American Legion Post 256: May 2009

Canandaigua American Legion Post #256
Newsletter April 2009 - June 2009
454 North Main Street Canandaigua, New York 14424
585-394-3790

Email: post256@alny256.com

website: www.alny256.com
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Legion News
As we move through the tail end of winter, our thoughts can now turn to spring and we can look forward to longer, as well as warmer days. This winter has been a challenge, to say the least. A few of our “Snow Birds” will be returning soon. A word on membership. I would like to thank, very much. the hundreds of dedicated members who have paid their 2009 dues to this point. We only need less than 20 more dedicated members to step forward and pay their dues. Time is of the essence, as our “membership year” is winding down. It would be a true sense of pride, to all of us, to achieve our 2009 goal of 440 members.
The “Honor Guard” from our Post provides a very important mission. This dedicated group of members needs additional people who have the time to be a part of this worthy cause. All training will be provided to fit your schedule. Just call the Post at 394-3790 and leave your
name and phone number and Chuck Pelton will contact you.
Let us all remember to pray for our members that are sick and cannot be with us. Also, let us pray for our fellow veterans, men and women, who are serving around the world protecting our
freedom.

For God and Country,
Tom Irland, Commander

Canandaigua VAMC News
by Jerry Luzum

Three items of interest.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced that the Canandaigua facility will receive $3.6 million for needed building improvements as a part of the Stimulus Bill. The Rochester Outpatient Clinic is opening a satellite facility at Clinton Crossing for speciality care, thus relieving some of the overcrowding at the main Westfall Road Clinic. Representatives from the Department of Veterans Affairs held a public meeting in February regarding the Enhanced Use Lease (EUL) of certain properties at the VAMC. The VA wishes to enter into a long term lease (up to 75 years) for a selected developer to lease VAMC Building 14 and approximately 3 acres of associated land. The proposed uses on the EUL site include transitional housing, single room occupancy housing, and/or family reintegration housing. The VA expects the majority of such housing to serve veterans on a priority basis. A request for proposals will be provided to interested developers in
the near future. Public hearings will be held to get community input on the proposals. Please attend these meetings and express your views. Information about the VAMC can be found on -
www.canandaigua.va.gov.

G. Fred Schutz Memorial
Representatives from the Legion, Auxiliary and SAL have met to discuss a fitting tribute to the “Sergeant Major” who enriched the lives of so many through his tireless dedication and service to others in our community. The tribute will be in the form of six flags, a walkway and bench near the flag pole in front of the Legion. The six flags will include the five service flags and the Legion flag atop 20 foot flag poles spaced along the inside of the semicircular drive. The organizations making up the Legion Family have contributed the funds to construct the memorial which is expected to be completed in the summer.

Post Improvement Ham Drawing
A special thanks to all who bought tickets to the raffle, the proceeds to which are going to fund the projects for the local ‘special children’. A special special thank you to the Genesee Valley
Wastewater Management Association for their generous donation to support this effort. The ten winners were: Kris Ratcliffe, Tom Irland, Corky Smith, Marlene Milton, Chuck Pelton, Linda
Savage, Nan Evans, Nancy Kurzejeski, and Tom Gondner.

Post 256 Web Site
Norma Weissend (our web master), Jason Grover and Dave Simmons continue to work on the two web sites for Post 256. Keep posted on http://www.alny256.com/ for progress. This project has taken on increased importance since we intend to post the newsletter on the web site and offer an option to send it via email to members who have email addresses. This would reduce the expense of mailing, the cost of which goes up in May.

Boy’s State
By Chair Norma Weissend
Thanks to the Boy’s State Committee made up of Irene Madru, Chuck Pelton, and Jerry Luzum who interviewed seven boys from Canandaigua Academy on March 19th. And, congratulations to Patrick Dennis, Kyle Germain and Parker Weeks who were chosen to attend this year’s event at SUNY Morrisville from June 27th to July 3rd.

Please Keep These Dates
Please mark your calendar and participate in the following events:

Armed Forces Day - May 16th
11 AM at the Post. The Trail of Remembrance will open its season recognizing the Colonial Wars. The winner of the essay contest focusing on this period will participate and receive the $500 award for their effort.

Memorial Day - May 25th
Events begin at 8 AM at the Post with the parade at 10 AM, service at Woodlawn Cemetery at 11 AM and a pier side service at 12 PM.

Flag Day - June 14th
Joint event with the Elks will be held at the Post pavilion with the retirement of flags that are no longer serviceable.

New Members
Please extend a warm welcome to our newest members: Robert Casella, Timothy Decker, James Egan, Donald McDonald, Robert Nicholson, Donald Raw, Paul Rayburn and Adam Ryczek.

Sick Call
Lou Madru - VAMC, Stan Dilloway - Thompson, D. B. Coots - Ontario County, Jim Nenni - Crest Manor, Jim Herendeen - Elm Manor and Gordy Stahl - Conesus Nursing Home.

In Memory
Our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Ed Bellis, Robert Bentley, and Anthony Minute.

Auxiliary News
from Barbara Saar, President

Another year is almost to an end. It’s been a difficult year for me but, with everyone’s help, I did make it. Been busy with County meetings, Board of Directors and Post Improvement meetings. The Four Chaplains ceremony was Feb. 4 at the VA. The Women’s Tea in November at the VA was a wonderful celebration. Department President Sue Britton’s visitation, was Feb. 26, with a soup and sandwich lunch provided by the Phelps Legion Family and a wonderful dinner at the Geneva Post.

Election of Unit officers will be at the April meeting, with installation in May. The nominating committee consists of Jeanne Stahl, Rose Cornish and Marie Trumbull. I hope everyone will be willing to help on our committees. Hope you have a Happy Easter.

Upcoming 75 Club Raffle drawings will be on April 30, May 28, June 25 and July 30 at 6 pm. We are always looking for names for the waiting list. Please contact Ruth Neilson or sign the sheet at the Post.

The ALA Unit meetings will be at 2:00 PM on April 7 & 21, May 5 & 19 and June 2 & 16. Don’t forget that we recess over the summer, with no meetings in July or August. We resume on Sept 1st.

The next County ALA meeting will be in Shortsville on April 15 at 7:30 PM. The May 20 meeting is currently scheduled to be in Honeoye.

Girls State
by Barb Saar and Co-chair Marie Trumbull

Interviewing for our Girls’ State candidate was on March 10 at Canandaigua Academy. I want to thank Marie Trumbull, Rose Cornish and Jeanne Stahl for assisting me. Our Girls’ State representative this year is Chelsea Weible and the alternate is Barbara Broderich. Girls’ State, which will be held from June 27 to July 3, again this year at Brockport College, is a program at which high school juniors from across the state learn about our American government, the political process and leadership by creating a model state government. The citizens will also be involved in a Flag Retirement Service and learn how to fold the American flag. An added bonus is that attendance at Girls’ State makes the citizen eligible for college credits and a scholarship awarded by Samsung Corp.

Rummage Sale
Stop by the Post on April 24th (9 AM-7PM) or 25th (9 AM - 12 noon) to browse the tables in the basement to pick up some bargains and support our fund raising efforts for our Veterans Projects. Donations of goods are welcome on April 23rd at the rear entrance to the basement.

Membership
by Rose Cornish
A special thanks to all who have paid their 2009 dues! Your dues money enables the Unit to continue our many projects for the community, and especially our Veterans! Thanks again! We are very close to our goal for the year so, if you have not renewed your membership, please send it in as soon as possible. Please welcome the following new members: Junior member Caitley Newhook, Senior members Norma Pelton and Barbara Flora and transfer Kristine Ratcliffe.

Craft and Bake Sale
by Rose Cornish, Chairman
A date to save is Saturday, Nov 7th, 2009 from 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM. More information in the next newsletter.

Poppy Days
by Chairman Marlene Milton
Once again we are getting ready to offer poppies to the people in our community. Poppy days will be Thursday, May 21, thru Saturday, May 23rd. I will be putting up the sign-up board around the beginning of May, with times and places. It takes every one working together to make this very important program for our organization work. It is the money that is donated for the poppies that lets us do so many of the important things that we enjoy doing to help our
veterans. These are the men and women who have done so much for us and we can’t ignore them or forget them. Please try to find a couple of hours to offer these poppies. It will make you feel good inside, I promise.

VA&R
Deb Dekouski and Debbie Peters, Co Chairs.

Our monthly Spaghetti/Roast Beef dinners for vets from the Veterans Club continues to be a crowd pleaser, thanks to Debbie Peters and her assistants. Again this year, valentines were distributed to 63 vets in group homes and to 5 female vets at the VAMC. Thanks to Marlene Milton for coordinating this effort.

Manufacturer Coupons
National Security Chair, Rosemary Luzum.
Our supporters have done an outstanding job of supplying the Auxiliary with manufacturer’s coupons. REMEMBER!!! Coupons MUST be no older than three months passed their expiration
date. So stop by the Post often with your coupons. Since December, 51 volunteers have spent 201 hours so we could send coupons valued at $40,100 to our military families overseas. GOOD JOB, EVERYONE. The thank you notes we receive from these bases are heart warming.

Our Unit participated in the Wreaths Across America program that provided wreaths for soldier’s graves at veterans cemeteries. Ours went to the Bath VA Cemetery. Perhaps you saw the photo in the newspaper of the wreaths against the snow.

Education
by Chair Marie Trumbull
Please continue to save your Campbell brand labels and UPC’s for our local schools for education funds. Labels can be dropped off at the Post Home and deposited in the same box in the lounge as the manufacturer’s coupons. Likewise, Betty Crocker Box Tops for Education can be a source of funds for the schools. If you prefer to donate to your local school, please put a note in the Coupon box telling us of the amount of your donation.
Information about the ALA Rose Comella Scholarship, which is awarded each spring, has been made available to students at Canandaigua Academy. Please urge any young people in your
families who are Seniors in High School to apply for ALL the scholarships awarded by the American Legion Family. They are listed in the “Need a Lift” book available at the school counselor’s office and at the public library.

Legislation
Chair Marie Trumbull
We need to continue to pressure Congress about issues of patriotism and those concerning our veterans. Keep informed and keep those letters going to your legislators. Please let me know if
you receive a reply from any legislator as the Department wants to keep a tally.

Children and Youth
by Sandy Counceller
Our Special People’s picnic is scheduled for July 18 in the pavilion, weather permitting. Volunteers are always welcome to help our special guests enjoy the food and games.

In memory:
Our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Dorothy Yautzy.

Sons of the American Legion News
The Sons of the American Legion was created in 1932 as an organization within The American Legion. The S.A.L. is made up of males of all ages whose parents or grandparents served in the
United States military and were eligible for membership in The American Legion. Together, members of The Legion, The Auxiliary and The S.A.L. make up what is known as The Legion Family. All three organizations place high importance on preserving our American traditions and
values, improving the quality of life for our nation’s children, caring for veterans and their families, and, perhaps most importantly, teaching fundamentals of good citizenship.
As of this writing, we are near our goal of 90% paid membership. If you owe dues, please pay them as soon as possible. Our meetings are the 3rd Tuesday of the month at 6:30 PM. The
next meeting will be April 21st. Please attend our meetings; this is the only way you can voice your opinion. I look forward to fresh ideas from our squadron.
There are many things that we can do for fundraisers, community service and for the Post. Your input is needed. Jeremy Hoy is always looking for help escorting VA patients to church
service. This takes about an hour of time once a month. This is a small thing that can mean so much to our veterans. I find it very sad that the VA is located in Canandaigua and none of our squadron is willing to volunteer.
Our Squadron will be working with the Legion and Auxiliary for a memorial for Fred Schutz. Fred was a long time member of 256 and a veteran’s advocate. Some knew him as Sgt Major, as was the name of the bar he owned. Our squadron has pledged $500 towards this memorial and will help out with the labor. If you would like to volunteer some time, please call me @ 455-1892. We need help on a Saturday about a month from now. This will involve general labor and lots of fun.
The Squadron will be doing at least one chicken BBQ this year and, as always, we need volunteers. Let’s put the fun back in fundraising. I am also looking for help on Memorial Day. I would like a few members of the Squadron to help pass out small flags to all the children along the parade route. The picture of our Main Street lined with flags for our own veterans as they march by would be awesome.
Dwight D. Eisenhower said: “A sense of humor is part of leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done.”
For the good of the Legion Family.
Brian Murphy

From the Steward
from Bob Fredricks
Now that the weather is starting to change, consider using the pavilion for graduations, family reunions and weddings. A thank you to all who enjoyed the chicken and biscuits over the winter,
this menu item will return in the fall.

Note from the Newsletter Editor
Due to the increase in postal rates taking effect in May, a concerted effort has been made to reduce duplicate mailings. But to reduce Newsletter mailings to an incorrect address I need
your help. Since bulk mail is not returned by the Post Office, those Newsletters sent to the wrong address are simply discarded. Please advise the Legion Post of any change in address. Thank You.

Deadline
The newsletter is published quarterly. Deadline for the July - September issue is June 27th.

Disclaimer Opinions expressed herein are those of the editor or columnist, and are not those of the National, Department, District, County or American Legion Post.

American Legion Post 256

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

LUNCH IS SERVED!

Friday, May 8, 2009

April-June 2009 Newsletter