Commanders' Message

The month of August is here, and the new membership year has begun. The goal for Post 52 this year is to reach 100% membership by November 11, 2019. Meeting this goal will require all members renewing their memberships and paying their dues by that date. Please see the Post Adjutant or any member of the Membership Team for help in getting your dues paid.

Senate Bill 504 (Legion Act) has been passed unanimously in both the senate and the house of representatives and awaits the signature of the President to become final. This law will expand the criteria for eligibility to join the American Legion, enabling many more of our brothers and sisters to join our great organization. Once the president signs this bill into law, we will be able to start recruiting these veterans.

I want to thank all those who came out and worked to make the chicken and pork fundraiser a successful event. August will be a very busy month for the American Legion as well as Post 52. Early Bird Membership Award cutoff, American Legion World Series of Baseball in Shelby, NC, National Convention in Indianapolis, IN. Several of us will be traveling to the national convention to cheer on our own Bill Oxford as the new National Commander of the American Legion. I will encourage all legionnaires to make the trip if you can do so.

Our organization was built on the premise of veterans helping veterans, and we should never lose sight of that, and we should always be diligent in remembering our sick and homebound members.

Finally, if you have suggestions to make a better post experience for all members, please make plans to attend the next Executive Committee meeting and share your ideas. The goal is to improve the interest of our membership in our post.

On July 25^th the Post 52 honor guard squad performed military funeral honors for a Franklinton veteran, Jackie Stroud. Although Jackie was not a Legionnaire, he was a Navy veteran and served for 40 years as a first responder law enforcement officer on the Franklinton and Youngsville police forces.

Performing military honors for local veterans is one of the veteran’s services provided by Post 52, and if you would like to help with this service, as an honor guard member, contact squad leader Steve Ijames at (919) 494-2851.

For God & Country, Mike Donnelly

Vice-Commander's Report

Fellow Legionnaires, here it is August, and July is behind us with our BBQ Chicken/Pork fundraiser. It was a success with some 230 plates sold and not a word of complaint from any satisfied customers. Many thanks to all who helped prepare the food, serve the food, and do KP duty. It takes a lot of folks to pull off a fundraiser. During the fundraiser, several members paid their 2020 dues, and those who did so, got a free meal. See what you miss when you don’t Come?

Next on our post agenda is the GI Party on Saturday, August 10, (not a Good Intentions Party) but we would like to have as many as possible to keep our post clean and maintained. Remember, part of the revenue for the post comes from rental of the post facility and to do so means we need to keep in tip-top condition.

The National Night Out program in downtown Franklinton in support of law enforcement has been moved to an undetermined date in September.

You have received your membership renewal notice for the 2020 year. Please renew now and, by doing so, save the national headquarters the cost of sending you subsequent notices. You can renew online at MyLegion.org.

Thought I would look up the word MEMBERSHIP. Merriam Webster says: “The state of belonging to or being a part of an organization. The state of being a member”. Hummmm.

Douglas Wilbourne

Auxiliary Notes

As I am writing this newsletter, I am on vacation in the New England area visiting family. I do hope everyone has had a wonderful summer so far.

First, I want to say “Thank You” for everyone who helped or brought baked goods for the BBQ on Saturday, July 20, 2019.

Secondly, Membership dues are now due. You can bring your dues to the meetings or mail it, or you can do it online.

There are a couple of dates to mark on your calendar. First one is the Division 2 meeting, which our Unit is in, will be held on Saturday, September 21, 2019, at Burlington Unit 63, Burlington, NC with registration beginning at 8:30 am, and the meeting begins at 9 am. Anyone wishing to attend this meeting, please let Carolyn Donnelly know. The other date is Saturday, March 14, 2020, for the District 6 meeting which Franklinton Unit 52, Franklinton, NC will be hosting at Post 52. Registration begins at 12:30 pm and the meeting will begin at 1 pm.

Lastly, although I will be attending the American Legion World Series in Shelby then onto the National American Legion Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana with a wedding before all these events in August we will still have the scheduled meetings!

The Executive Committee/Sew Day will be Monday, August 12, 2019, at Post 52 beginning at 10 am, and the Membership Meeting will be Tuesday, August 27, 2019, at Franklinton Senior Center at 5:30 pm. Please join us and bring a friend!

As I don’t have my monthly birthday list with me, “Happy Birthday” to any members, who are having birthdays in August.

See everyone in September! 

For God and Country!  In the Spirit of Service, not Self,
Carolyn Donnelly District 6 President/ Unit 52 President