COMMANDER | GEORGE CHRISTENSEN
Greetings Legionnaires,
It’s time to renew memberships!
July started the new fiscal year for the American Legion and the start of membership renewals. While your current membership is valid until January, I encourage you not to wait but to renew early. You can renew at the Post or online at www.legion.org.
Post Committees
Our post cannot continue to run on one-person committees. We need committee chairs and more importantly committee members. I urge each Post member to consider giving four hours to the Post. Here are committees we need to reinvigorate:
- VetFest Committee- Steph Holden Chair
- Membership Committee- Mike Frank Chair
- Finance Committee- Jen Holden Chair
- House Committee- Kevin Wood Chair
- Clubroom- Need a chair and Rental agent to attend
American Legion Pillars:
- Veteran Affairs and Law and Order
- National Security (Blood Drive)
- Americanism (oratorical, Boy/Girls state)
- Children & Youth (Scouting, Family support, Public safety)
Any committee you want to be a part of let Cyndi August the Adjutant know. We will be discussing this at the next Executive Committee meeting and we will get you connected with the right people.
Stand-in for the Sergeant-at-Arms
John Putnam has been shifted to night crew. He will continue his duties except he will not be able to attend Executive Committee or Post meetings. I am looking for someone who would like to stand-in for John. Please let me know.
Buddy Check
In October we will be doing a phone campaign to do a Buddy Check of our members. Mike Frank the First Vice is organizing it and looking for 20 volunteers who will use their own cell phones. We will set up stations in the hall on a Saturday. Besides checking on the welfare of our members we will be reminding them of the importance or membership renewal. If you would like to volunteer contact Mike or Cyndi the Adjutant.
Post Renovations and Repair
Our Post needs renovation and repair. We currently run a negative balance each month and while we have a source of volunteer labor to help with some renovation projects, we need to supply the materials. Our two big repair items are the women’s restroom in the hall, and the lock on the front hall door. Estimate for the restroom is about $7,000, and the door about $6,000. While we have been good with self-help these two items require professional repair. Until I can find some local sponsors, and our grant applications come through we will be asking groups who hold breakfasts in the hall to contribute to the restroom repair. The ALR-149 Riders have already pledged fair share or $1,000 whichever is less. Currently fair share looks like $1,000. I am now going to make a “big ask” of membership. I am asking members who can afford it, to make a $100 donation to the House fund. These donations will strictly be used for renovation and repair of the post. I realize we have members on a fixed income and all I ask of those is that you renew your membership. I will lead the way and donate $100 during each post meeting until the house committee tells me it is no longer necessary. This will not interfere with my usual donation to Boy/Girl state.
We need Fundraisers as well, anyone with an idea for a fundraiser please bring it up at the next Post meeting.
Yours in Service
George Christensen
Commander, American legion Post 149
773-547-5571
