THE AMERICAN LEGION

GRAND ISLAND POST #1346

Post Office Box 1346

Grand Island, New York

14072-1346

QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER

4^th Quarter 2004

Mission: Service to veterans. Information for various benefits due veterans of all services, national and community affairs.
Help: Help in recruiting recently discharged veterans and those veterans who do not belong to at least one veterans organization.
Strengths: Largest veterans organization in the world.
Ideas: The many veterans living on Grand Island are a great-untapped source of community involvement. They should be encouraged to help the various programs in the town.

Letter from the Commander

Annual Commander's Report 

by: Robert J. Soluri, Sr.
Jan. 2005

Well, it’s hard to believe, but yet another year has gone by, but not without re-capping what our organization accomplished.

We held our second annual flower fund sale, our first hot dog sale, a very nice summer picnic and a great Christmas party! These will be yearly events! ‘Shorty’, you make a good chef.

Through everyone’s help, we raised money and donated over $1,200.00 back into the community for various projects, including Meaghan’s Miracle, and the articles that we donated to be shipped to our military men protecting us overseas.

‘Shorty’ and I have been going to most of the County meetings at our own expense, and have seen the county now starting to take notice that we are NOT going away or sitting down relaxing our voices.

We have started our own color guard, purchased new flags, purchased jackets for some members at the present time, and received 100% membership for 2004 and the 3^rd in the STATE. We are also voicing our opinion on the proposed first veterans cemetery that the State wants in Genesee County. Letters are being written objecting. Remember everyone’s e-mail site. It’s ‘americanlegion1346@yahoo.com’. Password is ‘service’. Please do NOT delete anything! Thanks to Laurie, she is building our own website. More of that to follow.

Looking into 2005, I would like to also get the 100% membership award, FIRST in the State and also jackets for the rest of the members.

This year, we are also going to conduct a ‘Poppy Sale’ in remembrance of Sept.11^th. This will be conducted on Sept. 9^th and 10^th. We need volunteers to make this happen!

I wish to thank all the officers, members, and their WIVES-HUSBANDS for the work that is being done for this organization. We can only get out, what we put into this.

Please remember that we need new members. Would everyone please try to get at least one (1) member this year. Your post needs help.

God Bless everyone and have a safe year!

WE WILL NEVER FORGET

Membership

Your Membership shows you care about your Comrades who served the Nation in times of distress, your continued Membership and your help in signing up new members is vital to the health of the organization. Carry an application blank in your wallet or purse; lets increase the membership of the GRAND ISLAND POST 1346. For information pertaining to eligibility, call Joe Synakowski at 773-4180 or Shorty Vanthoff at 773-7915. To all Members who recently signed up,

we WELCOME you

and hope you will attend meetings so we can get to know you.

New Members – 2004

Terrance McCue

Ken Schmidt

Dennis Dahl

Joseph Forster

Steven Heeb

Schedule –2005

The following is a schedule of Grand Island Post #1346 American Legion meeting dates.

January 26, 2005

February 23, 2005

March 30, 2005

April 27, 2005

March 25, 2005

June 29, 2005

July 27, 2005

August 31, 2005

September 28, 2005

October 26, 2005

November 30, 2005

December 28, 2005

Departed Comrades - 2004

In Loving Memory

Ken Maurer

RE-CAP OF 2004

JANUARY

à à Corrected items in by-laws and sent them back to Erie County Judge Advocate.

à à Sent letter to Chuck Swanick asking for financial help.

FEBRUARY

à à Received jackets for elected officers, voted to spend $300.00 on flags, etc. for color guard.

à à Nomination committee selected for election Larry Zelonis, Bill Riggs and Peter Kuzczask.

MARCH

à à Received flags and extras 4290.30.

à à Dave Birt asked for volunteers for color guard

à à Ordered 800 hanging baskets for plant sale Fri & Sat before Mothers’ Day from Papke Nursery.

à à Sent in application for craft show to sell hot dogs & pop.

à à Received $100.00 donation from Budwey’s Supermarket for hot dog sale.

à à Sahlens meat packing gave us special pricing.

APRIL

à à Meeting at Rod & Gun Club (Moose needed hall)

à à Color Guard volunteers Larry Zelonis, Henry Ensminger, Ray and George DeGlopper.

à à Nominating Committee had not new requests to run for office so nominated current officers. All voted in and Adjutant Vanthoff cast 1 ballot to elect current board.

à à Summer Picnic discussed for mid August at Shorty Vanthoff’s house with all bringing a pass around dish and Post paying for meat, pop, beer plus eating supplies.

à à For plant sale people that purchased first year would be called by Al pram, Joe Synakowski, Larry Zelonis & Tom Cavanaugh.

MAY

à à Officers sworn in. Pizza and wings served after meeting

à à Plant sale sold 774 pots, with remainder donated to senior center, nursing home, Moose and Rod & Gun Club

à à Picnic to be August 14^th at 2 PM.

à à Discussed hot dog sale plus asked for volunteers to work it. Also, to donate a large part to Meaghan’s Miracle.

à à Number 1 in country 2^nd year with 136.84%.

à à Color guard performed well on Memorial Day.

JUNE

à à Gavel given to Commander Soluri by finance officer Mike Meyer.

à à By-Laws approved and sent to state.

à à Hot dog sale a success making $528.18, all donated to Meaghan’s Miracle.

à à Voted to donate $150.00 to Moose Lodge for using their building.

JULY

à à By-Laws sent back for minimal corrections.

à à State to increase dues by $5.00 on January 1^st 2005.

AUGUST

à à Received $100.00 donation from Karen Vanthoff to purchase a tent for fundraisers.

à à Color Guard to perform at V>F>W> on Sept. 11^th, was suggested we sell poppies next year on 9/11.

à à Picnic a success with 31 people showing up.

SEPTEMBER

à à Color Guard did well on 9/11 and was told to be ready for November 11th.

à à Voted to donate about $00.00 to troops in Iraq.

à à Talked about ordering 40 cases of poppies for 9/11 2005.

OCTOBER

à à Burt Payne took care of the donation for troops and sent about $120.00.

à à Voted to buy Legion jackets for color guard, Bob Soluri will take care of this.

à à Xmas Party discussed for Dec. meeting

NOVEMBER

à à Voted to donate $100.00 in underwear to VA Hospital patients. Shorty Vanthoff will take care of this.

à à Donated $50.00 to Value for food pantry.

à à Discussed Blue Star banners. Dave Birt & Peter Kuczczak to investigate.

à à Asked people to sign up for Xmas party.

DECEMBER

à à Xmas party turned out GREAT with 32 people there. We had a full turkey dinner cooked by Shorty Vanthoff.

THANK YOU SHORTY

I would like to add that we are still looking for any old pictures, certificates, minutes of meetings, etc. of the legion.

Just a Thought

Prayer for our Military

"Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands.. Protect them as they protect us.

Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. I ask this in the name of Jesus, our
Lord and Savior. Amen."

MEETINGS

ARE HELD ON THE

LAST WEDNESDAY

OF THE MONTH

(UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED)

7:00 PM (1900 hrs)

AT THE

LOYAL ORDER OF THE MOOSE LODGE

2524 GRAND ISLAND BLVD.

(773-6655)

THE AMERICAN LEGION

GRAND ISLAND POST #1346

P. O. Box 1346

Grand Island, New York 14072-1346

WE ALSO NEED YOU!!!!

Departed Comrades

In Loving Memory

No deceased members

Our Post was fortunate again this quarter.

Always remembering our

’s