Woodbury Post 501 Newsletter - Sept 2020
Commanders Corner: We have been doing our monthly meetings over a teleconference since April due to COVID 19 and all of the protocols in place to keep us all safe. My hope was that this would present an opportunity for members to take advantage of our teleconference meetings to get involved in the inner workings of the Post and have your voice and opinion heard. That has not happened and I am very disappointed. I know that we are all busy, but attending our monthly meetings from the comfort of your home is the easiest and most convenient way to be part of our decision making. Let me know if there is anything that I can do to entice you to be part of our meetings. Look for the email announcing our meeting on 24 Sept.
Membership Update: As of today we have 94 renewals, two of which are new members. Our renewal goal for 2021 is 147, which means that we are 64% to goal. As always the best way to renew is at www.legion.org. Renew now so that we can get to our goal by the end of the year.
Woodbury 10th Annual Stafford Golf Tournament: The Woodbury Lions Golf Tournament was held on 10 August at Eagle Valley Golf Course. Post 501 members Bob Dolan, Russ Bentley Bruce Nettleton, and Paul Lindahl assisted with registration. The tournament had approximately seventy golfers and did not have Award Banquet, due to COVID-19 restrictions. The Lions Club has committed to providing 30%, or $ 3,000.00, whichever is less, of net proceeds to the Veterans Memorial Council to support maintenance of the Memorial. You can see some of the pictures taken at this event on the Post’s Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/WoodburyAmericanLegionPost501
Upcoming Events
2020 Poppy Days: The decision has been made, in coordination with VFW Post 9024, to reschedule poppy distribution to 18, 19, 20 September, with the two organizations distributing poppies the same weekend. We have approached the merchants from last year, seeking approval to distribute in front of their stores. We have had positive response from all but Sam's Club, indicating that due to COVID-19 restrictions, they will not allow us to be in front of their store this year. We are looking at using Hy-Vee in Oakdale to replace Sam's Club for distribution. With the two organizations, we have approximately twenty volunteers and we will be having a joint meeting on 2 Sept to finalize scheduling of volunteers and identify process for distribution that will provide safety for store employees, customers, and our volunteers. We are in process of purchasing face masks (VFW, American Legion) for volunteers to wear during distribution. More information will be coming shortly.
Oakdale/Lake Elmo Prayer Breakfast and Veteran Recognition: Russ Barrett, Chairman, Oakdale/Lake Elmo Prayer Breakfast and Veteran Recognition, has contacted the American Legion Post 501 and VFW Post 9024, regarding the breakfast. The two Posts are looking to see if the Woodbury VFW/American Legion Color Guard would be available to participate in opening ceremonies (posting colors) prior to breakfast, as we did last year. Breakfast is scheduled on 10 November. Mr. Barrett stated that the breakfast speaker is an individual who was badly burned at the Pentagon on 9/11 and has an "interesting story to tell." This event is patterned after the National Prayer Breakfast held in Washington, DC and is free to veterans! If interested email oleaprayerbreakfast@gmail.com for registration information.
Annual Woodbury Days: Woodbury Days was cancelled for this year so there is no opportunity to participate in the parade. Disappointing, as the parade provides us tremendous visibility in the community to a large number of residents.
This Day in History: On September 2, 1945, formal surrender occurred aboard the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. Victory over Japan Day (also known as V-J Day) is the day on which Imperial Japan surrendered in World War II, in effect bringing the war to an end. As welcome as victory over Japan was, the day was bittersweet in light of the war’s destructiveness. More than 400,000 Americans—and an estimated 65 million people worldwide had died in the conflict. Here is a salute to the Post 501’s WW2 members: Paul Esparza, Jane Fee, Walter Merrill, John Pflugi, and Dean Shepersky.
Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.
