Commanders' Message

Have you caught your breath yet? It has been jam-packed since Memorial Day activities, Dept NC Convention, Officer Training, Boy's State, BBQ fundraiser, and Legion College, just to highlight a few events until now. I am proud of the 2023-24 Officer Team and Post Executive Committee (PEC), as they have stepped up with much participation and a show of leadership. I am just as proud of our general membership as we have seen more old and new faces supporting the Post in many ways: increased attendance at meetings, helping at fundraisers, and more "cleaner-uppers" after our meetings and events. Thank you all for the extra effort.

As I catch my breath, we must not rest on our laurels. The PEC has been exploring how to increase our membership participation to grow stronger. In that effort, the PEC has elected to hold several General Membership meetings during the day rather than at night. We have heard from members that some may no longer drive at night due to vision degradation. Also, members that work full-time jobs with growing families (possibly the younger Veteran community) find it very difficult to make an evening meeting after working 8-10 hours that day. Of course, there will likely be some members for which such a new schedule may not work. The idea is to try a change rather than just talk about it. Get your feedback and determine what is best for most Post members. The PEC meetings will remain on the 2^nd Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m.

CHANGE OF MEETING DATES / TIMES:

• Saturday, September 30 @ 9:00 a.m.
• Saturday, October 21 @ 9:00 a.m.

A breakfast meal will be served.

Note that our August 29 (Tuesday) meeting remains scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
I hope you will adapt to the "experimental" change and continue to participate and support your Post. I welcome your positive and negative comments on this topic. We will kick the tires and see how it rides. The reality is that no meeting date/time suits 100% of our schedules. But our success depends on what we make of it and look at the good of the Post rather than the good of oneself. I thank each of you ahead of time for adapting and trying something new.

I am happy to see a vigorous renewal of memberships! Thank you for doing so early! Our goal is 100% by Veteran's Day (Nov 11). Unfortunately, it can take National several months to terminate renewal notices even after you have paid. Once you pay, the Post Adjutant will give you a new membership card on the spot or mail one if you send a renewal by mail or online (give us 2-3 weeks to process). When you receive that card, you know you are "officially" renewed, and you can ignore any future renewal notices. A big machine of 2 Million members can't update records fast enough to be in sync with pre-scheduled printing and mailings.

We are still looking for committee volunteers and firing squad members. Please get in touch with me or the 1^st Vice if you would like to learn more about helping your Post.

Chris Smith, Post Commander

Vice-Commander's Report

Post 52 members have begun the membership year with a bang! We now have 106 members that have renewed their membership which is fantastic. We cannot rest on this if nearly half of the Post has renewed; what about the rest of you? It appears that our goal this year is going to be 218. Please renew your membership at the Post or online at legion.org as soon as possible.

Our goal is to have all memberships renewed by Veterans Day. Remember that your dues help the Post take care of its financial responsibilities. Remember that membership is vital to our continued presence in Washington as we advocate for all veterans.

The American Legion World Series will begin on August 10 and continue through August 16^th, and I encourage all legionnaires to travel to Shelby, NC, to see some great baseball.

The American Legion National Convention will be held in Charlotte this year from August 25 through August 31. I encourage everyone to take in a day at the convention if they can do so. I will attend both events and be absent from Post 52 during August.

Mike Donnelly, 1^st Vice Commander

Chaplains' Corner

The Father has a plan for His children, but because no two people are alike, each path will look different. What may be best for one person may not be suitable for another. Comparison of God's ways will lead only to discouragement and misjudgment. We have neither the wisdom nor the eternal perspective to understand why God leads some people down paths of pain and hardship, but we know He is always good. Let us remember all those who have served and are still serving our nation in the armed forces and members of our Post who are enduring hardship.

For God and Country, Harvey Satterwhite, Chaplain Post 52

Auxiliary Unit 52 Report

Thank you to the Auxiliary members who volunteered at the Post 52 BBQ and Bake Sale. We had a great turnout! Even though the chicken and BBQ sold out earlier than expected, we still sold $412 in Baked Goods.

At the Post 52 June Member's Meeting, we honored eight more Veterans with a handmade quilt. That was the last of the quilts that we completed. In the previous newsletter, I said I felt another craft/sew day coming up soon! So did the members. Our next Craft Day will be August 3^rd, starting at 2:00 p.m. There will be a break for dinner, and then the Executive Committee meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. All are welcome to attend the Executive Board meeting. (Remember that, per our Standing Rules, we do not have a Members' Meeting in July or August.)

We received some requests from the Durham VA for all of us to consider:

Please help the Durham VAHCS CDCE office, formerly Voluntary Service, spread the word. By becoming a volunteer or donating on November 28th Giving Tuesday, you can support Veteran holiday activities and other vital programs at the Durham VA Health Care System. To explore the many options, visit the VA Center for Development & Civic Engagement's site at https://www.volunteer.va.gov/index.asp.

The Durham VA HCS CDCE (Voluntary Service) will accept NEW Winter Coats for our Operation Cold Front (OCF) Program Drive Sept 1- Dec 31. OCF provides coats to all Veterans who require assistance during the upcoming winter season. OCF serves all Durham VA HCS Veterans, including Greenville HCC, Raleigh, and Morehead CBOC clinics. Coats may be of all colors, and we recommend neutral colors such as black, blue, beige, or brown that would be appropriate for both men and women (sizes can range from M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, and 4XL). Unit 52 will be collecting the coats to be delivered to the VA. Contact any Unit 52 member to arrange drop-off. You can also email the unit at alaunit52franklintonnc@gmail.com

Velinda Moore, Unit 52 President