April 1, 2006 Volume
1 Issue 1
AMERICAN LEGION POST #175
PO BOX 105
SEVERNA
PARK , MD 21146
TELEPHONE: 410-544-2066
Who’s
who—Post, SAL and
Auxiliary
Leadership…….
American Legion Post 175
Post Commander: Dan McDonald
1st Vice Commander: Mike Helm
2nd Vice Commander: John Fuller
3rd Vice Commander: A.J. Rush
Adjutant: Buddy
George
Finance Officer: Bob Niederstadt
Chaplain: Bob Zerphey
Judge Advocate: George
Lucas
Historian: Jim “Sonny” Amos
Service Officer: Danny Byrd
Sgt.atArms: BobMartin
____________________________________________
American
Legion Auxiliary
Auxiliary
President: Pat Rabeau
1st Vice-President: Barbara Mallonee
2nd Vice-President: Rosemary Gurick
Secretary: Patricia Herder
Treasurer: Phyllis Gordon
Chaplain: Betty Gentile
Historian: Eva D’Ambrosio
Sergeant-at-Arms: Debbie Collins
Color Bearers: Betty Kline
Executive
Committee: Sue Connor
Linda
Freedenburg
Alice
Martin
Sons
of American Legion
Commander: Mike Clutz
1st Vice: Sid Reidy
2nd Vice: Dan Jordan
3rd Vice: Vacant
Adjutant: Vacant
Finance Officer: Dave
Dulin
Historian: Keith Jordan
Chaplin: Randy Smith
Sergeant At Arms: Vacant
____________________________________________
Legionnaire
News
Message
from the Commander
A big thanks to John and
Paula Fuller for a great Super Bowl Party if you didn’t get enough to eat it
was your fault. The TV raffle was successful. [I won]
Brain Reidy won the Post
Oratorical contest and was also selected as the
At our May meeting we will
hold elections. Choosing officers for
your Post is one of the most important functions we have as members. You need to attend to show support for those
who have stepped up to the plate and vote for the person you think can do the
job. If you are willing to fill one of the officer positions of the Post see
the nominating committee. The nominating committee members are Danny Byrd, Ed
May and Jim Ford.
This is my last article as
your commander. For the past two years your Executive Board and several key
members of the Post have worked very hard on the daily operations and on the
different programs of the Post and The American Legion. My hat is off to all of
you working patiently and sometimes not so patiently with me. It has been a
great two years serving the Post.
To all the volunteers, we
could not have done anything with out you. A Great Big Thanks.
Please remember all our
service members serving around the world and at home in your prayers.
Dan McDonald
Commander
_____________________________________
Constitution and By-laws
Committee
Legionnaires, the
Constitution and By-laws Committee are ready to present the Updated
Constitution and By-laws to the general membership during the next general
meeting on
For God and
Country
Michael A. Helm
1st Vice
Commander
Constitution and By-laws
Committee member
___________________________________
Message from the 1st Vice
Comrades, we were
unable to obtain enough renewals from our membership to receive the Outstanding
Commanders Cap Award or Jacket for 2006. However, we are well on our way
to obtaining Four Star Status. Again, the Post needs all the members to help in
obtaining our membership goals, please assist us by calling a member who has
not yet paid his or her dues this year or sign up a new member to help our Post
grow. I appreciate every member who has paid his or her dues and
especially want to thank all of the members who have actively participated in
the membership drive for 2006. Keep up the good work!
"For God and Country"
Michael A. Helm
1st
Vice Commander
_____________________________________
Message from the Service Officer
Important Phone Numbers
from Your Service Officer
Telephone Care Line: Veterans, who need medical advice, have questions about their
medications or need to schedule an urgent care appointment can call the
Telephone Care Line Monday through Friday between
Toll-Free Numbers for VA
- Loch
Prescription Refill
Line: To request a prescription refill or to
check on the status of your prescription 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, please
call the Prescription Refill Line at 1-800-463-6295, extension 7395. Please
have your Social Security and prescription numbers ready when calling.
For Questions About
Clinic Appointments:
- Loch
(Specialty Clinics)- (410) 642-2411, extension 1188
(Primary Care Team A)
- (410) 642-2411, extension 1189
(Primary Care Team B)
- Automated Appointment Line – 1-800-463-6295, extension 7395
For Questions About
Medical Benefits & VA Health Care Enrollment:
- Loch
Long-Term Care
Information Line: Veterans and their family members who have
questions about nursing home and long-term care programs and services available
through the VA Maryland Health Care System can call the Long-Term Care
Information Line at 1-800-949-1003, extension 1121.
Lodging Program: For information about how to obtain lodging for a veteran or a
family member of a veteran through the VA Maryland Health Care System, please
call the Lodging Coordinator at the Perry Point VA Medical Center at (410)
642-2411, extension 6722.
Appointment Line: To get a listing of your scheduled appointments throughout the VA
Maryland Health Care System, please call the Appointment Line 24 hours a day, 7
days a week at 1-800-463-6295, extension 7395. Please have your Social Security
number ready when calling.
How to
VA Benefits: For information about VA disability, education, home loan, life
insurance, vocational rehabilitation and employment and survivor’s and
dependent’s benefits, please call the Veterans Benefits Information Line 24
hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-827-1000.
Billing Information: If you have a question about a bill that you have received from
the VA Maryland Health Care System, please contact the VA Health Revenue Center
Monday through Friday from
Vet Centers:
Web Page:
For additional
information about the VA Maryland Health Care System or to ask a question
online, go to the following web page: www.vamhcs.med.va.gov.
Danny Byrd
Service Officer
_______________________________________
Message from the Chaplain
Springtime is
here and summer is closely following.
It’s a time for vacations and fun.
But when I think of the month of May there comes to mind two very
significant holidays. The first is
Mother’s Day which comes this year on May 14th. It is a day to honor our mothers and in many
cases, such as mine, it is a day of remembrance of the most important person in
our lives. I heard a story of a teacher
who gave her second graders a lesson on magnets. The next day she tested them by asking: “My
name has six letters, the first one is M.
I pick up things. Who am I?” 50 percent of the students answered with the
word “MOTHER.” Mothers do pick up
things, but they have a much higher calling than that. She is a person who loves her family and
provides an atmosphere of acceptance, security and understanding. I think that in the gospel of John, this
apostle says it best in John chapter 16 and verse 21: “A woman giving birth to
a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she
forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.” In Deuteronomy
A second
significant day in May is Memorial Day.
This is a day to remember and honor those comrades of the past who have
served this nation and preserved the freedom and prosperity we Americans now
enjoy. Abraham Lincoln said that no
words can add to or detract from their sacrifice. We go to funerals to grieve with those left
behind. On Memorial Day we remember
those who have already made it home. Not
in a box, not in a picture frame, but really themselves. Alive.
At home. At peace. On Memorial Day we remember and give thanks
to the Lord for those who have gone on to dwell with Him in peace and joy
forever.
Since our last
newsletter I must sadly report the loss of several of our comrades who have
gone to Post Everlasting. I like to
think of it as their final transfer orders to the Headquarters of the Supreme
Commander. These comrades are Bill
Lipham, Patrick Dionne, and Earl Anderson, Jr.
They will be greatly missed and our heartfelt condolences to their
families. SICK LIST: Comrade Joanne Dionne spent some time in the
hospital for a bout with pneumonia, but as of this writing she is home and
recovering well. Comrades Edward
Allenbaugh and Bill Izzo also spent a few days in the hospital and are now
home. Comrade Jonathan “Buck” German is
at Future Care nursing home. At last
visit he appeared to be doing okay.
Others mentioned before are Richard Cummings, Ralph Clark, and Dan
Jordan. Keep these comrades in your
prayers.
Please call the
Post or me if you know of someone who is in the hospital or ill. God bless all of you.
Bob Zerphey
Chaplain
_______________________________________
Message from the Editor
Note 1: It is up to each member to keep
us informed of all address changes. Address changes can be submitted to the
Editor via the Internet using the Newsletter@Legionpost175.org E-mail address, or mailed to the Post address
listed at the beginning of the Newsletter. Please indicate on the front of the
envelope "ATTN: Editor".
Note 2:
If you have access to the internet you can view the Newsletter on-line
via the Post 175 Web Site, www.legionpost175.org.
Note 3: We do not E-mail the
Newsletter to members with Internet access; you view it on-line at the
Post 175 Web Site above. Please notify the Editor via the Internet using
the Newsletter@legionpost175.org
E-mail address that you will be viewing the Newsletter on-line. We will then take you off the USPS mailing
list for the Newsletter.
The
Post spends approximately $2750.00 per year in Newsletter costs, this expense would be reduced if
everyone with Internet access would view the Newsletter on-line. All it takes
is a short message with your name and statement that you will no longer need a
hardcopy of the newsletter mailed to you.
Any
questions on how to contact the Post via e-mail or to access the Post web page
can be found at the end of this Newsletter.
If you wish you can call the Post at 410-544-2066 and leave a message
for someone to get back to you. Please
leave a best time and day to return your call and the subject you wish to
discuss with your message.
I
would also like to remind everyone that you don't have to be an Officer of the
Legion, Auxiliary, or SAL to have an article published in the Newsletter. If
anyone has an article that would be of interest to the membership send it to me
using the following e-mail address - newsletter@legionpost175.org. However, I
would like to point out that this venue is not intended to be used as a
"Complaint or Criticism Forum". There is a "Suggestion Box"
located in the Post Lounge if anyone has issues they would like addressed by
the Legion Executive Board.
Bill Corkran
Editor
_______________________________________
News from our
Auxiliary
From the President
OUR
REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING WHICH IS ON THE 4TH WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH
WILL BE STARTING AT
Congratulations to Membership
Chairman Barbara Mallonee and Unit #175 for making goal. Maintaining and
acquiring new members is very important as it gives the American Legion the
necessary voting power it needs when the National Commander goes before Congress
to ask for money for veterans programs or to start new ones.
Our St. Patrick’s Dinner and
Raffle was a success! We served over 100
people most of who stayed to enjoy the Oracle Band. Thank you to Roni Goughenour for heading up
the cooking team along with Barbara Bellerby, Barbara Mallonee, Liz Richard,
and Brenda Digby for helping in the kitchen, serving dinner, and taking
tickets. Thank you to Barbara Smith for her donation of stew and Jeanine Vitek
for donating the items for the raffle.
Special thanks to Doris and Frank Heubeck for donating the vegetables
and to Phoebe Cavallo for donating a cake. Thanks also to Bill Lowery, Dan
McDonald and Jerry Heath for setting up the hall. The winner of the raffle was Delores
Miskowski, Sue Connor’s mother.
On
All Auxiliary members are
welcome and encouraged to attend.
The Essay Awards Ceremony will
be held on June 4th. Alice Martin has the details in her article.
Election and Installation of
Officers will be held at our regular monthly meeting on
Betty Phillips, who recently
passed away, was a long time member of the Auxiliary. She was also involved in
helping with Kennel Club social events. Betty helped to organize and run the
Post Shuffle Bowl League for many years and also organized bus trips to
Please keep our veterans and
uniformed servicemen and women in your thoughts and prayers.
Pat Rabeau
President
_____________________________________
Chaplain's Message
I am still working
on the Book of Prayers to be turned in for judging on the end of the year
reports. If anyone has a prayer,
devotional thought or favorite verse, please let me know soon. I would like very much to include everyone’s
favorites in the book. Don’t forget to
sign it and include the chapter and verse.
Keep all of our
members that have been ill in your prayers.
Our condolences go out to the family of Betty Phillips on her recent
passing. To Betty and Helen Vermillion on the death of their son and grandson
Bobby Rye; and to Rosemary Gurick on the death of her father John Sampogna.
Please know that you are always in our hearts and prayers.
Don’t forget, when
you say your prayers at night, to ask for the safe return of our men and women
serving this great country on foreign soil so that we all may live in peace.
God Bless you and
God Bless the
Betty Gentile
Chaplain
___________________________________________
1st Vice
President
As of
March 1st we have made our membership goal of 10 Plus. We now have 324 paid members. Our unit is 1
of 7 of 128 total units in Department and 1 of 3 of 42 total units in district
who made 10 Plus goal at this time. My
sincere thanks to every member who made this possible. Without your help of paying dues and signing
new members we would not have met our goal.
The
Sixtieth Annual Maryland Girl State Program will be held from 18 to
Thank
you to everyone who gave clothing for the Veterans at
Barbara Mallonee
1st Vice-President
_Americanism
This
year’s Americanism essay contest was, once again, a huge success. The contest ended on February 1 and all of
the essays were submitted for judging under the title, “What Freedom Means To
Me”. Five area schools participated for
a total of 123 entries. Judging has been
completed and the Auxiliary would like to announce our winners:
Group
I, Grades 3 & 4
2ndPlace—Samantha
Leitholf
All
three are from Windsor Farm Elementary.
Group
II, Grades 5 & 6
Daniel is from Windsor Farm elementary. Andrew and Nathanael are from
Group III, Grades 7 & 8
All three are from
The Auxiliary would like to congratulate all of this year’s
winners and all those who participated.
As in past years, we are impressed and extremely proud of our young
writers. Their enthusiasm for writing
and their love for their country are extraordinary, and for that we sincerely
thank the parents and teachers.
The Americanism Essay Unit Awards Ceremony will be held in
the Post Hall on Sunday, June 4 at
Alice Martin
Chairman
_____________________________________
Children’s Easter Party
The Children’s Easter Party is
Sunday, April 9th,
A sign up sheet will be posted
in the lounge. The cut off date is
Monday, April 3rd. Please call
410-544-2066 for more info.
Michele Jordan
Chairman
_____________________________________________________
Poppies
Our annual poppy drive will be taking
place on Memorial Weekend, Saturday May 27, Sunday May 28 and Memorial Day
Monday May 29.
American Legion volunteers will be
distributing poppies in exchange for donations.
This annual event, planned to coincide with Memorial Day, pays tribute
to all the veterans as well as those who gave their lives for our country. The poppy is a replica of those poppies that
bloomed on the battlefields of
We will have folks distributing poppies in exchange for donations
on the local highways and at the local grocery stores during the Memorial
weekend.
WE NEED VOLUNTEERS!! Please call me if you can spare any time at
all during the Memorial weekend, no matter how much time you
can spare, even if for just one hour. My phone number is 410-533-7106.
Starting on May 1 we will be
collecting donations in the lounge. In
exchange for a donation you will receive a document decorated with
poppies. You can write any dedication on
the document, and it will be displayed in the lounge during the entire
month.
Eva
D’Ambrosio
Chairman
____________________________________________________
SAL NEWS
From
your Commander
No Article was submitted!
Mike Clutz
Commander
________________________________________________________
Planned Post Activities
______________________________________
New Offering on Hall Rentals
Small Event Hall
Rentals
We are making the
Post Hall available for “Small Affairs” like Bridal or Baby Showers. These rentals will be available on either
Thursday or Sunday afternoons or evenings.
Events such as this should usually have a smaller number of attendees
and be of a shorter duration than a normal rental. Special rates will be in effect for these
“small hall” rentals.
Contact Pat
Wachter at 410-647-3756 to discuss the details.
Pat Wachter,
Hall Chairman
__________________________________________
Bingo
The Unit holds bingo on the third Monday of the month at
________________________________________
Breakfast
Breakfast will be held on Easter
Regular prices are: Adults-$6.00, Children 7
and under-$3.00, Omelets to order-$.50 extra. The hours are
_________________________________________
Catering
Please remember if you know someone who
is having a wedding reception, birthday party, retirement party or any kind of
party refer them to us and be sure to tell them we have a great new menu.
Anyone can access the menu from the auxiliary page on the legion website. http://legionpost175.org/
or you can call us at
410-544-2066
Children’s
Easter Party
The Party will be held on