Newsletter
THE AMERICAN LEGION - Lynn Canal Post 12, Haines, Alaska
American Legion Membership Renewal
Members can visit the following site to renew their membership at National.
https://www.members.legion.org/CGI-BIN/lansaweb?webapp=MYLRENEW+webrtn=wr_memberdata+ml=LANSA:XHTML+part=TAL+lang=ENG#legion-org-header
Select Renew Online
You will need your Legion ID# & Last Name to begin the process
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Visit Alaska Department Legionnaire Website @ www.alaskalegion.org
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The following are your Post 12 officers for 2017:
Commander Bill Rostad
1st Vice Commander John Newton
Adjutant Ralph Strong
Chaplain Gene Strong
Service Officer Terry Pardee
Sgt-at-Arms Chuck Mittman
Historian
Executive Committee Members:
Bill Stacy, Dave Kammerer, Mark Patterson and all past Commanders
Past Commanders:
Bob Lix - Bill McRoberts - Mike Case - Others
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CURRENT EVENTS:
American Legion Lynn Canal Post 12
P.O. Box 452
190 Second Ave. North
Haines, Alaska 99827
907-766-2530
April 19, 2017
Department Convention Notice
Per John Newton, Lynn Canal Post 12 Commander for Alaska’s American Legion’s Department convention, we are in final preparation stages to host next weeks 98th Annual Convention here in Haines, April 27th (Thursday) thru April 29th (Saturday) and Sunday Morning.
Volunteers of Post 12, plus Legion Auxiliary and Sons of Legionnaires have been working to prepare for this event. Our Post has repaired and re-painted our building exterior, completely remodeled our commercial kitchen, swapped old electric appliances with new gas fired appliances (thanks to wonderful local donations), purchased new chairs, re-upholstered booths and dressed up the entrance. Haines Post 12 facility now is ready to Host next weeks State Convention.
The Aspen Hotel reports they are full! River Adventures has donated a bus to transport attendees to scheduled events which include a totem pole dedication at our local veterans facility Thursday at 1 pm, a special VIP visit to Klukwan’s Jilkaat Kwaan Heritage Center and a Takshanuk Mountain Tour.
Our Haines Visitor Center will provide Welcome Bags for all attendees!
Attendee packets are being printed and will be distributed next week when registration begins.
Approximately 95 Legion members have per-registered and more are expected. Local Post 12 members are also invited to attend this state-wide event. The convention fees are $225 which includes meals for 3 days.
Registration begins next Wednesday afternoon, April 26th and our Post 12 facility.
Come and learn more about our American Legion and how we are focused on supporting American veteran’s of all military services to include Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, US Coast Guard, National Guard and Reserves.
Department personnel will conduct this annual meeting.
National Commander, Charles E. Schmidt & his wife (National Guest) Linda plus Dirk Levy, Aide to the National Commander will be in attendance along with President of the National American Legion Auxiliary, Mary Davis and 3 other National Executive Committeeman.
Alaska Department Commander, Elexzanderia Carr and Adjutant, Gene Franks will attend with 10 other Alaska Department Officers.
This year the annual National Legion Convention will be held in Reno, Nevada. The election of Alaska Delegates and Alternates will be made during this State Convention.
Local Legion Officers are:
Bill Rostad, Commander, Lynn Canal Post 12
Jacki Martin, President, Post 12 Auxiliary
Nick Kokotovich, Commander, Post 12 Sons of American Legion
Post 12 has a raffle currently underway and all members of the public and visitors can purchase tickets to win 15-20 different prizes. Raffle tickets are available by stopping by the Lynn Canal Post after 2 pm @ 190 Second Ave. North, Haines or call 907-766-2530
Our special thanks to all those that made this event possible!
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2016
September 9/11 event
(Saturday, September 10th)
Spaghetti Dinner @ Legion.
Chip & Tony Strong will create their “secret sauce”
$15 per person. 5-7 PM
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November 11th – Veterans Day
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New activities for Our Veterans
Tim Banks (SAL) & Gary Jacobson have agreed to run a Nentendo Wii Games
tournament at Legion to engage & challenge all veterans.
(-Come to Legion to practice and/or compete-)
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American Legion Raffle Tickets for sale NOW!
FALL CASH RAFFLE - Aug 2016
1st Prize = $1500 Cash
2nd Prize = $1000 Cash –- 3rd Prize = $500 Cash
Tickets @ $20 each for Sale
Drawing will be held November 11th (Veterans Day)
Winner does not have to be present to win!
Call or Visit Legion to purchase tickets - 766-2530
(Bar opens at 2 pm)
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Check out new changes to our website
Calendar of events - 2015 Haines Veterans Photo - VA Healthcare - A Forum for discusion of Veteran Issues
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Post 12 - COMMANDER'S ANNOUNCEMENT 4/25/2016
2017 Alaska Department Annual Convention
will be held in Haines
Registration begins – April 26th, 2017
Convention begins April 27-29th, 2017
Notes from 2016 Alaska Legion Department Annual Convention;
97th annual convention, held in Wasilla, Alaska April 21-24th – Post 35 was Host
Approx 300 attended this convention which included National officers
Convened at 9 am Thursday April 21st, 2016
In attendance:
National Commander
Past National Commander
National SAL Commander
National Auxiliary President
All Department Officers for 2016
All Department Incoming Officers Elect for 2017
19 Posts were represented from Alaska out of possible 32 Posts throughout state
(2-6 members from each Post and all of Post 35 (Host)
Haines had 4 representatives
John Newton – Post 12 Commander
Ralph Strong - Adjutant
Terry Pardee - Service Officer
Bill Rostad - 1st Vice Commander
Our group flew to Anchorage to attend the convention.
Delegates from all units of the Legion family were represented:
Sons of American Legion, Auxiliary, Junior Auxiliary, Legion Riders
Transportation provided by Post 35 to all meetings
Speakers present were:
Veterans Affairs
National Hospice for Veterans
Veterans to Veterans Volunteer Program
Many more!
Our Commander brought back to following certificates for our Post 12 members:
Legion Continuous Member Certificates:
40 Years
Terry Pardee
45 Years
James Schnable
Jeff Klanott
Wayne Sheets
46 Years
William Albecker
Gene Martin
48 Years
Leo Smith
54 Years
Josh Welden
60 Years
John Schnable
63 Years
Thomas Quinlan
The American Legion – “POST EVERLASTING” additions of all Legion members that passed away
during the past year were read and a resolution for transfer was issued.
Those added for Post 12 were as follows:
John J. Schnable
Layton A. Bennett
John J. Proetto
Stanley A. Beadle
Read the Certificate of Participation to Unit 12 recipient “Jackie” Martin
Unit 12 Continuous Membership to be given out by Jackie Martin
Post 12 received two citations
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Copy from Chilkat Valley News article by Tom Morphet , April 7, 2016
World War II vet awarded 'honor flight' to nation's capital
Leo Smith, a 50-year Haines resident and one of the area’s few surviving World War II veterans, will make an expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., as part of “The Last Frontier Honor Flight,” a program honoring aging veterans. Smith, 89, enlisted in the Army at age 17, serving as a paratrooper from 1945-46.
Pausing to talk to a reporter this week while replacing a pipe on a hot water heater at his trailer home in Fort Seward, Smith said he’s not really sure why he enlisted. “I don’t have a clue. Just for the adventure, I guess. The paratroopers paid $50 or $100 more than the regular Army. That’s where the money was, so that’s where I had to go, or so I thought in those days,” he said.
Smith leaves April 26 on a flight with other Alaska veterans. The five-day trip includes receptions in Anchorage, Portland, Ore., and Washington, D.C, meetings with dignitaries, and tours of military monuments and other attractions. “I’m looking forward to getting to travel and not having to pay for it,” Smith said. “And I’m wondering if I might run into somebody I was in the service with. You never know in a case like this.”
Smith grew up in Prineville, Ore. and worked about 65 years as a logger. He still cuts and sells firewood and takes down “danger trees” for friends. He splits about eight cords of wood to heat his home and his domestic water annually and maintains a neat shop full of saws and other tools.
As a paratrooper, Smith jumped out of planes 21 times on non-combat flights. His overseas service included being stationed in Sendai, Japan, a city that was fire-bombed by U.S. forces about a month before the Japanese surrender in August, 1945. It also had been the site of a forced labor camp for Allied prisoners of war. “I didn’t make any combat jumps, but that didn’t hurt my feelings... I didn’t see anything too terrible, but I wouldn’t want to do it again. There are better things to do, I’m sure,” Smith said. Some of the jumps Smith made were required “pay jumps” he made clandestinely for other soldiers who had lost their nerve. “Every two months you had to make a pay jump. I made a lot of extra money at it.”
According to the national World War II museum, there were 1,110 World War II vets in Alaska at the start of 2016 and 698,000 in the nation. Approximately 430 World War II vets die each day. The Honor Flight Network was launched in 2005 to help veterans see the recently completed World War II Memorial. In 2013, Ron Travis of Wasilla started the Honor Flight hub in Alaska, which has since expanded to veterans of the Korean War.
“Right now World War II guys are a real priority. Anytime anyone steps up, he goes to the head of the list,” Travis said. The program is funded by various Alaska veterans groups, including the American Legion, as well as Alaska Airlines and other businesses in the state. Travis said the trip is usually meaningful for veterans who make it. “It’s not so much seeing all the granite. What happens when you get those guys together, who are all the same age and the same experiences, they start talking and by the time they get back, they’re fast friends.”
The trip includes a “mail call” on the return home, featuring letters written to veterans. “We try to make this as big a deal as possible and give them a manila envelope full of letters. Some of these guys never got a letter the whole time they were in the service.” Haines American Legion commander John Newton nominated Smith for the trip.
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PAST EVENTS:
Haines 4th of July Parade is coming quickly
4th of July – Parade – All Veterans encouraged to march in parade 11 am
Post 12 unit to be comprised of Veterans, Sons of Veterans and Auxiliary
Are you ready to join us and march as a proud veteran?
Call or Visit Legion for details - 766-2530
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American Legion Raffle Tickets for sale NOW!
Two Chances to WIN
(1) = $500 Groceries from Howsers, IGA (1) = $500 Groceries from Olerud's
Only 300 Tickets @ $10 each for Sale
Drawing will be held Saturday, June 18
Winner does not have to be present to win!
Call or Visit Legion to purchase tickets - 766-2530
(Bar opens at 2 pm)
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MEMORIAL DAY PREPARATION & Day Activities for American Legion Post #12
Saturday May 28, 2016 - 5 pm American flags placed on Haines veterans graves located at Haines Community Cemetery (Jones Point) MONDAY - MAY 30, 2016 = MEMORIAL DAY Services will be held at the cemetery at 11 and in Kluckwan @ 1 pm.
March 2016 - American Legion Birthday
Our 2015 annual Veterans Dinner was a huge success and largely as a result of generous support from our local business community and especially Lutak Lumber who provided a free dinner to all veterans and widows of veterans. Veterans also partcipated in ticket drawings for prizes provided by local businesses and residents. We sincerely appreciated local resident supporters who demonstrated their recognition of the dedication of those who served our country honorably or were directly impacted by veteran's service to our country.
Our final tally of those served?
10 -Widows of Veterans
17 -Post 12 members
1- Son of Vet
19 - Local Veterans (not members of Post 12)
6 – Visiting Veterans
Total Veteran related guests served = 53
90 additional supporters and family members also participated in our dinner!
Our local Haines Hot Shots were on hand to service our guests and were sincerely appreciated by all!
THANKS FOR PARTICIPATING!
SPECIAL FOR VETERANS
CLAIMS TO BE - The most comprehensive military discount app - find it @ http://www.scoutmilitarydiscounts.com/#home
Hall Renovations
We recognize a new desired project which is to complete an energy assessment for our complete building and implement electrical changes with a goal to reduce our monthly electricity bill. According to AP&T our electric bill has been averaging $802 per month which is $9624 per year. Our existing light T12 light fixtures and their ballasts have been declared obsolete by our federal governement and we hope to find funding for this project.
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Thank you for giving me the privilege of being the Commander of Post 12 for the next year. We have an outstanding staff of officers and others have indicated their willingness to help on various projects as they come up.
Oratorical Contest
This year we will also solicit participation from home schooled students. Oratorical contests feature prepared and impromptu talks on various aspects of the Constitution.
Boys and Girls State
Each year in May, The American Legion – Department of Alaska, conducts a weeklong event known as Boys State and Girls’ State in Palmer. High school juniors from all over Alaska are selected to participate in the mock-government activity in which they elect senators, representatives, a governor, lieutenant governor, etc. and then proceed to propose laws and follow their process through to enactment.
Service Officers Report
Our Post Service Officer, has been very busy assisting veterans to obtain services from the Veterans Administration. He also keeps tabs on the health and welfare of Legion members in the Haines area and reports to the membership on a monthly basis. The Service Officer can be a great help to deceased veterans families in terms of assisting with funeral and burial ceremonies as well as obtaining death benefits. To do this, he needs military discharge records (DD-214s). Members should be sure their families know where to find those records. Post 12 can maintain the records at the Legion office if that is desired.
Hamburger Night
Our Friday night, 5 pm Hamburger feed continues to be a big draw. Community is welcome to attend, enjoy the meal and meet friends and neighbors! Hamburgers $7 and Cheeseburgers are $8 (includes a salad and french fries). Can't beat those prices!
Next Post 12 Membership Meeting
5 PM Tuesday, May 3rd , 2016 at the American Legion Hall. Note: We meet 1st Tuesday of each month, please mark your calendars!
Website Updates or Changes
We have implemented several changes to our Legion website (www.lynncanalpost12.org) and it now contains a Calendar feature so you can track events happening for our local veterans.
We will also be adding a new feature known as a Forum. This forum will enable our local veterans to share their experiences and provide helpful links and/or contact information with fellow veterans. Please keep your comments civil and help other veterans obtain valuable information as they seek help, ideas, support or other guidance we may be able to share for our personal experiences.