The Fargo
Fargo Legionnaire
Fargo, North Dakota
May - June  2006

Commander's Corner
Dave Rice

I’ll bet every past commander has said something to the effect that their year as commander went by fast, I ditto that feeling, this is my last column as commander. To steal NDSU’s theme: “It’s About People.” I can’t help think about all the wonderful things we do. I visualize the thousands of kids over the years getting an Easter Basket, many of these kids from broken homes or perhaps a son/daughter of an abused parent seeking help. Then I think about Boots Anderson who has led the Easter Basket effort for many years, she has a heart as big as Texas, God Bless her and her volunteer helpers for everything they have done for our area children and for the American Legion. I also visualize the thousands of kids who received a bicycle from the American Legion, kids of families who could not afford to buy one on their own. Thanks to Will Hebert and his team of volunteers at the bike shop we are able to provide these bikes to needy kids. These are just a couple examples of what we do for our community. It has been a humbling experience getting to know you and what you do. It’s about people, and you are the finest group of people I have ever had the opportunity to work with. Thank you!

It has been a busy year for Post 2. We made a major change in our Club operations and thanks to Mona Arnold, our new Club Manager, we are doing much, much better. We have also made some progress remodeling our facilities, including a major face-lift of the outside of our building early this spring. A big thank you goes out to the Capital Campaign Committee and chair Keith Kerbaugh. We also got the Oratorical Contest and the Son’s of the American Legion active again – admittedly a slow start but progress just the same. Financial analysis consumed much of the Executive Committee’s time this year. We have made progress on the income side and now have teams analyzing our expenses and coming up with ways to reduce our operating expenses in the future. Last, but not least, I have had the opportunity to serve with three Adjutants during my term as commander, perhaps a record. I’ve been told several times that the Adjutant position is more important than the Commanders position. It only took me a couple months in office to realize that is very true, we depend on them a great deal. Thank you Ralph, Orlyen and Bob, it has been a pleasure serving with you and I thank you for everything you have done for me and for the Legion.

I hope you can attend our meeting in May, we have the honor of recognizing our 50 and 60 year members and will be conducting our Post Everlasting Ceremony in honor of those who have gone before us.

Our election of officers will be in May and their installation in June. We will see some new faces on our Executive Committee and wish them well in 2006-2007. We also give special recognition to our Finance Officer Wally Lueck who decided not to run for reelection. Wally has served several years in this capacity, his dedication, expertise and countless hours are certainly appreciated. Wayne Wermager is also rotating off the Exec after having served in several positions including Commander in 2005-2006, thanks Wayne. Also thanks to Jenn Schwind, Ron Gebeke and Orlyen Stensgard who are rotating off the Exec.

Dave Rice, Commander, Fargo American Legion

Auxiliary President's Message
Barb Nash

Greetings –

The nominating committee is working hard to present a slate of officers in May. They have the following nominations: President – Barb Nash, 1st Vice President – vacant, 2nd Vice President – LaVonne Matthews, Secretary – Katie Gjerde, Treasurer – Barb Useldinger, Chaplain – Marian Cameron, Historian – Marcie Schmit, Sergeant-at-Arms –Ruby Hendrickson, and Asst. Sergeant-at-Arms – Brenda Kerbaugh. The finance committee nominations are Vetta Loveland, Mary Long and Betty Hughes. Join us on May 9th when will be have our election of officers as well as our memorial service.

The 1st Vice President nomination is vacant. This is an important position that needs to be filled. If you are good at fund raising or interested in learning about it, please call me. There are members willing to help out with this position. Installation of the elected officers will be at our meeting on June 13th.

May 20 is the day we will be selling poppies. Locations are yet to be determined. We are looking for Junior members who would like to help out. Please let me know if you would like some for your place of employment or would like to help out on a Saturday during bingo. Call me at 298-0916.

Please consider taking a chairmanship position this next year. This organization cannot thrive if we have the same core of people doing things year after year. We’d like to think we are a fun group of people to hang out with once in awhile. The more people we have to participate; the smaller the commitment. We need new ideas and more interest in the organization. If you have an interest in Poppies, Girls State, Americanism or any other area, please let me know. We want to do all we can for our Veterans and Children & Youth programs.

The State Convention is June 22-25, 2006 in Williston. Fargo will be hosting this same event in June 2007, so we will be attending with an eye and an ear towards how we will throw this “little party” next year.

Barb Nash, Auxiliary President, Unit #2

Message from the Chef de Gare
Larry Lein

It's here!! What everyone so anxiously waits for. What happens about this time every year. SPRING!! The robins are back, daylight savings time, baseball, and oh yes, high water called flooding. I hope all are high and dry. And we can't have Spring without talking about membership. We need to wrap up membership and get to 100+% for our Grand Chef Don Schwinden. We are so close. If you still haven't paid your dues, please do so today.

Up coming events.... May 5, 6, & 7th MinnDakota at Watertown, SD. Hope to see many of you there. Installation of new officers for Voiture 240 at our May Promanade, and Grand Promanade at Williston, June 23, 24, & 25th. Spaghetti every Monday nite down at the club. Still a good deal at $3.00

As there will be no Promenades for Voiture 240,June, July, and August, this will be my last article as your Chef. I would like to thank everyone for all their help this past year and thank you for the privilege of being your Chef for Voiture 240.

Larry Lein, Chef de Gare 240 

Adjutants Additions
Bob Jacobson

My how time flies when you are having fun or maybe it’s just the shortage of time to get things done. It has been busy and really don’t expect much of a let up, that just allows time for additional tasks.

I want to congratulate the new District 1 Vice Commander Dave Rice. This should be a temporary position for him and the search is on for his replacement. Any nominations or volunteers? Dave will be replacing Melanie Rohrich as First District Commander this spring.

The Membership Drive continues to work on renewals for 2006. 2007 dues are only about 3 months away. Let’s get them turned in.

We should quickly see more changes in our building thanks to our Capital Campaign Drive. The Fargo American Legion has always had a reputation of community support and improvement. If you can donate or know someone willing to donate, contact Keith Kerbaugh or leave a message with the Post secretary.

The Executive Committee has found the need for a much higher level of diligence and scrutiny of our capital improvements. Annual dues provide the regular income for an American Legion post. Our Post’s share only amounts to $1.00 per month per member. While some members give additional amounts regularly, I would guess most members could donate a little extra. We found ourselves required to do some debt retirement while also working on the Capital Campaign and also looking at some improvements that would reduce energy consumption.

Congratulations to West Fargo schools on their new Junior ROTC unit. We will present awards to Fargo and West Fargo Jr. ROTC units and the NDSU Air Force ROTC unit the end of April.

Robert (Bob) Jacobson, Adjutant
Gilbert C. Grafton Post 2

Things are moving along. With a combination of $50,174 in kind donations, the $50,000 grant from the City of Fargo and a additional $7,827 in cash donations the next phase is about to begin. This project will replace the front door, add handicapped buttons to the doors, replace all the windows on the east and south sides, add new lights to either side of the front doors, refurbish the outside sign and add a two sided reader board to the sign. The companies who will be completing the work are Cook Sign Company, Northland and JDP Electric.

Recent corporate donations are from Cook Sign, Gate City Savings, JV Houge, Northland, Park Company, Strata Construction, Wanzek Construction, West Acres, and Wimmers Jewelry. Personal donations have come from Mark Foster, Roger Gress, Harold Grommesh, Bruce Johnson, Dave Johnston, Ton Kenville, Marvin Leach, Robert and Marion Lechner, Dave Lee, Wally Lueck, Earl Powers, Dave and Rita Rice and Wayne Wermager. If you see any of these people please stop and thank them for their support of veterans.

Let’s keep up the momentum! We are now at more than $171,000 in donations, grants, in kind services and pledges. If you haven’t donated yet or want to work on the Capital Campaign Committee your help will be appreciated. Remember you can always make a pledge and pay it over time.

Keith Kerbaugh
Capital Campaign Committee
 

The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Baseball Team is once again hosting a “Military Appreciation Night” at 7:00pm on Monday, June 26th at Newman Outdoor Field on the NDSU campus. The United Patriotic Bodies (UPB), represented by all FM Veterans Organizations, is sponsoring the event. The UPB has purchased camouflaged jerseys for the RedHawks team to wear. The jerseys will be auctioned off at the end of the game with all proceeds going to the UPB. We hope to use these funds for the signs on the Veterans Memorial Bridge. Check with our office in early June for more details and ticket information.

You will need to present your
2006 Post #2 Membership Card
to the Election Officials
to obtain a ballot!

Please contact our Post # 2 secretary if you need an absentee ballot: e-mail veteran18@earthlink.net or call the office at 701-293-3930.

Write in candidates will be accepted.
Those nominated thus far are listed to the right >>>

The nominees are as follows:

Commander – Keith Kerbaugh
1st Vice Commander – Russ Stabler
2nd Vice Commander – Ron Matthews
3rd Vice Commander – Dave Johnston
Adjutant – Bob Jacobson
Finance Officer – Virgil Estenson
Chaplain – Linda Whaley
Sgt at Arms – Bill Schlichting
Asst Sgt at Arms – John Rauch
Historian – Wil Hebert
Exec Comm Member – Bruce Holtan
Exec Comm Member – Hank Deyle
Exec Comm Member – Jack Barrows
Exec Comm Member – Randy Wimmer
Exec Comm Member – Doug Craik

Once again the Easter Bunny was busy this year. A total of 17 volunteers turn out to help. They helped make and deliver the baskets and cleaned up afterwards. A special thanks to Cliff (custodian) for setting up the table and got the boxes out for us. We would like to thank each and every one of the volunteers that did such a wonderful job. We couldn’t have done it without you.

Chairperson,
Boots Anderson

Carl Anderson
Bob and Mariam Lechner
Bob and May Long
Will and Mary Hebert
Eddie Yeager
Mary Schaffer
Maxine Tyler
Elaine Benner
Inez McIlwain
Agnes Schmeidt
Don Schwinden
Ruth Lewison
Oliver and Judy Sigurdson

Red River Valley Veterans Concert Band

May 2nd - Meeting Night concert
May 4th - Concert - Perham, MN
May 11th - Concerts - Fergus Falls, MN
May 16th - Concert - Fargo Air Museum
May 18th - Concerts - Detroit Lakes, MN
May 25th - Concert - ND Vets Home - Lisbon, ND
May 29th - Riverside Cemetery program - Fargo, ND
June 2nd - VFW State Convention - Fargo, ND
June 6th - Meeting Night concert

Also see the Red River Valley Veterans Concert Band schedule on their Web page at: http://www.rrvvcb.org/

May and June 2006
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. (or a live band)

May 2  Post Meeting 7:30 pm
May 16  Past Commanders Luncheon 11:30 am Fargo VFW
May 16  Executive Committee Meeting 7 pm
June 6  Post Meeting 7:30 pm -w- Auxiliary & SAL
June 13  Past Commanders Luncheon 11:30 am
June 20  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