631-588-8608

Post 155 Veterans Newsletter

DATE OF ISSUE

JANUARY 01, 2009

EDITOR: Bob Shadler

E-Mail post155@verizon.net

REGULAR MEETINGS 1ST & 3RD TUESDAY

8:00 P.M. EVERY MONTH

www.orgsites.com/ny/post155

 ELECTED OFFICERS

Commander: Louis Brida                               Chaplain: Rich Scola

First Vice: Mike Lowis                                    Historian: Dan Pierce

2nd Vice: Ilone Torraca                                  Sergeant: Dan Pierce

3rd Vice: Paul Attard                                     Adjutant: Paul Attard

Service Officer: Wayne Brew                          Treasurer: Bob Shadler

Judge Advocate: Ed Lane

TRUSTEES

Nicholas Biscotto                                                        Bill Bouklas

Bob Molinari                         Bob Shadler                   Wayne Brew

Commander’s Corner

 

Louis Brida

            As the year 2008 draws to an end, Post 155 accomplished a lot. We have a new parking lot , a six foot high fence for our yard and a new sign on our building. Our membership climbed to over 220 [the highest in history]. We had several great events and ceremonies. Legionnaire Daniel Maloney donated the engraving of our monument in the yard to include the three recent wars. Wayne Brew and the Brew crew had a great Northport VA Hospital BBQ and Stony Brook Vets Home holiday party. We wish Ceasar Trunzo a happy retirement and a big thank you for the grants to improve the parking lot and the six foot fence. Congratulations to American Legion Boys State dad, Brian Foley, our new State Senator. Bill Bouklas is no longer our Finance Officer but still contributes so much to our success. Thank you Bill Bouklas. There are so many who made our events a success. I would like to mention a few: Paul Attard, Mike Lowes, Bob and Josephine Molinari, Rich and Clair Scola, Jerry Schnell, Dan Pierce, Scotty Traynor, Illona Torraca, who is spearheading a talent show for June 2009] and of course as always, Bob Shadler. In 2009 please attend County meetings. Bob Shadler will prevail as Bob Shadler is running for County Commander. The American Legion Post 155 provides AmVets Post 48 a Santa Claus for the Kids Holiday Party. But 2008 will be remembered as the year Amvets Post 48 provided our building a free popcorn machine. Happy New Year. Welcome new members. Best wishes to President-elect, Commander-in-Chief Barack Obama. Peace on Earth.

Membership 1st Vice

Mike Lowis

Comrades,

            The holidays are now upon us, and soon also the New Year.  I usually have a “theme” for my installment of the Post 155 newsletter, so I suppose that the theme this time around is “Tying up Loose Ends.”   Let me begin with the issue of dues…I know, that’s a sticky item to begin with, but let’s get it out of the way sooner rather than later.   Most (or at least a “good size number”) Legionnaires get their dues notice and mail them out within a short period of time.  This is important!  Not only does it keep the member in good standing with the Post and National Headquarters, it preserves the member’s continuous years of membership with the Legion…you wouldn’t want all those previous years of dues payment not being accounted for, would you?  If you haven’t paid for this year—which is really for the year 2009 at this point—it is important to get this taken care of immediately.  Contact the Post and see what your standing is.  I have personally sent out over two dozen “reminders” to Post Members whom we are sure have not paid yet.  Please make it a priority to pay your Legion dues “on-time” or we all lose: members, Post, and National!

            I recently received some internet correspondence from Mr. Jerry Danley of the mesotheliomaweb.org.  In this message, he describes that his website is an “…informational site dedicated to providing insight to people with Mesothelioma, a disease caused by exposure to asbestos.”He goes on to say, “This (site) is particularly important because so many people are exposed to asbestos, from Veterans and firefighters to trades people and homemakers; they all can contract this form of cancer and benefit so much from sites like ours.”  I feel compelled to include this information as we have such a diverse membership in our Post (both time of service and branch of service) and that this particular disease has a long period between exposure to onset of symptoms (in some cases as long as 35 years!)  Mr. Danley also asked that the Post include a web-link to his site from our web page, which is being considered and might be in place by the time the newsletter gets published.  If you would like to investigate this site on your own, go to http://www.mesotheliomaweb.org/veterans.htm and check it out.  Let the Post know if what you find is helpful so we can pass the information along. Finally, let me express my thanks to the “Post Officers and Members” for their assistance with membership and Americanism.  I am ever grateful for the help everyone provides in recruiting new members for the Post, I am always reminded of the saying, “Many hands make for light work.”  Without the membership working together, THERE WOULD BE NO MEMBERSHIP!  Many of you who know me, are aware that I teach fourth-graders (9 and 10 year-olds), and in the last couple of years I have been letting students in my class write to a “Veteran” for Veterans Day so that there might be better understanding of what Veterans are and what they’ve accomplished.  Members of Post 155 have graciously taken some of their own time to answer these students’ letters, which has been a wonderful and exciting learning experience.  It has served not only to educate the students about our country’s military past, but bridge a gap between generations of Americans for whom history has different meanings and realities.  I am proud to be both a teacher and a Post member of such a truly remarkable group of people.

To everyone, may your holiday be joyful, may you have health and happiness in this coming year.  Please remember our service men and service women through the U.S.O. and the various other organizations.  For God and Country, let’s make the next year better than the last! 

2nd Vice

  Ilona Torraca

DO YOU HAVE A HIDDEN TALENT?

Do you play an instrument?  Can you tap dance?  Or can you sing really well?  Or maybe you know of someone that can.  Well, here’s your chance to shine and share! On Saturday, June 6, 2009, from 7-9 pm our American Legion Post 155 will be hosting a talent contest! YEAH!! There will be four different age categories with five places for each category.  Twelve and under, thirteen-eighteen, adult and senior 65+.  That will be a total of twenty different performances. And only one prize will be awarded for each age category, making that a total of four prizes.  The talents to be performed must be dancing, singing or playing an instrument. Talent must have a positive, patriotic theme. No dance groups or bands permitted. A Barbershop Quartet would be great.  Performers must bring their own music and three judges will come from the local community. If you are, or know anyone from the local community, who is interested in being a part of this special

evening, please call me at 631-585-1571.Tickets will also be available soon for $15.00 per person, which includes coffee and cake. So, dust off that trumpet and clear the cobwebs from your vocal cords and join in the fun!  Wishing you all a healthy, safe, and joyous holiday season.

 3rd Vice

Paul Attard

            I would like to wish all my fellow legionnaires a very happy and healthy holiday. Also I would like to thank all the members that bought tickets and chance books for the Past Commander’s Dance. I would like to thank the Amvets for donating the beer, wine, soda and a table for ten. Some of our members were very generous. They bought their tickets and donated them back to the Post so other Veterans could come to the dance. There were others that donated cash. In addition, we received bottles of liquor from several members. The bottles were used for a basket of cheer to be raffled off. One of our members used his time and money to purchase table cloths for all the tables and others sent in a check for child welfare. Now how about our cooks Bob and Josephine Molinari, once again they prepared an excellent dinner. I thank each and everyone for your support. Once again thank you for your  support to our Past Commander’s  Dance.

Boys State Chairman

Wayne Brew

            The Post will once again sponsor an eleventh grader to represent our Post upstate at the American Legion Boys State Camp. Please contact Wayne Brew Service Officer at 631-467-1875 if you know of a boy who will graduate 11^th grade in June of 2009. The camp will take place the last week of June 27, to July 3, 2009. Room, board and transportation are all free to approved applicants.

Service Officer

Wayne Brew

            I would like to thank all the members that came to help at the SUNY VA Home Holiday Party, Tuesday December 9th. As usual the entertainment was great, and the residents enjoyed the festivities immensely. The dollar scratch off lottery tickets were a big hit too. Our next activity is our spring luncheon for the residents of Pilgram State Hospital. The date, in March, has not been confirmed. More information will be available at our general meetings on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month. Please help by volunteering your time, it means so much to the veterans in need. Please call me if you would like to help at 631-467-1875 and ask for Wayne.

Chaplain Sick Call

Rich Scola

            Wes Woodland is still in Petite Fleur Nursing home at 300 Broadway Ave. Sayville, NY 11782. If you have a chance, stop by and see him. We wish him well.

            Sorry to report, Carl Gregory passed away on October 5, 2008. He was a member of the Post for 60 years, He will be missed dearly.

Trustee

            The state paper work was mailed out, so we can get reimbursed the $12,500.00 grant for the fence installed by Robert’s Fence Company. We will be working on the next grant in the month of January. We are looking to get three new refrigerators, two air conditioners, an ice machine for the bar, tables, chairs, and a sign for the front of the building. The amount will be for $15,000.00.

 GENERAL POST NEWS

            The Post would like to thank all the members, families, and organizations that attended our annual Past Commander’s Dance. The Past Commander’s Dance was a great success, thanks to Mike Lowis, Paul Attard  and all the helpers. Thanks to all the members and their families for coming to the Post Holiday Party. I hope everyone out there is doing fine. The Post and members wish everyone a Merry Christmas, a happy Holiday and a Happy New Year. If you have time, drop us a line, we would like to hear from you. See you at the next event or Post meeting. If anyone wants to rent the Hall call (631-588- 8608)