American Legion Post 221

The
American Legion

Post Parade

Past Post Parades:
2007:	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
2008:	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
2009:	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
2010:	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12

Series 11

December 2006

Number 16

As we enter the 2006 Holiday Season...    As we enter the 2006 Holiday Season I wish you and your families a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
   If you are looking for a way to help the less fortunate this Christmas season, consider joining us when we ring the bells for the Salvation Army Red Kettle program. All three of the Post 221 organizations participate in this worth while program. The Legionnaires will be ringing at K-Mart on Saturday, December 16th. We are looking for volunteers to take the shared 2 hour shifts between 10AM and 6PM. The Legion Auxiliary will be staffing the kettle at Fisher Foods on Lincoln Way on December 9th from 1PM to 9PM. The Sons of the American Legion will be ringing on December 9th also at K-Mart. If you think you might want to help, stop down at the Post or call in to see when we have openings on the schedule. If you can't help, consider stopping by these locations when we are collecting and make a donation.
   As always, please remember the troops who will be away from their families this year so that we can sleep safely. Keep them and their families in your prayers, and join us in supporting them in any way possible.

-Mark Weldon, Commander

December plans - and how YOU can help.   It's that time of year - the Holiday season is upon us, and Christmas Day is just around the corner. For most of us this is a happy time, a time to enjoy friends and family get-togethers, a time to reflect on all our blessings. However, for some the Holidays are a sad time. If you are away from home, or if you are struggling to make ends meet, it is difficult to be joyous.
   Fortunately, the Auxiliary at Massillon Post #221 has suggestions for how you can maximize your holidays. We have planned several community projects, and we need your help to make them successful.
   On Saturday, December 9th the Auxiliary will be ringing bells for the Salvation Army from 1PM till 9PM at Fisher Foods on Lincoln Way East. This is an indoor location so you won't be cold, and we will have folding chairs so you won't have to stand. Just greet the shoppers, wish them a Merry Christmas and give them a candy cane. It's fun; you meet a lot of nice people and it benefits the Salvation Army - a win-win situation. If you would be willing to work a one hour shift with another auxiliary member please call the Post at 833-4545 or myself at 477-9844.
   The Auxiliary has "adopted" three needy families in our community for Christmas. We have agreed to provide everything they need for Christmas dinner as well as enough food for 3 to 4 additional meals. Each family will receive a gift certificate to a local grocery for perishable items such as milk, butter, bread, etc. as well as the meat of their choice - turkey, ham, etc. If you would like to contribute canned goods or non-perishable items, we suggest the following: spaghetti, spaghetti sauce, macaroni and cheese, rice, canned sweet potatoes, instant mashed potatoes, stuffing, canned vegetables (corn, peas, green beans, pork and beans, etc.), dried beans, canned fruits (peaches, pears, etc.), peanut butter, jelly, Jell-O, cereal, oatmeal, canned soups, crackers, canned beef stew, etc. There are boxes for these items in the blue room at the post. It will be divided and delivered to the families just prior to Christmas.
   In addition to the food items, we plan to provide toys and a stocking gift for each child as well as a gift for the parent(s). The names and ages of each member of the family will be available on a ball on the "Giving Tree" in the tavern. The ball will give you a gift suggestion and sizes if needed. If you would like to purchase a gift, please select the appropriate ball and deliver the wrapped gift to the post no later than Saturday December 16th.
   And lastly, this year we have been asked to provide mittens, scarves, and hats for as many children as possible. Hanging on a clothesline in the tavern, you will find mittens and hats made of construction paper symbolizing the articles of warmth and love needed by children in our community. Nearby there will be box waiting to receive these items. Please feel free to donate as many hats, scarves, and gloves as you wish. These items can be gently used or new. They will be distributed to needy children and will help to provide a warm and welcome gift at Christmastime.
   Thank you in advance for your generosity. It has been said that it is better to give than to receive. How fortunate we are to be able to receive the glowing gift of warmth and satisfaction that is ours when we freely give.

May you find joy in the Season and peace in the New Year,
-Martha Lee Thatcher, Auxiliary President

Report of the 2nd Vice Hello, and I hope that everyone is doing well. It is time to start planning for the "Night at the Races"! I am really excited about this! I will be posting a sign up sheet in the tavern for volunteers to help. I will also be calling those that helped last year. If anyone has any questions about this, please call me.
Again, I am looking forward to our "Night at the Races". With everyone's help, this will be a successful fundraiser for us. I hope that everyone is enjoying the new dart board. Winter is coming, but don't hibernate. Come down to "your" legion and join in the fun and fellowship.

-William Jody Stevenson, 2nd Vice Commander

S.A.L. News - Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!   It's that time of year again, with cold white stuff on the ground, presents being wrapped, and all of those charity people calling your house constantly begging for donations.
   It's Christmastime! And with Christmastime comes New Years' Time... and with New Years' Time comes our Wagon of Cheer! We have tickets available at The Legion for $1 each or 6 for $5. Feel free to get them at the bar or ask any member of the S.A.L. for the tickets.
   Also, if you haven't done so yet, please sign up for bell-ringing times at K-Mart for the Salvation Army. We have mostly two hour shifts plus a three hour (or two 1 1/2 hour shifts) available.
   Thanks to everyone who attended the steak fry, and an even bigger thanks to those who worked it. It was a HUGE success! Especially the gas card drawing! I think I'll go out and say expect another gas card drawing soon.
   Also, I would like to extend a welcome to our recent new members: Brett Stanko, Steve Sample, Calvin Stebler, Quenton Caston, Brent McBurney, Joel Schwartz, Ryan Schwartz, Charles Smyser, Ronald Creter, Charles Stevenson, and Matthew Mays. Be sure to come to our next meeting, planned for December 13th.

-Ben Gutscher, Commander

We're looking GOOD Ladies Once again girls, you have done a great job! With 149 paid members to date, and a goal of 190; we are at 78% quota. Needless to say, this leaves us 41 short of goal. The unit needs you. We know you can do it. Please send in your 2007 dues ASAP; December 15th is coming faster thank you think

Happy Holidays to you and yours,
-Dixie Witter, Auxiliary 1st Vice

Museum for December 2006 From John Tsocheff:
Book of maps of northern Ohio dated 1913; also the kit book 1943 for soldiers, sailors and marines.

From Josh Reno:
One lightweight camouflage airborne jacket, 2003 era.

From Dwaine Netzley:
9 new ribbons and 7 shoulder patches.

From someone in Post 221 Color Guard:
American Legion cap-6th District Ohio; Asst. Sgt-At-Arms Post 79 with certificate issued to Jack Scott Delis, 2005 by Washington National Cathedral.

Did You Know?

EXTRA-EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT!

Monday morning December 8, 1941 - I was 15 years old. I carried the Cleveland Plain Dealer calling out extra as I walked up and down the Massillon southwest side. The news, Japan declares war, bombs Hawaii and Manila. My brother George was already in the Army for a year of training. That lasted 5 1/2 years. Little did I know that at that time that I would be sent by the Navy to Hawaii, Manila, Guam, New Guinea, etc.

-John Tsocheff

Attention Members !!!!   At the National Legion Convention in Salt Lake City it was voted to raise the Yearly Per Capita Dues Rate by $4.50 as of January 5, 2007.
   This has forced Post 221 to raise our yearly dues from $25.00 to $30.00 as of January 1, 2007. We do not like to raise our dues, but we were left with no choice as we cannot afford to absorb a $4.50 increase.
   If you have not yet paid your dues, do so now and save $5.00

-Jack L. Bigler, Finance Officer

Feel That Pulse - It's Alive   We are pretty good here, everyone that comes through our door has been checked, and they all still have a pulse. Well actually, what I am thinking is that we are getting some new members at the post. To date we have twelve NEW members. We also have many TRANSFEREES to our post; which so far this year is forty-four additional members. We'll talk a little about them later.
   New members are the more challenging but more rewarding of the additions. They are more rewarding since they have fresh ideas. There are a lot of opinions as to why people won't join organizations, but the reality is that it is more difficult each day to convince people to join anything, even after they are told and/or understand the benefits of belonging. The single most effective approach of gaining members is a one on one discussion; particularly with those Veterans you KNOW, but to a surprising degree those you MEET for the first time and then ASK. Of those listed below four of the five I recruited are in those two categories. The point here is if you talk to people and ask them top join, they just might! Watch for the signs that Veterans often give us, military tattoos, military talk, like #10 GI, military auto plates, bumper stickers, haircuts...... add your clues and act on them. Thank you to all of you that have added new members to our post.
   To overcome a possible objection, don't let the absence of discharge papers be a reason to miss an opportunity. Here is an e mail address where you can order your, or a potential member, discharge documentation, DD-214: http://www.veteran.archives.gov/.
   Despite the difficulty of recruiting new members to any organization, we are growing. Our current membership status is that we are at 82% of our annual membership goal and have to date 578 paid Legionnaires.

Please welcome these NEW members to Post 221:

	RECRUITED BY	SERVICE BRANCH
ERICA BURKY	Flo McKinney	US Air Force
LINDA BURKY	Flo McKinney	US Air Force
LEONARD HANNA	Don Engelhardt	US Army
JOHN JOHNSON	Rich Patti	US Army
SAM LOCKHART	Danny Webber	USMC
BRETT McELFRESH	Harvey Witter	US Army
WILLIAM NESBIT	CR Thatcher	US Army
BEN PHILPOTT	Jody Stevenson	US Army
TOM SEEMANN	Rich Patti	US Army
RALPH SHEPHERD	Rich Patti	USMC
GLENN TOTH	Rich Patti	US Navy
JOHN VONDRISKA	Rich Patti	US Navy

-Rich Patti, 1st Vice Commander

The Chaplains Corner:Serving Our Country:

S/Sgt. David Roberts A Troup 6-9 Cav. FOB Normandy APO - AE 09336	SFC Martin Isaacs 3/3 MITT FOB Sykes APO - AE 09351	PFC Grosswiler, Bernard HHC, 3-509th 40572 APO AE 09312, 0579
Grant, Steven M, Jr. 2/10th MTN Div (LI) Echo Co. 2-14 APO AE 09322	PFC Chad Cannon Bravo Company 1-5 CAV 2nd BCT, 1 Calvery Division FOB Liberty APO AE 09316	Shawn P. Martin CSTC - A AE PRD Resource APO AE 09356

Care Packages have been sent to the above 6 Military personnel.

Many thanks to the CCD classes at St. Joseph Church for getting me addresses of military serving overseas and donating pounds of items to be put into the Care packages.
Members of Post 221 who have family or friends who are serving our country in the military, send me their birth date and address and I will publish it in this column so members of our Post can send them cards, boxes, .etc.

Sick Call / Sick Bay:
This is a new article that I would like to include each month in the Chaplains Corner. I will need your help to be informed of your relative or friend that may be ill or in the hospital. My Phone No. is: 330-832-7856 or E-Mail me.

-Bill Matthews
6341 Richville Drive SW, Canton, Ohio 44706
Billkathm@aol.com

Thanks Mr. & Mrs. Crossen We continue to send care packages to deployed military people and please remember we need a continuous supply of goods to do so. We have lists of suggested items; ask for one if you need to. We recently sent a package to the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. John Crossen. They showed their appreciation by making a point of purchasing and donating two boxes of needed items for us to continue our efforts and keep this thing going. They are not members but I think we could all take a lesson from them AND also say to them THANK YOU. We appreciate your generosity!!!

-Rich Patti, 1st Vice Commander

Santa's Auction   Santa has given us a bag heaping with wrapped presents, gag gifts, and wonderful surprises.
   Join us in the tavern December 2nd at 7PM where these delights will be held for auction.
   Mark your calendar; you won't want to miss this night full of laughs and holly-jolly fun!

-Gail Miller, Auxiliary 2nd Vice

December Tavern News

ATTENTION MEMBERS! YOU MUST HAVE YOUR MEMBERSHIP CARD WITH YOU TO BE SERVED ALCOHOL. NO EXCEPTIONS!
NO CARD - NO SERVICE!

HOURS: SUNDAY	11 A.M. TILL 11 P.M.
(Also, regular sign-ups on Sunday)
MONDAY-THURSDAY	12 P.M. TILL 12 A.M.
(Instant Bingo Tickets from 12 p.m. till 12 a.m.)
HAPPY HOUR - MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY	4 - 6 P.M.
FRIDAY FISH FRY	4 - 8 P.M.
FRIDAY SPECIAL: CITY CHICKEN

WEDNESDAY SPECIALS FOR DECEMBER

DEC. 6	-	CREAMED CHICKEN & BISCUITS, MASHED POTATOES, SALAD
DEC. 13	-	STUFFED PORK CHOPS, BAKED POTATO, SALAD
DEC. 20	-	HAMBURG, FRESH CUT FRIES, SALAD
DEC. 27	-	OPEN FACE PORK SANDWICH, MASHED POTATOES, SALAD

THURSDAY: WING DINGS 25 CENTS EACH FROM 3-7
(minimum order of 6 / to go regular price)
SUNDAY SPECIAL - "MUG OF ANY DRAFT" $1.00 3PM-7PM
Food available daily - Monday through Thursday and Saturday - Noon until 9 p.m.

HOLIDAY HOURS:

Sunday, December 24th	-	11am - 5pm
Closed Christmas Day
Sunday, December 31st	-	11am - 1am
Closed New Year's Day

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Bob, Dixie, Alice Faye, Deb, Alice, Denise, Char, Mike, Frankie, Nellie, David, Brandon, Eric, and Harvey