Woodbury Post 501 May 2021 Newsletter
Commanders Corner: It has been a long year with all of the COVID restrictions, but we have persevered through it all. With vaccines restrictions starting to loosened we are seeing a light at the end of this tunnel. This year our Post has gotten back to in person meetings, Woodbury Legion baseball is coming back, Boys State is convening at St. John’s University, and it looks like we will be having a full Memorial Day event. This goes to show you that Legionnaire spirit is strong within our Post.
Membership Update: We have been stuck at 142 renewals for the last 2 months. Let’s get this over the goal line with the remaining few that need to renew. If you still need to renew, go to www.legion.org.
Poppy Days 2021: We are in full swing with the May Poppy Days (21-23 May) distribution with VFW Post 9024. The sites that we will be at this year are Cub Food, Jerry’s, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Total Wine, and Hy-Vee in Oakdale. It is important that we have enough volunteers to cover all of these sites and time slots. If you have not contacted me for a volunteer slot, give me a call at 703-851-5416 or reply to this email.
Boys State: Boys State for 2021 is a go, but will be restricted to 200 young men to comply with COVID restrictions. This year’s American Legion Boys State will be June 13-18, 2021 and will be held on the campus of St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota. Since we were ahead of the power curve, we received 3 confirmed spots from the Minnesota Department. Our selectees for this year are Tejiri Azukaeme from Woodbury High School & Matt Korf & Max Feist from St Thomas Academy. They should be a wonderful experience at Boys State and cannot wait to get their feedback at a future Post meeting.
Post Elections: It that time of the year again, the election of Post Officers. At our 24 June meeting we will be looking to fill a number of critical Post positions. A few of our members are currently performing in multiple Post officer positions and this cannot be maintained long term for the Post to remain as a viable activity. I am asking if you can find the time, we are looking to fill the following positions:
- Finance Officer:
- Responsible for the receiving & disbursing of Post funds
- Maintains the Posts checking accounts
- Renews and maintains Post's CD for optimum return
- Maintains the Posts financial records
- Develops annual Post budget
- Provides monthly financial report for Post meetings
- Submits annual tax Federal & State tax returns
- Membership Officer:
- Maintains the Post membership records on Legion.org to include adding and/or transferring members and updating membership information
- Manages the annual renewal process of Post membership
- Project Officer: Leads and manages the execution of the following Post events:
- Poppy Days
- Wall of Thanks
- Adjutant:
- Maintains Post records & files
- Submits annual Post reports
- Monthly meeting set up – conference room reservations
- Develops draft monthly meeting agenda
- Pick up & distribution of Post mail to appropriate Post officers
We can start you as an assistant in one of these positions and work up into the full position duties over time. If you interested in becoming more involved in the Post give me a call at (703) 851-5416 and we can discuss.
Upcoming Events
- 27 May – Woodbury Post 501 Monthly Meeting: The Posts My meeting will be held at Birdie Golf in the Valley Creek Mall at 7pm.
- 31 May – Woodbury Memorial Day Event: This annual event will be held at the Woodbury Veterans Memorial on Monday, May 31, 2021 at 11:00 am. This event is being hosted by the Woodbury V.F.W. Post 9024 & American Legion Post 501. The keynote speaker will be BG Charles Kemper, of the 34th “Red Bull” Infantry Division , Minnesota National Guard.
- 22 Jun - Salute to Servicewomen Golf Classic: Calling all Woodbury golfers. Here is an opportunity to show off your golf skills plus support a great cause. The Salute to Servicewomen Golf Classic, sponsored by MACV, is at the Prestwick Golf Club on 22 June. In 2019, the Salute to Servicewomen Golf Classic raised enough money to fund the furnishings for a new Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV) female veteran transitional home in Maplewood, MN, including move-in baskets to help these veterans get started. This is a wonderful event that I hope that you can find time to be part of. Women veterans can participate in the golf dinner free. The combined American Legion Post 501 and VFW Post 9024 Color Guard are hoping to be part of the opening ceremony. Registration and more information on this great event are at: 2021 Salute To Servicewomen Golf Classic-Event Details (birdease.com)
- 9 Aug – Woodbury Lions Golf Tournament: The Woodbury Lions Golf Tournament in Memory of Dick Stafford will be held on August 9, at Eagle Valley Golf Course.
- 10 Aug - Joint Veterans Picnic: This event will be held on 10 August, 5:00 to 09:00 pm, at Carver Lake Park. We were not able to hold the picnic last year, which it will make this year’s event even more special. The picnic is free and open to all Legion & VFW members and their families. More information on the picnic will be forwarded shortly.
- 22 Aug – Woodbury Days Parade: Everyone loves a parade and your American Legion Post 501 and VFW Post 9024 will be in this year’s Woodbury Days parade. If you would like to be part of our float let me know. More information on this year’s Woodbury Days can be see on Home - Woodbury Days
This Month in History – 31 May Memorial Day
Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Memorial Day 2021 will occur on Monday, May 31.
Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades. Unofficially, it marks the beginning of the summer season.
It is unclear where exactly this tradition originated; numerous different communities may have independently initiated the memorial gatherings. Some records show that one of the earliest Memorial Day commemoration was organized by a group of freed slaves in Charleston, South Carolina less than a month after the Confederacy surrendered in 1865. Nevertheless, in 1966 the federal government declared Waterloo, New York, the official birthplace of Memorial Day.
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.
