American Legion Post 94
JUNE-JULY 2019 Newsletter
Up-Coming Meetings and Events
Monthly Membership Meetings (Second Friday of every month except July)
6:00 pm – Social
6:30 pm – Dinner
7:30 pm – Program
14 June 2019
Installation of 2019-2020 officers and Vietnam War Anniversary Award Ceremony.
If you are a Vietnam War era veteran, please come to the meeting to be recognized.
No Post Meeting in July 2019
17 – 21 July
Department Convention, Spokane
9 August 2019
Program not yet finalized.
Post and American Legion News
Date Change for dinner. The American Legion National Commander will be coming to our Post on 27 June 2019 for dinner and meeting. You are cordially invited to attend and your assistance in preparing for his visit would be much appreciated. If you plan on attending, please let the adjutant know. Larry can be contacted at 360.701.5921 or email at lgrani@comcast.net.
Our Post has been partnering with the Lacey Veterans Services Hub, Home Depot, and the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Club to do repairs and assist disabled veterans in our area.
· On 8 June 2019, this project was completed. The individual is a Vietnam veteran who is an amputee and has bladder cancer with mobility issues. The walkway, wheelchair ramp and railing, and major yard clean up were completed.
· Additional projects to assist handicapped veterans are being planned and your assistance is much appreciated. These are great opportunities to help other veterans in need. If you could help, please come around 8:00 am or contact the Post Commander at 360.867.1839 or walkersolympia@comcast.net.
The Post now has a website in addition to its Facebook page. Please check it out at:
http://centennial.legion.org/washington/post94
You can also follow Post activities on Facebook. Check it out and like us to follow events.
Our Facebook page is American Legion Post 94 Lacey Washington.
General Veteran and Safety News
With the 4th of July approaching and summer travel underway, here are some safety tips for both.
Ten Safety Tips for this 4th of July
CHICAGO –Ensure your Independence Day weekend is filled with celebration and not regret with these 10 fire safety tips, from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region V office in Chicago:
- Be sure fireworks are legal in your area before using or buying them.
- Always have an adult supervise fireworks activities and never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks. Sparklers alone account for one quarter of emergency room fireworks injuries.
- If you set off fireworks, keep a bucket of water handy in case of malfunction or fire.
- If fireworks malfunction, don’t relight them! Douse and soak them with water then throw them away.
- Never ignite fireworks in a container, especially one that is glass or metal.
- Use your grill well away from your home and deck railings, and out from under branches or overhangs.
- Open your gas grill before lighting.
- Periodically remove grease or fat buildup in trays below your gas or propane grill so it cannot be ignited.
- Declare a three-foot "kid and pet-free zone" around the grill to keep them safe.
- Avoid loose clothing that can catch fire when cooking on the grill.
You can find more information and tips on being fire safe this Fourth of July, by visiting www.usfa.fema.gov and be sure to download the FEMA app, available for Apple, Android and Blackberry mobile devices. The app includes home fire safety tips and reminders users can set to test smoke alarms (monthly), change smoke alarm batteries (yearly), and practice fire escape plans (every six months).
FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
CDC’s Eight Tips for Safe and Healthy Summertime Work and Play
Whether you are planning an overseas vacation, getting ready for a staycation, or will be working outdoors, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s latest health tips, alerts, and social media updates include practical advice for travelers, swimmers, and everyone who wants to beat the summer heat.
“Summer is a great time to travel and enjoy the great outdoors, but it’s important to take simple, common-sense precautions,” said CDC Principal Deputy Director Anne Schuchat, M.D. “From information about travel vaccinations to tips to prevent insect bites, CDC provides resources to help keep you and your loved ones healthy and safe.”
Travel abroad safely
Before traveling abroad, check out health and safety risks at your destination. Animal illnesses and drinking water might be very different from what you’re used to and could make you sick. Get needed vaccinations at least 4 to 6 weeks before you leave to ensure you’re protected by the time you travel.
CDC’s Summer Travel Abroad site has health and safety tips for anyone traveling outside the United States. CDC’s latest traveler’s health updates include information about measles and malaria. Many countries are experiencing measles outbreaks, including Brazil, England, France, Israel, Japan and Ukraine. Check out CDC’s Vaccine Information Statements (VIS) to get the latest information. New anti-malarial medications are available for travelers to parts of the Caribbean, Central and South America, Southeast Asia, and Africa. About 1,700 cases of malaria are diagnosed every year in U.S. travelers who go abroad.
Swimming safety
Swimming, one of the most popular summer activities for children and adults, gets the spotlight May 20–26, when we observe Healthy and Safe Swimming Week.
This year’s theme, “Pool Chemistry for Healthy and Safe Swimming,” highlights the roles that swimmers, parents of young swimmers, aquatics and beach staff, residential pool owners, and public health officials play in preventing disease outbreaks, drowning, and pool chemical injuries.
CDC recommends that everyone check out the latest inspection score of pools where you plan to swim. Look for inspection scores online or on site. Chemicals like chlorine are added to pool water to kill germs and stop them from spreading, helping to keep swimmers healthy. However, mishandling pool chemicals can cause injuries. Owners and operators of both public and privately owned pools, hot tubs/spas, and water playgrounds can take steps to prevent pool chemical injuries.
Young Worker Safety and Health
Young workers (ages 15–24) have higher rates of job-related injury compared to adult workers. To help keep young workers safe at their summer jobs, CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is participating in the social media campaign, #MySafeSummerJobexternal icon, to provide workplace safety and health information and resources to employers of youth, young workers, parents, and educators. My Safe Summer Job is a collaboration between government agencies—including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and NIOSH—and numerous professional and non-profit organizations, including CareerSafe and the National Safety Council. The campaign is raising awareness about job-related hazards and how to address them, workers’ rights and responsibilities, voicing safety concerns on the job, and injury prevention.
Beat the heat and rays
Heat kills more than 600 people in the United States each year. Preventing heat-related illnesses, including heat stroke and heat exhaustion, is important for people of all ages, but extreme heat poses the greatest risk for people under age 4 and over 65, and anyone who has a pre-existing medical condition or who lives in a home without air conditioning. The best ways to protect yourself from heat include staying cool, hydrated, and informed: find air-conditioning during hot hours and wear cool clothing, drink plenty of liquids, and pay attention to heat advisories. NIOSH offers several recommendations and tools that employers can incorporate into trainings, and workers can use in real-time, in order to help stay safe when working in heat.
Sunburn is a common summertime injury. Unprotected skin can be burned by the sun’s UV rays in as little as 15 minutes, but can take up to 12 hours for the skin to show the damage. CDC recommends staying out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when its UV rays are at their highest level. Sunscreen is recommended for anyone working and playing outside in the summer, even on cloudy days. Hats, sunglasses, and long sleeves are also recommended for outdoors activities.
Children’s health and safety
Summer activities, such as riding a bike and playground time, are great for a child’s development. To keep kids healthy and safe all summer long, be sure children use helmets that fit well while riding their bikes and follow playground safety tips from CDC’s website. Parents should ensure children stay safe while traveling in cars. Children should be properly buckled in a car seat, booster seat, or seat belt —whichever is appropriate for their weight, height, and age — on every trip. Properly buckling upimage icon reduces serious and fatal injuries by up to 80 percent. Children under age 13 are best protected in the back seat.
Stay up to date on vaccines
Making sure your child is up to date on vaccines is key to protecting them against serious diseases throughout their life. The summer is a great time to make appointments for your child to get recommended vaccines or to catch up on vaccines they might have missed when they were younger. CDC’s recommended immunization schedule is safe and effective at protecting your child from 14 infectious diseases like measles, chickenpox, and rubella. It’s based on how your child’s immune system responds to vaccines at various ages, and how likely your child is to be exposed to a particular disease. CDC also recommends three vaccines for all 11- to 12-year-old boys and girls to prevent infections that can cause meningitis, HPV cancers, and whooping cough. More information about how vaccines work, where to find vaccines in your areaexternal icon, and what vaccines your child needs can be found on CDC vaccine website, www.cdc.gov/vaccines.
Food safety
Food poisoning peaks during summer months due to warmer temperatures, which can let foodborne germs thrive. Each year, 1 in 6 Americans get sick from eating contaminated food. CDC also has advice for food safety when grilling.
Insect protection
Protect yourself and your family from insect bites by using Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellentsexternal icon with active ingredients such as DEET. Apply repellents only to exposed skin or clothing, as directed on the product label and always follow instructions when applying insect repellent to children.
Murphy’s Military Laws of the month
· Fortify your front; you’ll get your rear shot up.
· The bursting radius of a hand grenade is always one foot greater than your jumping range.
· Radar tends to fail at night and in bad weather, and especially during both.
Adjutant’s Report
If you have not renewed your membership for this year, please do so soon.
Building Rental
If you were not aware, the Post offers both the post building and the pavilion for rent.
Building
Post Members
Non-Members
Post Building
$175.00
$325.00
Pavilion (available only on week nights)
$175.00
$325.00
Pavilion is no longer available for weekend rentals. The post has a Church renting it for both Saturday and Sundays.
There is a $200.00 refundable security deposit requirement as well. Please contact Larry Granish at 360.701.5921 or email at lgrani@comcast.net to reserve either facility.
Chaplain’s Corner
Contact the Post Chaplain, Otis Chapman, at lukie1964@gmail.com if you need assistance.
Service Officer and VA News
What care and services does VA health care cover?
Each Veteran’s medical benefits package is unique. Yours will include care and services to help:
§ Treat illnesses and injuries
§ Prevent future health problems
§ Improve your ability to function
§ Enhance your quality of life
All Veterans receive coverage for most care and services, but only some will qualify for added benefits like dental care. The full list of your covered benefits depends on:
§ Your priority group, and
§ The advice of your VA primary care provider (your main doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician’s assistant), and
§ The medical standards for treating any health conditions you may have
Learn more about priority groups
You should also know that being signed up for VA health care meets your Affordable Care Act (ACA) health coverage requirement of having “minimum essential health coverage.” We’ll update this site if the ACA changes with new laws.
Learn more about the ACA, VA, and you
Service Officer Information
Do you feel that you have a residual health problem that is linked to your time in the service? Have you applied for benefits with the Veterans Administration and been turned down? If so, do not try to deal with the VA on your own. My name is Rose Hodgeboom and I am the Post 94 service officer. It is my job to help you navigate the benefits system. Call me at 360-491-3621 if you need assistance with a claim. The Legion also has a Temporary Financial Assistance program that could help you one time with paying your utilities, rent/mortgage, or other emergency needs. This is an American Legion Children and Youth program and to qualify you must have minor children in your home. If you feel you need help from this program let me know and I will be glad to help.
The Lacey Veterans Service Hub also provides a wide variety of assistance to veterans and now has over 35 providers working out of there. The Hub is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm (except holidays) and is located at 4232 6th Avenue SE, Suite 202, Lacey, WA 98503. The phone number is 360.456.3850.
Post Officers for 2017-2018
Commander – Gary Walker
1st Vice-Commander - Bob Nakamura
2nd Vice Commander - Larry Douglas
Adjutant - Larry Granish
Finance Officer – Dave Hodgeboom
Sergeant at Arms – Kevin Lindsey
Chaplain – Otis Chapman
Veteran Service Officer - Rose Hodgeboom
Judge Advocate - David Hodgeboom
Post Historian – Eric Strom
