Post 862 September 2002 Newsletter

The American Legion . . . Saddleback Valley Post 862

September 2002 Newsletter

Time flies: One year ago, this month, Post 862 began meeting in the Mission Viejo Elks Lodge! We are in our 3^rd year as a Post and in this last year have grown to a membership of 108 on the roster. It has been historically noted that roughly 10% of ANY service group membership shows up for meetings (50% to socials!) and about 6% do the sustaining work required to keep that group active. With that in mind it is our goal this year to double our membership (actually to shoot for 225 members) in order to gain more workers. J

As has been said before, . . . real life doesn’t allow many of you to participate in the daily, weekly, and monthly activities of Post 862. Your priorities are, and should be, (1) your God and church (2) your family (3) your job/career, and a distant (4) Saddleback Valley Post 862.

Having said that . . . we’ll take whatever involvement/participation you have the time to give.

A couple of hours at the general meeting/social . . . involvement in our community activities, such as Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Patriot Day (9/11) . . . active participation in Legion programs such as Boys State, Law & Order, Americanism, or Post 862’s sponsorship of an AF JROTC unit. We welcome you in any and all categories.

Great News: As of Labor Day weekend Post 862 is on the Internet with our own website. Post 862 Adjutant and Webmaster extraordinaire, Maxson Smith, has put together an outstanding website that has to be seen to believe. Post information, Legion information, Veteran’s information links, calendar of events, Programs, History, interesting trivia (as against junk stuff), and much, much more . . . Max has made this site user-friendly and welcomes comments, suggestions, and general input from fellow Legionnaires of Post 862 and elsewhere. Go to www.post862.org. Thank you Max, for a job well done!

Teamwork: Laguna Hills Post 257 and Saddleback Valley Post 862 joined forces to host a Patriot Day celebration and remembrance ceremony on Wednesday, 11 September. Held at Leisure World by Club House 1, in front of the Post 257 Veterans Memorial site, the ceremony drew a crowd that overflowed the 100 chairs already in place. Fortunately many attendees brought their own chairs and took advantage of the little shade that was available.

The Mayor pro tem of Laguna Woods was the keynote speaker who was preceded by MSgt. Cheryl Steiner, NCOIC of the Air Force JROTC CA-291 unit and Post 862 Commander Carlton LeDrew, speaking on behalf of The American Legion.

The AF JROTC and Post 257 provided Color Guards . . . bridging the gap between generations . . . the young cadets made us all feel very good about the future of America!

What with Engine Company 22’s Battalion Commander ringing the “Four Fives” bell signal, the sounding of the bell for each war Americans have participated in (ending with the War on Terrorism), the haunting, live rendition of Taps, to the closing singing of God Bless America, it was a ceremony to remember.

My personal thanks go to Post 862 members . . . our Service Officer, Pastor Tom Tyree (Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance) . . . our Chaplain, Dr. Tom Newland (Benediction) . . . our Adjutant, Maxson Smith (digital photography) . . . our Executive Committee member, Dick Urquhart (wreath laying) . . . our 1^st Vice Commander, Bob Bullard (Greeter and liaison to our guest Pastor, Jeff McCrory, of Geneva Presbyterian Church) . . . also, Legionnaire David Snodgrass (digital photography) . . . and last, but not least, Legionnaire Hall Simons, who attended wearing his WWII Navy Lieutenant (SG) dress white uniform . . . a feat that many of us only dream of . . . getting into our old uniform, that is . . . pictures and a write-up on all of this will appear in the 862 website soon . . .


From the Chaplain, Dr. Tom Newland: Last month you received a personal note extolling the virtues and capabilities of Carlton LeDrew, Commander of YOUR Post. We Legionnaires believe in the Legion and the oft-repeated phrase “For God and Country”. The Bible tells us we each have talents and are to use them or lose them.

The Legion has many areas where we can contribute to the enrichment and welfare of those we strive to help. Here are the major areas where you could bring your interests and talents to bear. Each area has sub-areas. Come and be e active in your Post.

Commissions/Committees/Programs: Aerospace, Agriculture, Natural Resources, Amateur Radio, and Americanism. American Legion Baseball, Boys State, Children and Youth.

Community Service, Counter Subversive Activities, Disaster and Emergency services.

Employment, energy, Foreign Relations, Graves Registration, Housing (Veterans).

Law and Order, Legislative, National Security, Sons of The American Legion, Oratorical Contest, Publishing, Public Relations, Valley Forge Workshop.

Blood Donor Program, Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation, Insurance, the Citizens Flag Alliance, POW/MIA, American Legion Auxiliary.

The American Legion recognized that family, job, and church have priority in our lives. However, we all have other interests and The American legion could be one of yours. Finding an activity of interest to you can be rewarding and fulfilling. Come and fill the chairs of this newest of Posts. The Commander is a dynamic leader. He does a lot but needs your help and input. We have the potential to be the best Post in California.


Membership note from Bob Bullard (1^st Vice Commander): Some 36 of our members have renewed for 2003. This put us at 33% of our quota assigned by the 29^th District (the District quota is 108 members). A new renewal mailing is out this month, please give serious consideration to renewing your membership.

Our Post 862 Commander has asked all current members to bring in a new member to the Post and not wanting to “lead from the rear”, Carlton has signed up our newest member . . . John R. West, a WWII Army veteran . . . Welcome aboard John! Our Adjutant, Maxson Smith, not to be outdone, recruited, David Snodgrass, an Air Force Vietnam veteran. Welcome aboard David!

The challenge still stands . . . each member gets a member! The Department Membership Director, Howard Darter, who was the primary mover in getting this Post 862 started, has a “Thumbs Up for Membership” campaign going for this year for the Department of California and has challenged all Posts to reach the 110+% mark this year. We grew from 35 members to 108 last year! Let’s put serious work into doubling our membership this year.

Early Bird Meal: For those of you who renewed your 2003 membership prior to the close of the Labor Day Week . . . you have a meal at the Elks Lodge courtesy of Post 862. This will be on the 3^rd Monday of October 2002 (the 21^st), from 6 PM to 7:00 PM. For the 36 of you that have the “early bird” stamp on your 2003 membership card you have a choice of steak or chicken, with fries, beans, grilled onions, garlic toast, and Cole slaw. Your meal is free; your guests will need to pay . . . $6 for the steak and $5 for the chicken.

We would appreciate it very much if you would please RSVP with a head count so that we may give the Elks Lodge volunteer’s ample notice of attendees. Call 949-470-0594 or email to aweebit@earthlink.net.

Some of you may have noticed that the 3^rd Monday, October 21^st, is the normal meeting date for Post 862 . . . we hope that you will come, enjoy the meal, and then stick around for a 35 to 40 minute meeting, and then enjoy the rest of the evening in a social atmosphere. Your guests may sit in on the meeting to see the Legion ritual and meeting activity, or they may choose to wait for you, the member, while enjoying a cool libation outside the grand hall. If you haven’t seen what we do and how we do things . . . this is s good time for it.

For those of you coming from work and can’t make it to the Lodge until 6:45 PM . . . come anyway . . . we will have tables set up at the back of the hall so that you can enjoy your meal and still see and hear what is going on. This is not our normal practice . . . we usually finish eating between 6 & 7 PM and begin the meeting at 7 PM . . . we want to make this as easy and as comfortable for you to attend. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Well, that’s it for this time . . .

Keep on the lookout for that potential member . . . your family . . . your neighbor . . . your coworker . . . your golfing buds . . . your fishing buds . . . your sprawl-on-the-beach buds!

I’m looking . . .

Semper Fi


Carlton LeDrew, Commander
Saddleback Valley Post 862
The American Legion