Fall/Winter Newsletter

Fall/Winter 2012-2013 Newsletter - American Legion Post 106, 326 Oakland Road, Sweetwater,TN
Fellow Legionnaires a lot of activity has been going on at the Post since the Summer Newsletter. We have 100% paid membership and are actively recruiting more members to increase the percentages. Those who have not yet submitted your dues for 2013 please remit them as soon as possible to help us go over 100%. Please note the dues notices for 2014 will be coming out after July 1 and can either be paid online or sent to the address on the notice. According to the new guidelines, State would like the 2014 dues and future dues paid by December of each year.
June 2012 brought the Summer Conference. Some of the Post members attended the conference which was held at the Sheraton Music City Hotel in Nashville. New guidelines relating to saluting our flag were presented and passed on to members at the Post July meeting.
Also in July, the Ladies Auxiliary were presented their charter.
In August, Post and Auxiliary members attended the 3rd District meeting held at East Ridge Post 95. Also in August the Post was given a fire safety/prevention presentation by Captain James Bedsloe and Dewayne Reynolds of the Sweetwater Fire Department. The Post also participated in Sweetwater’s National Police Night Out.
In September, Jamie Lewis of the American Red Cross gave a presentation to the Post about the help they provide, i.e., food, shelter, clothing when disasters strike. A POW/MIA remembrance was held at the post on September 21 to honor those who are still missing or have been a prisoner of war. A cookout was held at the Commander’s home with members of the Post and Auxiliary attending. The Commander provided hot dogs and hamburgers with the members furnishing a covered dish or desert. The Post and Auxiliary also participated in the Muscadine Festivities held September 28-29, which included the parade. Post members attended a standdown held in Knoxville and then made a presentation to the Post about the services being offered to all veterans by the various organizations in attendance. Brochures about the various services were shared with the Post.
The second yard sale was held October 5-6, 2012, which brought in $444 with the bicycle raffle donation and the items donated by Jim and Debi Hartman along with items left over from the previous yard sale held in May 2012. A big thank you is sent out to them for their generosity. Plans are being made for the next yard sale, please consider donating your no longer used items in preparation for the sale.
In November, Charles “Chaz” Lee, III, grandson of former POW Charles Lee and Commissioner Judy Lee, gave a presentation about his experiences as the Post’s Boys State representative. Mr. Lee said he ran for and was initially elected as County Commissioner, but that he also ran for Appellate Judge where again he was elected. Since he could not hold two offices, he chose the Appellate Judge position and as part of his duties, was able to hear a case that was being presented before the Tennessee State Supreme Court, enabling him to observe the court process in action. He mentioned that he had a totally enjoyable time at Boys State and that he wanted to thank the Post for giving him this opportunity to attend and also for the great experiences he had. The Post members also participated in the various Veterans Day activities held at the Courthouse in Madisonville, various local Sweetwater Schools and also in Chattanooga (sponsored by the Hospice for Veterans, Home Health Care of East Tennessee). At the Chattanooga function, representatives from various organizations who support veterans were also in attendance.
In December, members of the Post and auxiliary met at the Dinner Bell restaurant for the annual Christmas celebration. Also in December the auxiliary underwent reorganization due to the resignation of a few of the members. A call for officers was made and the Constitution and ByLaws was prepared for submission to Department which resulted in the auxiliary members voting in a new day and time for their meeting, which is now going to be held the second Friday of each month at 1:00 p.m. and will be a lunch meeting at the conclusion of each meeting. New officers were sworn in at their January 2013 meeting.
Events planned by the Auxiliary are: the Valentine’s potluck held on February 8, 2013 at 6:00 p.m. at the Post, each member brought a covered dish. Also held in February was a fundraising dinner at the First United Methodist Church (FUMC). Kudos to Claudia Walker who planned and cooked the entire dinner. Members of the Post and Auxiliary who helped serve were Julia (Claudia’s granddaughter), Bill Walker and Suzanne Parker along Bill Morris of FUMC and deserve our thank you.
In March, a children’s Easter Egg Hunt at Engleman Park in Sweetwater is being planned by the Auxiliary. The assistance of Post members was requested to help hide the eggs and candy. Members who participated were requested to meet at 10:00 a.m. at the park. Other events being planned are a photograph with the Easter Bunny and a coloring contest with 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes being awarded to the age groups: 4 and under; 5-8, and 9-12. Coloring pages are being distributed to local children. Also monthly visitations with veterans domiciled in local nursing homes are being planned.
Those “war stories” are slow in coming, so far we have two members who have furnished their stories. Please consider giving us a write up of your stories so that they can be compiled and used as a fund raiser for the future. The publication may be something your family, children and grandchildren might like to keep or read about your funny/sad or general experiences you had during your service career.
Looking forward to receiving those “war stories” and military experiences. Send them to the Post Adjutant, PO Box 817, Sweetwater, TN 37874. That’s it for now….until the next time.