POST 44
American Legion NEWSLETTER –December 2015
PO Box 1073 – 1005 Hwy. 195 – Elephant Butte, NM 87935
575-744-4144
COMMANDER – Al Norton
The month of November was a great month. Jam packed with activities.
On 11/7/15 Post 44 participated in a ceremony at the Veterans Memorial Wall. All local Veterans organizations spoke on the importance of honoring veterans of all wars. Post 44 posted our colors at the Veterans home for their 11/11/15 ceremony. A few of us from the American Legion family attended an assembly at the T or C Elementary School honoring our Veterans. A Legionnaire member has been teaching our elementary children all about what a Veteran is. Her moto is “Real hero’s wear Dog Tags”. Thank you Becky Burcher for your many years working with the children of Sierra County. Because of you they have learned about the American Veteran!
I would like to thank the Legion Riders for choosing our Post to have a gathering. The State President of the Riders and a group of Riders from around the State visited our Post on 11/21/15. They enjoyed a Pizza lunch before their cold ride back to their home base.
Post 44 will host a meeting of VFNP with a luncheon on 12/15/15. They have some major gaming issues to discuss.
Don’t forget to look for the Angel tree to help needy children in our County. It will be up real soon. Our Post Christmas party will be on 12/19/15 try to attend to help us celebrate the holiday.
Pray for our troops that are in harm’s way during our Holiday Season!
God Bless America!
Charity & Education:
No report
Finance Officer– Bill Conklin
No report
Activities Committee – Kathy Norton and Linda Amdal
Hope everyone’s Thanksgiving was full of friends, family and food, ours were.
With the Christmas holiday right around the corner watch for the Angel Tree to help our needy kids in Sierra County. The angels will be available after the 7th of December and will be due back by the 14th. We need to have them filled, wrapped and back to the school by the 18th.
The events this month include Sue’s jam session every Tuesday, Deck the Halls on the 5th, Guys against the Gays 9 ball on the 6th. Breakfast and the Luminaries Walk on the 12th. Post Christmas party on the 19th, this year we are doing a white elephant exchange. Everyone is invited to participate, buy a little gift, draw a number and let the exchanging begin. This should be fun! Vince Hadley birthday is on the 20th and Linda Nennos on the 26th, we will be celebrating with these two on the 20th! We are closed on the 25th to spend Christmas with our families and there will be no Lucero challenge on the 26th. The menu and music line up is on the calendar but take note there will be no dinner or music on the 30th due to our New Years Eve party on the 31st.
We wish you a safe and wonderful Holiday season and look forward to 2016 with you all!!
Sons of the American Legion- Commander Gene Hill
The Sons of the American Legion held their monthly meeting on October 20th. In attendance were Donnie Polstin, Bob Nellis, Bill Nenno, Deone Hardy, Tillman Smith and Gene Hill.
Membership
We have 44 members paid for 2016. Remember after December 31, you will not have a current card.
Business
We received a new order of Flags and poles. If you need one see one of the bartenders.
The SAL will be assisting with the dinner on Wednesday December 16th. If you are interested in helping please contact Gene Hill or any Sal member.
The Sal made donations of $600.00 for this holiday season. They are as follows:
Sierra Santa——–200.00
Make a Wish——-100.00
Christmas baskets—200.00
Post 44—————100.00
Meeting
We will not have a meeting in December.
Sons of American Legion members want to wish everyone a MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.
Our next meeting is January 19th, 2016 at 6:30 PM at the post
As always, remember that organizations are not really organizations, they are just people. Help out when you can and when you see them, thank those that do help out and let’s all work together for the common good.
Thanks for supporting our Post, our Community and most of all —the Veteran
Legion Riders- American Legion Riders Chapter NMALR 5:
No report
Auxiliary- President- Linda Nenno 575-642-6161
I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. We Americans have a lot to be thankful for, and should remember that every day.
Thank you to all who baked and worked for the Veteran’s Day Car Show bake sale. We made $680 for the Veteran’s home and helped pay for a special piece of PT equipment for NMSVH. On November 13 & 14, we held a clothing sale. Again, thanks to all who donated, helped set up and worked. Our volunteers are great!
We’re already gearing up for December giving. The Angel Tree should be up by the time this newsletter goes to print. Please pick a tag or two and shop for a needy child who might otherwise go without on Christmas. In addition, there are a couple of donation cans at the Post to collect funds for food boxes for needy families in our area. These boxes will be delivered for Christmas. Thank you in advance for your generosity.
This month, I’d like to share information on our Care Package program. Care packages are packed and shipped the 2nd Wednesday of each month. We start at 10 AM and are finished by 11 AM. Packages are sent to deployed men and women each month for as long as they are deployed.
If you know of someone who is deployed, give us the name and address and we will add them to our list. They do not have to live in Sierra County or even NM…if they are deployed and we have their name and address, they will receive Care Packages. Names and addresses can be left at the bar, emailed to Marty Novak at novaks@windstream.net or phone 744-4539.
Our December packages will be packed on December 9. We always make the December packages special and filled with Christmas cheer. Rather than store bought cookies, we fill them with homemade cookies and candies and candy canes. Of course we still include some of the basics like salsa, socks and toiletries. If you would like to come help and/or make cookies or candies, you are most welcome. The cookies should be ones that travel well…2 or 3 in a zip lock bag. Fudge and peanut brittle are favorites too.
Of course we also welcome donations. This is an expensive project and donation help us keep it going. We have been sending monthly Care Packages since September ’03 and have sent just under 8100 packages. Our dessert table at the Wednesday night dinners also helps support this project. So enjoy those desserts and be generous.
Upcoming Events
December 5–Deck the Halls—Decorate the post at 11:00
December 10—Bunco 2:30
December 12—Breakfast and Bake/Book sale. Luminaria Walk on the Beach. We need lots of Pecan Pie muffins for this.
December 14—Angel Tree gifts due at the Post
December 14—Put together cookie Trays for teachers, first responders, newspaper and Post office. 11:00
December 15—Ladies lunch is pizza at the post and a wrapping party for Angel Tree gifts. 1:00
December 19—Post Christmas Party. Pot Luck and White Elephant gift exchange for those who want to participate. 5:00
December 22 Bunco cancelled
December 25—Post Closed
December 31—Sea Food Dinner and NYE Dance with music by Jim Corrons.
Looks like another busy month!!
Membership—Linda Nenno
Thank you to those who have renewed for 2016. The dues are still $30/year, and help us continue the programs that serve Veterans and their families. Membership is our most important program, since without members, we cease to exist. Tell your non-member friends about us, what we do and encourage them to join if they are eligible. Carry a membership application in your purse. You, as a member, know we have some really good things going on at the Post, and we always have a lot of fun, so spread the word. As of November 24, we have 260 paid members, which put us at 59% of our final goal. This time last year we were at 288 so we need to get those renewals in soon. Remember, door cards change January 1, 2016 and you will not be able to get a new one without a 2016 card. Ginny Lucero and I will both be out of town from 12/20/15-through 1/3/16, so if you don’t renew by December 20, you will have to wait until we return to get your new card.
The Chaplain’s Corner Linda Ross
PRAYER FOR THE MILITARY: Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen
GET WELL WISHES: Terri Smith, Maida Sanders, Sherry Pearce, Jack Hodges, Tom Novak, Doug Leasburg, Elaine Garlow, Pam Guillot, Karen Mogen, Pam Sallee, Bob Dunn, Wally Flucky, Bill Curlott , Charles Bucher, Papa Vince and Steve Holmes.
May God bless each of you and aid you in your recovery.
Amen
CONDOLENCES: Sandy and Terry Squier on the loss of his brother. May God bless you and be with you during this time of sorrow.
PEARL HARBOR DAY PRAYER: Our Father in Heaven, we beseech you to usher into our world of confusion and doubt, the peace and tranquility which alone can come from Thee. Bless and protect our Nation and our Veterans. As we commemorate those who gave their lives at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, be merciful to our honored dead, the memory of whose valor, courage and heroism inspires us to noble action and to eternal vigilance in the preservation of our priceless liberty and of our inalienable rights to enduring happiness. Let us be reminded of life, liberty, justice, freedom and democracy that we may be ever grateful to you and those veterans who gave so much for their Country. Waken in our hearts the desire and the will to accomplish the ideals for which this Nation exists so that out of our determination and endeavor there may emerge a better world—a world founded upon faith and understanding. In Jesus named we pray. Amen
Precious Babe of Bethlehem,
Gift of love to sinful men,
Thou, our Savior, Lord and King,
May we their praises sing.
In Jesus’ name, Amen
Care packages-Cell phones for soldiers-Marty Novak
We sent 33 Care Packages in November. Thanks to all who came to pack. These packages mean a lot to our Service men and women who are far from home and especially at this time of the year. Thanks to our American Legion Family for the help and support they give us, to the members, non-members, groups, organizations, and business of our community for their monetary donations, memorials and donations of supplies. It takes us all to keep this project going.
It was great having Becky Nazarrenus back to help with packages last month. Becky, you are welcome to come help anytime you are in town. Some of our winter people are back and helping with Care Packages and several new people joined us in November. Thanks for helping and we look forward to seeing you again in December. Our December packages are special. We try to make them more Christmassy by replacing store bought cookies with homemade cookies and candies and candy canes. Cookies and candies should be ones that travel well and placed in zip lock bags2 or 3 to a bag. We are sending approximately 50 boxes this month.
We always do Care Packages on the 2nd Wednesday of the month. Our next packing day is December 9. Some of us arrive at 10 to start setting things up and making boxes. We start filling the boxes about 10:30 and we are usually finished by 11. Anyone is welcome.
Cell Phones for Soldiers
We are still collecting used cell phones. These phones are sent for recycling and provide calling cards for our Troops. There is a collection container in the entry way of the Post.
What is a Veteran: A Veteran…whether active duty, discharged, retired, or reserve…is someone who, at one point in their life, wrote a blank check made payable to “The United States of America” for an amount of “up to, and including his/her life.” That is honor, and there are way too many people in this country today, who no longer understand that act..