American Legion Post 416

May 2010 Upcoming Events

Sat, 17 Apr 2010 03:21:09 +0600

LZ LAMBEAU 25 TICKETS HAVE BEEN ACQUIRED FOR ANY VIETNAM VETERAN, VETERAN, OR FAMILY MEMBER TO ATTEND THE OFFICIAL STATE WELCOME HOME TO OUR WELL DESERVED VIETNAM VETS. THE CEREMONY IS AT LAMBEAU FIELD ON SATURDAY MAY 22ND @7:30 A wide-ranging statewide effort to honor Wisconsin Vietnam Veterans culminates at Lambeau Field in Green Bay with a weekend of public events including exhibits, vintage military vehicles and aircraft, music and more. Free events run Friday thru Sunday with a ticketed keynote ceremony Saturday evening inside Lambeau field. Everyone is invited to attend. FOR TICKETS CONTACT BOB NAFFIER @ 520-0538 OR EMAIL bnaffier@wi.rr.com WWII VETERANS WELCOME HOME FROM WASHINGTON DC HONOR FLIGHT Please join us as we welcome home our Honor Flight veterans on Sunday May 2nd. We will meet at the post @8:15 and car pool to the airport to welcome home our WWII heroes around 9:45. The firing squad will be in full dress blues. So come join us. Show your American spirit, bring your flags and wear red white and blue and show these men and women how truly proud and thankful we are for their service!

Pancake Breakfast to benefit the family of Ava Marie Zimmerman

Sat, 17 Apr 2010 03:19:28 +0600

Please attend our pancake breakfast this Sunday April 18th at Post 416. All proceed will go to the family of AVA MARIE ZIMMERMAN Ava was the 5 years old child who died when she was struck by a car in the Village of Greendale. We along with the city of Greendale extend our deepest sympathy. The breakfast is from 8 till noon.

Message from the 1st Vice Commander

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 05:22:37 +0600

This month marks a very auspicious time for us. March 15th is the designated birthday of The American Legion. On that day in 1919, the first American Legion caucus, held by members of the American Expeditionary Force, convened in Paris. Much like the birthday of the United States is celebrated on July 4th for the date in 1776 when the Spirit of America was born � March 15th is the date when The American Legion came to life. Ninety-one years later, we do not say �Mission Accomplished,� we say �Still Serving.� Because that is what The American Legion does. It is who we are. The spirit of the Legion is much the same as it was in 1919. We serve those who served and we serve America. The Legion is the epitome of the Americanism for which it stands. For 91 years, The American Legion has led the charge as America�s leading advocate for veterans� health care, children and youth programs, a strong national security policy and one hundred percent Americanism. The �Spirit of The American Legion� is the same is it was in 1919. Our organization was established on four pillars and remains true to those pillars today. First, we take care of our veterans � we lobby for veterans benefits and our service officers help veterans with their claims. Our members volunteered nearly one million hours last year to 161 VA medical facilities, saving the VA more than $18.5 million. Second, we take care of our kids. We provide for them through the Child Welfare Foundation, the Children�s Miracle Network, The American Legion Endowment Fund, Temporary Financial Assistance and The National Emergency Fund. Third, our Americanism programs. Our Boys State and Boys Nation, the High School Oratorical Contest and the Junior Shooting Sports programs cannot be matched anywhere. The American Legion�s support of the Boy Scouts of America is solid and longstanding. The American Legion is the nation�s leading authority on flag etiquette and we unflinchingly support a constitutional amendment to protect our flag from desecration. Finally, we are for a strong national defense. We lobby congress for better pay and benefits for our troops and the superior firepower and training that our military needs to be able to win this nation�s wars. To say �We support our troops� is not just a slogan to us. It�s a way of life. Each post in our country has its own way to contribute. Post 416 in Greendale, Wisconsin meets or exceeds the expectations of our overall organization. Our goal is simple. We seek in full measure to serve America�and that�s what we do. If you are interested and want to part of this, if you want to be all you can be, to serve with honor and pride, The American Legion is for you. It is the largest veteran�s organization in the world. Our post consists of 558 members and we offer friendships and a comradeship that is like no other. The only requirement is that you must have served in the United States military during a wartime period. After that we welcome you to the finest organization you will join. Welcome aboard. Bob Naffier 1st Vice Commander - Membership

Upcoming Activities

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 17:00:41 +0600

Hi Everyone, Here are two important dates coming up you�ll want to watch for. One is Sunday, April 11th. On that day we will be holding a pancake breakfast at the post from 8:00am to 1:00pm. This will help some of our WWII veterans get to Washington in May on board the Honor Flight to the WWII War Memorial. I�ll talk about this in a little bit. But first, about the pancake breakfast. During the breakfast, on April 11th, we will also be dedicating two new flag poles and flags in front of our American Legion post. Our contractors are getting ready to break ground on this project right now, so watch for the poles to go up. The flag dedication will start at 10:00am and will honor the Greendale Police and Fire Departments in recognition of the sacrifices made by America on 9/11 and the continued service of our dedicated police and fire men and women today. We also have some special surprises planned that you won�t want to miss including bagpipers, the Firing Squad, city officials and several other surprises. We are planning a shuttle service between the post and the southeast corner Southridge Mall to accommodate the parking as needed. Watch for more details on this. A large tent will be set up outdoors to help accommodate our programs. Now about the Honor Flight! We have 4 WWII veterans from our post that will be flying to Washington DC on May 2nd and returning back to Mitchell Field that evening. When they arrive in Washington, they will be greeted by military personnel and band plus citizens from throughout the city who will be honoring these great WWII heroes. They will be taken to the memorial with their fellow comrades where they will experience a day full of well deserved honor and acknowledgement. When they arrive home about 10:00pm, they will receive a hero�s welcome by the many will be there. We hope you will participate in any of the activities honoring these fine heroes. The post is really up and running with a lot of upcoming events. Keep yourself in the loop by reading your newsletter and watching the web for constant updates. Our website is www.alpost416.com. Thank you for serving. Bob Naffier � 1st Vice Commander

DECEMBER � A TIME FOR REMEMBERING�

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 06:35:26 +0600

On Veterans Day as we recommitted to never forget, we find ourselves now in December, a month of constant reminders.

Remember our Christmas shopping list, our dinner plans, our parties, gifts, caroling, cookies, getting the cards out, filling the snow blower with gas, putting up the tree, and on..and on.. However, as important as all these things are to us, December, with its first snowfall and quiet nights by the fire, is a time for all of us to take a moment each day to truly REMEMBER.

Remember Pearl Harbor…remember to put can goods in the food pantry barrels… remember to thank our surviving veterans…remember the families who are without…who are alone…who are scared. Remember Fort Hood…those that died…the wounded…their families. Remember to send a card to a veteran perhaps at the VA or local nursing home… donate an item to the VA gift shop. Remember your freedom to worship as you choose this holiday and everyday…remember to pray for peace…remember the soldier who is away in a strange land…away from family…from friends…and from America. Remember the Vets who are alone.

Remember to say thank you …thank you to God for His blessing, thank you to the families that sacrifice all year and find this month particularly hard and lonely…thank you… to your fellow veterans… especially those at the post, who also make sacrifices of their time and themselves, and continue to display their kindness, compassion and support…to you… to me…to the community… and to American. THANK YOU...WE CONTINUE TO REMEMBER...

Have a most wonderful holiday season and may you be blessed in the knowledge someone stands watch over us tonight… so we may be safe and free in the warmth of our homes… to remember. I am honored to know you.

Respectfully Still Serving,

Bob Naffier
1st Vice Commander

Message from 1st Vice Commander

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 04:45:16 +0600

Trick or Treat is just around the corner� Which means it�s time us to celebrate the harvest of life with caramel apples, pumpkins and squash! A reminder that our October meeting will be initiation day for our new members. Come and support the continued growth of Post 416. The Veterans Day Parade will be Sat. Nov. 7th. If you would like to be in the parade or ride in the parade, contact Ron Sullivan 414-281-5435 or me at 414-520-0538. There is still room in one of the vans as of now. Under the �Did You Know� category, the American Legion is beginning to attract younger veterans. Active-duty members are eligible to join-and they are!! In fact, the American Legion has over 500,000 members who joined under the War on Terrorism, Persian Gulf, Lebanon/Grenada and Panama War periods. The American Legion created programs for active-duty, National Guard and Reserve, such as �TS2� Troop Support Services and �H2H� Heroes to Hometown as an opportunity for its membership to interact and support all our military. So keep extending a hand to all the men and women who continue to serve and protect all of us living under the flag of freedom! Still serving, Bob Naffier 1st Vice Commander

Message from 1st Vice Commander

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:52:11 +0600

Happy Labor Day! Well, right on time, September is here despite the warm temperatures! Won�t be long before those colored leaves we so enjoy will be here and ready to rake! Of course September also means a new season of fun and worthy get together and functions here at the 416. Our first meeting is this Thursday September 17th at 7:30. Come a little early and meet your new members and friends you haven�t seen over the summer! We encourage you to also bring your eligible friends and neighbors to see what we are all about and invite them to join as we continue to serve our community, troops, and fellow veterans and their families. We are currently planning on having an initiation celebration at our October meeting so now is the perfect time to join! For details on eligibility simply click on the HOW TO JOIN in the upper left corner of the home web page! Looking forward to meeting all of you on Thursday and if we haven�t met before, please take a moment and introduce yourself to me�I�ll be the one in the hat!!! Appreciate serving, Bob Naffier, 1st Vice Commander Membership

August Newsletter

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 06:04:14 +0600

AND SUMMER CONTINUES��. That means lots of fun and sun as we head into August. July brought us many activities but none as fun and informative as the Department Convention right here in Milwaukee! As a first timer I had a blast weaving my way through the democratic process and being at ground zero to see how important rulings and legislation is passed. The highlights for me were numerous, like meeting the National Commander Dave Rehbein, talking with the County Executive Scott Walker about continued support for our veterans, and the emotionally moving and beautiful Memorial Service on Sunday. The four days went by so quickly, but I came away with a sense of pride, accomplishment, and drive to continue to move forward in the quest to service our veterans, our country, and our community. Plan ahead for next year as the Department Convention takes us to Wausau in July, with the National Convention in August, here again in Milwaukee! What a giant opportunity to meet and share with veterans from around the United States and a perfect time for us to show them what Wisconsin vets are all about! Any legion member can attend. As the executive committee meets, we are discussing many options to serve you and hope you will get involved as we start to plan a big Welcome Home in February for the 32nd Brigade as they begin to arrive back home. We hope you will be at our September meeting with your ideas for continued support of our vets and the community. If you haven�t sent in your renewal form, this is the perfect opportunity to bring it along and save time and money instead of using �snail mail!� This weekend (Aug. 7, 8, 9) was Greendale Village Days and we certainly had our challenges with the unpredictable August weather. The heat was a real burner for the firing squad that marched in the parade. All did well and enjoyed the ice water at the end of the route, except Karl, next time don�t put your feet in the cooler! The food concessions workers slaved through wind, rain, and heat to still bring a smile to folks with their corn, chicken and ice cream! Thanks to all who triumphed over the weather! Great job guys and gals you are awesome! Have a great Labor Day and as always remember�keep serving America!! Bob Naffier � 1st Vice Commander

VICE COMMANDER�S MESSAGE - JULY 2009

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 06:40:11 +0600

IN THE GOOD OLE SUMMER TIME��

Well it looks like we�re in full swing with summer time activities.

Your new (and old) officers are on board and ready to serve. Membership renewals are in the mail and you should have already received yours. Be sure to get yours in as soon as possible. Remember, the Legion year is from July to June, not January to December.

Our 4th of July festivities in downtown Greendale Village were fantastic! More spectators attended the parade than ever before. The Firing Squad and Color Guard had a great time marching and doing the gun salutes. The kids loved picking up the shells from the ground as we reloaded our rifles. The women also high stepped as the Women�s Auxiliary marched in the parade for the first time this year. They looked great with their new banner and snazzy straw hats! The parade was complete with marching bands, Fire and Police Department, floats, and many other civic groups. The weather was perfect and the crowds made us feel so welcome with their loud cheers. What a fun time! Meanwhile back at the food tent, our Post served our traditional roasted corn on the cob which was as sweet as could be. Roasted chicken (new this year), baked potatoes, pizza, and our ever famous root beer floats were a big hit! We met such nice people all day and had a really good time. All proceeds will go to benefit our fellow veterans and their families.

On Sunday July 5th it was Operation Freedom day at the Milwaukee County Zoo. This was a free event open to all military and veterans and their families to spend a day at the zoo including lunch and a concert, all free! If you didn�t have the opportunity to attend this year, be sure to mark this on your calendar for next year. This is a real �don�t want to miss� chance to have a day to relax with other veterans and allow the Department of Veteran Affairs, the County, and other community support groups to say �Thanks for all you do.� The Firing Squad was again called into service as they were honored with the task of being Color Guards at the program and presented the flags representing each branch of the Armed Services. As usual they looked really sharp!

July 11th there is a rededication in Portage at the state office of the American Legion, celebrating 50 years of the American Legion in Milwaukee. Anyone is welcome to attend. So if you�re looking for a nice Saturday road trip, the program begins at 11:00 at state headquarters. Post 416 Firing Squad will again be honored to take part in the activities. Please come and support them.

HEAR YE�HEAR YE�CALLING ALL CORN DIPPERS AND SODA JERKS!!!

August is just around the corner and with that comes the Greendale Village Days, Aug. 7th - 8th and we will again be having our booth set up. Here�s your chance to play soda fountain and make sundaes and floats! Please come on down and volunteer, dip some nice yummy corn in some sweet melted butter! For an hour or for the day your help is always needed and appreciated and you get paid in laughs and smiles!! If you can�t join us for the day, stop by and get something to eat, we even do take out orders!

Summer is a great time to show your support for your Country and you fellow comrades. Fly the flag in support of our active troops and keep them and their families in your prayers.

Thanks for all you do!

Bob Naffier -- 1st Vice Commander

MEMBERSHIP

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:08:00 +0600

Now that another fiscal has come to a close I would like to take this opportunity to remind all members that now is the time to also renew your membership. I have experienced confusion as to what the renewal date is. Many members that paid late assumed they had until January 1. Dues are $30 per year and due by the 30th of June each year.