American Legion Post 94
DECEMBER 2019 Newsletter
Up-Coming Meetings
Monthly Membership Meetings (Second Friday of every month except July)
6:00 pm – Social
6:30 pm – Dinner
7:30 pm – Program
13 December 2019
Program will be the bi-annual CPR training
10 January 2020
Program will be the annual update from our boy scout troop.
Up-Coming Events
Here are a few events for your information. More importantly, everyone is encouraged to come and participate in any or all of them.
11 December 2019
Dinner in honor of the 100th Year Anniversary of the American Legion
· Dinner and program start at 6:00 pm
· The Post will be hosting a dinner in honor of the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of the American Legion in the State of Washington.
· The leading candidate for the next national commander will be the keynote speaker.
31 January 2020
Our Post is hosting a dinner at 6:00 pm as part of the Department Mid-Winter Conference.
31 January – 1 February 2020
Department Mid-Winter Conference at the Lacey Community Center
Post and American Legion News
The Post has been busy over the past month and many thanks to everyone who pitched and helped out.
At the Thurston County Veterans Stand-Down on 15 November, the Post distributed 57 Thanksgiving food baskets to veterans and their families. A lot of smiles and thank-you were shared that day.
On Tuesday, 26 November 2019, members of the Post and the Department Commander and Adjutant presented the Post Educator of the Year award to a teacher at Seven Oaks Elementary School. It was a great event and the Post was well received.
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
Enjoy a Safe Holiday Season from the National Safety Council
Holiday safety is an issue that burns brightest from late November to mid-January, when families gather, parties are scheduled and travel spikes. Take some basic precautions to ensure your family remains safe and injury-free throughout the season.
Traveling for the Holidays? Be Prepared
Many people choose to travel by car during the holidays, which has the highest fatality rate of any major form of transportation based on fatalities per passenger mile. In 2017, 329 people died on New Year's Day, 463 on Thanksgiving Day and 299 on Christmas Day, according to Injury Facts. Alcohol impairment was involved in about a third of the fatalities.
Stay safe on the roads over the holidays and every day:
· Prepare your car for winter and keep an emergency preparedness kit with you
· Get a good night’s sleep before departing and avoid drowsy driving
· Leave early, planning ahead for heavy traffic
· Make sure every person in the vehicle is properly buckled up no matter how long or short the distance traveled
· Put that cell phone away; many distractions occur while driving, but cell phones are the main culprit
· Practice defensive driving
· Designate a sober driver to ensure guests make it home safely after a holiday party; alcohol or over-the-counter, prescription and illegal drugs can cause impairment
Decorate Safely
Decorating is one of the best ways to get in a holiday mood, but emergency rooms see thousands of injuries involving holiday decorating every season.
When decorating follow these tips from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:
· Keep potentially poisonous plants – mistletoe, holly berries, Jerusalem cherry and amaryllis – away from children
· If using an artificial tree, check that it is labeled “fire resistant”
· If using a live tree, cut off about 2 inches of the trunk to expose fresh wood for better water absorption, remember to water it and remove it from your home when it is dry
· Place your tree at least 3 feet away from fireplaces, radiators and other heat sources, making certain not to block doorways
· Avoid placing breakable ornaments or ones with small, detachable parts on lower tree branches where small children can reach them
· Only use indoor lights indoors and outdoor lights outdoors, and choose the right ladder for the task when hanging lights
· Replace light sets that have broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections
· Follow the package directions on the number of light sets that can be plugged into one socket
· Never nail, tack or stress wiring when hanging lights and keep plugs off the ground away from puddles and snow
· Turn off all lights and decorations when you go to bed or leave the house
Watch Out for Fire-Starters
Candles and Fireplaces
Use of candles and fireplaces, combined with an increase in the amount of combustible, seasonal decorations in many homes during the holidays, means more risk for fire. The National Fire Protection Association reports that one-third of home decoration fires are started by candles and that two of every five decoration fires happen because the decorations are placed too close to a heat source.
· Place candles where they cannot be knocked down or blown over and out of reach of children.
· Keep matches and lighters up high and out of reach for children in a locked cabinet.
· Use flameless, rather than lighted, candles near flammable objects.
· Don't burn trees, wreaths or wrapping paper in the fireplace.
· Use a screen on the fireplace at all times when a fire is burning.
· Never leave candles or fireplaces burning unattended or when you are asleep.
· Check and clean the chimney and fireplace area at least once a year.
Turkey Fryers
Be alert to the dangers if you're thinking of celebrating the holidays by frying a turkey. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports there have been 154 turkey-fryer related fires, burns or other injuries since 2004, with $5.2 million in property damage losses have resulted from these incidents.
NSC discourages the use of turkey fryers at home and urges those who prefer fried turkey to seek out professional establishments or consider using an oil-less turkey fryer. If you must fry your own turkey, follow all U.S. Fire Administration turkey fryer guidelines.
Food Poisoning Is No Joke
Keep your holidays happy by handling food safely. The foodsafety.gov website from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides some valuable holiday food safety tips:
· Wash your hands frequently when handling food
· Keep raw meat away from fresh produce
· Use separate cutting boards, plate and utensils for uncooked and cooked meats to avoid cross-contamination
· Use a food thermometer to make sure meat is cooked to a safe temperature
· Refrigerate hot or cold leftover food within two hours of being served
· When storing turkey, cut the leftovers in small pieces so they will chill quickly
· Thanksgiving leftovers are safe for three to four days when properly refrigerated
Watch this holiday food safety video for more information.
It's Better to Give Safely
Gifts and toys should inspire joy, not cause injuries. More than a quarter of a million children were seriously injured in toy-related incidents in 2017. Avoid safety hazards while gifting with these tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:
· Toys are age-rated for safety, not for children’s intellect and physical ability, so be sure to choose toys in the correct age range
· Choose toys for children under 3 that do not have small parts which could be choking hazards
· For children under 10, avoid toys that must be plugged into an electrical outlet
· Be cautious about toys that have button batteries or magnets, which can be harmful or fatal if swallowed
· When giving scooters and other riding toys, give the gift of appropriate safety gear, too; helmets should be worn at all times and they should be sized to fit
To find out about holiday toy safety and recalls, check the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission website.
Murphy’s Military Laws of the month
· To steal information from a person is called plagiarism. To steal information from the enemy is called gathering intelligence.
· When reviewing the radio frequencies that you just wrote down, the most important ones are always illegible.
· When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is not your friend.
· It is generally inadvisable to eject directly over the area you just bombed.
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
VA Aid and Attendance benefits and Housebound allowance
VA Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits provide monthly payments added to the amount of a monthly VA pension for qualified Veterans and survivors. If you need help with daily activities, or you’re housebound, find out if you qualify.
Am I eligible for VA Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits as a Veteran or survivor?
VA Aid and Attendance eligibility
If you get a VA pension and you meet at least one of the requirements listed below, you may be eligible for this benefit.
At least one of these must be true:
§ You need another person to help you perform daily activities, like bathing, feeding, and dressing, or
§ You have to stay in bed—or spend a large portion of the day in bed—because of illness, or
§ You are a patient in a nursing home due to the loss of mental or physical abilities related to a disability, or
§ Your eyesight is limited (even with glasses or contact lenses you have only 5/200 or less in both eyes; or concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less)
Housebound benefits eligibility
If you get a VA pension and you spend most of your time in your home because of a permanent disability (a disability that doesn’t go away), you may be eligible for this benefit.
Note: You can’t get Aid and Attendance benefits and Housebound benefits at the same time.
Eligibility for Veterans Pension
The Veterans Pension program provides monthly payments to wartime Veterans who meet certain age or disability requirements, and who have income and net worth within certain limits. Find out if you’re eligible for this benefit.
Am I eligible for Veterans Pension benefits from VA?
If you meet the VA pension eligibility requirements listed below, you may be eligible for the Veterans Pension program.
Both of these must be true:
§ You didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge, and
§ Your yearly family income and net worth meet certain limits set by Congress. Your net worth includes all personal property you own (except your house, your car, and most home furnishings), minus any debt you owe. Your net worth includes the net worth of your spouse.
Find out about Veterans Pension rates
And at least one of these must be true about your service. You:
§ Started on active duty before September 8, 1980, and you served at least 90 days on active duty with at least 1 day during wartime, or
§ Started on active duty as an enlisted person after September 7, 1980, and served at least 24 months or the full period for which you were called or ordered to active duty (with some exceptions) with at least 1 day during wartime, or
§ Were an officer and started on active duty after October 16, 1981, and you hadn’t previously served on active duty for at least 24 months
And at least one of these must be true. You:
§ Are at least 65 years old, or
§ Have a permanent and total disability, or
§ Are a patient in a nursing home for long-term care because of a disability, or
§ Are getting Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income
How do I know if I served under an eligible wartime period?
Under current law, we recognize the following wartime periods to decide eligibility for VA pension benefits:
- Mexican Border period (May 9, 1916, to April 5, 1917, for Veterans who served in Mexico, on its borders, or in adjacent waters)
- World War I (April 6, 1917, to November 11, 1918)
- World War II (December 7, 1941, to December 31, 1946)
- Korean conflict (June 27, 1950, to January 31, 1955)
- Vietnam War era (February 28, 1961, to May 7, 1975, for Veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam during that period. August 5, 1964, to May 7, 1975, for Veterans who served outside the Republic of Vietnam.)
- Gulf War (August 2, 1990, through a future date to be set by law or presidential proclamation)
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 2019-2020
Commander – Gary Walker
1st Vice-Commander - Eric Strom
2nd Vice Commander - Bob Nakamura
Adjutant - Larry Granish
Finance Officer – Jose Vargas
Sergeant at Arms – Kevin Lindsey
Chaplain – Otis Chapman
Veteran Service Officer - Rose Hodgeboom
Judge Advocate - David Hodgeboom
Post Historian – Len Tobin
