Newsletter

American Legion Post 56 Monthly Bulletin

October 2006

Commander's Message

You need to get to the American Legion at 142 N. Broadway so you don’t miss anything.  Monday are meeting nights, Tuesday is $1 burger plus, Wednesday is bar bingo and sandwich, Thursday is full dinner menu with Legion chicken, Friday is bar menu plus meat packs and karaoke and Saturday is bar menu plus the extra events of breakfast, retirement parties, wedding receptions and all the others so come on in and join all the fun.

The second membership dinner will be on Monday, October 9^th from 5:30-7:30 pm.  Paid up Legion, Auxiliary, SAL and social members free and all others $5 each.  The menu will be baked chicken breast, baked potato, green beans, plus dessert (ice cream & brownie) sol by the Auxiliary.  We will also be selling meat packs so bring a couple extra dollars plus we will have a donation bowl for the D.A.M. account.  Let’s be thankful and generous for our freedom and also support our troops for defending us now.  Why are we so early this year?  Well, we hope you will pay your dues before you become delinquent on Jan. 1 – remember our year is July 1 – June 30.  Second, National has raised their dues by $4.50 effective Jan. 10 so help yourself and the Post out by getting them paid now.  Thank you very much to the 680 paid so far.

Post 56 would like to join the Daybreakers Kiwanis as they will be holding an auction at the Armory on Saturday, October 7^th starting at 10:30 am.  Money raised will be used to buy supplies for the troops themselves such things as jerky, DVDs, foot powder, etc.  If you have items you would like to donate all or part of the money please call Arnie at 377-2391 and leave a message.  You may also want to attend the auction and buy some nice items.

Don’t forget to help the Post make some money and still give yourself a bargain?  Let’s try it.  We would like to team up with Herberger’s for their Community Day Nov. 11^th in Albert Lea Northbridge mall and sell $5 coupon booklets to people.  The person gets a $10 coupon on any purchase plus other discounts and the cost is only $5.  Books are available for sale in the lounge.  The Post will get $5 for each booklet sold so stop in and buy several and save, save, save.  Thanks for your support.

It has been decided that Post 56 needs to get current in 2006, we need to get in touch with our members faster, we need to get updates, we need to communicate special events that come along so we need an e-mail address.  Like it or not it is the modern way.  If you have an e-mail address please complete the tear sheet with current information and we can then update our membership data.  We hope to get this going end of Oct. first of Nov. so the sooner you get us the information the sooner we can send information by e-mail.  No this will not replace the flyer.

The commander project is getting a shot in the bank by the Freeborn Co. Pork Producers.  They along with the Commander helper will host a grilled pork chop feed in the banquet room on Saturday, Oct. 21^st starting at 5:30 pm and going until 7:30 pm.  Cost is only a $6.00 donation with all the profits going to the project so we can get the air purifiers installed.

Don’t forget fly your flag on Columbus Day the 9^th which is also membership dinner.  Breakfast on Oct. 22 will be hosted by the Auxiliary and daylight savings ends on October 29^th.

For God and Country

Arnie Mulso, Commander

Club Update

Wow did September fly by.  October is here and with it comes fall temperatures, football games and trick or treaters.  This month looks to be a busy one.

October 3^rd – The Kiwanis will be holding their installation supper in the dining room at 6:00 pm.  October 6^th – Jim Olson will be holding his retirement party at the club from 5 – 7 pm.  Come wish him well and thank him for the great job he’s been doing on the Post #56 web page.  October 9^th – we’ll be holding our 2^nd membership supper.  We’d love to see all of you there, we missed you at the first one.  October 18^th – the VFW Auxiliary Membership Luncheon serving from 11 am – 1 pm.  October 21^st – I’d love to invite all of you up for the Freeborn County Pork Producer, Commander’s Project Donation Benefit serving pork chops, macaroni salad and baked beans from 5:30 – 7:30 pm for $6.00 a plate.  October 25^th – the Auxiliary Salad Luncheon 11 am – 1 pm.  October 27^th – we look forward to the Rotary Club visiting and hosting their noon meeting/lunch at the post.  Don’t forget October 6^th, 13^th, 20^th and 27^th – Laurie’s Karaoke Korner is here.  Come enjoy the entertainment and have a bite to eat.  On a final note the October Board meeting will be the 2^nd instead of the 9^th due to the membership supper.

Thank you for your continued support.  Have a great month.

Heidi Watson

Food and Beverage Manager

F.Y.I.

This is part two regarding what may have been the first drum corps sponsored by Post 56.  It was comprised of a group of young women.

Their first practice sessions involved beating tempos with drum sticks on wooden boards under the guidance of Caspar Hanson, a legion member who also let the local VFW men’s drum corps.

The next problem for the group was based on raising money needed to purchase real drums and colorful uniforms.

This was taken car of with one event, the “Drum Corps Follies” on Jan. 25-26, 1929.  Raffle prizes were donated by local merchants, and dances were sold for a dime each.  These activities, plus the sale of refreshments resulted in a profit of $1000.

The ladies purchased 14 snare drums, two bass drums, a baton for the drum major and uniforms.  These uniforms consisted of white satin dresses, blue satin capes with white lining, West Point hats in white and blue, and black leather pumps with military heels.

By the summer of 1929 the Legion’s lady drummers were ready for public appearances.  They quickly became a part of area parades, participated in the Freeborn County Fair and took part in the American Legion’s state convention in Austin.  And at Austin the Albert Lea drummers won the first place prize in the auxiliary drum corps category.  They won in competition with similar units from Ironton, Wells, Canby, Grand Rapids and even the Hibbing unit.

The group wanted to participate in the Legion’s 1930 state convention in Winona, but the illness of several members resulted in a cancellation.

According to an old photo of the group, the person who painted the heads on the two bass drums made an error.  The name Carey ended up being Garey.

The American Legion Auxiliary Drum Corps operated for three years.  However, time and money became continual concerns.  Also, several of the members were involved with the raising of growing families.  The lady members reluctantly decided to disband.  The drums were donated to the high school music department.  A group in California purchased the uniforms.

One of the members wrote this as an epithet for the Legion’s lady drummer contingent:  “It was all a rewarding experience, but like all good things, it had to end with many good memories which we will never forget”.

In the next issue we’ll have the names of most of the lady drummers, plus a question regarding a drum and bugle unit once sponsored by Post 56.

Ed Shannon, Editor 

Auxiliary News

Happy Fall to all of you!  These crisp clear days are a favorite season for many people.  And as the leaves fall, we dive into autumn activities.

Thank you to all of you who came to the Legion Membership Supper September 11^th.  It was a good date to remember all of our veterans and those who serve.  And we enjoyed a delicious supper and some fun with Arnie’s raffle.  And weren’t those brownies good?  Thanks to all the ladies who helped with that.

Coming up this month is our traditional “salad luncheon” but this year it will be a little different with salads and chili.  Wanda Christensen is chairing it and she will appreciate all the donations and help she can get.  We will serve 11:00 to 1:00 on Wednesday October 25^th and donations will be $5.00.  Tell your friends about it.  We need these funds to support the community service and veterans programs.

At the September meeting we agreed to help with one of the Sunday breakfasts.  It is always the 4^th Sunday of the month so on October 22^nd we will need about 10 people to help serve the pancake breakfast.  (The kitchen staff prepares the food)

Please don’t think our Auxiliary is all work and no fun.  We sing some songs, have good fellowship, and nice refreshments.  This month, on Wednesday, October 4, at our 7:00 pm meeting, the girls we sent to Girls State will speak to us of their experiences.  Come and join us for a pleasant evening.  The Board will meet Monday, October 2^nd at 5:15 pm (We made the time just a trifle later to accommodate the gals who work until 5:00).

If you have any questions, suggestions (OR want to volunteer) I’m always available at 373-0723.  I hope to see you at the next meeting.

Joyce Rhody

SAL Officers

Commander	Jeff Elseth
Vice Commander	Tom Baas
Sergeant At Arms	Scott Rasmussen
Adjutant	Bernie Priebe
Chaplain	Mike Bennett
Membership Director	Jack Briggs

TAPS 

Raymond Hershey

Born August 14, 1919.  Died September 11, 2006.  He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was a member of the American Legion, VFW, Elks, Eagles, Moose, South Side Business Association and the Union Club.

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

Thank you for your contributions to the Dollar-A-Month fund.  All contributions support the Post 56 club facilities, maintenance & continued growth of our organization

Judi Olson,

D.A.M. Account Manager

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

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

Veterans Memorial Update

As of September 19 a total of 1,792 of the paver bricks and 34 sponsorships have been sold to honor those who served in the nation’s armed forces.  There’s still room for more paver bricks and more sponsorships!

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.

Book Your Upcoming Special Event

with Heidi  373-7993