Commander's Corner
May 2024
Fellow Legionnaires and Sons,
With summer fast approaching, our focus is now on Memorial Day. Our traditional ceremony will take place at 10:00 A.M. on Monday, May 27th near the Mayflower Cemetery Veterans Memorial. Following the ceremony, at approximately 11:30 A.M., a community dinner will be held at the Legionnaire Ballroom. Please encourage your friends, neighbors and family members to attend this event.
At our May meeting, nominations were called for all Post Officer positions for membership year 2025. Members that were nominated are as follows:
SGT-at-Arms for Meeting/Ceremonies - Ron Nowachek
Chaplain - Curtis Thornhill
Finance Officer - Mark Denniston
Adjutant - Mason Petersen
Vice Commander - Curtis Thornhill and Don Benhart
Commander - Les Paarmann and Tom Zaruba
Elections will be conducted at our next meeting on Thursday, June 13th. If you live in the local area, please make every effort to attend and support the candidates of your choice.
For God and Country,
Pat Fowler
Commander
(319) 480-1814
fowlrfam@netins.net
March 2024
With our two month layoff behind us, we had a packed agenda at our March meeting. Although our attendance was not what we had hoped it to be, we got a lot done and, after the meeting, we had a delicious Saint Patrick's Day themed meal that was graciously provided by Linda Peterkin. For those who were unable to make the meeting, the following is a few of the matters that were covered.
Since our December meeting, we have had four of our members pass away. We are sad to report that Jerry Ortgies, Paul Benischek, Ken Heggebo, and Bob Gaylor are no longer with us. These gentlemen have been honorably and respectfully transferred to Post Everlasting.
We are proud to announce that six new members have joined us at our Post. They are: Troy Thornhill, of Crescent, Pennsylvania; Lawrence Hintz, of Onslow, Iowa; Owen Doll, also of Onslow; Mark Milburn, of Maquoketa, Iowa; James Schurbon, also of Maquoketa; and John Lubben, of Iowa City, Iowa. Welcome to Wapsie Post 473!!!
Concerning the new metal roof that we have contracted to have done, there was nothing new to report. The contractor has been given our choice of the color for the roofing and we are hoping that they can get started soon after the weather warms up. To the Jones County Community Foundation and all of the individuals and businesses who have contributed to this project, we send a heartfelt "Thank You" for your generosity.
The Department of Iowa Mid -Winter Conference was held 1-3 February, in Des Moines. Bill Goodman and Kurt Keller represented our Post; they attended numerous committee and commission meetings, along with several beneficial training sessions. At the Joint Session on Friday evening, our Post was presented with the Colflesh trophy, for membership recognition; photos and a brief story are now posted on the Awards and Honors tab of our website.
We have selected a delegate to attend the 2024 session of Boys State, which will be held 23-28 June at Camp Dodge. Jayson Ruley, son of Dean and Cheri Ruley of Oxford Junction will represent us. Jayson is an Honor Student at Midland High School, who has served as Vice President of his FFA Chapter; he has also participated in cross country and speech competition among other extra-curricular activities.
In my October Commander's Corner message, I outlined the dues revision that the Department of Iowa levied during our current membership year and the impending dues increase that National is imposing for the 2025 year. At our March meeting, our members voted to set our dues at $45.00 for the 2025 membership year (1 July 2024 - 30 June 2025). On 19 March, Membership Committee member Bill Goodman sent a message to those members who have provided us with an email that explains an option to renew their membership, for 3 years at the current dues rate of $40.00. We've had four members take advantage of this option thus far. If you are interested in doing this and need assistance, please contact Bill at (319) 821-1197.
The 2nd District Spring Conference is being hosted by Blue Grass post 711 on Saturday, 20 April. Between our Post and our Sons Squadron, we have eight delegates registered to attend.
Our webmaster, Robert Hines, has created a separate tab on our website for Honor Flights. It includes the 2024 Flight schedules for the Eastern Iowa Honor Flight and the Honor Flight of the Quad Cities. If you are interested in applying for an Honor Flight and need assistance with completing an application, please contact Bill Goodman at (319) 821-1197.
Lastly, I want to remind you that our Auxiliary Unit is sponsoring a Blood Drive on Friday, 19 April, (2:30 - 6:30 P.M.) at the Oxford Jct. Community Center. If you are able to donate, please call Virginia Carter, at (563) 826- 2324 for an appointment.
Our next Post Meeting will be held on Thursday, 11 April and the next Sons Meeting will be held on Wednesday, 17 April. Here's hoping for a good turnout at both meetings.
We are…"Veterans Strengthening America"
Pat Fowler
Commander
(319) 480-1814
fowlrfam@netins.net
December 2023
Fellow Legionnaires and Sons,
At our December meeting, we had a festive atmosphere thanks to Maria Clark and Linda Peterkin; they added a ton of holiday cheer to our monthly gathering, and Jeff Carstensen prepared a delicious meal to top it off. A great time was had by all and I want to thank these three members for the extra effort they put forth to make it happen.
We tried to keep the business side of the meeting as brief as possible, but we received an update on several matters that we've been working on…most notably the need to replace the roof on our Post Home. On the evening of Tuesday, December 12th, the Jones County Community Foundation (JCCF) awarded grants to 23 Jones County non-profit organizations. Wapsie Post 473 was the recipient of an $8,000.00 grant to help with replacing the roof on the Legionnaire Ballroom. Members of the Oxford Junction American Legion Family wish to thank the JCCF board members for their generosity in helping us fund this sorely needed project.
Concerning membership, I want to thank all of you who have renewed their membership! We currently have 117 members…two above the target of 115 that was assigned by Department Headquarters. I want to give a big "shout out" to Tom Zaruba for his outstanding job of managing our membership. I also want to mention that our Sons Squadron and Auxiliary Unit have also met or exceeded their assigned target. Great job!!!
Boys State is being held at Camp Dodge during the period of 23-28 June and we are still searching for a delegate to represent our Post. If you know of a high school junior who would like to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, please contact Bill Goodman
at (319) 821-1197.
The Department of Iowa Mid-Winter Conference is being held at the Holiday Inn - Airport, in Des Moines, on 1-4 February. The schedule is shown on page 15 of the winter edition of the Iowa Legionnaire. No advance registration is required.
The 2nd District Spring Conference is scheduled for Saturday, 20 April, in Blue Grass. The registration form will be available within the next few days and we will be sending it out as soon as we receive it.
I want to remind you that our Post and Sons of The American Legion Squadron will not be meeting in January and February. The next Post meeting will be held on Thursday, 14 March, and the next Sons meeting will be held on Wednesday, 20 March.
In closing, I want to wish all members of our American Legion Family a Merry Christmas and the best of everything during the coming New Year.
We are…"Veterans Strengthening America"
Pat Fowler
Commander
(319) 480-1814
fowlrfam@netins.net
November 2023
Fellow Legionnaires,
Here we are in November and we are off to a fine start to the year. We currently have 114 members in our Post who have paid their dues for membership year 2024 and only three of our members have yet to renew their membership. We are only one renewal away from reaching our assigned Growth Goal of 115. Thanks to all of you for your loyalty to The American Legion and to Wapsie Post 473. Special thanks to our Membership Chair, Tom Zaruba, for his superb efforts with handling the tough job of managing our membership.
Much has happened in the past three months since I was sworn in as your Commander, and I would like to mention a few significant items. I was unable to attend the Midland High School Veterans Day Assembly on November 10th, but heard we had a good turnout. We are most gracious to the students and faculty for hosting this annual event, as they do a fabulous job of paying tribute to our military service.
Another thing that I would like to bring to your attention is the fact that our Legionnaire Ballroom needs a new roof. We have recently had some issues with leaks during periods of heavy rain and we've had the roof replacement issue on our agenda for quite some time. We have been working hard to build up our savings & have applied for a grant. We are looking forward to making this happen in the Spring of 2024. We will keep everyone posted on the progress of this project.
Our Post was chartered over 100 years ago and, although our members created Articles of Incorporation in 1937, we could find no record of our Post ever having an approved Constitution or a set of approved By-Laws. Therefore, we recently formed a committee to draft these two documents. The initial drafts were scrutinized and updates were made based upon recommendations from the committee members. The final draft was recently distributed to all members, for whom we have an email address, for your viewing, updates or changes. We look to vote on these documents for ratification at our December general membership meeting. Thanks to all of the committee members for their efforts in getting these documents finalized and ready for a vote.
Another topic of note is the project that SGT-at-Arms Kurt Keller has been diligently working on for the past few months. Many communities in Iowa have banners, with photos of local Veterans, installed on utility poles. Kurt has gained approval from the city council and the utility company and is now finalizing plans to have the project advertised. Details will be announced in the near future. Thank you, Kurt!
Oxford Junction will be celebrating their annual "Christmas in OJ" event on Saturday, December 9th, at the Legionnaire Ballroom. If you're in the local area and looking for a fun time, I encourage you to attend.
In closing, I want to remind everyone that our next gathering will be a joint meeting with our Sons of The American Legion Squadron on Thursday, December 14th. We will keep business matters to an absolute minimum and have a holiday meal after the meeting. Please mark your calendars, hope to see you there.
Until next time, here's wishing all members of our American Legion Family a Happy Thanksgiving!
Pat Fowler
Commander
(319) 480-1814
fowlrfam@netins.net
October 2023
Fellow Legionnaires,
I would like to dedicate this month's message to the subject of membership dues in an attempt to clarify what has happened, what is going to happen and to dispel any rumors that have spread.
A resolution calling for a $5.00 increase in Department of Iowa membership dues was passed by the delegates to the 2023 Department Convention of The American Legion, Department of Iowa. The dues increase becomes effective on January 1, 2024. The last Department dues increase was a $5 increase effective January 1, 2013.
A resolution calling for a $5.00 increase in National membership dues was passed by the delegates of the 2023 National Convention of The American Legion. That dues increase becomes effective on July 1, 2024, for the 2025 membership year. The last national dues increase was a $3 increase effective January 15, 2016.
Shown below is a breakdown of dues that we are required to/will be required to forward for each member of our Post:
Most Legionnaires tend to grumble every time a dues increase is mentioned. However, we have not been immune to the cost increases seen in the world today and inflation has had a direct bearing on Department's ability to provide services to our Legionnaires and to continue to support the myriad of American Legion programs that are offered.
That being said, I'd like to share a statement from our Department Adjutant regarding the increase:
"Instead of focusing on the expenses of membership, I would like to discuss the value of membership.
Department Service Office – Nearly half of our employee expenses are used to staff our Service Office, which assists veterans with obtaining the VA benefits to which they are entitled. In cooperation with the County Veterans Service Offices, The American Legion represents over 67% of all new claims for VA benefits in Iowa. In Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) alone, The Legion represented 1,239 of the 1,860 new claims that awarded $276 million in VA compensation benefits. That service is provided to our Veterans through the membership dues of our members.
Iowa Advocacy – The American Legion advocates for Veterans on both the national and state level. In Iowa, Veterans will be receiving an increase in their property tax exemption. This is the first increase since 1974. It was the advocacy of The American Legion of Iowa that finally got that passed in 2023. We also saw the establishment of a new veterans' treatment court in Pottawattamie County thanks to The American Legion of Iowa raising awareness of the need for new courts. More veterans will now have the option of treatment, rather than incarceration if their case warrants it.
National Advocacy – Most of our members have already benefitted from The American Legion's legislative efforts through the years. Anyone who has ever used the GI bill to purchase a home or go to college can thank The Legion. The original GI Bill was drafted by Legionnaires and it was The American Legion that got it passed by Congress, even with opposition from other Veterans organizations. That advocacy continues today on multiple issues, including the continuance of pay for our Coast Guard members in the event of a government shutdown. The other branches of the military continue to receive pay and benefits, but the CG does not, since they are part of Homeland Security and not the Department of Defense.
Continued Advocacy – The percentage of Americans serving in uniform is decreasing. The American Legion exists to serve those veterans. We must remain strong to advocate for the generations of veterans who will follow us.
Youth Programs – Boys State teaches the duties of citizenship and patriotism. The Oratorical Contest teaches the value of our Constitution. The 5th Grade Flag Essay Contest promotes the love and honor of our flag. If we don't continue to teach these principles, who will? As a father of elementary and middle school children, I know we can't rely on our schools. Our mission in these areas must be stronger than ever.
Honoring our Veterans – Whether it is military funeral honors, Memorial Day ceremonies, Veterans Day celebrations, or providing and honor guard to lead a parade, we must continue to honor all those we have served.
I can go on and on about the value of membership in The American Legion. As an employee of the department, I witness daily the impact we have on our veterans, their families, the youth of Iowa and the communities we serve.
That value we provide can only continue if we remain financially stable – at the national, department, District and post levels. This dues increase is necessary to maintain the level of service we provide. And I pledge to you, that at the department level, your staff continues to look for ways to do more with less."
My fellow Legionnaires, Adjutant Derner has made it pretty clear. The cost of dues is minimal compared to what we receive in return. I urge you all to continue your loyalty to The Legion in an effort to secure a better future for our fellow Veterans, our community and our nation.
"Veterans Strengthening America"
Pat Fowler
Commander
(319) 480-1814
fowlrfam@netins.net
August 2023
Fellow Legionnaires,
I want to start out my tenure as your Commander by saluting our outgoing Commander, Ron Nowachek, and outgoing Adjutant, Les Paarmann. These two gentlemen have provided leadership for Wapsie Post 473 for the past 17 consecutive years. Their tireless efforts have carried us through some tough times to get our Post back to where it is today and I commend them both. Thank you, Ron and Les!!! I, along with the rest of our new officers, look forward to serving you and we hope that all members will join together in supporting our efforts to keep our Post as an example for other Posts to follow. It takes all of us to be successful in carrying out the mission of The American Legion.
We had a great meeting, with a busy agenda on August 10th. Second District Commander Dick Bries was on hand to install our newly elected Officers; Dick was accompanied by Ken Weimerkirch, of Maquoketa Post 75, who is serving as Dick's Vice Commander for Jackson and Dubuque counties. Department Vice Commander Steve Colcord also paid us a visit and helped out with several award presentations. Auxiliary member Kristina Stevenson graciously took photos of the installation ceremony and award presentations.
The drawing was held for our Post's fundraising raffle; the Bear Creek Legend .350 AR-15 Rifle that Post member Joe Tubbs so generously donated was won by Cody Beitz of Hopkinton. Congratulations, Cody, and thank you for supporting us!
The 2nd District Golf Outing on Saturday, August 12th was a rousing success. Curtis Thornhill did a fantastic job of organizing this event and the 72 golfers who participated had a great time. Kudos go to Curtis, his family members and the Post 473 members who helped out. Great job!!!
Our next major event is the annual "Rockin' in the Park" Car Show on Saturday, August 26th, that Post member Tom Zaruba organizes as a fundraiser for our Post. We are calling for volunteers to help out with the logistics of this event. That evening, there will be a dance in the Legionnaire Ballroom, with the popular Blue 60 band on hand to play hits from the 50s, 60s & 70s.
The 2nd District Fall Conference is being hosted by Davenport Post 26 on Saturday, October 7th. Reservations need to be mailed in no later than September 22nd. We will be sending an email in the next couple of days that will have the details and a reservation form attached.
As was announced in last month's Commander's Corner article, there was a Resolution passed at the Department Convention to increase the Department portion of our annual dues by $5.00. There was a lot of opposition to this, but in order to maintain the programs and service that our Department provides there was no other choice but to increase dues. This dues increase will take effect on 1 January 2024.
At our August 10th Post meeting, members voted to increase our current dues by $3.00 instead of $5.00…for a total of $40.00. We decided to eat the administrative costs (postage & envelopes) for the time being. In April 2024, we will have another opportunity to decide what our dues will be for the 2025 membership year.
I know that this is confusing to some, so let me give you a brief explanation. Our dues for the 2024 membership year will remain at $37.00 for members who pay prior to December 31st. Dues for the 2024 year that are paid after January 1st will be $40.00. We have thus far had a good response to our renewal notices and our goal is to have all current members renew prior to Veterans Day.
Hoping to see you at our meeting on September 14th…
Pat Fowler
Commander
(319) 480-1814
fowlrfam@netins.net
July 2023
Post 473 Legionnaires,
This is your Post Service Officer standing in for Commander Fowler.
On Monday, July 17th, our newly elected Officers assumed their positions for the 2024 Membership Year. Those elected were:
Commander - Pat Fowler
Vice Commander - Curtis Thornhill
Adjutant - Maria Clark
Finance Officer - Mark Denniston
Chaplain - Curtis Thornhill
Service Officer - Bill Goodman
SGT-at-Arms (Meeting & Ceremonies) - Kurt Keller
SGT-at-Arms (Honor Guard) - Lynn Lasack
2nd District Commander Dick Bries will be attending our next meeting on August 10th to conduct the formal installation of Officers ceremony.
Our Post fundraising raffle for a Bear Creek Legend .350 AR-15 Rifle is coming to a close…only a few tickets remain to be sold. Tickets are $10.00 each and the flyer that is shown below has the names and phone numbers of members who you can obtain tickets from to buy or sell.
Another reminder that our Post is hosting the 2nd District Golf Outing on Saturday, August 12th. Curtis Thornhill has done an outstanding job of organizing this event and we are looking forward to a fun filled day. If you are not golfing and would like to help out with various logistical duties, please contact me at (319) 821-1197, or Curtis at (563) 570-0414.
The annual Department of Iowa Convention was held in Des Moines on July 14-16. Curtis Thornhill, Kurt Keller and I served as convention delegates for our Post. Stan Elliott, of Ames Post 37, was elected as our Department Commander for 2023-2024. Wapsie Post 473 garnered several awards and I would like to share what we were recognized for:
We were presented with a Post Excellence Award. This is the second such award that we've received in the past three years and we are the only Post in the 2nd District to receive this coveted award in the past several years. The Post Excellence Award is given under the hand of the National Commander for meeting a number of stringent requirements. I want to thank all members of Wapsie Post 473 for making this happen.
We were also presented with the Spafford Trophy, which is awarded each year to the Post that shows the greatest numerical increase over the previous year's membership. This was a significant accomplishment, considering that our Post, in a small rural community of less than 450 people, increased membership more than nearly 600 other Posts in Iowa. Hats Off to our Membership Committee Chair, Tom Zaruba, for leading our efforts to grow our numbers.
Every year, the Department holds a Media Contest with four separate categories: (1) Single Sheet Newsletter; (2) Multiple Sheet Newsletter; (3) Electronic Newsletter (Email); and (4) Website. I am proud to announce that the Oxford Junction American Legion Family website (OJLegion.com) was chosen as the winner of the Website Category…Best website in the Department of Iowa. The webmaster for our site is Robert Hines, who also serves as Adjutant for our Sons of The American Squadron. Robert has worked tirelessly to build, maintain and continuously improve this website. Congratulations, Robert, on a job well done!!!
One of the more significant news notes to come out of the convention was a Resolution that was passed to increase the Department portion of our annual dues by $5.00. There was a lot of opposition to this, but in order to maintain the programs and service that our Department provides there was no other choice but to increase dues. Committees looked at ways to decrease costs in a number of areas, but it was still not enough. This dues increase will take effect on 1 January 2024. Members of our Post who pay their 2024 dues and have them processed prior to 31 December will pay at the current rate of $37.00. Thereafter, you will pay dues at an increased rate. In the next 30-45 days, Department is giving each Post the opportunity to reset their dues amount; we will look at ways to minimize the impact of this dues increase and we will keep you informed.
In closing, I want to remind you of a couple of significant commemorations that will occur prior to our next meeting. August 4th marks the 233rd Birthday of the U.S. Coast Guard…Semper Paratus! August 7th is Purple Heart Day, which is observed to remember the brave men and women who were either wounded in battle or paid the ultimate sacrifice with their lives.
Hoping to see you at our meeting on August 10th…
Bill Goodman
Service Officer
(319) 821-1197
wggoodman@yahoo.com
June 2023
Post 473 Legionnaires,
This is your Post Service Officer standing in for Commander Nowachek.
At our last meeting, on June 8th, an election was held for Post Officers who will serve during the 2024 Membership Year. Those elected were:
Commander - Pat Fowler
Vice Commander - Curtis Thornhill
Adjutant - Maria Clark
Finance Officer - Mark Denniston
Chaplain - Curtis Thornhill
Service Officer - Bill Goodman
SGT-at-Arms (Meeting & Ceremonies) - Kurt Keller
SGT-at-Arms (Honor Guard) - Lynn Lasack
I extend my congratulations to these newly elected Officers and wish them all the best for a successful year ahead. I also want to give a big "shout out" to our current Commander, Ron Nowachek, and Adjutant Les Paarmann; between the two of them, they have served as either Commander or Adjutant for the past 17 years. Thank you Ron and Les for your many years of dedicated leadership!
Our Post is now conducting a fundraising raffle for a Bear Creek Legend .350 AR-15 Rifle. Tickets are $10.00 each and the flyer that is shown below has the names and phone numbers of members who you can obtain tickets from to buy or sell.
The Jones County Veteran Affairs Department is holding their annual Open House on Tuesday, June 20th, at the fairgrounds in Monticello. The flyer shown below contains the details of this event.
Independence Day is right around the corner and planning is underway for the celebration in Oxford Junction. Shown below is a Schedule of Events, as well as some information on the Parade.
The annual Department of Iowa Convention is being held in Des Moines on July 14-16. There is no pre-registration required, but now is the time to get hotel reservations made. Information is available by clicking on the below web link:
https://www.ialegion.org/convention/
Wednesday, June 14th is Flag Day. Please remember to set an example by proudly displaying Old Glory. For those of you who served as a soldier, June 14th also marks the 248th Birthday of the United States Army. Hooah!
See you again soon…
Bill Goodman
Service Officer
(319) 821-1197
wggoodman@yahoo.com
Click on any poster above to see a larger version
May 2023
Fellow Legionnaires and Sons,
Here we are with summer fast approaching and our focus is now on Memorial Day. Our traditional ceremony will take place at 10:00 A.M. on Monday, May 29th near the Mayflower Cemetery Veterans Memorial. Following the ceremony, at approximately 11:30 A.M., a community dinner will be held at the Legionnaire Ballroom. Please encourage your friends, neighbors and family members to attend this event.
Post Chaplain Curtis Thornhill was a member of the 46th Eastern Iowa Honor Flight on April 25th and he had a great time seeing the monuments in our nation's capital and enjoying the camaraderie of other Veterans. Photos of his trip are posted on our website (OJLegion.com).
With the addition of Mike Whitmarsh and Duane Wenndt, our membership has grown to 111. Our Sons Squadron has just gained two new members as well, with Kris Leeper and Shawn Sterk signing up. Welcome aboard!
Once again, I remind you that our Post is hosting the 2023 2nd District Golf Outing on Saturday, August 12th, at the Little Bear Golf Course, in Wyoming. Curtis Thornhill has continued to do a stellar job in organizing this event to ensure its success. Volunteers are still needed to assist with support jobs during the day of the event. If you would like to help out, please contact Curtis at (563) 570-0414 or Bill Goodman at (319) 821-1197.
At our May meeting, nominations were called for all Post Officer positions for membership year 2024. Members that were nominated are as follows:
SGT-at-Arms for Color/Honor Guard - Lynn Lasack
SGT-at-Arms for Meeting/Ceremonies - Maria Clark and Kurt Keller
Service Officer - Bill Goodman
Chaplain - Curtis Thornhill
Finance Officer - Mark Denniston
Adjutant - Maria Clark and Bill Goodman
Vice Commander - Pat Fowler, Linda Peterkin and Curtis Thornhill
Commander - Pat Fowler and Curtis Thornhill
Elections will be conducted at our Post meeting on Thursday, June 8th. If you live in the local area, please make every effort to attend and support the candidates of your choice.
For God and Country,
Ron Nowachek
Commander
(563) 357-8825
nowachekfarms@hotmail.com
April 2023
Fellow Legionnaires and Sons,
Much has happened in the Oxford Junction Legion Family during the past couple of months and it looks like we have a busy summer ahead of us.
The Department of Iowa Mid-Winter Conference was held at the Holiday Inn - Airport, in Des Moines, on 9-12 February. Bill Goodman attended and represented our Post and Sons Squadron at a number of meetings.
The 2nd District Spring Conference was held Saturday, 15 April, in Farley. Bill Goodman, Kurt Keller and Curtis Thornhill were in attendance. Dick Bries, of Epworth Post 650, was elected as our new District Commander; Polly Graham, of Blue Grass Post 711, was appointed as the District for the 2024 membership year, Adjutant; and Dale Ratterman, of Epworth Post 650, was appointed to continue as District Finance Officer. They will assume their duties in July, immediately following the Department Convention. Wapsie Post 473 was presented with a Road Runner Award for attaining at least 105 percent of their membership goal for membership year 2023.
The annual Department Leadership School is being held in Des Moines on 2-4 June. Kurt Keller has registered to attend and we are looking forward to having Kurt report on this experience.
Concerning membership, I want to again thank every one of you. 2023 marks the third consecutive year that all of our Legionnaires have renewed their membership. We currently have 110 members…six above the target of 104 that we were assigned by Department Headquarters. I want to give a big "shout out" to Tom Zaruba for his outstanding job of managing our membership. Remember…recruiting is the job of each and every member. If you have a friend or relative who has served in the military, please reach out and encourage them to join us.
The Eastern Iowa Honor Flight has announced the dates of their four flights for 2023. The first was scheduled for Tuesday, 25 April, and Curtis Thornhill was a member of that flight. Photos of his awesome experience will be posted on this website in the near future.
Boys State is being held at Camp Dodge during the period of 11-16 June. We are sponsoring Ty Jensen as our lone delegate this year. Ty is currently a junior at Midland High School, in Wyoming, and he is a member of our Sons of The American Legion Squadron. We are proud to be sponsoring Ty for this "week that shapes a lifetime."
Another reminder that our Post is hosting the 2023 2nd District Golf Outing and Curtis Thornhill is in charge of organizing this event. It is scheduled for Saturday, 12 August, at the Little Bear Golf Course, in Wyoming. Curtis is doing an outstanding job of taking care of all the planning details to make sure that this will be one of the best Golf Outings ever.
It's that time of the year where we will be selecting Post Officers for the 2024 Membership Year. We will be taking nominations at our May meeting and holding elections at our June meeting. I, along with Adjutant Paarmann, have served as either Commander or Adjutant for the past 17 years, and I believe that it's time we step aside for others to become leaders in the Post. Please give your serious consideration to this opportunity to serve.
In closing, I want to remind you that the next Post meeting will be held on Thursday, 11 May, and the next Sons meeting will be held on Wednesday, 17 May. Please mark your calendar and plan to attend.
For God and Country,
Ron Nowachek
Commander
(563) 357-8825
nowachekfarms@hotmail.com
January 2023
Fellow Legionnaires and Sons,
At our December meeting, it was decided that we would not meet in January and February due to the unpredictable winter weather. However, a short notice meeting was called for 12 January to discuss the details of an insurance quote. We located an insurance provider that offered a "bundled" policy to cover our Property, Liability and Dram Shop requirements. The effective date of this new, annual policy is 1 February 2023. The premium for this bundled policy provides us with an annual cost savings of nearly $2,200.00 over the individual policies that we previously had.
Another matter that concerns our finances is the need for a new roof on the Legionnaire Ballroom. We obtained an estimate from an Amish contractor for approximately $25,000.00 to reroof the entire building and we are in search of funding options for this much needed project.
During the extensive period of COVID lockdowns, our fundraising efforts came to a screeching halt. We were able to obtain some COVID related grants to help with our insurance premiums and utility bills, but, until the virus restrictions were lifted, our finances remained in dire straits. In recent months, we have begun to climb our way out of this predicament and we are counting on a good year ahead to help us regain a healthy financial status.
Concerning membership, I am proud to announce that for the 3rd consecutive year that all of our Legionnaires have renewed their membership. Thanks to each and every one of you!!! We currently have 107 members…three above the target of 104 that was assigned by Department Headquarters. I want to give a big "shout out" to Tom Zaruba for his outstanding job of managing our membership.
The Department of Iowa Mid-Winter Conference is being held at the Holiday Inn - Airport, in Des Moines, on 9-12 February. The schedule is shown on page 15 of the Winter edition of the Iowa Legionnaire and information can also be found on the Department website (link shown below). No advance registration is required.
Mid-Winter - The American Legion of Iowa (ialegion.org)
The Eastern Iowa Honor Flight has announced the dates of their four flights for 2023. The first is scheduled for Tuesday, 25 April, and Curtis Thornhill will be a member of this flight. More details will be forthcoming.
Boys State is being held at Camp Dodge during the period of 11-16 June. We are sponsoring Ty Jensen as our lone delegate this year. Ty is currently a junior at Midland High School, in Wyoming, and he is a member of our Sons of The American Legion Squadron.
The 2nd District Spring Conference is scheduled for Saturday, 15 April, in Farley. I encourage all of you to attend, as it's a great venue to meet other Legionnaires and Sons members from around our 6-county district and to learn about programs within our organizations. I've attached a Call to Conference…the deadline for registering is 27 March.
Our Post has volunteered to host the 2023 2nd District Golf Outing and Curtis Thornhill is in charge of organizing this event. It is scheduled for Saturday, 12 August, at the Little Bear Golf Course, in Wyoming. A flyer with registration details will be distributed in the coming days. If you would like to help out with preliminary work or help out on the day of the event, please call Curtis at (563) 570-0414.
In closing, I want to remind you that our Post and Squadron will not be meeting in February. The next Post meeting will be held on Thursday, 9 March, and the next Sons meeting will be held on Wednesday, 15 March.
For God and Country,
Ron Nowachek
Commander
(563) 357-8825
nowachekfarms@hotmail.com