Commanders' Message

Hard to believe that it is September and we are well into our year already. We have a new National Commander, Bill Oxford of Lenoir, North Carolina, who has challenged all American Legion Posts to attain 103% membership this year. Your membership committee will be working hard to achieve this goal. The Department of North Carolina will be conducting Post membership training. Training will be held by Past Department Commanders, in each Post of every District.

We will conduct a fish and oyster fry on Friday, 27 September 2019, with preparations taking place on Thursday, 26 September. Please mark your calendars and come out to support your post at this event. Volunteers, we need you for both days to help make this a successful event!

The American Legion Baseball World Series, held in Shelby, NC, was phenomenal. The final game was a contest between teams from Idaho and North Dakota with the team from Idaho winning the World Series for the first time.

We are drafting plans for our 100^th-anniversary celebration event in November. If you have any suggestions, please get them to any member of the Executive Committee as soon as possible. All ideas are welcome.

All members of Post 52 should pause on September 11 to remember all those who perished during the attack on the twin towers in New York, including the first responders that were lost trying to save others.

For God & Country, Mike Donnelly

Vice-Commander's Report

Fellow Legionnaires, August is over, and things are a little slow. The G.I. party we had was helpful, we installed hurricane clips and installed a light fixture and switch in the carport. We still have a few things left to do. We appreciate everyone that came out and helped. Don’t forget to pay your dues for 2020. Being curious, I looked up what the American Legion represents, and this is what I found and maybe we as members should remember.

WHAT DOES THE AMERICAN LEGION REPRESENT?

The American Legion was chartered in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization, focusing on service to veterans, service members and communities. The American Legion evolved from war-weary veterans of WW1 into the most influential nonprofit group in America.

We thank you for being a member and paying your dues but, we would like to see your smiling face once a month. It only takes about an hour and a half, so come on out and get a good meal and have some fellowship on the last Tuesday of every month at 7:00 pm.

Also, don’t forget September 27th from 11 am to 7 pm we will be having a Fish/Oyster plate fundraiser, come out and participate and have some fun!

Doug Wilbourne

Auxiliary Notes

Happy Labor Day!

Please keep everyone in prayer who are in the path of Hurricane Dorian!

The American Legion Auxiliary 99^th National Convention was held in Indianapolis, Indiana and it was awesome. The 100^th American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) National Convention will be held in Louisville, Kentucky next year which the ALA will be 100 years on November 10, 2019. Before the Convention began a group of us were able to take a bus trip to the new American Legion Auxiliary headquarters. The new building was amazing.

Here are a few highlights from the Convention. During the NC get-together party, we were privileged to hear from the Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, Jim “Doc” McCloughan. Commander Mike and I were honored to sit with him and his wife during the hors d’oeuvres and speak with them both. On Tuesday, I attended the “Woman of the Year” luncheon. Three honorees receive awards, with one of them being from North Carolina; Past Department Commander, Patricia Harris for her work in helping female veterans. On Wednesday, the Auxiliary heard from Second Lady, Karen Pence and her husband, Vice President, Mike Pence spoke on ways to support military spouses. The Convention ended with the election of the Auxiliary’s National President, Nicole Clapp from Iowa and on Thursday the election of the American Legion National Commander, Bill Oxford from North Carolina. Congratulations to all!

The wording to change “Wives” to “Spouses” did pass. What this change means, is that a female legionnaire’s husband may join the Auxiliary. I hope you embrace this as a positive outlook as this opens a new area for membership. Past National Commander, Denise Rohan’s husband became the first male Auxiliary member. Who will it be for North Carolina?

A few reminders: Executive Committee/Sew day: September 9, 2019, at 10 a.m., Post 52

Membership meeting: September 24, 2019, at 5:30 p.m., Franklinton Senior Center

Bake Sale: September 27, 2019, with Fish Fry at Post 52

Division 2 Meeting: September 21, 2019, at Burlington Unit 63, Burlington, NC

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

Guest Speaker

Brenda Wilkins, our County Veterans Service Officer, will be at our next meeting on September 24, 2019. Her topic will be the new and changing veteran medical services now available. Please plan to come and hear what she has to say. Seating will be limited to the first 100 members. If there are other topics that you would like to have information on, please drop us a note to NCALP52@gmail.com.