7th District commander’s December 2023 report

Greetings to all of my fellow Legionnaires.

Congratulations to all of you and your hard work on membership. The 7th is moving up and once again showing our commitment to The American Legion.

As of the writing of this article, the 7th District is in third place. That is two weeks running. Congratulations on such a great job showing how hard we work at membership.

The Fall Conference has come and gone, and it was nice seeing many of you there. The conferences and conventions are a great time to learn about the programs and benefits that The American Legion offers. It is also a time to network with your counterparts and gain useful information in making your post successful in many of the endeavors you undertake. You gain new ideas and even refine some that you have tried in the past.

A big part of The American Legion is taking care of veterans. Please check in with those members that you have not seen or heard from in a while. “Be the One.” You may save a life.

As we all get older it is sometimes a lonely place.  We need to lend each other that helping hand.  We are brothers and sisters in arms.

Here is an update on what is happening at both the national and department levels. Many of you have heard that membership dues are going up. Inflation catches up even with nonprofits such as ours. At the National Convention, delegates approved an increase at the national level by $5. At the Fall Conference, the Department Finance Committee recommended a state dues increase of $3 for the 2024-25 year, which will voted on at the 105th Department Convention in July.

The District Executive Committee will meet sometime after Thanksgiving to evaluate what the district is going to do with their dues as well; I would be prepared for an increase at this level as well.

The Mid-Winter Conference will be at New London Post 537 on Jan. 20, with an inclement weather date of Jan. 27. The 7th District Convention will be held at Morris Post 29 on May 18.

The Pearl Harbor Rally is 11 a.m. Dec. 9 at Paynesville Post 271. The Sweetheart Rally is 11 a.m. Feb. 3 at Forest Lake Post 225. The Appreciation Rally is March 2 at Montgomery Post 79.

I look forward to seeing you there.

Don’t forget my project for the veterans at the Montevideo Veterans Home. Any and all donations are appreciated. Make your checks payable to Jan Ekert, Commander’s Project, and send them to me.

Remember our strength lies in our numbers.

Veterans Helping Veterans.