Post Talk
NORTH BRANCH POST # 85
By Ron Rollins, Adjutant

Membership Meeting September 14th 7 PM
Auxiliary Meeting September 14th 7:00 PM
SAL Meeting September 21st 6 PM

Randy Koivisto, Acting 1st Vice Commander

Afghanistan by the numbers.
America’s longest war.
Roughly, one in four American’s were born after the 9/11 attacks.
Prior to the recent Kabul Airport bombing, we lost 2,448 service members.
3,846 contractors were killed.
Afghan national military and police lost 66,000.
1,144 service members from other NATO member states were killed.
47,245 Afghan civilians died. (Again, prior to the recent airport bombing)
51,191 Taliban and other opposition fighters were killed.
444 Aid workers perished.
And 72 Journalists.
How many are still living with PTSD and physical disabilities?

The phrase “All gave some, and some gave all”, certainly applies here.

While we of the Vietnam era know the bitter taste of having to leave a job unfinished, our current service members should be proud that they were able to run down and punish those perpetrators of 9/11. While completing that task, they also were able to show ordinary people in Afghanistan that life can be better in many ways. Note the throngs wanting to leave before the curtain falls over the country. Hopefully we planted the seeds of democracy and at some point in the future they will start to grow. Our young service members should be proud of their accomplishments!

Statistics via the Associated Press

Michelle Still, Auxiliary President – We had a nice turn out of 6 team members for the Relay for Life event and raised over $1200 for the American Cancer Society! Our next event is serving concessions for the Wild Turkey Federation at their gun bingo night. I really need help with serving. If you would like to help serve, please let me know.Our next meeting is Sept.14th at 7:00 p.m.Please join us as we review Midsummer and plan for the upcoming year.

Ron Rollins, Adjutant – As new adjutant for our post I am hoping to do as good a job as Glenn Pierce has the past 12 years of his TEMPORARY assignment. I congratulate Glenn on all the hard work he has put in to keeping our post efficient and effective. I am actually realizing how much work he has tangled with over the years. Thank you Glenn. With that in mind I ask for your patience as I learn all there is to this new adventure for me, which Glenn is helping me through.

I would like to remind all Legion Family Commanders to document all volunteer hours of your respective entity. This will also include sub-group committee’s i.e.,color guard, law and order, scholarships, building repairs. Also, any personal volunteer hours in the community as a legion family member. These all are to be reported to National at the end of the fiscal year in June. If we can do it as the event happens we can be accurate at the end of the year. I will task leaders for the documentation to get to me and I will put it on a running total.

Upcoming Events:

52nd Annual Camp-O-Ree at Legionville will be conducted Sept. 9 – 12, 2021.Any questions email: legionvillecamporee@gmail.com
SAL Omelet Breakfast: Sunday, Sept 19, 2021 @ 8am – noon

Glenn Pierce, Gaming Manager – Our Saturday Night Bingo Jackpot is at the maximum $2000 payout in 58 number or less. Some lucky bingo player will be taking home this pot this month. If you want to try your luck come early, the first game will begin at 6 PM.
Our electronic pulltab players won a total of $42,340 in August while the Linked Bingo players made a total of 10,260. All Charitable Gambling proceeds go toward American Legion programs and community support.