“Pride & Performance” is Department Commander Pete Wasco’s motto this membership year. You interest and participation in the Pennsylvania American Legion is welcome and in fact, needed! This great organization has a myriad of exceptional programs all of which set us apart from any of the other veterans’ service organizations. There is literally something of interest for all veterans and their families in The American Legion! Promoting membership to advancing any one of our programs is essential to the success of any or all of our programs. The task is everyone’s responsibility. Together, with your assistance, we can increase our membership and participation in The American Legion programs. You can be an asset to the success of your post, county, district, section or department. We implore you to be an active component in our American Legion. “Pride & Performance” is a fitting slogan, through your participation we will ALL benefit – ALL being The American Legion, our post’s, communities and this great Nation! Our four pillars are still as important today as they were in 1919.
Legion College is here again. All posts are encouraged to send their commanders, adjutants, SAL officers, Auxiliary, Legion Riders officers and all interested members who may benefit from this day-long training/informational session. The dates are October 30 for the east and central section at Cumberland Valley High School in Mechanicsburg and November 6 at Latrobe High School for the western section. The courses this year are: General Course, Adjutant Course, Auxiliary Course, SAL Course, Service Officer Course, Legion Riders Course, Home Association Course and Chaplain Course. The registration is only $15 for any of these eight courses. Of particular interest this year are detailed instructions on the IRS Form 990, small games of chance updates, a new membership tool that will be useful for the entire Legion family, as well as information offered through each of the scheduled classes. We have had a great turnout over the past three years and we hope you will take time to attend the Legion College most convenient for you and your post’s Legion family members.
Our Department Commander Pete Wasco’s project this year is the National Emergency Fund (NEF). We have instituted the placards that have been used in the past and customized them to reflect our commanders NEF project. These placards are in essence exactly the same as the shamrocks for Muscular Dystrophy, the hearts for the American Heart Association, etc. There is one difference and that is they are supported by our members and they benefit our members. In the past ten years Pennsylvania posts and Legionnaires have drawn from this fund. We support this fund and through the sales of these placards this poses no real burden to any of our posts in pushing this worthwhile program. To support this, a post simply needs to get the placards from your district commander and sell them to your customers. Post 145 in Crafton does not have a bar but they easily sell 100 of these NEF placards at their bingo. We ask you to make a concerted effort to make this a successful campaign. In addition to the NEF our Department is supporting other National programs to include the Legacy Fund, Wounded Warrior Project, and the Child Welfare Fund. All these are very worthwhile programs that deserve our support. With the small games of chance being scrutinized more now than ever before these programs are an excellent way for your post to comply with the letter of the law and support a good cause. When your post is making donations to worthy causes please consider these as they are very worthwhile programs deserving of our support!
Congress has made September 16 The American Legion Day! In commemoration of the day The American Legion was chartered by Congress – The American Legion Day marks the beginning of a three-month period to promote the organization and the good work done to aid America’s veterans, their families and the communities in which American Legion posts are located. This is an opportune time to reconnect with your local community and possibly get some free publicity in your local news media. As I have said many times before, “our posts are the window through which our communities view our American Legion.” Posts should make an effort to reestablish programs in the community and the schools in your respective areas and show we are much more than a bar. Make your community a Legiontown! Making your town a Legiontown can begin on American Legion Day with a ceremony involving city leaders and the public with events and activities continuing through November. Every community interaction is an opportunity to educate the public about the Four Pillars of The American Legion and the services provided by your post. Other opportunities might include a Veterans Service Day, disaster preparedness education, Halloween safety, Heroes to Hometowns troop support events, and other opportunities that directly involve members of your community. The better we educate our communities as to what The American Legion is the easier we will garner participation in our programs and entice new members to join our great organization! Let’s all make our community a Legiontown!
The Oratorical Contest is coming quicker than you think! This is the time to get your local students/schools working on this great program. Every school should have a participant and should have an equal opportunity to compete for the more than $16,500 in prize monies given by our Department at the state finals. This is in conjunction with the contest money that can be won at the district, county and section contests. The student who wins our department contest will advance to the National contest for a chance to win an additional $18,000. With the high cost of higher education today I am sure many students in all our posts communities and their parents would participate in this great program.
Remember Veterans Day is November 11th that may be an opportune time to reconnect with your community. An open house may be the ticket. Inviting prospective new members to attend is a great idea!
The Department of Pennsylvania American Legion annual Christmas Tour will be December 3-9. The Department Commander, Adjutant, National Executive Committeeman, Auxiliary President and the Hospital Entertainment chairman will travel across our Commonwealth and visit each state veterans’ home and VA hospital. We encourage all interested members of our American Legion family to join us when we are in your area. The residents and patients truly appreciate it, so come out and help bring some joy to our veterans’ lives.
Our Department Executive Committee meeting is January 14-16, 2011. The annual Housing for Homeless Veterans Corp. dinner will be held Saturday, January 15th. Make plans to support this important program by placing an ad in the program book and attending the dinner. Dinner tickets will be $25, ads will run $70 for a full page, $50 for a half page and $40 for a quarter page. Make sure you get ads approved early so you can send them in and show your support for this great program.
The National Commander’s tour of Pennsylvania will begin in the east on March 7, continue to the central section March 8 and conclude in the western section on March 9th. Make plans to attend the banquet when it is in your area and hear the message from National Commander Foster and show him we are Pennsylvania proud!
Finally, I participated on a 9-11 Memorial Pennsylvania American Legion Riders run. This was well attended, well run, very organized and the camaraderie was second to none. I wish to thank the Pennsylvania American Legion Riders for their support and for the good things they are involved in! Until next time…
View a video of the 2009/2010 year in review.
The 2010 Department Convention held at the Harrisburg Hilton Hotel was a great success. View the great pictures below.
The American Legion was chartered and incorporated by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization devoted to mutual helpfulness. It is the nation’s largest veterans service organization, committed to mentoring and sponsorship of youth programs in our communities, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting a strong national security, and continued devotion to our fellow servicemembers and veterans.
In contrast to other veterans organizations, the Legion offers a number of local programs and activities to strengthen its commitment to our nation’s grass roots and the people we serve. American Legion Baseball is one of the nation’s most successful amateur athletic programs; it continues to educate youths on the importance of sportsmanship and develops the quality of our country’s citizenship. The Heroes to Hometowns program is the only nationwide reintegration assistance service for wounded veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. Additionally, millions of dollars in donations have been given to fellow veterans and their families in times of grief, and various scholarship opportunities ensure the future success of our youth.
The American Legion is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization with great political influence perpetuated by its grass-roots involvements in the legislation process. Legionnaires’ sense of obligation to their community, state and nation drives an honest advocacy for veterans in Washington. The Legion stands not behind politics, but the issues and people that institute progress by focusing on veterans rights and quality of life.
The American Legion’s success depends entirely on active membership, participation and volunteerism. The organization belongs to the people it serves and the communities in which it thrives.
The Four Pillars of The American Legion Booklet (PDF)
The American Legion is again competing for $250,000 for the Legacy Scholarship Fund in July. Additionally, we are entered for August on behalf of job fairs, in which we are quite active. Let’s make it a point to let our “address books” know that we need them to vote every day for the next two months in order to win $500,000 for American Legion Charities. Go to www.legion.org and click on the Pepsi Refresh icon.
Portion of proceeds will benefit Legion programs
INDIANAPOLIS (June 9, 2010) – A new documentary detailing the 91-year history of The American Legion has just been released and is currently available through the organization’s Web site and Flag & Emblem Sales division.
“History of The American Legion: A National Legacy” was produced by Blackhorse Productions, a California-based company that specializes in military documentaries. Narrated by actor Neal McDonough (Band of Brothers), the movie traces the World War I roots of The American Legion and follows its history from its founding through its support for the military during the Global War on Terrorism.
“The American Legion has been the leading voice for veterans and the military since 1919,” National Commander Clarence E. Hill said. “While many people know that The American Legion played a pivotal role in the creation of the GI Bill, they don’t necessarily know the fascinating history behind it. From the elevation of the VA to cabinet-status to the administration of some of the most successful youth programs in the country, The American Legion has too many noteworthy accomplishments for me to mention here. I am pleased that we now have a DVD that brings the illustrious history of The American Legion to life. This would make a great gift for any Legionnaire and a great educational tool for the general public.
“The National Executive Committee passed Resolution 6 during its October 2008 meetings, which authorized The American Legion to cooperate with Blackhorse Productions in the creation of the documentary. The project was completed at no cost to The American Legion, with a portion of the sales proceeds being allocated to The American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund, Child Welfare Foundation and National Emergency Fund.
“Preserving history and teaching viewers about the contributions and sacrifices made by our veterans is a passion for Blackhorse Productions,” said Jason Heit, Executive Producer and CEO. “We were extremely excited to not just tell the great story of The American Legion, but to include the American Legion Auxiliary, Sons of the American Legion and the American Legion Riders.”
The DVDs cost $19.95 each and are available online at www.emblem.legion.org or by calling 1-888-453-4466. The stock number is 755.906.
With a current membership of 2.5-million wartime veterans, The American Legion was founded on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and the mentoring of youth. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through more than 14,000 posts across the nation.
As the department convention is approaching, I’m preparing several mini-movies to be shown before, during, or even right after the convention sessions. The mini-movies will be pictures of our Pennsylvania American Legion “Posts-in-Action” set to patriotic music. And I want to include pictures from your Post, your District, your programs!
This year’s Pennsylvania American Legion Department Convention will be held at the Hilton Hotel in Harrisburg from July 15th to the 18th. After the convention, I will post the mini-movies to Department’s website for everyone to view.
The mini-movies will be made from pictures of the events involving our Pennsylvania Legion Posts. You can send pictures of your Post meetings, Christmas party, Oratorical contest, summer picnic, Legion baseball, testimonial dinner, the front of your Post building, Memorial Day parade, Veterans Day event, visiting a local school, welcoming home our current military, flag burning ceremony, or any other event held by your American Legion Post supporting your community, children & youth, Americanism and of course our veterans.
The mini-movies will be similar to the movie shown at the January Housing for Homeless Veterans benefit dinner. If you did not see the movie you can go to Department’s website to view the movie.
You can:
Send me your pictures taken during the 2009 -2010 membership year via email no later than June 15, 2010
Send as many as 25 pictures to be included as part of the mini-movies – you can send as many emails as necessary to send the 25 pictures
Write your Post # on the subject line of the email
Or mail a CD with the 25 pictures on it to Shannon Kyle, 2072 Rockfield Road, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania 15243 – please include your Post number with the CD
Do Not send the actual pictures – I need the pictures by email or CD only
If you don’t have pictures then ask around; you may have a Post Historian, Post Adjutant, Post Commander, or even any other members from your Post can have pictures from this current membership year 2009-2010.
pennsylvania american legion college
Thank you for making Legion College a great success. Download sections of the General Course Power Point presentation.
Click Here for the Public Relations presentation
Click Here for the Americanism, Legion Baseball, Scouting, Jr. Shooting Sports, Keystone Boys State, State Police Youth Week, Oratorical, Essay, Need a Lift, American Legacy Scholarship, Robert J. Trace Scholarship Fund, Joseph P. Gavenonis College Scholarship, Robert W. Valimont Endowment Fund Scholarship, American Legion School Award Program Presentation
Click Here for the Community Service and Children & Youth Presentation
Click Here for Blood Donor, National Emergency Fund, Housing for Homeless Veterans, Fisher House, and Member Benefits Presentation
Click Here for the Legiontown Presentation
Click Here for the Value of Membership
Click Here for Building an Effective Post Membership Team
Congress has made September 16 The American Legion Day! In commemoration of the day The American Legion was chartered by Congress - The American Legion Day, marks the beginning of a three-month period to promote the organization and the good work done to aid America’s veterans, their families and the communities in which American Legion posts are located. This is an opportune time to reconnect with your local community and possibly get some free publicity in your local news media. As I have said many times before “our posts are the window through which our communities view our American Legion”. Posts should make an effort to reestablish programs in the community and the schools in your respective areas and show we are much more than a bar. Make your community a Legiontown! Making your town a Legiontown can begin on The American Legion Day with a ceremony involving city leaders and the public with events and activities continuing through November. Every community interaction is an opportunity to educate the public about the four pillars of The American Legion and the services provided by your post. Other opportunities might include a vetereans’ service day, disaster preparedness education, Halloween safety, Heroes to Hometowns troop support events and other opportunities that directly involve members of your community. The better we educate our communities as to what The American Legion is the easier we will garner participation in our programs and entice new members to join our great organization! Let’s all make our communities Legiontowns!
WASHINGTON (Sept. 15, 2009) - The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a resolution designating September 16, 2009, as “The American Legion Day.” The measure, House Resolution 679, was sponsored by Rep. Debbie Halvorson, D-Ill., and passed this afternoon with wide bipartisan support.
Halvorson praised the 90-year old veterans service organization, the largest in the nation, for its continuing work to aid wounded warriors and military families, for Legionnaires’ legacy of community volunteerism and for the organization’s significant role in establishing important national legislation.
“On September 16, 1919, The American Legion was granted their federal charter by Congress, and 90 years later, they have kept their commitment to serve not only as a resource and a voice on behalf of veterans across America, but also as an organization dedicated to the betterment of America through community service,” said Halvorson on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. “Since their founding charter, The American Legion has not wavered from the guiding principles and vision that can be found in their Four Pillars of Service.
“(House) Res. 670 helps to recognize this extraordinary organization, whose members not only fought to protect our country, but chose to continue to serve it long after their military service ended,” Halvorson added.
A similar resolution, SJR 260 introduced by Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, was passed in the Senate last week.
Clarence E. Hill, the National Commander of The American Legion, expressed
great pleasure upon hearing of the resolution‘s passage. “We are honored and humbled that Congress is recognizing the contributions members of The American Legion have been making for this nation for nearly a century now. I am very grateful to all who supported the congressional resolutions and especially to Rep. Halvorson and Sen. Snowe for sponsoring the measures. I encourage all American Legion posts to remind their communities why Sept. 16 has been designated ‘The American Legion Day.’”
With a current membership of 2.5-million wartime veterans, The American Legion was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and youth programs. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through more than 14,000 posts across the nation.