Well here we are in the middle of sunny and warm Minnesota or is that what the "Snow Birds" say. Oh well, the weather hasn’t been too bad here and if it is you can stay inside or better yet come to the club and see what is happening and check the messages. Seems like many people question what is happening but don’t read the flyer which is our main communication with our members until

now when the Internet has allowed for the Post’s website at www.americanlegionpost56.com which you should check out if you haven’t. Much more information than what we can put in the flyer plus photos.

If you have the opportunity to stop in the lounge you can see the Commander’s project is currently underway with the ceiling now complete. This next month you should be able to see another major update with the walls as they will be painted - primed on Sunday, March 13^th and the finish coat on Monday, March 14. I will be seeking additional donations before we can complete the flooring project but the donations have been great and I thank you for that. The overall project cost is about $11,000. You can check the Commander’s meter posted in a couple of places at the Post.

On Feb. 18^th Post 56 hosted the 1^st District rally with about 75 people in attendance and the membership number increasing but we still need another 100 to meet our goal of 1150. Help us by asking someone to join. Thank you.

At our February Post meeting we voted on the issue to accept a new membership classification called "social membership" which I am unable to tell you the results as this article is at print before the meeting this month. Check our website.

Last month I had the opportunity to meet National commander Thomas P. Cadmus at Owatonna and heard his concerns which he has stated in the American Legion magazine which is another good communication to help keep you informed. I also presented him with a check to help replenish the National Emergency Fund as part of the National Commander’s project. Some local members received benefits from that program back during the fall rains.

Your help can be of great value and one of the easiest ways is by coming to the Post and participate on one of the several opportunities like on Tuesday $2.00 sandwich night. Wednesday night bar bingo and sandwich. Thursday night full dinner menu, Friday and Saturday night basket and specials night plus the 4^th Sunday breakfast, and the several fish fries. Please check out the calendar and bring a guest or two.

An event of entertainment and support on March 18^th is the "Sweethearts of Branson" sponsored by the A.L. Family Readiness Group which the profits will be used to welcome home the National Guard troops now serving in Afghanistan. Check it out for the show and dinner at $20 per person.

A couple of dates to remember for March. March 3, 1931 the "Star Spangled Banner" made the U.S. National Anthem; March 19, 2003 Operation Iraqi Freedom began; March 20^th - 1^st day of spring and Palm Sunday; March 27^th is Easter. May March bring you the spring of life.

For God and Country,

F.Y.I.

What may now look like a really disorganized mess at the corner of East College Street and South Broadway Avenue is the proposed site for the Freeborn County Veterans’ Memorial.

Proof for this can be seen with the brochure now available at the Legion Clubrooms, plus the Veterans Service Office in the Freeborn County Courthouse and from several individuals and maybe a few other places.

Even more information was made available in an excellent article by Ann Austin on pages 1 and 8 of the Tribune’s Jan. 6, 2005, issue.

Just what actually evolves from this proposal for this new memorial could become an interesting topic for F.Y.I. We will have a question or two for the promoters in the next issue of this publication.

Ed Shannon, Editor

As explained in the January 2005 issue, Ira Hazelton Wulff was the fist commander of Post 56 in a temporary capacity for a short time until the first election in 1919. He was succeeded by William P. Sturtz who became the post’s first elected commander for 1919-1920.

Wulff served in the U.S. Army during World War I and became the county’s deputy registrar of motor vehicles for many years. He died at the age of 75 on October 18, 1965, in Rochester just two days after the dedication of the post’s present quarters.

The year is going fast and Spring will soon be upon us.

The "BIG" Thank You to everyone who helped make our February 2^nd Soup & Salad Luncheon a huge success. The chairpersons, Ruth and Karin, workers, salad and bar donations, the cash donations and all who came to enjoy the food and fellowship made this such a wonderful event. The winner of the afghan was Karen O’Byrne - congratulations!

Our next meeting will be held on March 2^nd at 7:00 p.m. Please come!!

March is Community Service Month. Make sure that the many of you who work on community projects turn your hours in to Wanda Christensen for her annual report. It would be greatly appreciated .

Thank you to Sandy Maiden for the information that she shared with us at our February meeting on the Freeborn County Veterans Memorial.

The commander’s project is underway at the club rooms. Come in and see the progress.

The date and time for making out annual reports is April 11, 2005 at 1:00 p.m. at the club. If you have a typewriter and can help please come. Thanks!

Well that’s all until next month. See you at the club.

March and spring weather is arriving! I’m getting excited for a change.

Tuesdays have changed. We expanded the Burger Night Menu by adding 3 new sandwiches - chicken, pork & fish. All are the same price as the burgers - $2.00 each. We also have added some new items to the Fri. & Sat. Bar Menu such as French dip, Legion club & chef salad. If you have not been to the club for a while, we ask you to come on in and try the new food and/or our classic favorites!

Karaoke in March is planned for Fridays March 11, 18 & 25 starting with Laurie @ 7:30 p.m. March also brings two Fish Fry’s on Sat. March 5 (A.L.H.S. Band Boosters) and Sat. March 12 (Red Cross) bother serving 5:00 - 7:30 p.m.

We have two special parties to mention - Dave Allard retirement party, Friday, March 11, in the banquet hall starting at 7:00 p.m. (He might buy you a beer!) And the second party is a birthday event on Saturday the 11^th from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. for Hulda Olson.

St. Patrick’s Day is Thursday, March 17. We are having green beer and food specials in the dining hall!

Breakfast on the 4^th Sunday of each month will fall on Easter - we start serving at 8:00 a.m.

Born July 1, 1928. Died February 10, 2005. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was a member of the American Legion.

Born November 26, 1925. Died January 22, 2005. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was a member of the American Legion.

Born September 20, 1917. Died February 3, 2005. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He was a member of the American Legion, VFW, 8^th Air Force Historical Society and the 96^th Bomb Group organization.

Born August 25, 1918. Died January 23, 2005. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was a member of the American Legion.