The American Legion
Dean Mendenhall Post 13
P. O. Box 1002
Provo, Utah 84603
(801) 224-7477
December 30, 2012
Mr. Brian E. Smith
Senior Services Supervisor
Provo Parks & Recreation
270 West 500 North
Provo, Utah 84601
Dear Mr. Smith:
Thank you for responding to our request, and for meeting with us on December 4, 2012, but more importantly for being so willing to work with us on these issues. We as representatives of The American Legion and other Veteran’s Service Organizations (VSO) in Provo and the surrounding area wish to continue dialog concerning permanent meeting spaces for our entities as previously enjoyed within the Eldred Senior Center. Thank you again for allowing the VSO’s a dedicated “Veteran’s Room” within the Provo City Offices. During our last meeting, you requested a list of our needs, which follow:
1. Our organizations shall continue to support Provo City on all occasions of veteran related and other community events, and shall maintain representation on the Mayors Veteran’s Council, which serves as an excellent partnership between our organizations and Provo City.
2. Our organizations shall continue to provide patriotic education service within local schools in such programs as Citizenship, Self-Government and Public Service, “proper Flag etiquette”, child safety, get out to vote, etc.
3. It is our desire that the “Veteran’s Room” use be at no cost to the VSO’s, in return for which the VSO’s shall maintain the room for proper order, cleanliness and display of veteran memorabilia, plus proper storage of administrative forms required in the execution of our duties.
4. It is likewise our desire that the use of the “Veteran’s Room” be extended to the Ladies Auxiliaries of our organizations and for such related children and youth functions of our organizations as we are truly Veteran’s Service Organizations families.
5. It is likewise our desire that our organization be allowed coordinated access to the “Veterans Room” in order to gain access to our flags, rifles and other needed items in order to conduct funeral honors for veterans and others and other related functions of our organizations. This access may be granted through Provo Police Department or other entity of your choosing.
6. It is also our desire that Provo City provide adequate and proper storage facilities for our VSO’s which meet city requirements in order to properly store our Post Flags, memorabilia and other items. It is further our desire that within the “Veteran’s Room”, our VSO’s be allowed to display veteran related artifacts and historical documents upon display in appropriate glassed and closed display cases, and that we be allowed to display plaques, emblems and other memorabilia on the walls of the “Veteran’s Room”.
7. It is also our desire that our organizations be allowed to schedule other, more appropriate meeting spaces “as necessary” to conduct the business of our organizations, but that our organizations not be provided priority scheduling of such facilities. This scheduling may include larger Post/Unit, District or Department of Utah functions, which may bring outside guests, visiting dignitaries and other guests into our community.
8. Due to there being no kitchen facilities within the Provo City offices, it is our desire that from time to time, we be allowed to either cater or have pot-luck meals within the “Veteran’s Room”, or other scheduled facilities.
9. Because most of our members are already senior citizens, it is our desire that our members and guests be allowed access to elevators and other such ADA compliant facilities during our functions.
10. We very much appreciate the concessional use of electronic signs throughout the City to advertise meetings and other functions for our VSO’s.
Having accepted responsibility as Commander of The American Legion, Dean Mendenhall Provo Post 13, and in conjunction with other VSO’s within Provo, The American Legion, Department of Utah (our nations largest congressionally chartered VSO since 1919), I would on behalf of each of our organizations take this opportunity to express heartfelt appreciation for your willingness to help meet our needs in such excellent fashion. It remains our honor to support city related activities, the care of all Provo citizens and the education of our youth. We likewise appreciate being involved, and are honored to serve on the Mayors Veteran’s Council as we orchestrate and support all coordinated veteran’s public functions within our great city. I remain for God & Country
Sincerely
Randy D. Edwards, Commander
American Legion Dean Mendenhall Provo Post 13
(801) 224-7477
edwards.randy60@gmail.com
cc: Disabled American Veterans
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Retired Officers Association
