Photos - Recent Events

Congratulations Rex Stotts Post 56 Legionnaire of the Year

At Post 56 meeting April 15, 2013 former commander, Rex Stotts, was recognized as Post 56 Legionairre of the Year.  Below, former Post 56 commander Dave Mullenbach, left, congratulates Rex Stotts, right.

Legionnaire of the Year Rex Stotts with family members

The annual Recognition of Continuous Membership program was held a Post 56 April 15, 2013

50 Year Members recognized were Roger Dahl, Robert D. Haskins, Duane A. Olson, Gerald O. Dunford, Richard H. Moore, Herbert Ulrich,

Harold Riemann

60 Years Members recognized were Clarence F. Beenken, Holger Knudsen, Jr.

Also recognized and present were several members with memberships between 50 and 60 years: Bill Neff, Bill Christenson and Richard Hoium.  Bernie Priebe was recognized with membership over 60 years.

Pictured above left-right: Commander Roger Bakken, Herbert Ulrich, Holger Knudsen, Robert Haskins, Gerald Dunford

Albert Lea’s Leo Carey Post 56 of the American Legion and the Albert Lea Beyond the Yellow Ribbon group teamed up to raise funds for Operation Comfort Warriors.

Total donation to the Operation Comfort Warriors program from this fundraiser is $1,860.

Fundraiser Flea Market was held at the American Legion Post 56 Event Center on Friday, Feb. 22 and Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013.

Additional donations were made towards this total $1,860 amount by community organizations.

Picture taken on April 10, 2013 where donation check was turned over from Post 56 to Arnie Troe, Department of Minnesota State American Legion  Vice Commander.

Pictured below, left to right: Arnold (Arnie) Troe, Vice Commander, Dist. 1 & 3, Department of Minnesota American Legion, David R. Olson, Chaplain, Leo Carey Post 56.  Kelli Lageson, Albert Lea Beyond the Yellow Ribbon group, Roger Bakken, Commander, Leo Carey Post 56, John Severtson, American Legion Post 56 and Albert Lea Beyond the Yellow Ribbon group, ,

Bonnie Schneider, Auxiliary President, presented Post 56 Commander Roger Bakken a check in the amount of $94, representing the 94 years the American Legion has existed in America.  The American Legion was founded in 1919 by veterans returning from Europe after World War 1.  The picture was taken at the beginning of the Legion’s Post Everlasting, March 21, 2013.

The Post 56 Honor Guard presented the colors at the beginning of the 4^th annual Taste of Heritage celebration held at the Northbridge Mall

Saturday, April 6, 2013.

Department of Minnesota Commander Don Pankake welcomes bowlers February 23 at the start of the Minnesota State American Legion Bowling Tournament at the Holiday Lanes in Albert Lea hosted by Leo Carey Post 56.

Commander Pankake along with Auxiliary Department Executive Secretary Sandie Deutsch threw out the traditional “first ball” to begin the 66^th annual tournament.

The tournament continues weekends from February 23 through April 21.

Department Commander Don Pankake, Auxiliary Department Executive Secretary Sandie Deutsch, and Post 56 Commander Roger Bakken welcome bowler participants.

John Torma, tournament secretary, reviews tournament details

Department Commander Don Pankake throws traditional "first ball" to open tournament activities.

Dave Allard handling tournament registration and bracket side events.

Department Commander Don Pankake with tournament coordinator,

Gary Anderson from Post 56.

Bowlers ready themselves for the start of the tournament.

Operation Comfort Warriors Fund Raiser Event

A very successful flea market was held at Post 56 club facilities on February 22 & 23 in support of Operation Comfort Warriors sponsored by the local Beyond the Yellow Ribbon group and Leo Carey Post 56.  Thanks for your efforts as well as to the vendors and public who will send a sizable contribution check over $1500 to the American Legion's National Commanders project Operation Comfort Warriors.

Special appreciation goes to John Severtson with the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon group and Dave Olson from Post 56 whose efforts went into planning and organizing the event.  Gratitude also goes to State Commander Don Pankake whose presence was appreciated. 

Left-Right: State Commander Don Pankake, John Severtson, Roger Bakken

John Severtson promotes the upcoming Operation Comfort Warriors Flea Market scheduled at American Legion Post 56 on February 22 & 23.  The flea market will be sponsored by the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon group and Post 56.

Russ Anderson of Albert Lea gifts two framed vintage U.S. Navy Recruiting posters

to American Legion Post 56 Commander Roger Bakken

Framed posters were accepted by Post 56 Commander Roger Bakken and will be displayed at the American Legion Post 56 Hall Event Center.  Commander Roger Bakken accepts the framed posters from Russ Anderson.  Pictured are the two framed posters, and a picture of a typical World War II B-26 Martin Marauder medium bomber in which Russ Anderson served as Crew Chief, Flight Engineer and Mechanic while in the U.S. Army Air Forces, 1942-1946.

Visit Post 56 Hall Event Center and learn more about Russ Anderson's gift

·         Title poster No.1 “1^st to set foot in Europe”

·         Title poster No.2 “Navy Pay Raised-Bonus for former Navy Men”-Apply Navy Recruiting Station.  Good Pay-Valuable Experience, Interesting Duty.

·         Both posters were first given to Russ Anderson’s son, Scott, by the locale Navy Recruiting Office when Scott enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1974.

·         Scott Anderson gave the posters to his dad, Russ, and Russ has had the unframed posters displayed on his basement wall until now.

·         The framed posters are now displayed in the Hall Event Center of American Legion Post 56.

·         Russ Anderson has been a member of local American Legion Post 56 for 67 years, joining the American Legion after his discharge from the U.S. Army Air Forces in February 1946.

·         Russ Anderson enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces in October of 1942 and spent much of his military service time in a Training Squadron as Crew Chief, Flight Engineer and Mechanic with the B-26 Martin Marauder medium bomber.

·         The B-26 Martin Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company.  First used in the Pacific Theater in 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean and in Western Europe.