Post Talk
NORTH BRANCH POST # 85
By Glenn Pierce, Adjutant

Membership Meeting October 13th 6 PM
Auxiliary Meeting October 13th 7 PM
SAL Meeting October 20th 6 PM

Michelle Still, Auxiliary President – The National and Department levels recommended that we keep the same officers for 2020-2021 due to COVID-19. So, here I am, your president for the next year. This will be my eighth year serving with you. It is an honor.

Last year I chose National Security as my special project. The National Security Program maintains and promotes a strong defense nationally by supporting our service members and their families and the safety, comfort and well-being of our communities. I am promoting this program again this year. During our meetings our members donate their change to the project. Last spring the donations were enough to bring a treat to show our appreciation to the North Branch Fire Department. I plan to do something similar for another program in the community next spring. Remember to thank your emergency personnel.

Orv Otterness, Post Service Officer – The job of the Post Service Officer is to provide information and to help veterans upon request if they need some specific information. This information is something you may not be aware of but it is a source of help to veterans, their families, and to the active duty military.

The Poppy program, when it came to the attention of the organization, was made a program of the National organization of The American Legion. That would be shortly after World War I. The American Legion, after setting the program up, asked the American Legion Auxiliary to take the program as one of theirs to work. However, The National organization of the American Legion retained the right to supervise and make the rules for the distribution of the memorial poppy. For most of the previous years the poppy funds were used only for veterans. In recent years a change was made to include the Veterans families and the active-duty military men and women and their families. A good change. The volunteers who distribute poppies would like you to wear a poppy during the month of May in remembrance. They do NOT sell poppies; they ask for a donation. Every cent of that donation is used for our veterans and poppy programs. In our community poppy funds are used for veterans in our Care facilities, in contributions to the VA and Veterans Homes facilities in providing Christmas gifts and spending money to the residents. Keep that in mind when you make your donations. We are organized as an American Legion Family to care for and support our Veterans.

 

Glenn Pierce, Adjutant – Our Chisago County Veteran Service officer, Bryan Brown will be at Post 85 on October 20th at 9 AM for this month’s Veteran’s Coffee Talk. Bryan always has an informative presentation and he is able to answer many question Veterans have on their benefits and how to apply for them. Join us for Coffee and donuts and learn about your benefits.