Voiture Officers



Chef de Gare:
George Howard
Chef de Train:
Bob Smith
Sous Chef de Train:
Frank Larkin
Conducteur:
PC Gerry Mignon
Sous Conducteur:
Robert Santo
Correspondant:
Frank Larkin
Sous Correspondant:
PC John T. Digilio Jr.
Commissaire Intendant:
PC John Sheahan
Sous Commissaire Intendant:
PC Bob Marcus
Commis Voyaguer:
Bill Fink
Garde de la Porte:
Bill Farley
Sous Garde de la Porte:
Dennis Madden
Lampiste:
Nick Houvener
Sous Lampiste:
Vacant
Aumonier:
PC Bob Marcus
Sous Aumonier:
PC Ray Jankowski
Historien:
William Ness
Advocat:
PC Charlie Rand
Sous Advocat:
PC Abe Abrahamsen
Medicin:
Lenny Ward
Cheminot:
PC Ron Graeser
Don Eames
John Kremm
10th Dist. Cheminot:
PC Paul DeVaul

Links Section

	VOITURE NATIONALE
	JOSEPH LOEFFLER POST #1006
	MARCH PHOTOS
	APRIL PHOTOS
	MAY PHOTOS
	PICNIC PHOTOS

The narrow gauge railroads in France had boxcars(voitures)that were half the size of our boxcars. They could hold 40 men (Quarante Hommes) and 8 horses(Huit Chevaux), so 40/8 was stenciled on their sides.

At the end of WWI, the American Legion was organized and began its long fight for fair treatment of veterans. It was rough going and hard work, so they needed a place to blow off some steam, some place to have a laugh together. The young Legionnaires remembered the close brotherhood they had in those boxcars & decided to reproduce it as an inner organization of chosen Legion comrades.

Joseph W. Breen and a group of Legionnaires got together in Philadelphia in 1920 & came up with "Voiture #1 of La Societe des Quarante Hommes et Huit Chevaux" or Boxcar #1 of the Society of 40 Men and 8 Horses.

Programs
In 1923, a Child Welfare program was started for veteran's children and it was turned over to the American Legion two years later with $50,000.
In the 1930's, a program of free inoculation for diphtheria was startd for children.
During WWII, the 40/8 sent thousands of playing cards to our troops. This program was re-established in 1967 for the Vietnam conflict.
In 1946 the Voyaguers started a Nurse's Training program. In 1955, it became a National program. An average of over 500 Registered Nurses graduate each year because of this program.
The "Carville Star" is printed in Carville, Louisiana. It is a magazine sent to 109 countries to carry info on Hansen's Disease (commonly & erroneously called leprosy). This also started in 1946. Voyaguers pay for 90% of the total circulation costs of the "Carville Star".
In 1982, the AAU Junior Olympics projects was brought into our Child Welfare Program. We provide funds and volunteers to help manpower the AAU to conduct its youth sports programs.

Chinese Auction
The Chinese Auction was a BIG success, but as usual we should have had more voyaguers on hand. Thank yous to Myra and Myra and Donna.

$$$ 100 Club $$$ The 100 Club is back!! You buy a lot of ten dollar tickets, Then for TEN weeks we pick a winner every week. Your ticket goes BACK into the pot. On the tenth week we pick a $25 and a $100 dollar winner!
It starts on Sept. 30, and ends on Nov. 28th.
Voyaguer Frank Larkin (669-3385) and PGC John Sheahan (929-2826) have the tickets.

PC Phil Gomez won the 9/26 drawing.
Nick Houvener won on 10/3.
"Giggles" O'Loughlin "Kathy" won on 10/10
10/17-Maryann Gomez
10/24-PC Ray Jankowski
10/31-CMP Diane Capasso
11/7-PC Tom Stone
11/4-Ed Lane
11/21-
11/28-
11/28-

Loco News
The loco is up and running!!
It is located at 302 Wading River Road, next to the Petting Zoo in Center Moriches.
Get on the new Loco Preservation & Restoration Committee. Call The Chef. We need a chairman for this committee.

WRECK !! We are having an active Wreck on Saturday, April 25, 2009, at the William Hallock Meritt Post in Ronkonkoma. Where can we get 3-foot feathers? (Peacocks??) More news to follow. GGM.