Massena American Legion

From the Commander: Happy Holidays to all of our members and their families. Special Holiday greetings to our Auxiliary members and Sons of the Legion.

As we depart the year 2002 we can look back with satisfaction on the accomplishments we as Massena Post #79 have done. It seems that every year we get busier and busier. Our dedication to our community and to our veterans have shown through again. Thank you one and all for all your help this year. What will 2003 bring us? I’ve never been good at the crystal ball thing, but with the continued support of everyone, I see another banner year for our post. We are the most talked about legion post in the north country because of our accomplishments and I see that continuing.

New Years Eve tickets are on sale at the bar. The cost is $30.00 per person. This includes your dinner, entertainment and drinks. Anyone that gets too festive can leave their vehicle here overnight and the post will provide a taxi ride home for you. Please don’t try and be a hero and think since you only have a couple of blocks to drive that you can make it. There are a lot of amateurs out there on New Years Eve.

We are a 100% post!! The first one in St. Lawrence County this year. We even beat out Waddington. St. Lawrence County Commander Frank Bregg made a $100.00 bet that no one could beat Waddington to 100% this year. He should know better than to bet against Massena. I was all smiles as I collected the $100.00. I had to rub a little salt into the wound so I turned the $100.00 into 5 twenty week club tickets made out in the Post name. What an easy way to double our money and it didn’t cost us a cent. Thanks Frank.

There are still a few of you out there that have not paid your 2003 dues yet. Please get them in as soon as possible. Any of you that have grandchildren or children that are in the service now can sign them up in The Legion for $15.50. It would make a great Christmas gift.

Speaking of Christmas gifts... here at the post we have hats, sweatshirts, polo shirts, jackets, calendars and Paid Up For Life membership. If there is something that you would like to order from Emblem Sales Catalog let me know and I’ll get it ordered for you.

If you have visited the post lately you have noticed the wonderful job that the Auxiliary has done in decorating for the holidays. They do a tremendous job every year for us. Thank you girls. You do so much. They put on a wonderful Halloween Party for the children. Judging by the screaming and laughter it must have been a hit. The children's Christmas Party will take place on December 21st with a visit from a very old and well traveled Santa Claus. The Auxiliary puts a great deal of planing and coordination into these parties and I commend them for all their work.

After new Year's we enter our show time here at the post. No one wants to leave the warmth of their homes or they fly south for warmer temperatures. I will be talking it show starting January 22nd. I will be having a knee operation done and will be laid up for a short while. I'm sure I will go stir crazy after a few days and will hobble down to the post and prop my leg up on the desk and get back to work.

The next post event we have will be March 15th - The Legion's Birthday Party. Usually a well attended event. This will be the last event that I will preside over as your post Commander so if you want one last shot at me that's the time to take it.
We just completed our usual Christmas donations to St. Vincent De Paul, Salvation Army, Massena Adult Free Clinic, Rose Hill and Massena Neighborhood Center. We donate $300.00 to each of these organizations at Christmas time to help them out. Thank you to our members that helped out the Salvation Army with the bell-ringing.
As I write this newsletter we are getting ready to visit the area nursing homes to present Christmas presents to our fellow veterans that are in the nursing homes. Some of these veterans are going to be transported here to the post courtesy of the Sons for an afternoon of comradery. Many of our adopted veterans have never had the opportunity to visit the post. The Sons have given them that chance and as I understand it they will also be providing them with a meal. Well done Squadron #79!!

Hats off to Service Officer Verne Drew for all the work he has done in organizing the Christmas gifts and in purchasing them. We have gifts for every veteran in the nursing homes and Val Haven. I think Verne is Santa in training. He made up the lists and checked them twice. A great job done by a great individual. Thanks Verne!!
You may have noticed that the entryway hall at the side door has been paneled. Bob Page, Bernie Leatherland and Cal Kinney were hard at work. There is one wall left to do and we are waiting for the new coat racks to come in before they do that. They did a lot of cutting and fabricating to get that done. There isn't a straight line or square corner there. Thanks Bob, Bernie and Cal!!

Over the course of 2002 there have been many members of our family that have donated their time to work parties, bingo or other projects that we all take for granted. Sometimes I forget to say Thank You to you for doing these things, but you don't go unnoticed. To all the hands that stir this pot known as Massena Post #79, I thank each and everyone of you.
One bad bit of news - anyone that has not paid there 2003 dues by the stroke of midnight on December 31st - your keycard will be shut off by the computer.

Sons of The American Legion: There are no new members this month to report of. The lottery ticket sales for the month of December was a great success. I would like to thank everyone whom purchased and sold tickets. We have to send a special thank you to Roy "Slim" Beshaw for selling the most tickets. Way to go Slim!On Friday Decenber 6th, we made our annual donation of $200.00 to the Salvation Army for all the tremendous support they give to our community. Also we have purchased the annual Christmas gifts for the veterans in the nursing homes. There will be a small luncheon held at the post for these veterans that are able to attend, on December 14th.

Tickets are now available at the Post for the upcoming New Years Eve Party. The cost of these tickets are $30.00 per person.

There are only 180 tickets being sold this year, first come, first serve. Dinner will be served between the hours of 5:00 - 8:00, a DJ and cocktails to follow until closing. Come and join us for a good time!
Your 2003 dues are due. If Dick or myself have not received your $10.00 dues by January 1, your key cards will not activate the door to enter into the post.

The next County meeting will be held January 4, 2003 at 12 noon at the Potsdam Post #74. The next District meeting is January 11, 2003 at 1:00 in Saranac Lake Post #447. Our next meeting is on January 13, 2003 at 7pm.

Scott Bolia
Commander

"A North Country Joke"
As a trucker stops for a red light, a blonde catches up. She jumps out of her car, runs up to the truck, and knocks on the door. The trucker lowers the window and she says, "Hi, my name is Heather and you are losing some of your load." The trucker ignores her and proceeds down the street. When the truck stops for another red light, the girl catches up again. She jumps out of her car, runs up and knocks on the door. Again, the trucker lowers the window. As if they've never spoken, the blonde says brightly, "hi, my name is Heather and you are losing some of your load!" Shaking his head, the trucker ignores her again and continues down the street. At the third red light, the same thing happens again. All out of breath, the blonde gets out of her car, runs up and knocks on the truck door. The trucker lowers the window. Again she says, "Hi, my name is Heather, and you are losing some of your load! When the light turns green the trucker revs up and races to the next light. When he stops this time, he hurriedly gets out of the truck, and runs back to the blonde. He knocks on her window, and as she lowers it, he says.... "Hi, my name is Kevin, it's winter in Massena, New York and I'm driving the SALT TRUCK!

Quote: "Duty, honor, country: Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be. They are you rallying point to build courage when courage seems to fail, to regain faith when there seems to be little cause for faith, to create hope when hope becomes forlorn.
- General Douglas MacArthur

From The Legion Family to your families - Happy Holidays

Yours for The Legion;
Mark S. Phillips
Commander