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)
Need a Lift? To educational opportunities, scholarships, grants, student loans, careers and employment.
The American Legion publishes a comprehensive roundup of educational opportunities – including state and federal education benefits for veterans – in a booklet titled “Need a Lift?” Nearly 30,000 copies are distributed to educational institutions each year. It contains up-to-date information on:
- The basics of higher-education funding
- A listing of federal education benefits and programs, including loans, grants, scholarships, work-study opportunities, tax benefits and educational IRAs
- A listing of state education benefits and programs
- Scholarships, grants and loans administered or supported by The American Legion
- Military resources
- Private funding sources
- An index of books and e-newsletters on education benefits
- Basic information on four-year colleges around the United States
- Contact information
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.
2009 was a big year for the Philadelphia and Coraopolis transitional homes that are owned and operated by Housing for Homeless Veterans.
The Philadelphia home was up for a HGTV Change the World America’s Heroes contest. Our Philadelphia home went up against seven other veteran homeless shelters across the United States and we won. Monica Pedersen and Carter Oosterhouse of HGTV created the home makeover. HGTV aired the makeover on Veterans Day.
HGTV renovates the Philadelphia transitional home
The Coraopolis home also received a makeover in 2009. Congressman Tim Murphy worked with Wyatt Incorporated to volunteer man hours and all the equipment necessary to renovate 4 kitchens.
And lastly, On September 26, 2009 Jordan Hrinya accomplished her Gold Award for the Girl Scouts of America by working in one of the living rooms at the Coraopolis home.
Wyatt Incorporated works at the Coraopolis transitional home
Front row (l to r): John C. Tomosky, Commander, 1st District, American Legion Dept. of Pennsylvania; Joe Gunkle, American Legion Commander, Bridesburg Post 821; Stanley Fabiszewski, American Legion Housing for Homeless Veterans Corp.; Michael Nutter, mayor of Philadelphia; Terry Lewis, American Legion Housing for Homeless Veterans Corp. Back row (l to r): Carter Oosterhouse; Pennsylvania State Representative Tony Payton; John Stevens, Head Coach of Philadelphia Flyers
(l-r): Frank (veteran), PPL representatives Don Stoudt, Don Spade and Donna Schanno, and veterans Doug and Jim. Not pictured are veterans Rick and Dan
Pennsylvania Power & Light employees delivered all the makings of a full thanksgiving dinner to the veterans living at Veterans Place in Ephrata. The Ephrata home is one of the three homes owned and operated by the Pennsylvania American Legion Housing for Homeless Veterans Corporation.
“We (the employees of PPL) just want to say thank you for their service and this is one way we can do it”, says Donna Schanno, the spearhead of this project. “All the employees of PPL donated money to ensure that these veterans would be able to have a real Thanksgiving dinner.” Under the watchful eye of Donna, Don Spade and Don Stoudt went grocery shopping and then delivered the goods to the veterans living in the home.
Don Spade, a Vietnam veteran, and Don Stoudt make sure that there was enough food to not only take care of Thanksgiving, but to provide them with meals up through Christmas.
“We have been doing this for several years and with the generosity of the employees of PPL we will continue to do this for many years to come,” relays Spade.
“It is always a pleasure to do this for these veterans,” says Stoudt. “I know the veterans who live here appreciate it. It gives us a good feeling as well.”
“Wow,” the veterans exclaimed as Spade, Stoudt and Donna continued to bring in bag after bag of food, including pumpkin pies, cranberry sauce, corn, potatoes and much more, along with a 20-pound turkey. “The food just kept coming and coming,” the veterans said. “We couldn’t believe our eyes.”
The veterans living at the Ephrata home gave their thanks to the employees of PPL for thinking of them during the holiday season and for their concern and generosity in providing them with all the fixings that will make this Thanksgiving something to really be thankful for. The veterans at Veterans Place wish God’s blessing upon everyone and hopes that each of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day and dinner – they sure did!
The veterans living in the Coraopolis home received Thanksgiving dinner donated by Housing for Homeless Veterans Corporation and the veterans living in the Philadelphia home enjoyed their Thanksgiving dinner from Angel Food Ministries.
You voted and the housing for homeless Veterans Philadelphia home won. It’s time to watch the HGTV (Home & Garden Television Channel) Change the World: America’s Heroes at 8:00 pm on Veterans Day, Wednesday November 11th.
HGTV’s Carter Oosterhouse and Monica Pedersen, along with more than 200 volunteers from the Pennsylvania American Legion and Rebuilding Together, worked together to renovate our Philadelphia home. Volunteers spent some 2,300 hours on the project.
This house is a transitional home for homeless veterans, a program operated by the Pennsylvania American Legion Housing for Homeless Veterans Corporation. In the three-bedroom townhouse, homeless veterans receive food and shelter, plus help finding work and a permanent place to live. Since 1994, nearly 400 veterans have successfully left the program and have gone on to become productive members of the workforce.
This episode, showcasing a St. Louis home and our Philadelphia home, become two of the biggest and best remodeling projects in HGTV history according to HGTV.
On this Veterans Day, watch HGTV for supporting our veterans - Change the World: American Heroes at 8:00 pm on HGTV.