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_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ROBERT H. BURNS AMERICAN LEGION POST #16
LEGION LINES & VIEWS January 2017 PO Box 1137, Covington, La. 70434 (985) 892-0677
Commander: Richard Mecom Chaplain: Chuck Christonsen Executive Committee:
1st Vice Commander: Mark Herman Service Officer: Matt Cole James Lacassagne
2nd Vice Commander: Joe Ogden Judge Advocat: Lane Carson Charley Craddock
3rd Vice Commander: Ignatius DeSandro Historian: Roger Bienvenu Emil Johansen
Adjutant: H. T. “Terry” Sharp Sgt.-at-Arms: James Livermore Roger Bienvenu
Finance Officer: Mike Peats Color Bearer: Wayne Plaisance Stacy Miller
Color Bearer: Ray Hartley .
Post E-mail: [email protected]
New: Post website: --- http://louisianabulldog.com/post16americanlegion
The General Membership Meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 3, 2017. Dinner at 6:00pm,
meeting at 7:00pm at our Post 16 Home. The Executive Committee meeting will be held on Tuesday,
January 17, 2017 at 6:30 PM
POST 16 MEMBERSHIP REPORT
2017 Cards are now available … ! ! ! Dues are $35
!!!!!!!! 2016 Membership Drawing ---- $40 Gift Card !!!!!!!
1st Vice Commander Mark Herman’s membership report. As we begin the final countdown to the year’s end, I want to take this time to thank all of those on our Membership Committee who helped me throughout this year, putting in countless hours of support toward Post 16’s recruiting goals. The final overall count has not been released yet from National, but the numbers look good. As we begin a NEW YEAR you can help play a big part in helping Post 16 achieve its membership goals by referring friends, neighbors, co-workers and active duty military. Remember Veterans who are over 80 years of age are FREE. If you have NOT RENEWED your 2017 membership we urge you to do so. Do not jeopardize losing your benefits due to a late renewal. We invite you to check out the many organizations Post 16 has to offer such as Honor Guard, 40 & 8, American Legion Auxiliary, and Sons and Daughters of the American Legion. You could become a contributor to some very important programs and services that HELP make a difference in our community. If you know someone who may be interested in joining our Post or who would like to know more, please contact our office at 985- 892-0677 ask for Mary, she can answer your questions or assist you. Master Chief Mark L Herman USN (RET) N.S.W 1st Vice Commander and Membership Chairman
MEMBERSHIP DRAWING AWARDS
Post 16 reports that recent membership drawings have been held with the
following results;
For the month of October the winner of the $40 Gift card was Legionnaire
Ignatius DeSandro, shown in photo below receiving his gift card from Post
16 Finance Officer Mike Peats.
Winner for the month of November was Legionnaire Eugene Vizzini (Photo
not available). He will be presented a $40 gift card for Walmart.
Page 2
Commander’s Remarks: ………………… Richard Mecom Happy New Year to All I hope all had a wonderful Christmas and looking forward to a great New Year. Sometimes things happen during the year and we do not understand why, but we must accept it, make the best of it, and move forward. We are close to our membership goal for the year. There is still time to pay your dues by December 31 which is the deadline that has been set by the National to reach our membership goal. This deadline is for all Post not just ours. If we make it or not the 1st Vice
Mark Herman has done an outstanding job trying to reach our goal. For those that came to the December 7th breakfast, I heard you got your fill. Thanks to the Cooks that created and served the breakfast. Start of the New Year and start of the many programs that the Post is involved with, including some new ones. Please come to the January 3rd meeting and help where you can. Some Post Members still work jobs and some have other obligations but if you can help for just one day or 2 or 3 hours a month it will help relieve the ones that dedicate many hours to the Post and its functions. See you January 3rd, 2017 1800 meal, 1900 meeting starts. For God and Country Richard L. Mecom, Commander, Post 16
ANNUAL RESERVE VETERAN’S HOME VISIT
The American Legion Post 16 family visited the Reserve
Veterans home on Monday December 12th. We brought them
assorted fruit, hot choclate and cookies and played Bingo with
about 30 residents. We also presented them with a Check for
$500 to their general fund. Pictured presenting the check to
Activity Director Sonya Hebert are 2nd Vice Commander Joe
Ogden, and Auxiliary President Rose Zimbro.
Among those Post 16 members who was invited to assist in the
event was David Duracher a Legion member and SALS member
and a resident himself at Reserve.
Attending the visit were the following Legionaire’s, Auxiliary members and SALs:
Rose Zimbro – President Unit 16, May Hartley – 1st Vice Unit 16, Mary Kollister- 2nd Vice Unit 16,
Ollie McGillivary – Unit 16 member, Brenda Ogden – Secretary Unit 16, Joe Ogden – 2nd Vice Post
16, Ray Hartley – Member Post 16, Charles Hession – Post 16 member, Wayne Plaisance – Color
Bearer Post 16, Mike Peats – Finance Officer Post 16, and Donnie Taylor – SALs Member.
Honor Guard The Saint Tammany Parish Council will recognize the Honor Guard at their next meeting On Thursday, January
5, 2017, scheduled for 1800 hrs. All members of VFW Post 8720 and AL Post 16 are invited. If it is at all
possible, please attend and wear your covers to show our appreciation for this honor.
May God bless and keep you and yours, and may God bless America.
Thanks, Lynn
Page 3
POST 16 ADJUTANT’S REMARKS …………………….Terry Sharp
Welcome to the Year 2017 !
I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and with the approaching New
Year’s celebration, I hope all those New Years Resolutions will become a
reality and all the cabbage and black eyed peas you are preparing for your
New Year’s dinner will translate into another year’s prosperity and luck.
The past year has brought great success to our Post. Our programs
have grown by leaps and bounds. Our community involvement has placed Post 16 in high
regards with our community leaders. Our services to our veterans has been extremely productive
as has our involvements with youth activities. Post 16 is also recognized as one of the most
progressive Posts in the Department of Louisiana.
And none of this could have been possible without the great efforts of many hard working
volunteers. But they need help. Of our total membership average of 500 members, less than 5%
actually volunteer their time and efforts. Post 16 welcomes any participation, at any level.
Participation brings with it the experience of camaraderie and the enjoyment of working with
other veterans in a unified effort to keep our Post programs productive. All of our members shared
the honor of military service and the distinction of our services to this great Nation. Now we have
the opportunity to continue to share our experiences with veterans of other wars and eras and
provide a much needed service at the same time. I can guarantee your satisfaction with a job well
done.
And now we find ourselves going into the New Year 2017. WOW !!! Just recently I watched a
Science Fiction Movie that predicted a futuristic society for 1980. If they had only known what we
know now, some 37 years later.
The month of December has been a very busy one here at Post 16 with many activities going on
for the Holiday season. The month kicked off with our General meeting and the evening meal
being donated by member Louis Ross and what a great meal it was. We thank you Legionnaire
Ross.
Following that was the 75th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor. Post 16 was host to 38 veterans,
visitors and members alike as we shared a wonderful breakfast and some great camaraderie as we
honored those veterans of our country’s greatest generation.
A group of the Post 16 Legion Family members visited the Reserve Veteran’s home to hold a
Bingo activity, donate fruit and other goodies for the residents there. Culminating our visit was a
$500 donation to their Activity Fund.
The Auxiliary Unit 16 hosted our annual Children’s Christmas Party with an estimated
100 Children and accompanying adults in attendance. Santa and Mrs. Clause made a stop and led
the children in a sing-a-long of Christmas songs and provided a personal visit with each person.
The Post 16 Adult Christmas Party was held with joint participation from the Military Order of
Purple Heart 741 and the 40/8 Voiture 224. There was plenty of food and entertainment with a
Christmas Story skit provided by some very skilled actors.
Post 16 provided Christmas Dinners and gifts to a number of needy families in our
community to bring joy to them during this Holiday Season.
A lot of time and expense went into making all these events happen and Post 16 wishes to
thank all those that made donations and lent their time and assistance to make these activities
possible. That is what it’s all about as part of the American Legion’s mission to community
service.
Come on out and join us here at Post16. Your membership is all that is required to share in the
camaraderie and experience of the Nation’s largest fraternal order of Veterans. Come see us !
P.S. – If you have not renewed your membership as of yet please hurry and get it done.
Page 4
There is a critical need for Bingo workers. We have lost several volunteers and really need help!! Please volunteer, even if you can only spend a few hours with us. Please call Mike Peats at 502-8802. We really need help!!
Third Vice Commander Report
The organization, We Heart Veterans in Mandeville has invited Post 16 to participate in the
event "Helping Heroes" event on 20 May 2017 in Mandeville. Yes, it may sound early to
consider but it is not premature. We all know that good execution is fostered by early
planning.
John Sutton, who many of us met at our November general meeting will speak to us at
1800 hours before our executive meeting this coming Tuesday, 20 Dec 2016. He will fill us
in on the event details and how we can be part of an event to benefit veterans as well as
promote Post 16 by hosting a table. There will be other organizations hosting tables, a Fun
Run in the afternoon, live music, I am inviting a few WWII Veterans to come out and John
will tell us about much more.
Please do your best to be at the post by 1800 hours Tuesday to welcome John and have
your questions ready. He is excited to see us and speak to us once again
Thank you, God bless you all and Merry Christmas,
Ignatius J. DeSandro 3rd Vice, Post 16
949.632.0534
CHAPLAIN’S PRAYER CORNER…………. Reverend Chuck Christonsen
SICK CALL REPORT Post 16 members who are ill and home bound. So that we can remember them in our prayers Sick Call List: The following Legionnaires and Auxiliary members are: Jennifer Corbett,
Mae Mooney, Bay Welch, Cheyenne Lafleur, Jerry Jernigan, Roy Kellum, Elmar Hathaway,
Bobbie Peterson, Bill & Francis Rosevally, Pat Oster, Socarro Rome, Al Stumpf, David
Duracher Sr., Marie Duracher, Ray & May Hartley, Art Bennett, Belinda Burcks, Jessica
Kinchen, Al Smith, Brenda Ogden, Richard & Donna Hages, Eileen Oltmann, Murphy Neil
Jones, Arthur Witherup, Dottie DeBrock, Daniel Flanagan, Alton Thompson, Wayne Plaisance, Donald Spreen,
John Scallan, James Fitzmorris and Gwen Norman
POST EVERLASTING: Post 16 has lost a long time Post member Art
Lemane. Legionnaire Art Lemane will be remembered by Post 16 as
his records will be transmitted to Post Everlasting.
---- , ---- .
Page 5
2016 Christmas Needy Family Christmas
The Robert H. Burns American Legion Family visited five (5) needy families on Sunday December 18,
2016. We arrived at the Post around 9:30 AM to start our adventure. Making the visits were the following
Post and Auxiliary members:
American Legion Unit 16 Auxiliary – May Hartley, Ollie McGillivary, Mary Kollister and Kay Peats
American Legion Post 16 – Ray Hartley, Wayne Plaisance, Paul Hamburger, and Mike Peats
The first was the Walker Family. This was a single mother with seven (7) children ranging in age from 15
years to 5 years old. Six of the children were present for our visit and we took pictures, opened some of the
presents and said a prayer of Thanks for the holiday.
We next visited the Leonard Family who had two children ages twelve (12) and ten (10). Unfortunately
the children were at their other Grandmother’s house and we were not able to watch them open presents.
Next we visited the Johnson family. This was two sisters at the same address, so two families. They had
three (3) children from ages seven (7) months to eight (8) years. We had a good visit, one of the parents was at
work. They opened some of the presents and we said a prayer of Thanks for the holidays.
We finished up at the Bordelon family. They had two (2) children ages 3 months to three (3) years. They
opened up their presents and everyone was very thankful for this holiday season. We said a prayer of Thanks
for the Holidays.
Overall we visited five (5) families with fourteen (14) children and were very thankful that we were able
to bring happiness and cheer to so many young faces. We finished up at about 3:30 PM and were all
exhausted but filled with joy.
POST 16 ANNUAL ADULT CHRISTMAS PARTY
On December 10th Post 16 held our annual Christmas Dinner in joint participation with the
Military Order of the Purple Heart 741 and the 40 and 8 Voiture 224.
Kicking off the fun was a great dinner of Turkey and Ham with a myriad of covered dishes brought
in by those in attendance. Many of the members brought in a $5 donation for our Needy Family
Christmas program.
After the meal a skit was conducted that told the story of Scrooge and his many misgivings.
With costumes provided for each character chosen there was plenty of laughs to go around as they
did their best to provide an accurate portrayal of the story line and its characters.
Those chosen to play the parts were; Jim Lacassagne as Scrooge himself, Joe Ogden as Bob
Cratchet, JoAnn Lacassagne as the Ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, Mrs. Cratchet
was played by Brenda Ogden, Betty McArthur as the Cratchet’s daughter and Tiny Tim was
played by Roy Kellum.
After the skit there was a gift exchange with a steal option for all participants. It was indeed a
great time, lots of fun and all who participated were well fed and in a joyous mood.
Photo Left: Ghost of Christmas
Past gives Mr. Scrooge a stern
lecture
Photo Right; The Cratchet family
sits down to a Christmas dinner of
“Beenie Weenies” and Vienna
sausage
Great Fun and “many thanks”
to all who participated.
Page 6
CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS PARTY
Was held on December 3rd with approximately 100 children and adults in attendance. The
children enjoyed a meal of Hot Dogs, chips and desserts and then played a number of games.
After the games began to wind down Santa Clause himself accompanied by Mrs. Clause, Elsa
the Ice Princess, and Santa’s chief Elf stopped in for a visit. In a great Christmas theme setting
Santa entertained the children and adults alike with a talent show staged by five sets of animated
animals. As the songs progressed the children joined in with a sing-a-long. Each child was then
treated to a personal meeting with Santa to convey their favorite Christmas wish.
A great time was had by all with the children leaving full of excitement for the coming season.
Mrs. Clause portrayed by Christina Mehling, The Elf by Diane Plaisance, Elsa the Ice Princess by Angel
Sharp (not shown), and Santa was, of course, the Jolly Old Elf himself.
Group of children all under age 10 as they gather around Santa.
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5 6
7
Post General
Meeting 7pm
Meal 6pm
Bingo 7:30pm
Bingo 10am
8 9
10
11
12
13
14
Honor Guard
Meeting 4pm
Auxiliary Visit Heritage Manor 2pm
PTSD YOGA at
Post 16
Bingo 7:30pm
Voiture 224
Promenade 7pm
Meal 6pm
Bingo 10am
15 16
17
18
19
20
21
Post Executive
Committee
Meeting 6:30pm
Bingo 7:30pm
Military Order of
the Purple Heart
Meeting 7pm
Jr. Auxiliary Mtg. 3:30 Library Mid-Winter Conference Bingo 10am
Mid-Winter Conference
22 23
24 25
26
27
28
Mid-Winter Conference
PTSD YOGA at
Post 16
Bingo 7:30pm
Hog Sale 6pm Fair Grounds Bingo 10am
29 30
31
1
2
3
Livestock Show Fair Grounds
Livestock Show Fair Grounds
Livestock Show Fair Grounds
Livestock Show Fair Grounds
Check out the Post Facebook Page