The Fargo
Fargo Legionnaire
Fargo, North Dakota
  September - October 2009

Commanders Message 
Robert Jacobson

The calendar tells me summer is gone, but I am not sure which day it fell on this year.  The lawns seemed to green up and grow while the gardens generally didn’t do so well.  Our grass at the Legion has been growing, but the mowing intentionally left it longer than in the past.   Our GM cut it longer to better handle the traffic.  Speaking of grass, our “Veterans Park” is looking pretty good.  We encourage our downtown neighbors to use the Veterans Park as a place to sit down and eat their lunches.  Our event attendance has been down this year, so I am inviting everyone to come down and see what we now offer.  Additional changes and improvements are in the works.

We are still looking for a Finance Officer to replace Dave Rice.  Kim Anderson has stepped up to expand our QuickBooks documentation so the Exec Committee can better identify areas of profitability as well as the money losers we want to get away from.

The Exec Committee accepted Keith Kerbaugh’s offer to fill the First Vice Commander position so we can get going on membership and teams.

We all need to sell people on the American Legion and what Post 2 has to offer.  Space is available for members and non-members-weddings, receptions, birthdays, anniversaries, company Christmas parties.

I want to congratulate the Baseball Committee for putting on a great World Series.  Holding the games at Newman Field was quite impressive.  I should also offer my thanks to the grounds crew and RedHawks staff.  A great job was done by all.

Robert Jacobson, Post 2 Commander 

Hello Auxiliary Ladies:

I hope all of you had a great couple of months on vacation.  It will be super to see you again as we gear up for another year of working for our veterans.

We will be busy this year planning for the 2010 convention that we will help host next June.  It will be fun and exciting to work on organizing it.  If you have any ideas to help make this convention more interesting, please let me know or our chairperson Marcy Schmidt.  I know she has some great ideas.

Our first fundraiser is the bakeless bake sale so you will be receiving that notice the later part of September.  The rummage sale is October 3rd.  Just a reminder to have your items available.  Please call with any questions of time to set up.  We can use anyone who wants to help us.  Our 1st vice, Kim, will give you the info you need.

Our meeting in September, in fact the 8th, is at 7:30 with the executive meeting at 6:20.

Anxious to see everyone.  Till then, take care.

Mavis Goodroad, President Unit 2

Adjutants Additions

I would like to thank Steve Parmer and the Baseball Committee for organizing a successful World Series.  If you didn’t go to any of the games, you missed some great baseball.  Thank you, too, to the volunteers for all your hard work.  You did Fargo and Post 2 proud.

For anybody that hasn’t been to the club in the last couple of weeks, there have been some nice changes to the green area on the east side of the building.  It looks better than it has in years. We have tables, a fence, and a slab of cement where we used to have the rocks.

Fargo is hosting the Department Convention in June of 2010.  If we start working on things now we won’t have a mad rush to spruce up the club before the convention.   Please let me know if you are willing and able to help with some painting and other projects around the building.

 The 2010 renewals have been mailed from the National office.  Please renew your American Legion membership before the end of the year.

Ron Matthews, Adjutant

The Fargo VA Medical Center announces a pre-opening ribbon cutting event for the public at 3:00 p.m., Tuesday, August 18, 2009, at the Grand Forks VA Clinic.  An outdoor program will be held in front of the clinic at 3:00 p.m.  Following the program, the public will have the opportunity to tour the clinic.

The clinic will open on Wednesday, September 9, 2009, at 8:00 a.m.  Veterans who are not currently enrolled for VA health care benefits should contact the Fargo VA Medical Center at 701-239-3700 extension 9-3428 or 9-3427 with questions regarding their eligibility and assistance in applying for enrollment. 

Special guests of the ribbon cutting event are United States Senators Kent Conrad and Byron Dorgan.  Grand Forks Mayor Dr. Michael R. Brown will also be in attendance.

The Grand Forks clinic is located at 3221 32^nd Avenue South, Grand Forks, North Dakota.  Clinic hours of operation are Mondays through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding Federal Holidays. 

Jack W. Barrows, Chief Voluntary Service (135)

New Officers

Due to the resignation of Post 2’s First Vice Commander Russ Foster and Finance Office Dave Rice, the Legion has two new officers.  Kim Anderson is the interim Finance Officer until mid-October at the latest.  Post 2 is still trying to find a volunteer to fill that spot in October.  Keith Kerbaugh is Post 2’s new 1st Vice Commander.  Post 2 would like to thank Kim and Keith for stepping up to the plate and volunteering for these two positions.

Have a Beer and Watch a Movie

H2M will be showing the movie Fargo on the side of the Radisson at 7 pm on September 24th.  The Legion will be serving beer and food on the lawn.

Eastern Region Department Executive Committeeman Dave Rice (left) presents Post 2 Legionnaire LCDR David Lamberson with a $1,500 check from the National Emergency Fund.  Lamberson is the Commanding Officer at the Fargo Navy Operational Support Center.  Lamberson's house experienced major damage during the 2009 spring flood.  The following is a note from our Legion Colleague Dave Lamberson:

Greetings to my fellow Legionnaires.

During the recent flooding of the Red River I, along with fellow Legionnaire Russ Foster, fought a valiant but ultimately unsuccessful effort to save my home from the waters of the Red River.  In the days and weeks that followed there was an amazing array of programs to apply for and agencies to deal with. All of these different governmental and non-governmental entities offered different kinds of assistance with flood recovery.

I am proud to report that the first agency of any kind that was able to put a check in my hand was the American Legion. Not only did it provide some needed funds but it gave me a morale boost as I was able to see some tangible benefit from all the forms that I had been filling out

Pictured Right:  Eastern Region Department Executive Committeeman Dave Rice presenting LCDR Dave Lamberson with a $1500 check from the National Emergency Fund

 Anybody interested in making a donation to the National Emergency Fund (NEF) can send their donation to:

The American Legion
Department of North Dakota
405 W Main Suite 4-A
PO Box 5057
West Fargo, ND  58078

Recognition Banquet for Dave Rice Grand Chef de Gare du North Dakota

All Voyagers, Legionnaires and Guests Welcome!

Saturday, October 3rd, 2009
Social Hour 6:00pm, Dinner 7:00pm (Cheminot @ 2:00pm)
Fargo American Legion (upstairs)
Reservations must be made by September 26th, 2009.

Make checks ($15.00 each) payable to:
   Voiture 240 Atten: Bob Jacobson
   % American Legion Post 2
   505 3rd Ave N
   Fargo, ND 58102

See www.40et8.com for additional information

Rummage Sale

The annual Auxiliary/40 et 8 rummage sale  will be held upstairs on Saturday October 3rd.  If you are interested in donating items for this sale, please drop them off Friday the 2nd.

First District Meeting

The 1st District meeting will be on September 24th in Casselton at 7 pm.  If there are enough interested Legionnaires, Post 2 will be taking the bus.

Oktoberfest

The Club will be celebrating Oktoberfest on October 10th.  The Legion will participate in the annual Oktoberfest Pub Crawl and will be serving Bohemian dumplings.  German beer will also be served. 

The 2009 American Legion World Series was a success.  Many fans and supporters came from around the United States.

Midland, Michigan won the World Series with a 5-0 record. 

Post 2 Baseball would like to thank all the volunteers who helped make the World Series as big of a success as it was.  The success of the World Series depended on volunteers and the volunteers went above and beyond any and expectations.

Community Picnic

The annual Post 2 community picnic will be held Wednesday, September 16th on the Legion’s Veteran’s Park from 5-7 pm.  Burgers, brats and hot dogs will be served.  This event is open to the public with a free will offering. 

Burgers and Brats will be grilled and served on the lawn every Thursday from 11-2 for the lunch hour. Join us on the lawn for a great lunch. Burgers, brats, dogs, beans, chips, and soda rain or shine.

Burger or Brat $3.00
Hotdog $1.25
Add Chips, Beans and a Soda for an additional $1.50

Blackjack is now being played on Friday  nights  and Saturday afternoons until close.  Blackjack will also be available on nights with special events.

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