Commanders' Message

Happy Veterans Day to you all. Please attend the Post’s Veterans Day Celebration on Saturday, November 9 at 11:00 a.m. at Veterans Park in downtown Franklinton. Invite your family, friends, and neighbors to attend and join us for a free lunch of hamburgers and hotdogs as a “Thank You” to Veterans.

I hope we all know the election's outcome when you receive this newsletter. Whatever the results, I trust that as Veterans and Legionnaires, we will continue to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States” and show unity for the betterment of our fellow Veterans and our communities. Please pray for our Nation and the leader that was elected. A strong and vibrant American Legion working in our communities is the absolute best way for this Country to regain a deep sense of Patriotism, pride, and understanding of sacrifice for our freedoms. Let Post 52 be this example!

I look forward to seeing you at the Franklinton Christmas Parade on Thursday, December 5, starting at 7:00 p.m. Please let me know if you would like to participate in the parade with the Post by riding in one of our vehicle entries. We can accommodate 8-10 Legionnaires. The Auxiliary Unit 52 will greet us at the Post afterward with hot chocolate, tea, coffee, and dessert.

In closing, you know that your Post Executive Committee is transitioning after several Officers have resigned due to health conditions and other personal reasons. I extend a grateful “Thank You For Your Service” to these exiting officers and encourage them to continue participating in Legion activities as active members. I am happy to report that current officers have accepted additional duties, and some of you have stepped up to volunteer in a temporary role. Your leadership team remains solid during this transition. I welcome anyone who wishes to volunteer to help the leadership team as an officer to throw your name in the hat for nominations in February 2025. The PEC election will be in May. Please tell me now that you feel it in your heart to serve the Post as an officer and ensure the Post remains strong and vibrant for the future.

Chris Smith, Commander Post 52 csmithforest@gmail.com

Chaplains' Corner

Psalm 100, A psalm For giving grateful praise. (NIV)

“ ¹Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. ²Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. ³Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. ⁴Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. ⁵For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Thanksgiving traditionally has been a time to give thanks for a bountiful harvest. It is a time to express our thankfulness, gratitude, and appreciation to God, family, and friends for all we have been blessed with: Life, Liberty, and Family. Let us stop and give special thanks to God for His many blessings and share our appreciation with others for His blessing on us.

We have a number of members who are sick or recovering from illness. We also have those who have lost Loved ones. I would ask that you remember them in your prayers as well as the men and women serving in the Armed Forces and their families. I ask if anyone has needs to feel free to call me. May God continue to Bless you, your families, and our Nation.

Harvey Satterwhite, Chaplain

Vice-Commander's Report

When Tragedy Strikes

While growing up, my grandfather often used the adage “expect the unexpected” more often; this was referred to in a defensive driving context. As I have become more seasoned, I have learned there are some things in life you just cannot anticipate, one of which is severe weather changes and, in particular, sudden wind shear, which many people have never experienced. Wind shear is a meteorological phenomenon that causes microbursts and downbursts caused by thunderstorms and fronts, often resulting in horizontal and vertical wind speed changes. This phenomenon is deadly and is frequently associated with airplane crashes and the toppling of trees. I personally witnessed a similar weather phenomenon in 1985, resulting in the catastrophic downing of Delta Flight 191 in Dallas, Texas.

On the morning of August 3, 2024, during an onslaught of heavy rains and severe weather, Legionnaire Charles Etheridge (81) of American Legion Post 52, Franklinton, North Carolina, and his wife Patricia also experienced such a phenomenon.

While sitting in the kitchen that morning having breakfast, Charles and Patricia experienced a violent trembling that shuttered their entire home. Upon investigation, they discovered that a tremendously large white oak tree had crashed through the roof of the upstairs living area of their one-hundred-year-old farmhouse and had also fallen on top of their car and truck, forcing their immediate evacuation.

Fortunately, a local neighbor witnessed the aftermath and offered to take them in for the night. Charles and Patricia gathered their most valuable belongings and possessions and escaped to the safety of their neighbor’s home.

The following day, Post 52 Legionnaire and Finance Officer Steve Ijames alerted the Post Executive Committee that Charles and Patricia lost their home and their belongings during the severe thunderstorm; this triggered an immediate response from Post 52 Commander Chris Smith to rally the Post Executive Committee members to render aid and assistance to Legionnaire Etheridge and his family. Efforts led by Commander Smith and Legionnaire Todd McPhetridge resulted in immediate community awareness through social media that gained incredible attention and response. Initially, a donation platform was created through Legionnaire McPhetridge’s nonprofit food ministry, Sowing Seeds NC, Inc., to raise money for the displaced Legionnaire and his family.

For the next eight days, temporary accommodations in a local motel were secured until Legionnaire Etheridge could find more permanent living accommodations. A local citizen read about the ongoing relief effort on social media and offered to rent a farmhouse she and her husband owned at a reduced cost in a nearby community; Legionnaire Etheridge gladly accepted this, and soon, he and Patricia were about to embark on a new journey.

Realizing the workload of donation management would likely intensify, the Post Commander organized a three-member team that was identified as the “Boots on the Ground Team” because these men were literally on the ground from day one and created a special bond of trust with the Etheridge’s, allowing them to assess all aspects of their situation so that their needs could be prioritized. Legionnaires Joe “Scott” Vickers, George Miller, and Todd McPhetridge hit the ground running. The team’s task and purpose were to coordinate with local disaster relief organizations to determine basic support levels and assist with transporting donated items such as furniture, food, clothing, linens, etc.

Post 52 Legionnaire George Miller contacted fellow Legionnaire Chris Duschel, American Legion Post 30, Lincolnton, North Carolina. Duschel owns Veterans and Community Alliance (VCA), a vehicle donation business that rehabilitates donated used vehicles and furnishes them to veterans in need. It just so happened that a 2006 Toyota Camry would soon be re-donated to Legionnaire Etheridge and his family.

As they often do, matters fell into place; local ministries, outreach organizations, and citizens responded, offering assistance with the donation of goods and services that resulted in the building of a new handicap ramp, safety grab bars in bathrooms, furniture, beds, and shelving, including a complete make-over of their new/old farmhouse. A local towing service assisted with relocating a relatively new outdoor storage shed from the old farmhouse to the new house. The generosity continued with financial gifts being donated to Post 52 to collect and distribute the funds to the Legionnaire who lost everything. On October 20, 2024, a special check presentation event was held at Post 52, and the final check was issued to Legionnaire Etheridge. During the presentation, Legionnaire Charles Etheridge expressed his heartfelt gratitude to everyone for the overwhelming love and support shown to him and his family during their time of need. The event ended with Charles asking everyone to sing ”God Bless America” with him!

In conclusion, what has indeed been amazing is our members' positive motivation and faith in lifting a fellow Legionnaire and his family from tragedy to triumph.

1^st Vice Commander Joe “Scott” Vickers - “BE THE ONE” - POST 52, Franklinton, NC

Auxiliary Unit 52 Report

Unit 52 is still selling tickets for the 2-for-1 Quilt Raffle. If you want to buy tickets for the raffle, contact one of the Auxiliary Unit 52 members. The drawing for the quilts raffle will be on December 19, 2024.

As for membership of Unit 52, thank you to those who have renewed your 2025 membership! Those who have not renewed their 2025 membership, please do so as soon as possible! If you’re unsure of your membership status, contact Velinda Moore, our unit’s Membership chairman.

Here are a couple of reminders: the UEC meeting is Thursday, November 7, 2024, at 6:30 p.m., and the Unit members meeting is Thursday, November 21, 2024, at 6:30 p.m., both of which are held at the Franklinton American Legion Post 52.

The Unit is still collecting non-perishable items for the Food Pantry held at the Franklinton United Methodist Church on the second Saturday of each month. With the holidays upon us, the need is there.

Happy Thanksgiving!
In the Spirit of Service Not Self, Carolyn Donnelly, Unit 52 President

VETERAN'S DAY PROGRAM

Saturday, November 9th, 2024, 11:00 a.m.

Franklinton Veterans'
Memorial Park.

South Main Street, Franklinton.

REVERSE RAFFLE DRAWING

Saturday, November 16, 2024, 1:00 p.m.

Post 52 – 40 American Legion Rd.
Franklinton, NC.

Need assistance dealing with the Veterans' Administration? Contact our Franklin County Veterans' Service Officer, Brenda Wilkins, at 919 496-1939.