Massena American Legion

From the Commander: The first thing I would like to let you know about is the newsletter. The cost of producing and mailing this newsletter has continued to climb. The cost of printing and postage of this newsletter for the ten months we put one out is running us close to $3500.00 for the ten month period. With our revenue down at the bar and other money making activities since the "NO SMOKING LAW" went into effect, we find that for now we will have to drop our newsletters to every other month. We will let you know as well as we can about upcoming events and any news we have to pass on.

EARLY BIRD DINNER will be served on November 15th. If your dues are paid you are eligible to enjoy a fine meal here at the post. I understand that the meal will be roast pork, mashed potatoes, dressing, etc. This is always a great meal and a fine turnout. Sign-up sheet will be at the bar. Dinner will be served from 4:30pm until 7pm. NO TAKEOUTS.

As in the past, we have to keep reminding our members that the 2004 dues are now due. We have the new cards in at the bar. Please send in you r money or better yet, stop in at the post and pick up your 2004 card at the bar and visit with us. If you are over 70 years of age and have at least 5 years continuous membership in this post we will pay your dues for you. All you have to do is either mail or bring in you renewal letter that you get every year from national and we will get you 2004 card out to you. Don't forget if your dues are paid before November 15th you are entitled to come to the Early Bird Dinner.

Any of our members going to Florida or other points south for the winter and would like your newsletter sent directly to you, please leave your winter address at the post. Also, when warm weather returns and you come back for another dose of black flies and mosquitoes, let us know that you are back so that we can change your address.

Our next St. Lawrence County meeting will be held in Winthrop on October 16th at 7pm. If you ‘ve never been to a County meeting before and would like to attend, you are more than welcome to come to the Winthrop American Legion Post and join us. Bring along a friend. There is usually a good meal and information to pass along.
The Department Commander's Visitation was held at Waddington Post #420 in September. We had a good turnout that helped make the night a success.

September 11th Remembrance Day Ceremonies were hosted by our Post in Veterans Park. It was well attended with lots of people from all over that came to hear and see the ones there representing and speaking of all the brave people we lost on that dreadful day.

If you haven't been down to Veterans Memorial Park on Andrews Street in the last few weeks. Take the time and go down to look over the new benches and tables that have been installed. One of the benches that is down by the monuments was purchased by this post. Each organization that purchased a bench or table has their name on a plate on the bench.

Have a fun and safe Halloween. Lets be nice and watch out for all the little goblins.

TRIBUTE TO OUR FALLEN SOLDIERS.
Soldiers rest
Thy warfare's ended,
Bravely thy has
fought and died,
Bravely home and
Right defended,
"Twas thy glory and
Thy pride.
Soldier rest! Thy
Bugle calling,
Comrades never
More will hear;
For today sad tears
Are falling, O'er thy
Young, thy honored
Brier!
Tears, and we bear
Him weeping,
To a soldier's
Patriot grave?
When with calm
Heroic feelings,
Freely his young life
He gave?
Yes, with tears, but
Not repining,
Bear him to his early
Tomb.
Strong men wept to
See him dying.
See him meet the
Heroes doom!
Fold the dear old
Flag around him.
Lay him gently down
To rest,
Duty, early, willing
Found him: -
Go! Like him your
Country Bless.
(Less we forget)

Yours for the Good of The Legion;
Joseph M. Charland
Commander

Auxiliary: Our membership is up to 162 paid renewals. That's over 50%, but to get to our 100% we need all our Auxiliary members to get their 2004 membership cards. You still have time to be able to enjoy the Early Bird Dinner.

Our next meeting will be on November 3, 2003 at 7:15pm. I hope to see more members attend.

Our County meeting is on October 16, 2003 at 12:30pm in Norfolk. The District President will be attending this meeting along with our 5 Girl Staters. This sounds like it will be a great meeting to attend.

Our September 26, 2003 cabbage roll dinner went very well. But we really could use more help. We were short kitchen help and desserts. We are not asking Auxiliary members to work every dinner or make the desserts for every dinner. With the number of women in our auxiliary, you would only have to help once maybe every other month or so. It would be deeply appreciated. I do want to send out a special thank you to Tina MaComber, Debbi LaRose, Peggy Pellegrino, Bertha Fregoe, Jillian Sickles, Virginia Charland, Jane and Glen Nichols for all their help in rolling over 250 cabbage rolls for this dinner. Also to all the Auxiliary members who helped with the dinner. And a very super special thanks to Sonny Marlow and Glen Nichols for doing the dishes for us. They really saved the us.

Here is a small list of our upcoming dinner:
October 24, 2003 - Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, veggie, rolls, cranberry sauce, coffee, tea and dessert. $7.00

November 7, 2003 - Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, veggie, rolls, coffee, tea and dessert. $6.00

November 2, 2003 - Lasagna, salad, Italian bread, coffee, tea and dessert. $6.00

All dinners will be from 4 - 7pm. Open to the public and take outs are available. We will also be giving away a free dinner for 2 once a month during Bingo. A sign-up sheet for Auxiliary workers will be on our Auxiliary bulletin board.

Our Halloween party will be on Saturday, October 25, 2003 from 12pm to 2pm. Be sure to get your children or grandchildren (up to age 12) signed up. The sign-up sheet will be taken down on October 17, 2003 and there will be no exception after this date.

When our Halloween sheet is taken down, we will be putting up our Christmas sign-up sheet. The earlier we get your child/grandchild's name and age in the easier it is for our Chairperson, Suzie Vatter to get things started. The Christmas party is for children up to age 10.

Tickets are now on sale for our Christmas Lotto Tree Raffle. Tickets are $2.00 each or 3 for $5.00. This Christmas tree is decorate with $100.00 worth of NYS Lotto scratch off tickets. Drawing will be December 1, 2003 during our Auxiliary meeting.

At our September 16, 2003 Juniors meeting our juniors wrote letters and drew pictures for our soldiers in Iraq. If anyone would like to write to our troops, you are more than welcome to give them to me and I'll send them out with our letters. We will be sending ours out once a month. Just bring your letters to the post and leave them in my envelop.

A couple of the juniors made some great posters for our lotto tree. Our juniors are some really great girls. I just want them to know how special they are and that all the great projects they do are appreciated. Keep up the good work ladies.

Our next meeting of the juniors will be on October 13, 2003 at 6:30pm. The following meeting will be on November 10, 2003 at 6:30pm. The junior's meetings are on the 2nd Monday of each month.

Thank You,
Carrie Sickles
President

Sons of The Legion: Hello once again to the Sons. There are no new members to report of this month. The 2004 membership cards are in. The dues are coming in very slow, so please get them paid so we can start working on other things. For this year the dues are still $10.00. At last months meeting it was voted on to raise the dues to $15.00 to help with some of the rising costs. Our Squadron's dues are still one of the lowest around. I have mailed out the lottery tickets for the evening pick three drawing for the month of December. Please try and sell the tickets or buy them. This is our best fund raiser for the year. The tickets need to be returned to Dick or myself by November 30th. So lets get out and sell!!! If you are able to help out at the Post please feel free to call for dates. Our next meeting is November 10th at 7pm. It would be great to see some new faces. Thank you to our regular members who attend.

Scott Bolia
Commander

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Anyone wanting a good Christmas gift idea for that legionnaire in the family? We are able to order leather jackets with red and white stripes on the arms and USA in blue on the striping. It has an eagle on a field of America with American Legion above it. On the back is the same design only a lot larger. The price for these jackets is $130.00 each which includes shipping and everything. Anyone desiring to order one can contact Mark Phillips at the post. He will need the size jacket you want and a check for $130.00. Since this is a direct order the post will make no money off the sale. These are a sharp looking jacket with a liner that is detachable for warmer weather.