Brakeman-King

POST 336 NEWS

JULY / AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2009 ISSUE

EDITOR: Violet Cooley

- Post -

Commander's Corner....

Greetings!

How is my extended family? Elections are over and I am proud to say I am Post Commander for 2009-2010. I am looking forward to serving along with the officers from the Post, who have decided that they wish to be a part of the solution. Currently our Post is being recognized for participation of our members at the County level, the Sons of the Legion at the State level and we are all supported by the Ladies Auxiliary. Due to our diligence we, as a whole, are making a difference. Members from other Posts have nothing but good things to say about Post 336 and its members. We go to conventions in every corner of the state and win many awards for general participation. When guests visit our Post, they comment on the hospitality and warm welcome they receive from Post 336. They always comment on how good we make them feel. I wish to thank Corky and all of her bartenders for doing a great job once again. You are a very important part of our success because you are the greeter and the person who makes our guests feel comfortable asking all sorts of questions about membership and how a person can join. As I reflect on where our success is, overall, we are a club in every sort of way, however, the work that we do under God, Family, Community, State and Nation, means that we are not just a club, WE ARE THE AMERICAN LEGION. This Post has been doing and will continue to do great things. You, as members, should be proud of yourselves because our American Legion can only be as good as its members. I look forward to a great year working with all of you and God Bless.

Your Commander,

Derrick Abney

PLEASE TRY TO ATTEND THE POST, SAL, OR AUXILIARY MEETINGS.
THEY ARE VERY IMPORTANT AND ANY SUGGESTIONS OR IDEAS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME.

- Auxiliary -

Everyone is excited that summer is here, as is the Auxiliary. Our summer calendar is not as busy but we will be hosting some dinners so watch your calendar for the dates. We have a new 2nd Vice who is Diane Buchs. She will be doing the dinners and hosting our children's parties throughout this next year. Let's all give her a warm welcome.

We held our election of officers in May and they are as follows:
President - Cora Duruttya
1st Vice -Julia Johnson
2nd Vice - Diane Buchs
Secretary - Cheryl Galayda
Treasurer - Violet Cooley
Chaplain - Debbi Shaffer
Historian - Suzy Ledoux
Guard - Joanne Santangelo

We welcome all our new electees to their respective positions for the upcoming year. The Ladies Auxiliary relies on our dinners and benefit fundraisers (raffles, etc.) to fund our charities at the end of each year. Your ongoing support is greatly appreciated. Our breakfasts will stop for the summer after Father's Day (June 21st. This breakfast is free to all Fathers who are members of the Legion 336.) They have been very successful and we hope to start them up again in the fall. Again, THANK YOU for your continued support.

Special events for the summer are the Mardi Gras Parade (which our Juniors will participate in), our Post Picnic which will be held on August 16th, and the Lake County Fair Parade. The Auxiliary continues to support all Post functions to the best of our ability.

In closing, please remember and pray for our troops and their families.

Cora Duruttya
Auxiliary President

- S.A.L. -

I would like to start by saying that our Convention in Cincinnati was very nice and thanks to all who attended. I'm glad to say while attending this meeting, our Post was up for some awards and we won 3 of them. Bob Hearn won the Scrapbook Award, Rex Buchs received the S.A.L. of the Year Award and we also won the Americanism Award. Nice job guys on all the hard work you have done this past year. We also received honorable mention for having the only District at 100% of membership.

We had our election of new officers for the year 09-10 and we have some changes. Keith Bell will be our new 2nd Vice and Ray Batykefer will be our new 3rd Vice. Congratulation guys. On the same note. Rex Buchs has become our new 1st Vice at the State level. Congrats guys. At the District level Keith Bell will be Adjutant and I will be 1st Vice. It shows you how strong our Post is, how good a job we do as a group, and makes our Post strive to be a strong Post. In closing, I hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable summer and let's not forget our service people overseas and around the world, who make it all possible for us to enjoy this land of ours.

Commander
Willie Wilson

- Junior Activities -

Our new Juniors group is up and running very strong. All five of our girls attended the Poppy Shop in Sandusky in April. We weren't prepared this year so we just observed, but we will be more than prepared next year to participate as Poppy Princesses. The girls had a great time and the whole trip was very interesting as we toured the Poppy factory and the Museum. We would like to show everyone how much support our Juniors are getting by having a large support group attend the Poppy Shop next year in April. We are compiling information and pictures so we can make a scrap book which we would like to send to State next year.

The girls also went shopping for the Lake County Food Bank in April and in May (which is Military Month) we shopped for supplies for the troops which we donated to the USO in Madison. The girls will be participating in the Mardi Gras Parade on July 2nd. Come watch the parade and see what we've done! The girls are learning a great deal about community, volunteerism, and support. And they are having fun in the process. So, if you have a daughter or granddaughter who would like to participate please call the Post at 357-7711 or Cheryl Galayda at 567-5093. Dues are only $10.00 per year and the rewards are unending.

Cheryl Galayda
Junior Chairman

- Canteen -

I've never seen such a full calendar for summer before, but the Ladies, Sons and Post have really put together a great summer for our members. Along with dinners you'll find great entertainment from Dave and Woody. We are having a special entertainer back. Mary Taylor Brooks will be here once a month this summer. She was the gal that played at Sam's Fundraiser and she is a must see if you weren't here, so check your calendar for all the fun ahead or any changes.

Make sure to book your dates ahead of time for the pavilion because they are going fast. Also let me know if you need a bartender for your occasion, so we can set up properly for your party. If you want, you can request a bartender of your choosing and I'll see if they are available.

We have a Wii game now which will be used during week nights only to start. The bowling game is great and if anyone wants to be secretary for a bowling league let me know. Since this game is new to our Post, I'm going to have to fine tune some rules about game play, it will be an "as we go process". There is one rule for sure. The wrist bands must be worn or you turn will be forfeited. This game is for adults only! So come in during the week nights and have some fun.

Please take advantage of all the officers have put together for you this quarter and have a fun and safe summer.

God Bless our members and our Troops.

Susan "Corky" Tipton
Canteen Manager

We will continue to offer meals at a reasonable price. However, we regret, due to rising costs of meat and produce, etc., it may be necessary to increase the cost of some of our dinners.
Thank you for your continued support.

ENTERTAINMENT & UP-COMING EVENTS

CHECK THE CALENDAR AND WATCH THE BOARDS AT THE POST FOR: UP-COMING EVENTS AND KARAOKE WITH WOODY, DAVE, AND MORE!!!!!!!!

IN FLANDERS FIELDS

IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.

By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918) Canadian Army

The Poppy Story

From the battlefields of World War I, weary soldiers brought home the memory of a barren landscape transformed by wild poppies, red as the blood that soaked the soil. By that miracle of nature, the spirit of their lost comrades lived on.

The poppy became a symbol of the sacrifice of lives in war, and represented the hope that none had died in vain. The American Legion Auxiliary Poppy has continued to bloom for the casualties of wars, its petals of paper bound together for veterans by veterans, reminding America each year that the men and women who have served and died for their country deserve to be remembered.

Poppy Day has become a familiar tradition in almost every American community. This distribuion of the bright red memorial flower to the public is one of the oldest and most widely recognized programs of the American Legion Auxiliary.

This poppy, as a memorial flower to the war dead, can be traced to a single individual, Miss Moina Michael. She was so moved by Lieutenant Colonel McCrae's poem that she wrote a response:

. . . The blood of heroes never dies
But lends a luster to the red
Of the flower that blooms above the dead
In Flanders' Fields.

On impulse, she bought a bouquet of poppies - all that the New York City's Wanamaker's Department Store had - and handed them to businessmen meeting at the New York YMCA where she had worked. She asked them to wear the poppy as a tribute to the fallen. That was November 1918. World War I was over, but America's sons would rest forever 'in Flanders' Fields.' Later, she would spearhead a campaign that would result in the adoption of the poppy as the national symbol of sacrifice.

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