This past week we remembered the six million people lost in the holocaust and commit to standing up against bigotry so the world will #NeverAgain experience such atrocities. #HolocaustRemembranceDay. My father was a WWII Army Sgt who fought the Nazi from north Africa, through Siciliy, Italy, and up into Germany. When I was was the last kid home his health was failing and I was with him alone many evenings. He told me stories none of my older siblings had heard of war and horror. Among those stories was when his platoon came upon a concentration camp. They had no idea what they had stumbled into. Atrocities so striking that some of the men executed the German Nazi officers on the site. The placed the enlisted Nazis as POWs as they were “following orders”.

He was tormented by these and other memories but I had to ask “If you had not stopped this who would?”. That burden he carried is the potential burden of all who raise the right hand, say the oath, and wear the uniform. It is hard but required. It molded the man I became before I even realized it.

Our Special Project with our Historian and our Adjutant of entering a Post Scrapbook in the Department Historian Scrapbook Contest this year is still going strong. John Hamilton remains the lead on this and has already done quite a lot. I have been remiss in getting my boring Bio to John but I can say I have been distracted lately. In conjunction with our Post Yearbook Project, John Hamilton will be taking pictures of everyone in their Legion Caps and having everyone fill out a brief biography page that will be in the yearbook. Thanks John for carring the load!

Our next flag event will be will be Federal Holiday President’s Day February 18, 2018. We will put out flags on Main Street only on February 15th and pick up on February 19th.

Our next dinner event will be the Annual Legion-Auxiliary Valentine Dinner on Thursday February 14, 2018 at the Hut starting at 6:00 PM. The Legion will provide the meat dish and Auxiliary/spouses are asked to bring the sides and the desserts. Since we are having the Valentine Dinner on Valentine’s Day we WILL NOT have a meal/meeting on 1st Thursday of the month in February, which is February 7th. But we will have a regular Legion meeting the third Thursday of the month in February, which is February 21, 2018.

Monday morning Koffee Klatch meetings in January are still scheduled for biscuits and gravy and always a cup of Joe (coffee to the civilians). Just watch the weather, it is the only factor that my change that. Recently the cold cold morning have cancelled breakfast, plus the fact Chef Sebert needs a break now and then. If you are a veteran come on by. If you have a good story it may end up in print. Also keep up with us at website “americanlegion142.org”.