Newsletter

American Legion Post 56 Monthly Bulletin

October 2007

Commander's Message

Periodically we will be looking inside the American Legion as to what it has to offer us.  The American Legion has many programs that support the Veteran, Their Family and our Military Families.  The Legion has teamed up with a number of individuals & corporations that wish to donate or send messages of support to our troops.

The Family Support Network is one that will help our military family if they are in need.  If you know of a family, call 1-800-504-4098.  This will get the ball rolling.  There may be financial assistance if there are minor children in the home.  OPERATION USO CARE PACKAGE.  A donation of $25.00, you can sponsor a care package.  Gifts from the Homefront.  This is certificates that the troops can use at Post Exchange.  MN First Lady’s Military Family Care Initiative, to provide help around the home when the service person is called to duty.  These are a few of the ways we can show our support to our troops.
For the Veteran there are many programs to assist us depending on our need.  Start by contacting the County Veterans Service Officers, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, and Minnesota Veterans Home, MN Veterans Employment Representatives.  You can find more information about the programs that are available to us on the internet, American Legion Department of Minnesota.

This year the membership Dinner will be held on Oct. 8 with serving starting at 5:30 pm.  There will be only one Dinner due to our financial situation.  Sign up a new member, both of you will get a free meal.

Our Past Commander Mulso started the Debt Elimination Fund.  If you can help it would be greatly appreciated.  We need over $3000 to pay real estate tax and do not have the money!!!

We have lost about 80% of our gaming funds in the past couple of years.  Our Expenses to operate are still the same.  This is not the only area we need to change.  We are looking at all areas that we can save money.

Starting Oct 1 we will be raising prices at the Club, the vendors have had price increases and we need to pass them on.  Also $1.00 tap beer has been eliminated due to our finances.

On Sunday, Sept 23 we had a breakfast fundraiser for the Rushford Legion.  They had over 5 feet of water in the building.

For  God and Country!
Commander, Gary Anderson

Membership Dinner

Membership dues for 2008 are due now!  Please renew them to get your free membership dinner for all paid up Legion Family members (Legion, Auxiliary, SAL and Social) at 5:30-7:30 P.M. on Oct. 8, 2007.  Dues are $35.00.  Non-members are welcome for $5.00 a dinner!  Mark your calendars for this event as there will be only one membership dinner this year!
Current paid up membership is at 689 which are 66% of total membership.

If you know someone that is not a member ask them to join.

Thanks
1st Vice, Dave Mullenbach
507-373-5093

P.S. – There is a sign up sheet for workers that evening at the Am. Legion Post #56.

Club Update

Wow!  Did September fly by.  October is here and with it comes fall temperatures, football games and trick or treaters.  This month at the club is a busy one with weddings and company parties.

On to business - Oct 8th - Membership Dinner serving at 5:30 pm.  Oct 15th - Post meeting at 7 pm.  Oct 28th - Post Breakfast serving 8:30 to 12:30 pm.  Oct. 31st - the Auxiliary Salad Luncheon serving 11 am to 1 pm.

Don’t forget our Fridays with Laurie’s Karaoke Korner.  Oct 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th.  It’s always a good time and we’d love to see you.

Heidi Watson
Food and Beverage Manager

F.Y.I.

One Albert Lea serviceman who never came home from the South Pacific during World War II has been honored by having his name placed on the local memorials.

On the veterans’ memorial monument at Graceland Cemetery which lists those who have died during wartime in the nation’s conflicts from the Spanish-American War to the Vietnam War is the name of John A. Weber.

The Weber name also appears on the memorial in St. Theodore’s Cemetery which honors parish members who died in military service during wartime.
The third place Weber name appears is on a bronze plaque in a small Shoreland Heights park.  This neighborhood memorial was dedicated on May 23, 1943, to honor the memory of Marine Corps 1st Lt. John Anthony Weber.  He was killed in action when his aircraft was shot down on April 7, 1943, near Guadalcanal Island.  The plaque on a stone and a flagpole, which serve as the centerpieces for the small circular park at the east end of Lee Place, had been provided by the area’s residents to honor the deceased serviceman who grew up in a nearby home.

With all this in mind, I’d like to strongly suggest that the name of this small park be changed from Lee to Weber.  And for those folks who say this can’t be done, I suggest they look for a place once called Lincoln Park.  This place near the Bridge Avenue Dam now has the more meaningful name of New Denmark Park.

Ed Shannon

Editor

Auxiliary News

Summer is gone and the leaves are falling.  Do you welcome the cooler weather?  Personally, I like WARM weather.

The people in the eastern counties are still dealing with the terrible aftermath of the flood.  I drove to Winona September 7 and in towns like Stockton I could see all the trash piled in driveways, just waiting for pickup.  In sympathy with the people in towns like Rushford, the proceeds from the September 23 pancake breakfast will go to those flood victims.

We are busy planning for the Salad Luncheon, which will be Wednesday October 31, which happens to be Halloween.  Don’t let the spooks scare you away.  Bonnie Schneider and Pat Johannsen will be chairmen for this luncheon and will appreciate all your help and donations.  Sign-up for help, will be taken at the October membership meeting.

Some of our members will be presenting a display at ThorneCrest on their “Fair” day Thursday October 4, to tell those residents more about our American Legion and Auxiliary.

Because my husband Merv and I will be leaving September 30 (actually our 59th wedding anniversary) for Branson, I will not be here for the October 3 meeting.  It will be in the capable hands of First Vice-President Wanda Christensen.  And the board meeting will be held, as usual, the previous Monday, October 1st at 5:00p.m.

I am writing this in mid-September because I am going to Columbus, Ohio for a national convention of Catholic women September 19-23 so not all dates have been set yet.  Watch your calendar for the Post Membership Dinner which is coming up.

I hope you are enjoying the fall colors of beautiful Minnesota.

For God and Country

Joyce Rhody, President

 

American Legion Auxiliary Unit 56 Dues for 2008 are now Due SR: $18 JR: $6.50 Please send to: Bonnie Schneider 17885 710th Ave Albert Lea, MN 56007 Membership Chairman Thank you, Bonnie

 

Debt Elimination: Thank you to the 71 members and friends that have donated to the Post 56 debt elimination fund.  Our barrel is filling up, however slowly and currently is at $22,431 and the goal is $120,000 so we need your donation now if you have thought you are going to donate.  I am sure there are more than 7% of our membership that would like to see the club operation of the Post continue but can we with this amount of debt?  Real estate tax is due again to the tune of about $3,600 and we don’t want to borrow to pay them.  Your executive board will be looking at our debt elimination project very closely next month at their meeting.  If you would like to give some input please write it up in a letter and give to Cmdr. Gary.  If you need another donation sheet, feel to ask and you will always get a thank you letter with the amount of your donation. Arnie Mulso, Debt Elimination Coordinator

VERNE BOLINGER
Born July 3, 1918.  Died Sept. 1, 2007.  He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, was a member of the American Legion, VFW and the Eagles, and was the club’s bartender for 38 years.

EDWARD CLAASEN
Born Jan. 6, 1921.  Died Aug. 25, 2007.  He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was a member of the American Legion, VFW and P.E.R.A.

BERTHA FRYDENLUND
Born March 16, 1910.  Died Sept. 12, 2007.  She served in the U.S. Army Nursing Corps during World War II and was a member of the American Legion.

ARLAN KLEINBECK
Born Nov. 13, 1935.  Died Sept. 16, 2007.  He served in the U.S. Army starting in 1958 and was a member of the American Legion.

DR. ALFRED SHERMAN
Born 1913.  Died Sept. 10, 2007.  He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was a member of the American Legion.

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

Dorothy Harty    In Memory of Bud Bolinger
Dorothy Harty    In Memory of Gordy Blake
Ruth Strand    In Memory of Bud Bolinger
Bonnie and Richard Harkner    In Memory of Bud Bolinger
Arnold Levisen    In Memory of Clinton Hanson
Kenneth Nelson    In Memory of Ed Fosse
Charlotte Hanson    In Memory of Bud Bolinger
Maryann Schenkel    In Memory of Cornelius Slegh
Dave and Sue Olson    Donation
Jan Doyle    In Memory of Bud Bolinger
Leann and Glen Juveland    In Memory of Bud Bolinger
Marshall and Helen Bendixen    In Memory of Bud Bolinger
Beulah Wiegand    In Memory of Bud Bolinger
Kenn and Gerri Breamer    In Memory of Bud Bolinger
Karin Mattson    In Memory of Bud Bolinger
Jim and Judi Olson    In Memory of Bud Bolinger
Jim and Linda Gries    In Memory of Bud Bolinger
Helen Anderson    In Memory of Bud Bolinger
Bernie and Eva Priebe    In Memory of Bud Bolinger
Joy Bergstom    In Memory of Bud Bolinger
Brian and Brenda Paul    In Memory of Bud Bolinger
Jan Zoebel    In Memory of Bud Bolinger
Jan Zoebel    In Memory of Leo Zoebel
Cobb and Margaret Knutson    In Memory of Bud Bolinger

Donations to the Honor Guard

Ray G. McMullin    For Uniforms
Vern and Shirley Strand    In Honor of Norman and Barb Foley
Janet Drews    In Memory of Roger Drews
Ellen Harrison    Donation
Cora Peterson    Donation
Bob and Shirley Indrelie    In Memory of Bud Bolinger
Joy and Eslie Bergstrom    In Memory of Bud Bolinger
Bob and Doris Miller    In Memory of Bud Bolinger
Maureen Stiehl    In Memory of Bud Bolinger

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 19th, a total of 2,366 of the paver bricks and 43 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