Post 501 E-newsletter for the month of April 2022.
Commanders Corner: I have been the Post Commander for almost 2 years. Over that time, I have received a number of calls from people asking to reserve our hall to booking bands to entertain our bar patrons. Ha! Ha! The calls that I take very seriously are the ones from veterans looking for assistance or just to talk. Most recently I was able to connect one of our Post members with the veterans’ organizations that could assist with their relocation. Veterans are everywhere in our community. If you know a veteran that has been isolated or is in need all it takes is a phone call to get the ball rolling. This is the whole idea behind the American Legions Buddy Checks. It is a great program that I plan on emphasizing throughout my Commander tenure.
Membership Update: As of today, we have 134 renewals, which means that we are at approximately 93.7% to goal. We are almost to goal. 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.
As a reminder we have a membership incentive program that will reimburse 50% of your membership fee and will also pay for 50% of the fee for the new members first year. Additionally current members who bring in 3 or more new members, within a membership season, will be eligible to receive a Legion Membership pin. If you have a qualified individual that wants to join our Post contact our Post Membership Officer Eric Hollan at ericwhollan@gmail.com.
Eagle Scout of the Year: Post 501 is proud to announce that Matt Korf was selected as the American Legion Minnesota Department Eagle Scout of the Year winner. This is the first year that the Post participated in the Eagle Scout of the Year program, and it is fantastic that Matt has won at the Department level. Now his application will be forwarded to National for consideration. Good luck.
Poppy Days 2022: As you have seen in the March Post’s newsletter, we will be having our first Poppy Day event for 2022 with the VFW Post 9024 on 13-15 May 2022 from 9am to 5pm each day. Last September we had an outstanding turn out of members that led to our best Poppy Day event ever. We will be at the high traffic retailers (Walmart, Hy-Vee, Sam’s Club, Total Wine, Jerry’s, & Cub) again to maximize the donations that we collect.
As you are aware Poppy Days is the primary revenue generator for our Post. Without the dollars generated by this event we would not survive to carry out the American Legion mission in Woodbury. Last year we were able to grant two High School scholarships, send three candidates to Boys State, support Woodbury Legion baseball, and make donations to Woodbury charities that promote the care of our fellow veterans.
Volunteers have been the backbone of Poppy Days and wanted to reach out to you to see if you are willing to volunteer your time. You can volunteer for half a day, the full day, either for one day or multiple days. It is essential, we get a sufficient number of our Legionnaires to staff these locations.
Please check your calendars and respond to this email or call me (703-851-5416), with the date(s) and hours you're willing to serve by 22 April 2022.
Believe me, it's a very satisfying experience, and a great opportunity to meet people and grow the American Legion footprint in our community.
Volunteer Opportunities:
- Moments Hospice: Moments Hospice are trying to recruit Veterans to become volunteers for Hospice patients that are veterans in your area. They have patients that are veterans and feel if they could get some veterans as volunteers, it would be helpful for patients to meet with a fellow veteran. The requirement is 4 hours a month for 6 months. Moments would provide training for volunteer. The veteran volunteer could share life experiences, read aloud, sit quietly with patients, play a game, watch a movie, whatever is more comfortable for patient. If you are interested in this volunteer opportunity call Sally Newbury at 612 597 0203 or email at sally.newbury@momentshospice.com
- Armed Forces Services Center (AFSC): The Armed Forces Service Center (AFSC) is an “all-free” stop located at the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport for active-duty military personnel and their dependents; Reservists, National Guardsmen and Military Retirees and their dependents. The AFSC is a one-of-a-kind facility, supported by a volunteer workforce and contributions (financial and in-kind product donations) received from various veterans’ organizations, corporate and personal contributors. AFSC is not affiliated with the USO, and do not receive funds from the US Government.
Volunteers at the Armed Forces Service Center (AFSC) are able to set their schedules via an online scheduling system. AFSC askes all of our volunteers to work two four-hour shifts per month for a minimum of one year. Duties include meeting and greeting guests, checking eligibility identification, limited food preparation, offering Center amenities, and light housekeeping tasks. For more information on the AFSC and how to volunteer go to: Minnesota Armed Forces Service Center (mnafsc.org)
Upcoming Events
- 28 April – Woodbury Post 501 Monthly Meeting: The Post’s April meeting will be held at the Woodbury City Hall in the Ash North (main floor) conference room at 7pm.
- 3 May – AFJROTC Awards Ceremony - Woodbury High School in the Lecture Hall, 2665 Woodlane Dr, Woodbury, beginning at 6:00 p.m.
- 13-15 May – Poppy Days
- 17 May - Woodbury Newcomer Event – Post 501 will be participating in the City of Woodbury’s Newcomer event at M Health Fairview Sports Center (formerly HealthEast Sports Center), from 5:00 to 7:00pm. As part of the city’s goal to foster an inclusive and welcoming community, they have created an opportunity for the city to welcome new residents into our community, share information about the services and resources available from the city, and allow them the chance to learn about what the non-profit organizations in the area have to offer as well. Come see us at our table.
- 23 May – Woodbury High School Award Ceremony – The Post will be presenting its two Stafford Scholarships at this ceremony in Woodbury High School’s auditorium beginning at 6:00 p.m.
- 26 May – Woodbury Post 501 Monthly Meeting: The Post’s May meeting will be held at the Woodbury City Hall in the Ash North (main floor) conference room at 7pm.
- 30 May – Memorial Day – Join us for a Memorial Day program at the Woodbury Veterans Memorial.
- 16 Aug – Joint VFW/American Legion Annual Picnic – located at Carver Lake Park from 3-9pm.
This Month in History – Gold Star Spouses (April 5th)
“Gold Star Families” or “Gold Star Spouses” are terms that traditionally refer to the surviving loved ones of military members who have been killed in the line of duty and/or in combat. Gold Star Spouses Day was created to honor these loved ones who have sacrificed so much.
The Gold Star tradition began in World War I. During that time families with someone serving in the military flew flags with blue stars representing each family member currently serving. When a member was killed in the war, the star was changed to gold to let the community know the sacrifice that family had made. This tradition has evolved to include wearing a Gold Star lapel pin that is awarded by the military to the surviving family members.
The designation of Gold Star Spouses Day in 2010 not only recognizes the sacrifices made by these military spouses. It is also a day of remembrance, a memorial for the fallen, and appreciation for those who might be in danger of being overlooked for their service and sacrifice for our country.
There are far better things ahead than we ever leave behind.
