American Legion Department of Illinois
The Great Eighth District
http://8thdistrictillegion.org
NEWSLETTER
June 2015
Commanders Report - : Bill Mc Nellis (708)997-40451 email: [email protected]
GOD BLESS AMERICA, GOD BLESS OUR SERVICE PEOPLE, AND GOD BLESS THE LEGION.
District elections took place and we have:
Ricky Serrano – Commander (Post 131)
Tom Chambers – Senior Vice Commander (Post 111)
Bill Cooper (Post 854)
Commander Serrano will name other positions.
The battle for membership continues.
We will be at the Dept. Convention in July.
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Sr. Vice Commanders Report - Ricky N. Serrano (708) 822-4935 [email protected]
District standing as of 1st May, 2015 has the 8th District in 12 places, need all posts to continue working your
membership and review your 2910 listing possible transfer. Congrats to Markham Manor Post 828 on
membership and obtaining 109.1%, Orland Memorial Post 111 on membership and obtaining 107.0%,
Milton W. Mager Memorial Post 691 on membership and obtaining 103.2%, Glen Marker Post 1160 on
membership and obtaining 103.1%, Rehfedt-Meyer Post 474 on membership and obtaining 102.4%,
Evergreen Park Post 854 on membership and obtaining 100.3%, Chicago Heights Post 131 on membership
and obtaining 100.0%, Tinley Park Post 615 on membership and obtaining 100.0%, Posen Post 990 on
membership and obtaining 100.0%, Calumet Park Post 1156 on membership and obtaining 100.0%, Sauk
Village Post 1259 on membership and obtaining 100.0%. We currently have 10 posts 90% to 99% and have
3 posts 80 to 87% and below, continue working your membership. Time is running out, there is only 14 days
left until CLOSE OF BOOKS (JUNE 19). 97th Annual Department Convention date is from July 7-12, 2015
and Housing Reservation for 1st Division will be at ABRAHAM LINCOLN SPRINGFIELD, 701 E.
ADAMS, SPRINGFIELD, IL 62701, and (Group Code of “AML”) with phone number 866-788-1860 or
217-544-8800.
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Jr. Vice Commanders Report Nothing at this time.
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Mike Wunder, Adjutant 8th District (708)598-4622, email: [email protected]
Memorial Day was observed May 25 this year. Originally called Decoration Day, Memorial Day was started
by a proclamation of Gen. John A. Logan on May 5, 1868 calling for decoration of Military Graves . His
statute is the one of a horseman located at Balboa Ave in Grant Park Chicago and is the one pictured in news
accounts of the 1968 Democratic Convention covered by Vietnam war protesters. Ironic?
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In June 28, 1968, the Congress passed the Uniform Federal Holidays Act which moved four federal
holidays to a specified Monday in order to create a convenient three-day weekend. The change moved
Memorial Day from its traditional May 30 date to the last Monday in May. The Democratic Convention
began the third week in August 1968. I guess General Logan would not be amused by his co-riders some
100 years later.
Posts adding new members from Post 2910, the Department At Large Post, must have a transfer (Form
30-001) signed by the member. The Department will accept a form without the member’s signature, but only
if the Post Officer indicates thereon: the date, the telephone number and the time of day the transferring
member verbally agreed to transfer to the receiving post. Apparently there have been complaints by some
2910 members that they did not consent to a transfer to a particular post or were unaware any transfer from
Post 2910. Transfer forms with only a verbal consent indicated by the signing Post Officer must be fully
documented to show the member consented without signing the form.
CPR, not the First Aid technique, the Consolidated Post Activity Report (form available at illegion.org)
from a District member post, must be on file for the current year, before the post will receive the preprinted
membership cards for fiscal 2016, which begins in July 2015 after the convention.
And lastly, I HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL AT THE LAST District meeting, June 25, 2015 at Marrs-Meyer
Post 991, 22001 Depot Street, Worth IL 60482. To date, the largest District Meeting attendance has been 33
members.
Legion Riders – David B. Montee (708) 724-6781 [email protected]
You can now register for the 2015 Legacy Run – This year marks the 10th Annual American Legion
Legacy run, departing from Indianapolis August 23rd and arriving in Baltimore August 26th at the 98th
Annual American Legion National Convention. Last year more than 600 riders raised $425,000 during
the Run and raising another $510,000 at the National Convention. Funds raised are used to support
the American Legion Riders Scholarship, which benefits children of military personnel killed since
September 11, 2010. To register go to http://legion.org/riders. “Keep the Rubber Side Down
Happenings around the District:
REMEMBER is your Post is having a special event you can enter it on the Event Planner on the District’s
website http://8thdistrictillegion.org We will do our best to get it in the newsletter and on the website. (The
event must not be less than two weeks away)
District Meeting Dates and Locations: - June 25, 2015, Marrs – Meyer Post991, 11001 Depot St, Worth.
NOTE: All articles in this newsletter are print as submitted by the officers.
DEADLINE TO GET YOUR ARTICLE IN THE JUNE NEWSLETTER IS JUNE 5, 2015
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