VETS NEWS Saturday, September 8, 2018 CLICK HERE to go to the Worcester County District 4 American Legion website CLICK HERE to send email to the VETS NEWS editor A MESSAGE FROM ERNIE LABERGE, COMMANDER DETACHMENT OF MASSACHUSETTS SONS OF THE AMERICAN LEGION Hello everyone, As most of you already know the Detachment of Massachusetts Sons of the American Legion will be holding a Fundraiser to benefit Operation Comfort Warriors on Saturday September 8th. This event is open to all of the Legion Family Members, Family and Friends. So ride or drive we hope to see all of you there. The Detachment will be hosting several special guests for the weekend. The list includes the Sons of The American Legion National Commander Greg Doc Gibbs from New York as well as Past National Commanders like our own Cliff Smith. On Sunday the group will assemble and travel to the Department of Massachusetts American Legion POW/MIA Remembrance Ceremony on the USS Massachusetts at Battleship Cove in Fall River where Doc Gibbs will be the Key Notes guest speaker. Also if you have questions or if you need any help with membership processing Vice Commander Nay and I travel all across the state, so no Squadron is too far away for us to visit. Please feel free to contact Marvin, Cliff or me and we can set up a visit to your Squadron for any assistance that is needed. All our contact information can be found on the Sons State Website which is www.salmass.org. Working together we can make a difference in the lives of our Veterans, Their Families and our Communities. Regards, Ernie Laberge, Commander The Detachment of Massachusetts Sons of The American Legion Member National Amerianism Commission 2017-2018 Please make every effort to support these two events for our Veterans. After all that s why we are all a part of this great organization. I look forward to seeing you there. Dalton Lavallee Squadron 224 190 Pleasant St. Easthampton, MA 01027 P:(413) 586-9420 C:(413) 537-3002 elaberge@octobercompany.com OPERATIONS COMFORT WARRIOR FUND RAISER Below is information on the Detachment pf Massachusetts Sons of the American Legion Commanders Charity Fund Raiser to be held the weekend of September 7, 2018. This information has been sent out in earlier correspondence and was included in the Detachment Convention Packets. We hope many of you will be taking part in this event to support all our Veterans throughout your local Communities, our State and our Nation. Greg "Doc" Gibbs from the Detachment of New York was elected the National Commander of the Sons of The American Legion at the National Convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota on August 26, 2018. Commander Gibbs is going to be the Detachment's special guest for the weekend. On Friday evening September 7, 2018 Westfield Squadron 124 will be hosting a meet and great reception for Commander Gibbs. On Sunday September 9, 2018 Commander Gibbs will be the key note speaker at The American Legion Department of Massachusetts POW/MIA remembrance ceremony aboard the Battleship USS Massachusetts at Battleship Cove Fall River. Following the ceremony there will be a reception for Commander Gibbs at the Somerset Post 228. We hope to see many of you at these events scheduled for the weekend. Let's give National Commander Gibbs a great Massachusetts welcome and show our support for him Clifford A. Smith Detachment Adjutant Past National Commander
Following the POW-MIA Remembrance Ceremony on the USS Masachsuetts at Battleship Cove in Fall River, Mass. on Sunday afternoon, September 9, 2018, there will be a collation and reception meet and greet for National S.A.L. Commander Gibbs at the following location: Somerset American Legion Post 228 55 Roosevelt Avenue Somerset, Massachusetts 02726 All Legion Family members are invited to attend.
Old Town Pasadena Post 13 - American Legion
6th Annual Sons of The American Legion Hall of Fame Gala November 3, 2018 AMONG THE CLASS OF 2018 TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE HALL OF FAME: Clifford Smith - Sons of The American Legion Past National Commander - Detachment of Massachusetts Cliff's list of past and current accomplishments are many. As a 29 year member of the S.A.L., Cliff has served the organization in many capacities, including National Commander. Cliff served as a V.A.V.S. Registered Representative for many years and was President of the Sharon Combined Veterans Council as a Certified Field Service Volunteer. Cliff established the "Salute to the Veterans" program held on Veterans Day each year. Cliff also supports the "Partnership for Kids" programs. Through his efforts over $133,000 has been raised and donated to the three Children's Hospitals in Massachusetts. Cliff looks forward to helping veterans and putting a smile on a child's face each and every day. American Legion - Pasadena Post 13 131 N. Marengo Ave Pasadena, CA 91101 626-792-2158
AMERICAN LEGION NATIONAL CONVENTION SITES AND DATES Year Dates Location 2018 (100 th ) Aug 24 30 Minneapolis, Minnesota 2019 (101 st ) Aug 23 29 Indianapolis, Indiana 2020 Aug 28 Sept 3 Louisville, Kentucky 2021 Aug 27 Sept 2 Phoenix, Arizona 2022 Aug 26 Sept 1 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 2023 Aug 25 31 Charlotte, North Carolina 2024 Aug 23 29 New Orleans, Louisiana Updated August 13, 2018 Mike Walton
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MASSACHUSETTS LEGION UNIFRM PATCHES Send order form to the Department of Mass. American Legion office in Boston (address below). When we get the order we will call and let you know how much for shipping. Please put a phone number on the form. We do not mail patches out until we get the check Judith Hall The American Legion Membership Coordinator Rm 546-2 State House Boston MA 02133 617-727-2966
AND OTHER VETERANS ACTIVITIES
(Submitted to VETS NEWS by Sally Nay) AMERICAN LEGION AUXILIARY ANNUAL POW/MIA SERVICE I will be holding the annual POW service for American Legion Auxiliary on Friday, September 14, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. at the Meeting House in Storrowton Village at the Big E. That being opening day and military appreciation day, all veterans get in free. Please pass this along. Everyone is invited to our service. Maureen Cragen
GIANT MEAT RAFFLE SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15. Doors open at 5 p.m. GI- ANT MEAT RAFFLE. Sponsored by the Sons of the American Legion Squadron 138, 175 Main St., Spencer, MA. 6 tables to be raffled totaling over $2000 in high quality meats. 50/50, door prize. Kitchen open for dogs & burgers. (Webster Times) HONORING VETERANS OF THE KOREAN WAR DO YOU REMEMBER the event called the Spirit of 45 held on August 16, 2015? We honored 82 World War II veterans. Well, the time has come to recognize the veterans from the forgotten war: Korea. POW/MIA REMEMBRANCE DAY NATIONAL CEMETERY, BOURNE, MASSACHUSETTS The Joint Veterans Committee at the National Cemetery in Bourne, MA will hold a POW/MIA Remembrance Day on Friday, September 21, 2018 at 6:00 PM at the POW/MIA Eternal Flame Memorial. On Sept. 15 at the Chester P. Tuttle Post 279 at 88 Bancroft St. in Auburn, a recognition ceremony will be held for Auburn veterans of the Korean War. As of our last count from the US census, there are approximately 230 Korean War veterans in Auburn. We have not heard of anyone else doing a celebration for these forgotten war veterans and it is our duty at the American Legion to take care of our brothers and sisters in service to our country. At our Spirit of 45 event we honored veterans from Auburn and the surrounding area and because of the number of vets we were able to accommodate everyone. People still talk about it as a very memorable event. We hope that this event has the same impact. Because of the number of Auburn vets, we will be taking reservations from Auburn first. We will keep any others on a waiting list. We will have a color guard, military vehicles, music from the period and exhibits as well as pin presentation to each and every Korean War veteran, presented by our Ladies Auxiliary. We are anticipating approximately 1,000 people at this event. Anyone who knows a Korean War veteran from Auburn is urged to get in touch with us to reserve a place. The event will be held on Saturday Sept. 15th from 1-4 p.m. There is no charge but donations are gladly accepted. For reservations on the web go to our email: theforgottenwar2018@gmail.com or call: (508) 864-2413. Donations can be made to the Chester P Tuttle Post 279 with Korea in the memo of the check. (Auburn News) SOMERSET POST 228 TO HOLD SURF AND TURF FUNDRAISER SOMERSET Somerset American Legion Post 228 will be holding a surf and turf dinner as a fundraiser on Friday, Sept. 21, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The menu will consist of prime steak, baked stuff shrimp, baked potato and a side salad. For tickets, the public can call Glenn Doup at (774) 644-1359. The Legion hall is located at 55 Roosevelt Avenue in Somerset. (South Coast Today)
Burger Burn" at the Dracut American Legion Post 315 on Thursday September 20th at 1800 hrs. They event is sponsored, organized, and run by the Nam Knights of America Motorcycle Club. This is our last such event of the season and promises to be even bigger than our August event which drew a large attendance. BURGER BURN We invite everyone to join us (at no cost) for this great tradition. Mike Peaslee Merrimack Valley Chapter, President Nam Knights of America Motorcycle Club Dracut American Post 315 active member
GOLF TOURNAMENT Webster/Dudley American Legion Post 184, 9 Houghton St., Webster, will host its 10th annual Roy Wheeler Golf Tournament to benefit the American Legion Scholarship Fund Sept. 29 at Harrisville Golf Course, 125 Harrisville Road, Woodstock, Connecticut. The cost is $65 per player. Full breakfast served at 8 a.m. at the post. Tee time is 10:30 a.m., with a raffle and dinner to follow. Hole sponsorship is $100. For more information, call (508) 943-9039. (Worcester Sunday Telegram)
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