ROBERT H. BURNS AMERICAN LEGION POST #16 LEGION LINES & VIEWS March 2015 PO Box 1137 Covington, La. 70434 (985) 892-0677 Commander: H.T. Terry Sharp Chaplain: Bishop Chopin Cusachs Executive Committee: 1 st Vice Commander: Mark Herman Service Officer: Matt Cole James Lacassagne 2 nd Vice Commander: Ray Hartley Judge Advocat Lane Carson Charley Craddock 3 rd Vice Commander: By Committee Historian: Ray Hartley Emil Johansen Adjutant: Robert Bienvenu Sgt.-at-Arms: James Livermore Roy Kellum Finance Officer: Mike Peats Color Bearer: Ralph Barras Stacy Miller Color Bearer: Ray Hartley. Post E-mail:americanleg16@bellsouth.net Post website: --- http://louisianabulldog.com/post16americanlegion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please Note the New Post Web Site Address!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are in desperate need of volunteers. Who can stay during Bingo sessions and call back bingo s. This is not a hard job and does not have to stay past bingo usually about 2 hours. We have lost some members due to health reasons and really need members to step up and help us out. Please consider coming out to give us a hand. Please call Mike Peats at 502-8802. We really need help!!!!! Jack-Pot Bingo!!! We especially need workers for Wednesdays. Call Mike Peats at (985) 502-8802. Game times Wednesday night at 7:30pm and Friday Morning at 10:00am. Regular winners are $200 per game --- Jackpots $1000 --- Progressive Jackpots Maximum $6000 with 50 balls or less. Workers need to be there at least 1 hour earlier. The General Membership Meeting will be held on Tuesday March 3, 2015. Dinner at 6:00pm, meeting at 7:00pm at our Post 16 Home. The Executive Committee meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 17, 2015 at 6:30 PM POST MEMBERSHIP: 2015 Cards are now available!!! Dues are $30 POST MEMBERSHIP: 2015 Cards are now available!!! Dues are $30 1st Vice Commander Mark Herman reported that Post 16 membership for 2015 stands at 453 paid up members for 94.5%. All unpaid Post members are urged to get their dues paid ASAP. Please do not procrastinate any longer. The importance of not getting paid-up may impact any Legion Insurance benefits or National Emergency Fund eligibility. Please get your dues in ASAP. Mark Herman, 2nd Vice Commander Post 16 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, 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, Ray Hartley David Duracher Sr., Patty Brown, Clinton Lounsbury, Art Bennett, Terry Charrier, Joe Dash, Frank Rogers, Donnie Taylor and Bishop Chopin Cusachs.
Page 2 Post 16 Commanders Remarks Greetings fellow Legionnaires; The 2015 year has been busy here at Post 16 so far. The weather has been cold and wet for the first two months as we enter the month of March, but cheer up. Winter is beginning to wind down and as tradition has it, In like a Lion, out like a Lamb and I can t wait, with glimmers of Spring occupying my every thought about now. Many of our Post 16 programs have been completed so-far; The District Blue Cap Submittal; Lawman, Fireman and Citizen of the year. The 2015 Boys State program is in progress with applications going out next week. Post 16 Scholarship applications will be out by mid-month and School Citizenship Award submittals have already been mailed. Our appreciation and admirations go out to those Legionnaires who chair these activities and for their efforts and commitments to the success of these American Legion programs. THANKS TO YOU ALL Mardi Gras once again provided the opportunity for Post 16 to roll-out our Float and take part in the festivities here in our community. This endeavor provided great fun for a number of Legion Family Riders who braved the chilly weather to throw beads, stuffed animals, candy and to pass out some small American Flags to the children. Post 16 membership currently stands at 453 with another 50 or so that still have not renewed for 2015 after repeated reminders and notices. You know who you are and we urge you to get your 2015 dues paid. There is no reason to wait any longer. Either you wish to remain a member of the World s largest Fraternal Organization of Veterans or you don t. There are so many activities happening here at our Post 16 and we urge our members to come out and join us. Take an active part in the camaraderie and unity with your fellow veterans. We need your help as volunteers as well as your continued support. Come on out and join us at our next Post meeting and Dinner on Tuesday night March 3 rd, Dinner at 6:00pm with meeting at 7:00pm. For God and Country, Terry Sharp, Commander LEGION BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION Post 16 will mark the American Legion Birthday celebration on Saturday, March 14 th, 12:30pm to 3:30pm. Mark your calendars. The program will open in the proper order of American Legion protocol, followed by a stage production of the Tableau to the Unknown Soldier presented by the members of Voiture Locale 224 of the 40 and 8. A meal will be served at 1:00pm after which there will be a Post 16 Awards program. TABLEAU OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER will depict the story of the selection of the Unknown Soldier and is for the purpose of reminding all to never forget those who gave their lives for our Country or the ideals for which their sacrifice was made. We urge all to come out and join us. You don t want to miss it.
Page 3 Post Honor Guard and Flag Chairman Our Honor Guard continues to keep busy and is still seeking members. We have only fourteen (14) members presently, not many from American Legion Post 16. I know that there are able bodied members out there that can help fold flags, present colors and such. Our Honor Guard performs a very important task for Veterans with providing Military funeral services. It does not always involve the rifle squad but often is simply showing up and folding the flag to present to the next of kin. Please consider joining up to pay the ultimate respect to our Veterans. The Honor Guard meets on the 2 nd Monday of each month at 4pm at the Post. The next meeting will be held on March 9th. Mike Peats, St. Tammany Veterans Honor Guard Captain Relay for Life Our yearly Relay for Life event will take place this year on Saturday March 21 st from 12:00 Noon until 10:00 PM. It is scheduled to take place at the Village Walk location that is behind the Whitney Bank location off Highway 190 right before the Bogue Falaya Bridge. Please support our American Legion Post 16 Team. Mike Peats Pinewood Derby Robert H. Burns hosted the Cub Scouts Pack 85 Pinewood Derby on Saturday February 7, 2015 at the American Legion Post 16 home. The Event started at 9:00 AM with judging of the Show and Shine by five American Legion Post 16 family members. Judges were H. T. Terry Sharp Post Commander, Ethan Sharp Squadron 16 Commander, Mike Peats Post Finance Officer, James Lacassagne Post Executive Committee member and Joe Ogden Post member. After the Show and Shine the participants began the races! It was a very fun and interesting time. There was close competition and everyone had a great time. Below are the winners in both categories along with their trophies.
Page 4 King Cakes to Troops We sent 200 king cakes on Jan. 21, 2015 from Randazzo's Camellia City bakery in Slidell. They donated 100. We had to pay for 100 and shipping for 200. They are headed for Afghanistan. This is our 12th year doing the king cakes. People there ---from legion --Joe and Brenda Ogden. Other volunteers 10 from Op We Care. Thanks so much for anyone who helped with the donations. The troops really appreciate all that we do for them so that they are not forgotten. Brenda Ogden, President Operation We Care A BIT OF HISTORY: HARRY AND BESS Harry Truman was a different kind of President. He probably made as many or more, important decisions regarding our Nation s history as any of the other presidents preceding him. However the real measure of his greatness may be in what he did after he left the White House. The only asset that Harry Truman had when he died was the house in which he lived located in Independence, Missouri. His wife Bess had inherited the house from her parents and other than their years in the White House, Harry and Bess had lived there their entire lives. When he retired from office in 1952, Harry Truman s income was a U.S. Army pension reported to have been $13,507.72 a year. Congress, noting that he was paying for his own stamps, granted him an allowance and later a retroactive pension of $25,000 per year. After President Eisenhower was inaugurated; Harry and Bess drove home to Independence, Missouri by themselves without any Secret Service details. When offered corporate positions-at-large salaries, Harry Truman declined them stating, You don t want me. You want the office of the President, and that doesn t belong to me. It belongs to the American People and it s not for sale. Even later, on May 6, 1971, when Congress was preparing to award him the Medal of Honor on his 87 th Birthday, Harry Truman refused to accept it, writing, I don t consider that I have done anything which should be the reason for any award, Congressional or otherwise. As President, Harry Truman paid for all of his own travel expenses and food. Modern politicians have now found a new level of success in cashing in on the Presidency, resulting in untold wealth. Today, many in Congress also have found a way to become quite wealthy while enjoying the fruits of their political offices all of which are now for sale. Good old Harry Truman was correct when he was quoted as saying, My choices in life were either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or a politician. And to tell the truth, there s hardly any difference!
Page 5 La Societe Des 40 Hommes Et 8 Chevaux Voiture Locale 224 Fellow Voyageurs, The Cajun Wreck was held on February 21 with 12 PG s being wrecked. 7 Voyageurs of VL-224 performed a live version of the Tableau of the Unknown Soldier. We got many positive comments from the Voyageurs in attendance. Voyageur Terry Sharp organized this production. He built all the scenes and lighting which made it easy for us to put on a first class presentation. We should all thank Voyageur Terry for his hard work and dedication. All the members of VL-224 should be very proud that our own Voyageur Terry Sharp has been named Voyageur of the year for Grande de la Louisianne. Congratulations Monsieur Terry All of us working pin programs need to work at getting these pins sold. Plan to purchase a pin or two when you come to a Promenade. Let s all support the programs of La Societe and our Voiture. Our next Promenade will be on March 12 at 7pm. We will have a meal and social hour at 6pm. I look forward to seeing everyone there. Mark your Calendar. Stacy L. Miller, Chef de Gare The Sons of The American Legion Commander s Remarks I urge all our members to come out to upcoming events. We have the Post Easter party on March 22. Relay for Life is on March 21. We will again be working the Special Olympics this year in May and can use all the help we can get. Anyone wanting to buy a Mid-Winter coin should contact Danny McArthur. He will have coins at the next Squadron meeting. The coin was designed by Commander Ethan Sharp. The cost for a coin is $10 To all descendants of veterans and members of Post 16, I urge you to sign up for the SONS OF THE AMERICAN LEGION today and support the efforts of our Squadron. Sign up your Sons and Grand-sons so that they can serve based on your service to our country. You may contact any Post 16 Officer or inquire at the Post 16 Office for a membership application. Dues are only $7 a year. Commander Ethan Sharp $2000 FREE BENEFIT: By now, many of you should have received a communication in the mail explaining a new No Cost Benefit for all members of Post 16. American Life Insurance will provide a $2000 Accidental Death and Dismemberment Benefit to you as a member of Post 16. You are asked to complete and return the YELLOW CARD enclosed in the mailing to designate your Beneficiary and to receive your certificate of coverage. All at No Charge to members of Post 16. Mail it back soon in the enclosed envelope and by the way it needs no stamp.
March 2015 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Post Gen. Mtg. 7pm Meal 6pm 6 th District Conference Post 502 9am 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Daylight Savings Time Begins Honor Guard Mtg. 4pm Post Exe. Mtg. 6:30pm Voiture 224 Promenade 7pm Meal 6pm American Legion Birthday 12:30-3:30 pm 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 St. Patrick s Day First Day of Spring Relay for Life 12:00 Noon until 10:00PM 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Post Easter Party 1-4pm 29 30 31