NEWS FROM THE HUT by John Hamilton

This coming week is Memorial Day being celebrated on Monday, May 31, 2021.  In preparation for this momentous celebration, of remembering Veterans and their ultimate sacrifice and honoring the military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces, a couple of the American Legion members of Post 142 in Hominy, OK, Babo Carter and Jimmy Himes, spent the last week getting A. J. Powell Memorial Cemetery flags replaced, repaired and installed. The usual preparation is to put out flags down Main Street, OK-20, and OK-99, as well as putting out the small flags next to each of the more than 850 Veterans grave markers. Babo Carter, lovingly referred to as Hominy’s Flag Man, has faithfully maintained and insured that all the flags needed for all Hominy events are in good repair and clean. Lately, Babo’s flag work has been assisted by Jimmy Himes and Nancy O’Leary who has been repairing damaged flags. The holiday is now observed on the last Monday of May since 1970, but prior to 1970 Memorial Day was observed on May 30. This year the last Monday in May falls on the 31^st.

Last Thursday, the Post 142 members that meet at Daylight Donuts for the weekly “Shootout” decided to get together one day a month and try a different restaurant each month for lunch. This last Thursday we all went to Clicks in Pawnee. The restaurant has some remarkably interesting architecture on the interior. The menu supports a variety of steaks and other various meat and sea food dishes. A salad bar and buffet are also available alone or with an entrée. Desserts of cherry and peach cobbler are also available as part of the buffet.

Our last monthly meeting was Thursday evening, May 20^th, and our next meeting will be on Thursday, June 17^th at 7:00 PM. Due to the Department Convention at The Grand Casino and Hotel on July 16, 17, and 18, the regularly scheduled meeting on July 15^th has been changed to July 22^nd. At this Department Convention, Charlie O’Leary will be eligible to run for Oklahoma Department Commander. If Charlie is voted into this position, he will hold the highest position in the American Legion Department of Oklahoma.

Until further notice, our regular Legion meeting will be the third Thursday of each month. Our next meeting will be on Thursday, June 17^th at 7:00 PM. The Sons of the American Legion meetings have been suspended until further notice. We have resumed the tradition of the dinner at the meetings now on the third Thursday of each month. The Monday morning Koffee Klatch meetings have been resumed at 8:00 AM. If you are a veteran, come by for our monthly meeting, and/or the Monday morning Koffee Klatch meetings. Several of the Post 142 members meet on Wednesday’s at Daylight Donuts for coffee and a breakfast treat around 8:00 AM. If you have a good story, it may end up in print. Also keep up with us at the Post 142 website “americanlegion142.org” and Hominy Legion on Facebook.