AMERICAN LEGION
PRELUDE: In order for veterans' rights to be addresses properly at the
national level, we need "all" veterans to join our cause. If you are eligible and not a
member.........Why aren't you? Think of
this. All of us have, or are currently
benefiting, from the efforts of those veterans that preceded us that joined
such organizations, such as the American Legion. The GI bill, among others, have been
extremely beneficial to "ALL" of us.
What if they had not gotten involved?
What if they decided that they just wanted to be left along and was too
busy to work for such veterans benefits?
Would the absence of such benefits been okay with you? Is your life better off because of their
involvement? Do you care? If you do care and would like to help us,
please contact us at the email address provided at the bottom of this article
to get more information.
WHAT THE AMERICAN LEGION DOES IN
GENERAL:
The American Legion is a congressionally chartered mutual-aid veterans organization of the United States armed
forces
founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined
by the United States Congress. The American Legion was founded
in 1919 by veterans returning from Europe after World War I.
In addition to organizing commemorative events and volunteer
veteran support activities, the American Legion is active in U.S. politics. Its primary political activity
is lobbying on the behalf of veterans and service members, including support
for veterans benefits such as GI Bill, pensions
and the Veterans
Affairs
hospital system.
At the state level, the
American Legion is organized into "departments", which run annual
civic training events for high school juniors called Boys State. Two members from each Boys State
are selected for Boys Nation. The American Legion Auxiliary runs Girls State and Girls Nation. The American Legion also hosts
many social events.
Eligibility Requirements for
American Legion Membership
If you are currently on active duty, serving the United
States honorably, anywhere in the world, or have served honorably during
any of the following eligible war eras, we invite you to become a member of The
American Legion.
· April 6, 1917
to Nov. 11, 1918 (World War I)
· Dec. 7, 1941 to
Dec. 31, 1946 (World War II)
· June 25, 1950
to Jan. 31, 1955 (Korean War)
· Feb. 28, 1961
to May 7, 1975 (Vietnam War)
· Aug. 24, 1982
to July 31, 1984 (Lebanon / Grenada)
· Dec. 20, 1989
to Jan. 31, 1990 (Panama)
· Aug. 2, 1990 to
today (Gulf War / War On Terrorism)
AMERICAN LEGION POST 36
HOLIDAY ISLAND
Meetings - Every
2nd Thursday each month at the ELKS Lodge, 6 PM. (meeting in November will be
held during the Veterans' Day ceremonies.)
Memorial Park - Bricks for Memorial Park, $100 each. Honor one or more of your veterans
by purchasing a brick/s for display on the wall at the flag display. Forms located at the Memorial Park Monument flag
display.
Honor Guard - Services for veterans' funerals and other
special events. Please let us know if
you need these services.
Flag program
- Members go to schools and are dedicated to educating our children on the
history and honoring "Ole Glory". This year we provided this service
at schools in Berryville and Green Forest.
Disposal of the American Flag - Holiday Island Fire Department has graciously allowed
us to use Fire Station 1 as a staging area for collecting tattered, ragged and
worn out flags. We will provide a
receptacle for such flags from individuals
or businesses that need proper disposal of their flags. Please do not just throw them away.
American
Legion Riders - The types of things that these groups are doing are far too many to
mention in this article, but here are a few examples:
Auxiliary -
Supports our veterans by (but not limited to) periodically collecting money at
Cornerstone Bank parking lot; selling poppies to raise money as a fund raiser;
providing gift boxes for our troops overseas; and, volunteers as vital helpers
at our Veterans Day ceremonies and any other Post 36 events.
UPCOMING ACTIVITIES
FEBRUARY 2011
- We will be purchasing needed merchandise,
with the proceeds of over $1600 from our fund raisers, to those veterans at the
VA hospital in Fayetteville, as well as other locations throughout the local
area. We are waiting on Carole Kick, VA
representative, to let us know the costs of some of the projects we are
currently considering.
February 26 - Veterans'
Ball
Pendergrass Rose American Legion Post 36, along with VFW
Post 77 and
Elks Lodge 1042 is sponsoring the 2nd Annual Military
Ball on February 26, 2011, at the Elks Club, Holiday Island. All Veterans
and their guests are urged to attend this event celebrating Veterans
who have served the United States of America.
Non veterans are welcome. You do not need to be a member of the
organizations sponsoring the event to attend.
Coat and tie are suggested
Cost is $15.00 per person which includes a full
dinner with a dance to follow with
music provided by Don Naas. .
Cocktail hour from 1730 (5:30) to 1800 (6:00) (Cash Bar) with dinner to follow. Dance
1900 (7:00) to 2100 (9:00)
Reservations required not later than February 21,
2011.
Dinner options are roast beef or tilapia (not deep fried).
To make your reservations Call:
Robin & Dean Lahm
479-253-5912
Don
Naas
479-253-7473
Elk's Lodge 1042
479-253-9783
Please pay at the door.
Proceeds will go to Veterans Creative Arts Program and the Veterans Health Care Center
of the Ozarks in Fayetteville.
MAY
May 21 - Armed Services Day
Holiday Island Rotary Poker Run - The HI Rotary
is tentatively planning on hosting a fundraiser. Contingent on these plans we may post colors
and volunteer manpower to assist in this event.
May 30 - Memorial Day
Ceremonies will be conducted by our post at the
Memorial Park beginning at 9 AM. Color
guard will post colors and provide firing squad. More details will be provided as plans are
solidified.
JUNE
June 14 - Flag Day
We will pay full honors to our flag and conduct
a dignified burning of flags that have
been deemed unserviceable by local residents.
Residents are reminded to take unserviceable flags to Holiday Island
Fire Station One for pickup and disposal by our post.
JULY
July 4 - Independence Day
We will partner with the local Chamber of
Commerce to facilitate this event by providing volunteers to assist.
SEPTEMBER
September 11 - Patriot Day
In the United
States, Patriot Day occurs
on September 11 of each year, designated in memory of the 2,977 killed in the September 11, 2001 attacks. On this day, the
President directs that the American flag be flown at half-staff
at individual American homes, at the White House, and on all U.S. government buildings
and establishments, home and abroad.
Since this event occurs on Sunday this year, we have decided to send
letters to local churches to ask for an appropriate recognition for those that
lost their lives or loved ones on this day.
OCTOBER
October 10 - Columbus Day
Will provided the appropriate display of flags at the
Memorial Park.
NOVEMBER
November 11 -
Veterans' Day
American Legion Post 36 will coordinate with the Elks
Lodge to co-sponsor this event. We will
research the possibility of purchasing a banner for display at the Park to
advertise this event.
During this month we will need to discuss the
establishment of our Veterans' Day Ball for early in 2012.
DECEMBER
December 7 - Pearl Harbor Day
We will ask the Holiday Island Home Owners' Association and
Cornerstone Bank to include a message on their display boards to remind
residents to keep this day foremost in
their minds on this day.
Notes:
We will check on appropriate display of flags for Martin
Luther King Day and Presidents Day 2012.
We discussed the possibility of purchasing banners in the
future to display at the Park to help in advertising our events to passing
motorist and local residents. Banners
were also to be placed at Memorial Park to indicate why flags are being flown
at half staff.
If you have any questions, or
want to join this illustrious organization, contact Clint Miller at
wcmiller@cox.net