The Fargo
Fargo Legionnaire
Fargo, North Dakota
January - February  2006

Commander's Corner
Dave Rice

Here is wishing you a happy, healthy and productive New Year!  2005 went by fast, the older I get, the faster they go.  It was a great year for me in 2005.  I learned a lot about the American Legion, I still have a lot to learn.  Most importantly, I had the opportunity to meet and work with some fantastic people, and I’m thankful for that.

Our Club is doing much better; our gross revenues are much higher than the same period a year ago.  Much of this success is due to our new Club Manager Mona Arnold and the efforts of our departed Adjutant Ralph Hoff who was instrumental in bringing in new clientele.

The Capital Campaign is moving forward. I’d encourage you to make a donation by Dec 31 if you want a tax deductible contribution on your 2005 taxes.  If not by then, soon in 2006. Our next priority is insulation; we desperately need to lower our heating and cooling bills.

We have some serious financial analysis to perform in the next few months.  Our loan payments continue and we must determine our profitability potential in the long run.  Your support, patronage and donations will help us survive, not only as a Post, but as a Club as well.

Please renew your membership if you have not done so already.  Then, ask someone to join the Legion, SAL or Auxiliary.

Many thanks for those who helped revitalize our Oratorical Contest, the first we have had in several years.  Let’s make an effort to get our Sons of the American Legion (SAL) squadron revitalized in 2006.  Please contact me if you are willing to help out.

Happy New Year!

Dave Rice, Commander, Fargo American Legion

Auxiliary President's Message
Barb Nash

Greetings to all!

I will make this brief so as to allow some space for a note from our First Vice President. Please plan to attend our January meeting on the 10th. Bob Hanson, Commissioner of the North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs will be speaking about things they do for Veterans and their dependents. Continuing on with past traditions, we will be meeting jointly with the Post on February 7th at 7:30. The guest speaker was still being lined up at press time.

Winter Conference is scheduled for February 10-12, 2006 in Dickinson. Please let me know if you need a room as not many rooms have been reserved. The deadline is January 6, 2006.

Some more words of wisdom to live by: “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming, ‘woo hoo what a ride!’” I’ll see ya in the new year – woo hoo!

Barb Nash, Auxiliary President, Unit #2

Your Auxiliary Membership

I would like to send a quick “thank you” to all Auxiliary members who have renewed their membership for 2006. As of November 19th we are sitting at a total of 308 paid members, which is 65.5% of our goal of 470. If you have not renewed yet for this year, please do so. Now for the icky part: of the 438 members on the roster, 50 have not renewed since 2004. This makes it a bit hard to reach that goal, as we have to recruit even more new members to make up for the non-renewals. This year we so far have gained 13, but lost four.

If you are one of the 50 who have not renewed since 2004, please consider bringing your membership current. There are a lot of reasons to continue your membership in the Auxiliary but I think the best one is the veteran who made it possible for you to join. Your membership dues help fund veterans’ projects, both locally and nationally. Senior dues are $16 and junior dues (to age 18) are $2.

So, we need your help. If you know of anyone eligible to join the Auxiliary, please let me know and I will make contact with them with a letter, brochures, and an application. If you have a friend or family member who is eligible, please consider a gift membership for them this year (that’s quite a gift for $16 – and even a better gift for a junior membership). There are applications at Post 2, you can call me for them, and they are also online at www.legion-aux.org  and click on the membership link.

LaVonne Matthews, Membership Chair, 701-298-8573

Message from the Chef de Gare
Larry Lein

My fellow Voyageurs, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! It doesn’t seem possible, but here it is a start of another year, 2006. May the New Year bring peace and happiness to all.

As we start this New Year we need to focus on membership, both new and the ones that aren’t so new. Membership is the lifeline of all organizations. Speaking of membership, I would like to welcome 2 new voyageurs, Wally Buckingham and Russ Stabler. They became 40 and 8 er’s in November.

Upcoming events or programs:

f course our spaghetti nite every Monday evening. Come on down to the club for spaghetti and help support our 40 et 8 program and have a good meal cheap.

2 programs that are being worked on now are Nurses Training were we grant scholarships to deserving students and Flags for First Graders with some 1200 – 1400 flags are given out to students.

Our annual Sweetheart Banquet with a date and time to come later.

That’s all for now, hope to see you at our next Promenade, the 4th Tuesday of the month. Stay Warm.

Larry Lein, Chef de Gare 240 

The Capital Campaign

As we reach the end of the year donors need to consider getting their donations in now in order to take advantage of the tax deductible contribution. All 2005 donors will receive a letter from Post #2 in January for use with the taxes.

The campaign continues to march along.  We have received over $5,000 in donations and pledges since our last newsletter update. The carpet is in the downstairs lobby and it looks wonderful. We had it finished in time for Veterans Day and the visit by the National Commander. We are now concentrating on raising funds to update the windows and to insulate the building. If you know of anyone who would like to be active on the fundraising committee or who have any questions about our progress please contact Keith Kerbaugh at 237-4178.
 

Recent donations include:	Pat Sweeney	Bremer Bank
Mark and Lenore Sweeney	Wayne Wermager	Raymond & Diane Myers
Clifton and Donna Rodenburg

Keith Kerbaugh, Capital Campaign Chairman

Top Rope Productions Presents:

“All Star Wrestling”

The Legion is having “All Star Wrestling” upstairs in the Legion on January 13th at 7:30 pm.

Featured Wrestlers: Sammy Savard, Jessie Barbot, Mr. USA – Sam Ellis, Tom Loomis, Red Lightning, AWA Legend – Dirty Ernie

There will 5 matches including a ladies match.  During intermission there will be Paddlewheels.  This is an all ages event and a family friendly show.

Advanced Tickets: $20 ringside seats – includes cocktails/hors d' oeuvres, meet and greet the wrestlers. Limited Quantity.

$8.00 – General Admission
$6.00 – Kids Ages 6-12
Free – Kids under 6

There will be an additional charge of $2.00 per ticket at the door.

Rockin’ Sixteez will be playing downstairs in the Lounge following the Wrestling (for 21 and up only).

The Post #2 Past Commanders Association presented 16 classroom flags and a 5 x 8 foot flag that is hung in the main foyer, to the new Oak Grove Elementary School in South Fargo. Legionnaire Don Schwinden spoke to the students about the flag, provided some flag history and asked the K-6 students some questions. Everyone present then recited the Pledge of Allegiance and a Past Commander, with flag in hand, accompanied each class to their room and posted the flag. The kids and teachers were very appreciative. What a great day it was to be a Legionnaire!

November and December 2005
Legion Schedule of Events

$25 Blackjack every Friday, Saturday, and Monday night.

Bingo every Saturday at 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm every Monday.

Spaghetti 6:00pm every Monday for only $3.00 per person.

Beer Bust 6 to 8 pm. every Friday night.

Karaoke 8 pm. every Friday night.

Jan. 3  Post Meeting 7:30 pm
Jan. 10  Past Commanders Luncheon 11:30 am
Jan. 13 All Star Wrestling
Jan. 17  Executive Committee Meeting 7 pm
Feb. 7  Post Meeting 7:30 pm -w- Auxiliary & SAL
Feb. 14  Past Commanders Luncheon 11:30 am
Feb. 21  Executive Committee Meeting 7 pm

Have Your Wedding, Anniversary, Christmas or Any Party Here

The American Legion has rental space available for a wide variety of events at a very reasonable price. 
To Schedule an Event please Contact our Office at 701-293-3930.  Click here for additional information. 

Attention: In accordance with North Dakota Charitable Gaming Regulations, American Legion Club notifies its membership that the organization's cash profit; cash long or short; net proceeds expenses, if any; reimbursement of excess expenses, if applicable; and a list of eligible use contributions is available for review. The information is available at the American Legion Club, 505 3rd Ave N,. Fargo, 8am - 4:30pm, Mon.-Fri. (701)237-4013