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American Legion Commander's Message:
Greetings
I open this letter by first saying that it is an honor to serve as
your commander again. As usual, there are some ongoing issues that
have to be addressed. These come up each and every year. Most of
you know that the major item is the help in the kitchen or lack
thereof. I realize that some of our membership are still employed
and do not have as much time as others. I must remind you of the
fact that there are over 600 members in the post and I believe that
most of you can spare approximately 3 hours in the kitchen per month
to help your post. The key word here is YOUR POST!! It does not
belong to any one of us, it belongs to us and without the help of
each of you things are not going to happen. Because a person holds
an office within the post does not mean that he or she is the only
one that is expected to do all the work. It takes each and every
one of us pulling in the same direction to insure that this post has
a successful year. Please do your part as a member and help. I
want to congratulate Jim Zipler on a successful year of service to
the post and wish him well as our new District Commander. I am
looking forward to working with him in the coming year. Also I
congratulate Gypsy Faulkner on her election to the high office of
District President. I know they will serve us well. I am looking
forward to seeing all in the post through out the year.
Yours in service,
Larry Faulkner
Commander
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American Legion Auxiliary President's Message:
I would
like to thank everyone for the electing me Auxiliary President for
the year 2010/ 2011. For some reason the phase “Play It Again Sam”
keeps running through my mind. I am looking forward to Unit 152
having a great year.
We
would also like to thank Marie Taylor and Joyce Dudley for an
awesome year last year. As you can tell by all the awards we
received at the state convention in July that Unit 152 really worked
hard to support the American Legion Auxiliary programs.
Unit
152 has a wonderful group of officers and chairmen on board this
year. We actually have several members that have come forward and
agreed to be an officer or a chairman for the 1st time.
We would like to thank Kimberly Engelhardt for taking the office of
2nd Vice President and Shirley Patz for taking the
chairmanship for VA&R. Of course we are glad for the returning
officers and chairman and know their knowledge and support will
continue to make us a productive unit.
Kimberly could really use help with members signing up to do a Wed.
night dinner. She doesn’t know many people and this would be a
great way for her to meet more. Please, please consider doing a
dinner the 3rd Wed of the month. I know a lot of you are
fantastic cooks and have a meal recipe you could share. Many of you
have cook for large family gatherings in past and this should be no
problem for you. You are not expected to take on the cost of the
meal and are reimbursed for all expenses. If you would like to do
this, but unsure about it please let Kimberly or I know and we will
be glad to help you out. With all the members we have, we should be
able to cover 12 dinners easily. You may find out you enjoyed doing
it. Also this is one of the ways we are able to make money to
support our VA&R, Children &Youth and Charities.
Our
meets are still the 3rd Monday of the month at 7:00.
This year we are planning each quarter to have one different type
meeting. The 1st one will be on Sept. 20th and
we will be having a Wii Game Night. Hope to see some new faces at
the meetings.
Yours
in Service to God and Country,
Kathy
Driggers
President
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American Legion Chaplin's Message:
I read this in an old magazine
thought it was good and wanted to share it with you.
A TEACHER
Back in September of 2005, on the
first day of school ,Martha Cothren, a social studies school teacher
at Robinson High School in Little Rock, did something not to be
forgotten. On the first day of school, with the permission of the
school superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor,
she removed all the desk out of her class room.
When the first period kids entered
the room they discovered that there were no desks.
Ms Cothren, where our desks? She
replied, You can't have a desk until you tell me how you earn the
right to sit at a desk. They thought, Well maybe it's our grades. No
she said. Maybe it's our behavior. She told them no.
And so they came and went, the first
period, second period, third period. Still no desks in the class
room. The final period of the day came and as the puzzled students
found seats on the floor of the desk less classroom, Martha Cothren
said no one was able to tell me just what he/she has done to earn
the right to sit at a desk. At this point she went over to the
classroom door and opened it.
Twenty-seven (27) U.S. Veterans, all
in uniforms ,walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school
desk. The Vets began placing the school desks in rows, and then
they would walk over and stand alongside the wall. By the time the
last solider had set the final desk in place those kids started to
understand, perhaps for the first in their lives, just how the right
to sit at those desks had been earned
Martha said you didn't earn the
right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you. They
placed the desk here for you. Now it's up to you to sit in them. It
is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good
citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to
get an education. Don't ever forget it.
Yours in
Service,
Bill
Scott,
Chaplain
Chaplainpost152@msn.com
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Service Officer Message:
DEFENSE
BIOMETRIC IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM (DBIDS).
For
those of you who shop at MacDill AFB, they are implementing a new
system for entry to the base. It is called. April 2010 DBIDS vetted
2 million access control documents…….52,000 were unauthorized
individuals. It takes less than five minutes to register.
Registration stations will be located at various locations around
the base. Eventually DBIDS will be mandatory. Once signed up, you
will be good for any military installation.
Yours in
Service,
Charmaine Zimmerer
Service Officer
Service152@tampabay.rr.com
Our
Fight: Keeping Social Security Strong
The longer
we wait to strengthen the system, the more painful the changes will
be.
by: AARP |
from:
AARP | June 2010
For 75 years,
Americans have been paying into
Social Security
so they can collect on their contributions when they're ready to
retire. But because Americans are living longer and the number of
retirees per worker is increasing,
Social Security
is projecting a long-term shortfall. To ensure that Social Security
will always be able to pay adequate benefits, Congress needs to make
some small adjustments to the program.
AARP believes that any changes must ensure that:
You will receive the benefits you've earned over a lifetime of hard
work if you pay into Social Security.
Your Social Security benefit will keep up with inflation for as long
as you live.
You will receive a benefit if you become disabled and can no longer
work.
Your family will be protected if you die.
Our Future: No Immediate Danger
Social Security
is in no immediate danger of "going broke." With the retirement of
the boomers on the horizon, the Social Security Administration began
building a cushion to help see this generation through its
retirement years. Thanks to that planning, the Social Security Trust
Funds hold more than $2.4 trillion in U.S. Treasury bonds, which
earn interest every year. Without any changes, Social Security will
be able to pay 100 percent of benefits until 2037 and more than 70
percent of promised benefits after that. Only paying 70 percent of
promised benefits, however, is not acceptable.
Our Challenge: Addressing the Future Shortfall
The country can
take some simple steps now to begin making a down payment on the
future Social Security shortfall. For example, AARP supports the
following change:
Gradually raise the cap on the amount of wages that are subject to
Social Security’s payroll tax to cover the same share of wages as in
the past. That would increase the taxes that support Social Security
on those wages above today's cap of $106,800.
This step alone won't fill the entire future gap, but it would make
substantial headway toward solving the problem.
The Wrong Direction for Changes
Some people have
recommended taking some of the money people pay into the system and
diverting it into private accounts. Because less money would then be
flowing into Social Security, the guaranteed and inflation-adjusted
lifetime benefits would be put at great risk for cuts. Any new
private account would be subject to the risks of the market.
As witnessed by the significant ups and downs in the stock market
that heralded the current economic crisis, private accounts can lose
money just as fast as they can make it. And, unlike Social Security,
with money invested in the markets, you run the risk of outliving
your savings. You lose the protection against inflation. Further,
private accounts are expensive. Most of us would have to pay twice
to create this new system — first to keep our commitments to current
retirees and again to pay into the private accounts.
Therefore, AARP opposes private accounts that are financed out of
the Social Security payroll contribution. By contrast, AARP supports
having private retirement accounts — such as individual retirement
accounts (IRAs) and 401(k) plans — to supplement Social Security and
help you provide for your personal retirement.
Social Security: More Than You Might Think
Many people do
not realize how valuable Social Security is to them. On average, an
individual would have to save an additional $225,000 while working
to replace the benefits
Social Security
provides in retirement.
Independent investments, pensions, IRAs and 401(k) accounts are all
important parts of retirement savings, but Social Security is the
guaranteed base of retirement security for most Americans. In fact,
couples on average can expect about $22,000 per year in Social
Security benefits.
Social Security
is the most successful program in our nation’s history, and we need
to make the modest changes necessary to strengthen the guaranteed
benefit for both current and future generations. |
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Community projects:
Sometimes we lose sight of what the American
Legion is all about. Here is a partial list of
community activities, charities and functions the Post 152 family is
involved in. How many are you involved in?
Boys State – an American Legion sponsored
program which teaches boys for an intense week about government, held
in Tallahassee. Held in the Capital building and recognized by the
governor.
Girls State – an American Legion Auxiliary
sponsored Program which teaches girls for an intense week about
government, held in Tallahassee. Held in the Capital building and
recognized by the Governor.
Blood drives
Faces of Courage – nonprofit cancer
patient support organization with a primary goal of helping the cancer
patient navigate their way through the treatment process and to thrive
as a survivor.
Sponsor Boy Scout Troop #246
Operation Helping Hand – help with
returning wounded veterans and their families
Project Gratitude – R and R for Chaplains
who have recently returned from Iraq and Afghanistan and their
families.
Liberty Manor - home for Veterans who have served our country but
fallen victim to homelessness.
The National Child Welfare Foundation
- The Auxiliary donates $500 per year.
St
Francis House – a Catholic organization that helps individuals and
families through the AIDS crisis.
Alpha
House – a home for pregnant teenagers helping them through their
pregnancy and placement of child if desired.
Hope
Children’s Home – home for physically, mentally and sexually
abused children. We help them financially and with supplies for the
home.
Tools
for Hillsborough Schools – warehouse of supplies for teachers to
pick supplies for underprivileged children.
Ronald
McDonald House – a house for parents and relatives to stay while
children are being treated and cared for during hospital stays.
Angels
Unaware – a home for mentally challenged children and young
adults.
Paws
for Patriots – help with funding and training of Guide Dogs for
disabled veterans.
Freedom Foundation – a government learning experience in
Pennsylvania. Chosen by submitted essays about America.
Thanksgiving dinner – held at the Post for veterans and other
members of the community.
Support 7 VA Clinics – Fort Myers, Sarasota, Daytona, Oakland
Park, Tallahassee, New Port Richey and Jacksonville. Fund the
representative of the American Legion Auxiliary at each facility.
Support 8 VA Medical centers – Bay Pines, Lake City, Miami,
Gainesville, Orlando, Tampa, West Palm Beach and Gulf Cost
(Pensacola). Fund the representative of the American Legion Auxiliary
at each facility.
Support 6 VA Nursing Homes – Daytona, Lake City, Land ‘O Lakes,
Port Charlotte, Pembrooke Pines and Springfield. Fund the
representative of the American Legion Auxiliary at each facility.
Fisher
House – fund 3 West Palm Beach, Bay Pines and Tampa. Fund the
representative of the American Legion Auxiliary to buy needed
supplies.
Special Olympics – Officiated some of the events and sent
donations.
4
Children’s Hospitals – fund All Children’s Hospitals, Northview
Community Center, Mailman Center, Florida State Hospital and Northeast
Hospital. Funding is sent to help the American Legion Auxiliary
representative projects and programs.
Creative Arts Program – fund supplies for VA hospital for
Recreational therapy used to bring veterans back into the main stream
or life.
Stand
down for homeless Veterans - includes medical exams, food, bus
passes to get to local VA Hospitals, counseling and clothing.
Christmas Baskets - for needy families. Last year over 300
families were provided with Christmas dinner and other staples.
Held a
fund raiser to purchase beds for 3 little girls that were sleeping on
the floor. Also gave them a gift certificate to purchase shoes so the
girls would have new shoes for school. We will be playing Santa for
this family.
Purchase Spinoza bears - to donate to sick children. Sick
children will not tell an adult all of their problems because they
blame themselves. These bears have a recorder, the children can play
the recorder and the bear talks to them or it records what the child
tells it. The doctors can listen to the recordings and learn a lot
that the child will not tell him.
Supply
the V. A. Medical Centers with lap robes and ditty bags (carry
personal items to and from bathroom).
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MEMBERSHIP:
I am sure
you have heard varying excuses for not renewing your dues…..i.e.: I
don’t go there much anymore. I’ve lost interest. I don’t know any of
the members, etc. But, what Legionnaires fail to realize is that there
are 3 reasons for paying your dues.
1. Dues
support programs of the American Legion such as Children and Youth,
Americanism, Flag Education and other.
2. Dues
afford benefits for Legionnaires such as Travel Discounts, Free
Insurance, Medical and Dental Insurance and others.
3.
Perhaps the most important of all is the fact that by paying your dues
every year, Washington politicians can’t cut the VA Budget and
decrease veterans’ benefits. We need to hold steady or increase our
2.7 million membership.
I thought
you ought to know.
Yours in
Service,
Bill
Seemann
Past
Commander
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THE
FINAL INSPECTION
The soldier stood and faced God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining,
Just as brightly as his brass.
"Step forward now, you soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"
The soldier squared his shoulders and said,
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't.
Because those of us who carry guns,
Can't always be a saint.
I've had to work most Sundays,
And at times my talk was tough.
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny,
That wasn't mine to keep...
Though I worked a lot of overtime,
When the bills got just too steep.
And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God, forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place,
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around,
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here, Lord,
It needn't be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand."
There was a silence all around the throne,
Where the saints had often trod.
As the soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, you soldier,
You've borne your burdens well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."
~Author Unknown~
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 If you know someone
who might have been exposed to Agent Orange In Vietnam, please check
out Silver Rose Home
Page
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SPC
Kelly, Marilyn
CoC228FSB
2-28BCT
APO AE
09362-9997
Dear
Members of American Legion Post #152,
I thought
I would take a moment to introduce myself. I joined your (our) post 5
years ago while in Tampa on a visit to my dad. My father is a member
there. He is a former Marine in during the Korean War. I joined based
on my time served during the Panama Conflict. 1989-1990. After 9/11, I
felt the need to serve again and enlisted in the PA National Guard in
Nov 2002 where I am a combat medic. Last Nov we found out, we were
getting deployed in Jan of this year. Right now, I am currently in
Ramadi, Iraq serving the people of the great United States with pride
and dignity. I’ve been receiving my newsletter here in my care
packages from home.
I just
wanted to send a quick note to let all of you know that the future of
the American Legion across the country will continue with all the
great servicemen and women I have met along the way during my
deployment.
Sincerely,
SPC
Marilyn D Kelly
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No Hero:
Thank you
Sir and Madam, but,
Please
don’t call me a hero.
I only
did my job.
I was
part of a group of men
Who went
where we were sent.
And did
what had to be done.
We put
our personal plans on hold
So that
we could assist others
In
building a new life or
Securing
a more stable life.
So,
please don’t call me a hero.
I only
did my job.
Thomas R
Bubb
US Navy
Retired
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A
Man Named Paul
A wall of black stone: how
could this cause pain,
and make the strongest of men weep?
A man, tall and robust,
determined to walk past this
black stone to say a farewell to old friends.
The tears flow without
control as a stranger
boldly embraces the man named Paul.
First tears after 23 years,
hiding behind his wall
of
pain, doubt, questions, and fears.
As he shares his burden
with someone who knows
the tears rush to freedom.
Knowing that a healing has
started in his heart
so
long broken and frozen in time.
Walks down the lonely walk,
erect and proud,
undefeated by the wall of back stone.
- Marilyn L. Baker
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