Newsletter

American Legion Post 56 Monthly Bulletin

September 2006

Commander's Message

Here we are getting ready for football and World Series – can you smell it in the air?  Really I bet it is chicken you smell on Thursday or Friday night.  Say, beer also goes good with the game and all that and more can be gotten here at the Legion.  Fall is a beautiful time of the year as it brings great colors, bountiful crops, crisp air and membership dinners.  Yes we will still have two of them but somewhat different this year.  The first will be on Monday September 11^th from 5:30-7:30pm and the second will be on Monday October 9th from 5:30-7:30 pm.  Paid up Legion, Auxiliary, SAL, and social members free and all other $5 each.  The menu will be grilled chicken breast, baked potato, green beans, but plus dessert (ice cream & brownie) sold 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.

Speaking about TROOPS we can get involved at Post 56 a couple of ways.  First, word has come to us that American troops of the 134^th BSB are having a fundraiser to help school age children in Iraq .  We would like your help to help with this fundraiser.  Check the ad square listing the school supplies needed and then bring them to the Legion.  If you prefer you may donate money to pay for postage of the supplies.  Make the check out to Post 56 marked postage.  Thank you for your support.

The second way to help troops from our area is to help with Daybreakers Kiwanis as they will be holding an auction at the Armory on Saturday October 7^th starting about 10 am.  Money raised will be used to buy supplies for the troops themselves such as jerky, movies, foot power, etc.  If you have items you would like to donate all or part of the money for please call Arnie at 377-2391 and leave a message.  Flyers will be around later.

Just a little correction on the Commander project.  The cost will probably be more like $4,250 installed (forgot to check that part out).  Hopefully, you will help me soon so that we can get them installed – say maybe before Christmas.  Thank you.

The Post and members received a nice thank you letter from 1^st District for hosting the convention here on May 19-21, 2006.  We also received a thank you from Matt Morris Boys State attendee and he will share with us at the Post meeting on September 18^th so come and listen to what he has to say.

Now, can you 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 in Albert Lea at 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.  The Post will get $5 for each booklet sold so stop in and buy several and save, save, save.  Thanks for your support.

There are a couple of events to help support veterans fight for benefits and share information.  One is on September 13 at Minneapolis convention center from 8am-4:30pm and the other is in Chicago on October 18-20.  More information on hallway bulletin board.

If you would like to help sell meat packs on Friday nights please leave your name at the bar as we will need helpers each Friday night (at least two).  We want to have meat raffles available every Friday night from about 6-7:30pm but can vary if need be.  Thank you.

September is full of eventful dates:  2^nd – V-J day, 1945 Japan surrender, 4^th – Labor Day – thank you to the working/worked people, 11^th – Patriot Day and 1^st membership dinner, 14^th – Star Spangled Banner written – 1814, 17^th – US Constitution approved – 1787, 18^th – the Great Air Force established – 1947 (sorry a little slip), 24^th – Legion Breakfast.

For God and Country

Arnie Mulso, Commander

Club Update

My goodness did the summer go by fast….August is behind us and September has arrived.  Hope you all had an enjoyable summer.  Lots of stuff going on up here this month.

September 1^st – Jim Westeng will be celebrating his retirement from UPS beginning at 7:00 pm.  I’m sure he’s looking forward to many of you coming in and wishing him well.  September 9^th – Minnesota Deer Hunters Assoc. will be holding their annual Habitat Banquet in the dining room – Social Hour 6:00 pm – Dinner 7:00 – tickets will be available at the door.  September 11^th – the membership dinner serving from 5:30-7:30 pm.  September 20^th – Freeborn County Township Banquet serving at 7:00 pm.  September 23 – Freeborn County Pheasant Habitat Inc. will be hosting their annual Banquet here also – social 5:30 pm.  Don’t forget to come join the fun with Laurie’s Karaoke Korner September 1^st, 8^th, 15^th, 22^nd and 29^th.

A few final notes….we now have Pizza Corner Pizza available in the lounge during the times our kitchen is closed.  We also still have Freedom Isn’t Free T-shirts available for $10 each.

Have a wonderful month.  I look forward to seeing you soon.

Heidi Watson

Food and Beverage Manager

F.Y.I.

I’ve decided to discontinue the Legion Heritage part of this publication for a few months.  As a replacement, I’ve found a Tribune article I wrote in 1992 about an early aspect of the post’s history.

This particular article was revived because of an inquiry by a local citizen.  He wanted to know if Post 56 ever had a prize-winning drum and bugle corps.  He may have assumed this was a group of local men or even young boys.

About 75 yeas ago the people of Albert Lea and Freeborn County had the opportunity to enjoy seeing and hearing one of the most distinctive and now nearly forgotten, marching groups in this part of the nation.  This musical group with a solid beat featured one instrument in two versions.  They were the 16 women of Albert Lea ’s American Legion Auxiliary Drum Corps who followed their baton waving leader in many area parades.

The incentive for the local lady drummers came when a delegation from Albert Lea ’s Leo Carey Post 56 attended the American Legion state convention in Hibbing in August of 1928.  A group of ladies marching in a parade as the Hibbing Auxiliary Drum Corps really impressed the local delegation.

A decision was made that fall to organize a similar unit in Albert Lea.  According to Legion regulations, this drum corps had to be a separate unit, be self-supporting, and have at least 16 members.  A dozen of these members had to also be members of the auxiliary organization.

One of the first real problems faced by the new group of enthusiastic ladies was based on musical talent.  No one knew how to play a snare drum, or even a bass drum.  This situation was solved with a series of weekly lessons taught by Casper Hanson. He was a Legion member who was also the instructor of the then very active VFW men’s drum corps of Albert Lea.

And right there may be the answer for this particular citizen.

In the next issue we’ll continue with more details about the drum playing ladies of the Post 56 Legion Auxiliary.

Ed Shannon, Editor 

Auxiliary News

With September upon us, I hope you all have enjoyed this wonderful summer.  So we had a few hot days……that’s heat we can store up in our body for Minnesota winter days.

By the time this reaches you, we will have held our annual membership luncheon, on Wednesday August 23.  I hope you were able to attend and renew your membership if you hadn’t already.  It is never too late.  Just send in your membership reminder and $18 check to Treasurer Rita Anderson, 22563 770^th Ave. , Albert Lea.

It is important for all American Legion Auxiliary members to contribute their dues each year so we can sustain our treasury enough to fund all the community activities we help finance every year.  And, as always, our goals is to help our veterans coming back from overseas all the time.  It is our duty to show them our appreciation.

Now we are anticipating our next salad luncheon, a fundraiser, which will be held Wednesday October 25, 11:00 to 1:00.  Wanda Christensen will be chairing it and we count on lots of help and donations for it.

In the coming year I hope we can initiate some more fundraisers and we want to encourage people to contribute to our new Veterans Memorial, which is to be built by the Government Center .

Wednesday September 6^th, at 7:00 pm, will be our first membership meeting of the new season, and the board will meet at 5:30 pm the same day, since the first Monday is Labor Day.

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 

Ruth Pleiss

Born August 8, 1920.  Died July 22, 2006.  She served in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps from 1944 to 1945 at Fitzsimmon Army Hospital in Colorado , and in the Army Reserve for eight years.  She was a member of the American Legion, and was an organizer of the Freeborn County Women’s Veterans Organization.

Donald Turnbull

Born October 20, 1928.  Died August 14, 2006.  He served in the U.S. Navy from 1946 to 1948, and was a member of the American Legion, the Elks and the Eagles Club in Albert Lea.

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 October issue will be Wednesday following the Post meeting.  This will be the deadline policy in the future!

Veterans Memorial Update

As of August 23, a total of 1,778 of the paver bricks and 34 sponsorships have been sold to honor those who served in the nation’s armed forces.  There’s 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