Woodbury Post 501 Newsletter - April 2020
Post Meetings: Out of concern for the safety of our members that attend Legion meetings & to be in compliance with the Governors guidance we will not be conducting our Post meetings at City Hall until further notice due to COVID-19. We held our April Post meeting through a conference call. It worked out very well and we were able to conduct our regular Post business remotely. We look at holding our monthly meetings, as a conference call, as an opportunity for more of our members to participate.
Membership Update:
- We reported last month that the Post was at 100% of its membership renewal goal. Due to a discrepancy in 3 renewals with Department our Post was officially at 138 renewals, at the end of March. Through April we had 2 members renew bringing our number to 140 members that have renewed for 2020. We still have around 8 members that still need to renew for 2020. Let’s get it done, because before you know it the 2021 renewal season will begin. You have a couple of choices in which to renew your membership: (1) Go online to https://www.legion.org/ or (2) mail a check for $39, made out to American Legion, to 10803 Oak Grove Blvd Woodbury, MN 55129.
- Over the last month we had 3 people transfer into the Post from the At Large roles. We will continue to pursue Legion At Large members to grow our Post within the Woodbury community.
Upcoming Events
- Memorial Day Program: The Memorial Day Program planning committee continues to discuss actions and decisions as we need to have a plan for the event, however, recognize that if COVID-19 continues, the program may need to be cancelled.
- American Legion Program Cancellations: The American Legion Minnesota Department advised us that Boys State, Legionville School Safety Patrol Camp, National, Department and District 3 conventions have been cancelled for 2020.
Post 501 Officer Elections: During the April Post meeting we held our elections for Post officers for the New Year. We had a quorum of current Post officers on the conference call to officially hold elections. With the nominations made and the votes counted your new Post 501 officers are:
- Post Commander – Bob Dolan
- Finance Officer – Tom Grezek
- Service Officer – Paul Lindahl
- Sergeant at Arms – Bob Halter
- Chaplain – Mike Zerr
The new Post officers will assume their roles starting on 1 July 2020 and continuing through 31 June 2021
COVID-19 relief grants for Minnesota veterans: The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs is accepting applications for financial assistance from Minnesota veterans financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This program is was included in the COVID-19 response package that the Legislature passed in March. The Department will award one-time financial relief grants of $1,000.
According to the news release, eligible applicants must be:
1. A veteran or the surviving spouse of a deceased veteran as defined by Minnesota Statute 197.447;
2. A Minnesota resident, and;
3. Negatively financially impacted by COVID-19.
You can get more information on this important benefit at: https://kttc.com/2020/04/06/minnesota-veterans-can-now-apply-for-covid-19-relief-grants/#.XoylUyQBqbo.mailto
Fallen Warrior: Another warrior has fallen. Mr. Gil Thoele passed away on 31 March 2020 at Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center in Sun City West, AZ, 14 days after falling while walking on a path near his house. Mr. Thoele suffered an apparent cardiac event. He was a Korean War veteran stationed in Baltimore Maryland. Mr. Thoele served as president of the St. Paul Rotary Club; director of the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce; district chairman of the Greater East Side Indianhead Boy Scout Council of St. Paul; director of the St. Paul Jaycees; president and director of the Executive Association of St. Paul; chairman of United Fund’s local small-business recruitment and was passionate about the St. Paul Winter Carnival, serving in many roles throughout the years. To learn more about his fantastic and amazing life read the excellent tribute in the attached link from the St Paul Pioneer Press: https://www.twincities.com/…/obituary-gil-thoele-tirelessl…/
Buddy Checks: As Legionnaires, our most sacred responsibility is to look out for each other and our fellow veterans. We are living in unprecedented times with COVID-19. The closings we are seeing including schools, colleges, restaurants, sporting events, festivals, concerts, bowling alleys along with the unknown length of time of these closures is extraordinary. What we are going through right now is not like 9/11 where things were closed for a few days, right now when things will open is unknown. So as Legion members I encourage you to reach out to veterans who may need assistance but don’t know where to go or who to ask. We need to let the veterans in our community know we care and provide whatever assistance they may need. It’s what we do for our battle buddies. We have already reached out to our World War 2 & Korean War Post members. We are currently working on calling our Vietnam veterans. If you want to be part of these Buddy Checks give Commander Tom Grezek, 651-235-5553/grezek@msn.com or Vice Commander Bob Dolan, 703-851-5416/dolanrp@verizon.net a call and we can give you a group of people to call.
I do believe that when the going gets tough the tough get going, and I'm confident our membership has what it takes to weather this virus challenge.
