The Fargo
Fargo Legionnaire
Fargo, North Dakota
July - August  2008

Commander Message 
Dave Johnston

Commander’s Outlook 08-09

Thanks Ron--Well the year has gone by way too fast for Ron Matthews to be done! I want to thank Ron for leading the Post over the past year and his input into the operations of our Post. He always seemed so calm and I trust that I can learn from him.

2008-09 will be a challenging year as we face a new membership quota with an aging membership (me included) and we attempt to be creative in our move to increase our membership with the Veterans who are returning from the War on Terror. We welcome your input as we begin to plan for the coming year.

Committee appointments: I have been going over the list of committees that I am to assign members to and want this done by July 1, 2008. I will be contacting you regarding the committee appointments prior to assigning you to a committee. I want to thank all of you in advance for your support in making Post 2 a unified Post and our goal to be number 1 in the state.

Pass the Helmet—this year the money raised will go towards the Nursing Scholarship Program which the 40 et 8 sponsor. I would also like to use some of the money to provide CPR/AED training to all employees and any member who needs training or a refresher course. I have asked Cathy Keogh to assist me in this program.

Dave Johnston, Commander, Fargo American Legion

Greetings from the auxiliary!

These past two months have slipped by quite fast. It just seems like the newsletter was due a couple of weeks ago and now its time for July and August letter.

We have had a busy couple of months with election and installation of officers for the coming year. Only one new face and thank you to Donna Sheldon for becoming our Assistant-Sergeant-At-Arms. Also, welcome back to the other officers.

Thank you ladies and Post # 2 for being supportive this past year and I am looking forward to the new term after getting my “feet” extremely wet last year.

We, as ladies of the auxiliary, need to try very hard to find new members. I would like to see some new faces at our meetings and to help us out with our projects.

Have a great summer and spend some time at the American Legion activities. I’ll see you there.

Mavis Goodroad, President
 

Adjutants Additions

Post elections are over and new officers have been installed. Thank you for supporting your post in our annual quest to find willing people to take on the responsibilities of leadership.

Renewal Time. The renewal notices will start coming out from National before long. We can not prevent the letters from coming out. The sooner renewals are paid, the sooner letters will quit coming in the mail. People complain every year about the letters, but they are contracted out of National and don’t stop until a number of mailing deadlines are met up the chain. The renewal amount is still $39.00 for Legionnaires at Post #2. The new cards are in the office and ready to go.

July 1 the City of Fargo goes non smoking in bars and restaurants. We are trying to accommodate our smoking patrons, but we are looking to the city for some guidance as to what will be allowed. We hope to welcome some of our members who have been scarce, avoiding the smoke.

Third Thursday events have started with a bang. I was in Minot for the Department Convention, but heard that it was well attended. The Past Due Band is a favorite for many of our members, playing music from the sixties and seventies. Mona does a wonderful job finding entertainment for our enjoyment. Check the calendar for upcoming events.

The Post Secretary, Sarah Kim, will be the recording secretary for post and executive committee meetings so that I and others may be more involved in the conduct of the meetings. She will be taking compensatory time off from her normal office hours.

Golfers take notice. Mona is putting together our Annual Patriots Day Golf Tournament. Contact Mona to register.

Thanks for another wonderful year and I am looking forward to next year at the Gilbert C. Grafton Post.

Bob Jacobson, Adjutant

40 & 8

Hi, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to serve as your new Chef de Gare.  Hopefully my French will improve.  I’m looking forward to a good year.

Please try to make it to the picnic on August 24th.  Put it on your calendar before you forget!  I hope to see all of you there.  You will be receiving a notice in the mail for the time and location of the picnic.  With luck we’ll have a dry day.

As usual, we are looking for volunteers to help with the spaghetti feed and bingo on Mondays.  Come and join the fun!

Donald Wangrud

Jim McLaughlin

On July 17th the Clubhouse at Jack Williams stadium will be named in honor of Jim McLaughlin. The ceremony will begin at 6:45 with Commander Johnston as the Master of Ceremonies. Past Post #2 Commanders Jim Kapitan and Orlyen Stensgard will be the speakers. A plaque and sign facing the field will be unveiled in his honor.

Jim has served on the Baseball Committee for 40 years. He was Vice-Chair for the 1983, 1992 and 1995 American Legion World Series. He was a tireless worker raising money and making improvements at Jack Williams Stadium including the Roger Maris Garden. Jim was curator of the Roger Maris Museum at West Acres and helped develop Roger Maris Drive and a Maris monument at Lindenwood Park.

In 1976 Jim was awarded the “Fan of the Year” and in 2007 he was inducted into the Fargo Legion Baseball Hall of Fame.

"Another WDAY WWII Honor Flight is history and is it a cliché to say this was our best one yet? I've felt that way about each of our 4 trips! We have had the pleasure of taking about 675 WWII veterans from North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota to the Memorial since May of 2007. They are the most incredible group of men and women that I have ever met. Humble, grateful, gracious, funny, sweet and caring. To say that it's been life changing also sounds like a cliché but it's not an overstatement. I went into this project knowing very little about these veterans. I knew what I knew about the war from history class and Hollywood. But I didn't know the stories of the men who won the war: The soft spoken Minnesota farm boy who stayed behind with a buddy during the Battle of the Bulge because 'nobody should die alone.' He survived three nights alone in the cold, his uniform so caked with ice that the medics had to cut it off. I'll never forget the smiling veteran from Jamestown who told me how only 5 men in his 65 man company walked away from Iwo Jima uninjured. I sensed he still holds many secrets behind his sparkling blue eyes. Or another perpetually upbeat veteran from our first flight who comes to the airport to say 'so long' to subsequent Honor Flight travelers. The list goes on and on and on. I am simply blessed to have met such American heroes.

I am also blessed to have met and worked with such amazing people on the Honor Flight committee both at the national and local level. They have not received the recognition they so richly deserve. Talk about people you'd like to be in the trenches with. They'll always hold a special place in my heart. And simply not enough can be said for our amazing community which answered the called and raised $600,000 in a year to make the trips happen.

WDAY will not be doing anymore Honor Flights from Fargo. Our project was set up for the short run, an effort to get a lot of vets to Washington fast. While I'm disappointed to know that we're "officially" done, I'm heartened to know that neighboring cities are picking up the torch and running with it. Grand Forks and Sioux Falls, South Dakota are in the process of planning trips. Minnesota also has trips up and running. I'm happy to know the effort to send 'our boys' from the Midwest to the memorial continues. Thanks to all!"

Tracy Briggs, WDAY WWII Honor Flight Coordinator

Club News

This summer marks the “3rd” year for “3rd” Thursday concerts on the lawn. This is a free community event for all ages. As in the past, we will offer burgers and brats on the grill and a beer garden. Feel free to bring your lawn chair as there is limited seating. Hours are 6-10 pm.

The dates are as follows:
June 19 - PAST DUE Cruizin’ Broadway Night (rescheduled from June 5) Karaoke in the lounge at 10 pm
July 17 - CARMEN THE CACTUS (Street Fair)
August 21 - THE SHAKERS
OTHER EVENTS
July 5 - “TASKA” in the lounge...7-11 pm. This is a patriotic duo featuring music from the past to celebrate the 4th of July.
September 11 - 3rd Annual Patriotic Golf Day Golf Tournament - Noon shotgun at Edgewood Golf Course; 4 - person scramble; $60 includes green fee, cart, steak dinner, 2 drinks, on course events and prizes; Call Mona to sign your team up.

Mona Arnold, Club Manager

Dave Johnston was installed into office as the new Post 2 Commander at the June 3rd Post meeting. Post 2 would like the members to get to know a little about our new Commander.

Dave Johnston grew up in Rugby, ND and attended NDSU and then went into the US Navy serving aboard the USS Intrepid (CVS-11) which is now a museum in New York City. He continued serving in the US Navy Reserve and also worked at Nodak Mutual Insurance Company in Fargo. Dave retired from Nodak Mutual Insurance in 2004 and the US Navy with the rank of Captain.

Post 2 is looking forward to the upcoming year with Dave as our new Commander and would like to welcome him to his new position.

2008-2009 Elected Officers

Pictured L to R: Commander Dave Johnston, 1st Vice Lynn Forde, 2nd Vice Gene Orson, 3rd Vice Mike Haugen. All other officers not pictured above are Adjutant Robert Jacobson, Finance Officer Dave Rice, Historian John Evans, Chaplain Bill Ziegler, Sergeant-at-Arms Gary Ransom, Asst. Sgt-at-Arms Al Zimmerman, and Executive Committee Members Jack Barrow, Russ Foster, Dick Walstad, Larry Woodbury and Bruce Holtan.
 

Department Commander - Carroll Quam, Wahpeton
Dept. Commander Elect - Jerry Samuelson, Watford City
Finance Officer - George Zeller, Carson
Sergeant-At-Arms - Leon Hiltner, Langdon
NEC - Curt Twete
Alternate NEC - Wayne Satrom
East Region Vice Cdr - Al Tuma, Larimore
East Region DEC - Dave Rice, Fargo
Central Region Vice Cdr - Karen Meier, Garrison
West Region Vice Cdr - Dave Hilleren, New Town

The July Past Commanders meeting will be at 5:30pm, July 17th at Jack Williams Stadium so we can recognize Jim McLaughlin when the Club House will be named in his honor.  Grab a bite to eat at the concession stand and go to the upstairs meeting room along the 1st base side.  The August meeting will be on the 12th at the Club.  The KC's have been providing excellent food and service for our noon luncheons.

Congratulations to Will Hebert and Past Commander Larry Lein on being awarded Gold Life Memberships from the Gold Life members. Their recognition and induction into Gold life Membership is very well deserved.

Congratulations to Past Commander Orlyen Stensgard who was named Legionnaire of the Year at the Department Convention in Minot. Orlyen was named Legionnaire of the Year for Post 2 and then was successful on being selected on the state level.

Dave Rice, President, Past Commanders Association

Color Guard $3,319.60
VAVS $65.00
Bike Shop $196.90
Baseball $4,500.00
RRVVCB $500.00
Wrestling $2,302.86
FM Chamber $375.00
FM Sertoma Flag Program $135.00
Shriners Transportation Fund $100.00
Girls State $400.00
NDSU Lacrosse Team $500.00
Total $12,394.36

Girls State

The American Legion Auxiliary Unit 2
sponsored 5 girls for Girls State this year:

Emily Foyt of Fargo South, daughter of Brenda and Brad Rosten
Vanessa Manlove of Fargo South, daughter of Steve and Sandra Manlove
Chelsea Hazmierczak of Fargo South, daughter of Scott and Jennifer Haz-mierczak
Mallroy Brothen of Fargo South, daughter of Joyce and Elair Brothen
Blair Fraedrich of Fargo South, daughter of Dwight and LeAnn Fraedrich

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. 

Rental Space is Booking Up Fast

The Legion has rental space available for any size party or occasion up to 250 people. Please see Mona at 505 3rd Ave N, Fargo, ND or call her at 237-4013 for booking details. Catering is also available through the KC’s. Please give Jon a call at 232-6386 regarding catering. The space is booking fast so give Mona a call to book your space and don’t forget, Legion, Auxiliary, Social and SAL members get a discount off the hall rental.

Reunions, Office Parties, Private Parties, Any other special occasion you may be celebrating, Birthday Parties, Anniversary Parties, Weddings, Retirement Parties, Christmas Parties

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