Chaplains Corner Bishop Chopin Cusachs

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1 ROBERT H. BURNS AMERICAN LEGION POST #16 LEGION LINES & VIEWS June 2014 PO Box 1137 Covington, La (985) Commander: James Lacassagne Chaplain: Bishop Chopin Cusachs Executive Committee: 1 st Vice Commander: Mark Herman Service Officer : Matt Cole William Rosevally 2 nd Vice Commander: Ray Hartley Judge Advocat : Lane Carson Charley Craddock 3 rd Vice Commander: Committee Historian: Ray Hartley Emil Johansen Adjutant: Roy Kellum Sgt.-at-Arms: James Livermore H.T. Terry Sharp Finance Officer: Mike Peats Stacy Miller. Post americanleg16@bellsouth.net Post website: --- There is a critical need for Bingo workers. We have lost several volunteers and really need help!! Please volunteer, even if you can only spend a few hours with us. Please call Mike Peats at We really need help!!!!! Jack-Pot Bingo!!! We especially need workers for Wednesdays. Call Mike Peats at (985) Game times Wednesday night at 7:30pm and Friday Morning at 10:00am. Regular winners are $200 per game --- Jackpots $ Progressive Jackpots Maximum $6000 with 50 balls or less. Workers need to be there at least 1 hour earlier. Bingo Still in need of Bingo Workers. We are especially short at Pull Tab sales. Anyone interested in learning this important job should contact Mike Peats at This is where we make our Money at Bingo. Also anyone interested in learning to call should contact Mike. I would like to hold a training session before I throw anyone up on the Caller s stand. We have Bingo every Wednesday night and need volunteers to be there at 6:30PM and Friday mornings and need volunteers at 9 AM. POST MEMBERSHIP: 2014 Cards are now available!!! Dues are $30 1st Vice Commander Mark Herman reported that Post 16 membership for 2014 stands at 468 paid up members for 114%. The membership year runs from January 1 to December 31 each year. PUFL (Paid Up For Life) membership is available and on the time payment plan, Ask about it!! We ve made 100% but still have many members that have not paid 2014 dues. We ask that you continue to support Post 16 with your dues. This will help to keep Post 16 a as one of the strongest Post in Louisiana. Chaplains Corner Bishop Chopin Cusachs Sick Call Report: The following Legionnaires and Auxiliary members are in our thoughts and prayers: Jennifer Corbett, Mae and Avery Mooney, Dwight Johnson, Bay Welch, Cheyenne Lafleur, Lorraine Flanagan, James Jernigan, Roy Kellum, Elmer Hathaway, Bobbie Peterson, Frances Rosevally, Ben White, Pat Oster, Socarro Rome, Al Stumpf, Irene Herman, Clinton Lounsbury, and Bishop Chopin Cusachs. Post Everlasting: The following member has been called home by our Supreme Commander: Julian Porky Rodrigue

2 James Lacassagne Post Cmdr. Page 2 Commander s Remarks: Well, we had our Work Day at the Post on the 10 th. The turnout was low, but we were able to accomplish some real work on the shelves in the rear storage room. In addition to myself, Mike Peats, Roger Bienvenu, Ray Hartley, May Hartley (Auxiliary), Will Busby (SONS), Ethan Sharp (SONS), and Bobby DeBrock turned out. We also had the election of Officers for the coming year. I won't go into who's what here, but the new Commander's initials are Terry Sharp. Congratulations! We will be having an Installation at the Post on June 21 st from 5:00 to 8:00 PM. On May 26, 2014 Post 16 hosted our annual Memorial Day ceremony at the St. Tammany Justice Center. We had really good speakers and our Honor Guard presented a great Riffle Salute and Taps. Following the program members of Post 16 went to the grave site of Robert H. Burns for a wreath laying ceremony. I look forward to seeing you at the June Meeting. If I don't, I'd like to thank you all for your support during my two years as Commander. It's been a challenging but enjoyable experience. I hope that all of you will continue to support our new Commander. For God and Country James (Jim) Lacassagne Post Commander The Sons of The American Legion Squadron 16 Next up is the annual Department Convention June 5-8 at the Hilton Hotel in Kenner. On June 21st from 5-8pm the Squadron will install new Officers for the year. All Officers are needed to be present at 4:30 to take photos Ethan Sharp Commander Members of the Robert H. Burns, American Legion Family Post #16 of Covington recently volunteered at the Special Olympics held at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond on Saturday, May 24 th. Photo left to right: Sons of the American Legion Detachment of La. Commander Danny McArthur, Past Unit 16 President Betty McArthur, Jane Duracher who serves as the 6 th District Special Olympics Chairman, S.A.L.s members Dylan McArthur, Auxiliary member Angelica Sharp, S.A.L.s member Ethan Sharp, Jr., Legion member Raymond Hartley, Unit 16 President May Hartley, Legion member Roger Bienvenu and Junior Auxiliary member Treaser McArthur. Not pictured are S.A.L.s Squadron 16 Commander Ethan Sharp and Junior Auxiliary member Emma Busby.

3 Page 3 Post Honor Guard and Flag Chairman Honor Guard - Our post Honor Guard continues to need new members. Please call Mike Peats if you are interested at We meet the 2 nd Monday of each month at 5 PM at the Post. We need extra members to cover any funerals or events that come up. Flags and Americanism We have a great Flag Etiquette program to teach our youth about the proper care of our American Flag. We concentrate on 2 nd or 3 rd graders and have a Power Point presentation and materials to hand out to the students. Anyone interested in participating should contact Mike Peats on Mike Peats Our Honor Guard has been very busy in the past few weeks and we have a lot of activities coming up. We need everyone we can get so that we can cover all the events and handle those funerals that come up on no one s schedule. We said our farewell to Porky Rodrigue last month, a 60 year Legion member, presented colors at a Handicapped event in Robert, performed a 21 gun salute at the Justice Center for our Memorial Day program and spent 2 full days being trained by the Army to perform funerals. Post 16 hosted 55 honor guard members for this very good training session. We next have some Flag Day events and 4 th of July events coming up. Come on out and join us the 2 nd Monday of each month at 5 PM at the Posts. Flag Etiquette Our Honor Guard gave a Flag etiquette class to 125 third grade students at Lyon Elementary school in Covington. Flags, Flag Etiquette coloring books and a letter for their parents were presented. A Flag etiquette DVD and book was given to the school library. Mike Peats St. Tammany Veterans Honor Guard Captain Covington High School Awards Ceremony On May 5, 2014 Commander Lacassagne attended and presented scholarships at the Covington High School awards ceremony. Scholarships were presented to the following five students. Donna Montgomery, Jr. Auxiliary for 13 years. Caitlin Riviere Scott Riviere Melanie Smith Jathan Cutrer (also attended Boys State). Donna Montgomery Jathan Cutrer Melanie Smith

4 Page 4 Area Students Prepare for Louisiana Boys State s 75 th Session The Robert H. Burns, American Legion Post 16, of Covington, held an orientation at the Post Home for the Boys State 2014 Delegates on Saturday, May 17 th. The 75 th Boys State Session will be held on the campus of Northwestern State University in Natchitoches from Sunday, June 22 nd and conclude on Saturday, June 28 th. Forty-five boys from Posts within the 6 th District attended the orientation. Post 16 Boys State Chairman Terry Sharp called the meeting to order and 6th District Boys State Procurement Chairman Michael Peats gave the invocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance in unison led by Unit 16 Little Miss Poppy Aaliyah Abdullah. Prior to the program Abdullah presented each citizen a Memorial Poppy and a bookmarker with the history of the Memorial Poppy. Post 16 is sponsoring 14 delegates this year; they are Miguel Black, William Busby, III, Isaiah Carter, Draven Collins, Jacob Conlin, Samuel Giberga, William Heintz, Aarron Hodgman, Joseph Impastato, Matthew Martin, Rick O Connell, Ross Pepe, Matthew Snitzer, and Benjamin Stogner. Boys State Citizen 2013 Jathan Cutrer attended the meeting to offer an insight and explanations of the Boys State program. The objective of the Boys State program is to educate our youth in the duties, rights, and responsibilities of American Citizenship. Participants learn the practical mechanics of government by actually performing the functions of local and state government. Applications of the principles of democratic government are made in every possible way. The Constitution and the statutes of the State of Louisiana are the pattern from which the fundamental law of Boys State has been developed. Boys State should be regarded as being a mythical 51 st state with a constitution, statutes, and ordinances constructed by its citizens to govern themselves. Citizens of Boys State will not only be required to review knowledge already acquired concerning the political machinery of a state, but they will find themselves performing the same duties as real office holders in the everyday world. Boys State citizens organize their own city, parish and state governments. They choose their own officials in accordance with regular election procedures. They learn the duties of the various city, parish and state offices. They introduce and argue their own bills in the legislature. Justice is administered by their own law enforcement agencies and courts. In Boys State the young citizen has the opportunity to learn for himself that his government is just what he makes it, here each citizen learns by doing. For more information about the American Legion s Boys State program, please contact the Post Home at (985) Photo right: Front row left to right: Delegates Miguel Black, William Busby, III, Isaiah Carter, Draven Collins, Jacob Conlin, Samuel Giberga, and William Heintz. Back row left to right: Delegates Aarron Hodgman, Joseph Impastato, Matthew Martin, Rick O Connell, Ross Pepe, Unit 16 Little Miss Poppy Aaliyah Abdullah, delegates Matthew Snitzer, Benjamin Stogner, Boys State 2013 Citizen Jathan Cutrer, Post 16 Boys State Chairman Terry Sharp, and 6 th District Boys State Procurement Chairman Michael Peats. Photo left: Boys State Citizen 2013 Jathan Cutrer. Photo right: Unit 16 Little Miss Poppy Aaliyah Abdullah presents Boys State delegate William Heintz with a bookmarker with the history of the Memorial Poppy.

5 Page 5 Robert H. Burns American Legion Post 16 family hosted a Memorial Day ceremony at the St. Tammany Justice Center on Monday, May 26, 2014 at 10 AM. The event was attended by American Legion 16, Squadron 16 SALs, American Legion 16 Auxiliary, American Legion 415, Chapter 741 Purple Hearts, Veterans of Foreign War Post 7286, 8720 and 8720 Auxiliary, and Voiture &8. Lane Carson, a member of American Legion 16, Chapter 741 Military Order of the Purple Heart and VFW 8720 acted as Master of Ceremonies. A tribute to Julian Porky Rodrigue, a long time Master of Ceremonies for the event who recently passed was given. Speakers were: Sean Noel, a 13 year old Tchefuncta Middle School student who is the winner of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary Outstanding Youth Volunteer award for 2014 and who has developed programs such as St. Tammany Remembers, Sean s Factor, and Stand up and Stop it. And Retired U. S. Air Force Col. Murphy Neal Jones, a Vietnam War veteran and former POW was the key note speaker. Robert H. Burns American Legion Post 16 Commander gave opening remarks and Mayor Michael Cooper also spoke. Wreaths were placed at the memorial by American Legion Post 16 & Auxiliary and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8720 & Auxiliary. Three Generations of Legion Family Members At the recent 95 th American Legion Birthday Celebration held at Post 16 an unusual gathering caught the eye of the photographer. Standing together was the perfect picture to personify the American Legion Family. Standing together (from left to right) are; Past Department Vice Commander H.T. Terry Sharp, Sons of American Legion Squadron 16 Commander Ethan Sharp, and the family matriarch Auxiliary Unit 16 member Sandra Sharp, and being held by his grandfather is Ethan Cody Sharp, also a member of the Sons of American Legion Squadron 16. Terry has worked his way up through the chairs of the American Legion and remains an active member of the American Legion. He is Post Chairman of the Post 16 Scholarship Committee, Citizenship Committee, Agriculture Committee, and Boys State Committee. He serves the 6 th District of the American Legion as Area A Commander, Committee Chairman of Public Information, Oratorical Contest, Agriculture. Terry also serves the Department of Louisiana as State Committee Chairman of the Oratorical Constitutional Speech Contest and Agricultural Scholarship Committee and as a member of the Public Information Commission. Based on his father s service in WW II, Terry is also a member of Sons of American Legion Squadron 16 and serves as their Post 16 Liaison. Ethan Sharp has worked up through the ranks in Squadron 16 to become Commander and also serves as the State Detachment of the Sons of the American Legion as the Color Bearer. Little E is sticking close to his Grandpa as he begins to learn all about the American Legion Family and how he to can serve as a voice for America.

6 June 2014 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Post Gen. Mtg. 7pm Convention Convention Convention Meal 6pm Convention Honor Guard Mtg. 5pm Voiture 224 Promenade 7pm Meal 6pm Father s Day Post Ex. Mtg. 6:30pm Post Installation of Officers 5-8pm Meal Served