APRIL 2005

COMMANDER’S CORNER: What’s going on Comrades, Ladies, and SAL members? Spring has sprung, and the Legion year is slowly coming to an end, yet, we have not reached our goal of 100% membership. There are still about two hundred of you that have not renewed your memberships (for whatever reason). Let’s get with the program. Those of us that attended the Department Conference in Virginia Beach had a great time. I personally would like to thank everyone that helped with the hospitality suite and the Bingo on that Friday night. The post is in the process of setting up a web site. If you would like to keep up with the process as it is developed, you may get with Ken Loomer for the web site address. Thank you Ken for taking on the job. Don’t forget to come out to our Awards Night on the 26th of April to honor our new Legionnaire of the year. WHO WILL IT BE? Be advised this is my SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT to everyone to present his or her nominees for the vacant offices available next year. Thank you W.T. Jones, John Schenk, and Ken Loomer for accepting the position on the nominating committee. For God and Country, Otha Newton

FIRST VICE COMMANDER: Hi comrades. What’s the problem with renewals? Are you dissatisfied with the American Legion or just not interested anymore? Your support is how we get our legislators to vote on VA funding, pay, medical benefits, etc. We need your support first. Please renew so our voices will be heard in Congress. For God and Country, Lee J. Hemmerich

LADIES AUXILIARY PRESIDENT: Happy Easter to everyone. Be safe. Thank you Cindy Mims and Cheryl Loyko for representing Post 327 by walking in the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade. There will be a report on the Dept. Conference in May. Children and Youth will have a special meeting with a guest speaker on April 5th. We still need 51 renewals to meet the 100% membership goal. Please help us meet our goal by paying your dues now. Elections will be held on May 3rd. If you would like to run for office, please contact Pat Gotta, Donna Cline, or Martha Henaire. For God and Country, Dawn Thomas

SQUADRON 327 COMMANDER: Hello Post, Auxiliary, and SAL members. SECOND NOTICE! If you want to run for office, please see the nominating committee. We are serving stuffed cabbage rolls for dinner on April 15th. Come out and enjoy a good meal with family and friends. Please renew your membership if your card has 2004 on it. Hope everyone had a good time at either the Dept. Conference or the parade. Thanks to the ones that showed up. We still need help with the ticket sales. For God and Country, Dave Samson

ATHLETIC OFFICER: Whew!! Well, it’s all over and done. The American Legion State Bowling Tournament was held in Woodstock, VA. All participants and non-participants had a great time. The hotel bowling center and American Legion Post 199 were all impressed and enjoyed our visit. There were several winnings by bowlers and non-bowlers. For the bowlers, the winning placements are posted at the Legion, and all payouts will be presented after March 26th, 2005. Let’s all get ready and be prepared to make the same trip next year. Yes, Post 77 of Straussburg won the team event and will host the tournament in 2006 in Woodstock, same format. Maybe Post 199 can stock enough Miller Lite and Bud Light. For God and Country, Jim Pearson

ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE: What a wonderful day for a parade; wonderful temperatures and hundreds of floats with marching bands with all colors of the rainbow. Oh, you missed it! Too much to do? Will attend next year? Did you see how the people rose from their lawn chairs when the colors went past and removed their hats and placed their hands over their heart? Oh, that’s right, you were not there. Too much to do? Will attend next year?

Didn’t that make you feel so good when the elderly gentlemen pointed to you out of all those people and said in a feeble cracked voice, “You’re doing a good job, you all look great.” That’s right; I keep forgetting that you were not there; too much to do, will attend next year?

Did you see all of our friends in front of the VFW, Demo Club, and Fleet Reserve when our Post Commander, Otha, gave the orders to present arms to the 2nd District Honor Guard, and they did the about face and saluted their organizations? By now, you have my point. YOU were not there, too much to do, will attend next year. In attendance: Post - 2, SAL - 2, ALA - 3, 2nd District HQ - 6. Please, next year, be one that shares these feelings. It’s a great way to kick off the winter blues and start the spring season and support the best post this side of the Chesapeake Bay. For God and Country, Larry Turner

POST WEB SITE: We are in the process of building a web site for the Post. This is a work-in-progress at this time, but feel free to visit the web site and watch us grow. Our URL is “Legion327.org”. Add it to your favorites and check it often. At the moment, it is a bit bare, but by the end of the month, we should have made some good progress in there. Our newsletter will be posted in the web site along with links to other sites, etc. The look of that site will probably change several times until we get it right.

NOTE: The Post now has a new program for membership. We have downloaded National’s database and have lost our old membership program. What this means is that some people will get duplicate newsletters this month. If you receive duplicate newsletters at your household, please notify any Post officer (with a note), and we will correct it for the following month. We have tried to identify as many duplicate mailings as we can, but I’m sure that some have been missed. Thank you. For God and Country, Ken Loomer
 

ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT: First, let me say “THANKS” for the support during the recent election for president 2005/2006. I must say I was a little disappointed with the turnout for the election (only 39). However, I do give a BZ for those Legionnaires who took the time to support their Association elections. I want each and every one of you to know that this board of directors has an open door policy, and we are here for you and every other member of the Post 327 family. If you have a question or recommendation, PLEASE let one of the Board members know so he can pass it on to the right individual. I would like to hear your opinion on the new hours for the Club Room. Always remember, there is no such thing as a dumb question. Reminder: ALL CALLS on the Club Room telephone are LIMITED TO 3 MINUTES!! Beginning April 15th, returned check fees will be $35.00. For God and Country, Jim Norton

EDITOR: Happy Easter! Let’s keep in mind the true meaning of Easter while getting those Easter baskets, egg hunts, and dinners together.

On to another subject: I received an editorial dated March 8th, 2005 and would like to pass it along to my fellow veterans. Senator Harry Reid Introduces S-558 “Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2005”. Senator Reid, Democratic Leader from Nevada, introduced S-558 on March 8th with 15 original co-sponsors. This is a companion bill to HR-303 that would restore retired pay to those with a VA disability rating of 40 and below (includes those with zero percent who are receiving special VA payments), provides Combat Related Special Compensation (CRSC) to those TERA retirees who qualify for Concurrent Receipt but not CRSC and would repeal the ten-year phase-in for those with a VA rating less than 100 percent. Note: They are still working on resolving the Individual Unemployability Issue (IU). For God and Country, B.J. Miller-Nobles