Good Day Post #57 Member!

If you missed the 20 April meeting, you missed a lot of information but I will try to give you key pieces here.

Our next meeting is 18 May at 6 pm and we will be having elections. Currently we only have one nominee for each position so I expect the voting will be quick. For the past few months either Barry Sharp or myself have called as many members as we can (we don’t have phone numbers for all of you) to remind you of the meeting. This is just our way of trying to stay in touch with as many post members as possible. Of course, we don’t call those of you who live out of state but if you happen to be in area when we are having a meeting, please stop in!!

One of the things brought up at the meeting was the fact that the Post is very low on funds, both for the Post funds and the Building Fund. The fundraisers help but sometimes they are not as successful as we would have hoped (more on fundraisers below). The addition to the building is almost completed. The inside is completed but we still have to complete the railing outside as well as the steps to the backside. And we still have to pay on the bank loan we got for the building--the balance is approximately $4000. What we are asking is for any monetary donation that you would be willing to give. You can specify any donation specifically for the Post Fund or the Building Fund if you choose. You can mail it or drop it off by the Post. Any donation will be greatly appreciated. We feel this crunch is temporary in nature and we do appreciate all the support our members have given us in the past.

Now, in an effort to raise funds we will be having the following fundraisers:

14 May, Spaghetti Dinner from 6-9pm. The bar will also be open. The menu will consist of spaghetti (with or without meat, we know it’s a Friday), salad, and garlic bread. Beverages will be separate.

29 May, Prayer Breakfast, 9am-12pm. This is in conjunction with the National Dedication Day honoring our World War II veterans. The menu will be a little different than our Pancake Breakfasts. It will consist of scrambled eggs, sausage, hash browns, biscuits, coffee, orange juice and milk. Bread will also be available (not toast). IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are a WWII veteran, please look for the special invitation you should have received on the same date as this newsletter. I have sent you separate tickets at no cost to you for yourself and a guest. If you are a WWII veteran and did not receive a separate invitation, please contact me as soon as possible at 637-2240. We are still looking for a guest speaker for this event so if any of you would like to give us a talk, especially the World War II vets, please contact me (637-2240) or Barry Sharp at 637-2254 during Post business hours (Mon-Wed, 8-11am).

Tickets are enclosed for both of these events and the prices are $5 for adults and $3 for children ages 5-11, children under 5 are free. And as always, please purchase what you need for yourselves and try to sell the rest.

12 June, Rummage Sale and Bake Sale, 8 am – 4 pm. The Post will be holding a rummage sale to raise funds while the Auxiliary will be holding a Bake Sale at the same time, both at the Post. We are in need of donations for the rummage sale so while you are doing your Spring cleaning, if you come across some stuff that is still in good shape and usable but you no longer have a use for, donate it to the Post for our Rummage Sale. Just drop off your items at the Post during business hours or give me a call at 637-2240 and we can make the necessary arrangements. Any leftover items from the Rummage Sale can be returned or they will be donated to other charities. And after the Rummage Sale, ………

12 June, Community Social, 6 pm - ??. We will have our second Quarterly Social. This is our time to socialize, play games and just have some fun out of the house. The bar will be open and snacks will be provided. I think that some may have gotten confused about this event. Some may have thought it was only for those with birthdays or anniversaries during the quarter but this just isn’t so!!! So, to eliminate any confusion, this Social is for EVERYBODY!!! And we won’t even mention birthdays or anniversaries! If you have any ideas for the social, just let us know. Remember, this is a FREE event. The only thing you will be paying for is your beverages so come out and have fun and maybe meet some new friends or reacquaint yourself with some old ones.

Pioneer Day is 5 June and we will be marching in the parade. We are looking for volunteers to participate in the parade and we need to know by 18 May if you plan to volunteer to be in the parade and whether you plan to march or ride so we can get the appropriate size trailer for the riders. We will not be having a booth this year.

Some of our Post and Auxiliary members were quite busy this weekend getting training giving us several ideas on how to improve our Post. The Auxiliary, Peggy Gasdorf, Maria Gregolynskyj, Lucy Kreutzer and Maxine Bowling went to Bullhead to attend the District Leadership and Information Conference while the Post, Barry Sharp, Doug and Yvonne Gorniak, went to the National Leadership and Information Conference in Chandler.

BINGO!! We will be playing Bingo on Mother’s Day. Nobody won the $350 Jackpot and it is up to 60 numbers for the next Bingo session, which will be 9 May. For those of you who haven’t come to Bingo since it started, it is open to the public so you can bring your friends and we do have an intermission where the Ladies Auxiliary sell food so you won’t go hungry. Doors open at 1:30 pm and we start playing at 2 pm. Prize money is a percentage of the monies taken in for each of the 13 games played so the more people that come and play, the more the prize money is. If you play only one sheet for each game, your cost is only $13. If you don’t have a dauber, you can purchase one when you come to play.

ITEMS OF INTEREST (if interested in an item listed, contact the Post for further information)

Do you have Diabetes? Do you know that even if you weren’t stationed in Viet Nam or Korea, you may have come in contact with Agent Orange or one of the other Rainbow Herbicides that may have a connection to your Diabetes? Stop by the Post and read The Story of Agent Orange. (Downloaded from Internet by Al Walsh, Service Officer)

Did you miss the ABC Prime Time on 8 April regarding veterans’ health care? Stop by the Post and see a printed summary of the program from ABCNEWS.com.

Would your spouse know where to find the needed documents should you pass away? Stop by the Post and get a copy of a checklist that lists all the important documents your spouse would need in case of your passing. Can also be used by you in case your spouse passes away.

Are you a retiree? Is the data in DEERS system correct for you? Did you know you can update some of that data on-line (address, phone, email)? Check out the DEERS Web site at https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/appj/address/index.jsp . If you have married, divorced, moved, had a child or adopted a child, your records may need updating. To locate the nearest ID Card facility, visit www.dmdc.osd.mil/rsl/ .

Do you want to find where a veteran is buried? More than three million records showing where veterans have been buried in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) national cemeteries are now available on line. The innovation will make it easy for anyone with Internet access to search for the gravesite locations of deceased family members and friends. Records date back to the establishment of the first national cemeteries during the Civil War. The web site is www.cem.va.gov . This web site also has records of some burials in state veterans’ cemeteries and Arlington National Cemetery from 1999 to present.

Military Affairs Legislation for support of military installations (HB 2605) died in the House Appropriations Committee. The required legislation is now part of HB 2140 which has been passed by the House and is in the Senate Appropriations Committee. It’s important we encourage our State Senators to pass HB 2140. (see email from John Aldecoa, State Adjutant.

RAO Bulletin topics include: Concurrent Retirement and Disability Payments; Combat Related Special Compensation; SBP Reform Update; Tricare For Life – Wisconsin Physicians Service (TFL WPS) New Contract (applies to all TFL eligibles); Legislation of Interest Update; BRAC 2005 Update; Death Notification Procedures for Retirees; Medal Request via Internet; Reserves Reemployment Rights; Shingles.

World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. to open last week in April with the official dedication on 30 May.

UPCOMING EVENTS TO PUT ON YOUR CALENDAR:

14 May 2004, Spaghetti Dinner, 6-9pm

16 May 2004, District Meeting, Grand Canyon Post, 11am

24 May 2004, Bingo, doors open 1:30pm, play starts 2pm

29 May 2004, Prayer Breakfast, 9am-12pm

12 June 2004, Rummage Sale and Bake Sale, 8am– 4pm

12 June 2004, Community Social, 6pm-?, bar will be open.

13 June 2004, Bingo, doors open 1:30pm, play starts 2pm

15 June 2004, Post and Auxiliary Meeting, 6 pm

17-20 June 2004, Department Convention in Chandler

27 June 2004, Bingo, doors open 1:30 pm, play starts 2pm

If you have an article or piece of information that you think would be of interest to the whole Post, let me know and I will include it in the first newsletter after receiving the information. You can get me the information by emailing me, dropping it off at the Post or mailing it to the Post at P.O. Box 45 or calling me at 637-2240.

Do you have an email address? Have you sent it to me? If not, please do so. My email address is rockin_g@netzero.com Make sure you let me know who you are when you send me the email so I know whom the email address belongs to.

Yvonne Gorniak

Yvonne Gorniak

Editor

Post 57