12/31/2011 your membership expires so please help us out by sending it in.  Also, ask your friends about membership.  Currently we are at 770 or 83.6% of goal which is 921. Thank you for your support.

THANK YOU BREAKFAST SUPPORTS

Because of your attendance at our pancake breakfasts on Sunday Post 56 is able to help with youth programs in the area. So, if you remember we give $1 for each person attending breakfast to the church of your choice for their youth group. What did that mean for the year 2011? Well, church youth groups from participating churches received $2,889. So, again thank you for helping the Legion help our youth.

HUCKLEY - BUCK TOURNAMENT

Benefit - Pheasants for Veterans
Saturday Jan. 21st $10 entry fee
Sign up at Noon - Play starts at 1:00pm
1st place - $100
Club room - food & drink available

NOTE:

If you have/or are planning on changing your mailing address for the season please let us know by the 15th of month so the next mailing can get to your correct address.  Remember if you changed to go somewhere, don't forget to change it back - if you come back. Have a Blessed 2012.
 

Adjutant - Arnie

TAPS

RICHARD LEIN
PUFL member. Died in May 2011. Only information available.

GARY L ERICKSON
Born Dec. 9, 1931. Died Nov. 23, 2011. Served in the US Navy from 1952 to 1955. Gary worked as a carpet layer for Erickson Flooring and Floorcrafters until retirement. Was a member of the Legion and a Life Member of the VFW.

MARWOOD ISACKSON
Born May 28, 1925 in Milbank, SD. Died Dec. 16, 2011. Served in the US Army from 1943 to 1946. Then earned a BS Degree in Finance from the University of South Dakota. Moved to Albert Lea in 1959 and worked for Scotsman and transferred to Ann Arbor, Michigan for 5 years returning to Albert Lea retiring in 1989. Was involved in many community organizations.

Dollar-A-Month (D.A.M.)

D. A.M. DONATIONS
Odean/Geraldine Berg.................................mem. of Gary Erickson
Karin Mattson.............................................mem. of Bill Thompson
Dave/Sue Olson..........................................mem. of Marwood Isackson
Isabel Lee..................................................donation
Russell Gates.............................................donation
Karen Callahan...........................................mem. of Dennis Smith

HONOR GUARD DONATIONS
Family of Gary Erickson..............................mem. of Gary Erickson
Jim Rupp and family....................................mem. of Bud Rupp
Ken/Verna Nelson.......................................mem. of Bill Thompson
Jeanette Mortenson.....................................mem. of Bill Thompson

Consider supporting Leo Carey American Legion Post 56 with a contribution to the Dollar-A-Month (D.A.M.) fund.  Whether it’s a dollar a month, or a larger donation, these funds are used to support the Post 56 club facilities, maintenance & continued growth of our organization.

If you would like to make a donation to the Post 56 D.A.M. fund, please complete the form in this newsletter and return it to Leo Carey American Legion Post 56.  You can recognize someone special by naming that person in their memory or honor.  Your contribution will be listed in the Post’s monthly flyer and on the website.

Judi Olson, D.A.M. Account Manager

To make a donation, click on the link to our D.A.M. Fund Account Page.

Please thank and support those businesses and organizations which sponsor ads in the monthly Post 56 bulletin flyer:

Craig Loehr-Dave Syverson Ford, Graceland Cemetery, Jim & Dudes Plumbing & Heating, Shoff Chiropractic, MPeters Enterprises, Church Offset Printing,

Security Bank Minnesota, American Legion Post 56 Auxiliary, Christian Floor Covering, Embroider-4 Seasons Advertising, Hillcrest Cemetery, Auto Serve-Rick Loberg, Doors & Floors, ING Financial Partners-Arnold Mulso, Motor Inn Co., Bayview Freeborn Funeral Home, Scott's Office Products, GreenLea Golf Course, Nelson County Market, Century 21 O'Byrne Realty, Nick's Inc.

The deadline for the February issue will be the Wednesday following the post meeting.  This will be the deadline policy in the future!

Post 447 VFW and Auxiliary meetings are held on the 2^nd Monday of every month at the American Legion Post 56 Clubrooms @ 7:00pm. Come and join VFW Post 447. 

Veterans helping Veterans.