Hear National Commander Dan Wiley speak during tour of Minnesota
Tour will trek from northern Minnesota to the Twin Cities
ST. PAUL — This year, the National Commander’s Tour of Minnesota takes place April 19-23. The tour is open to Legion Family members, their supporters and the general public.
“We need everyone in our communities across Minnesota to hear the commander’s message of preventing veteran suicides and how we work together,” said Assistant Department Adjutant Janet Lorenzo, who planned the tour.
National Commander Dan K. Wiley will start to tour the Land of 10,000 Lakes by flying into the Peace Garden State at the Fargo airport on Saturday, April 18. He starts his morning on Sunday, April 19, with a visit to the Fargo VA Medical Center.
Wiley is an Air Force veteran who is a member of Leavenworth, Kan., Post 94. He is a retired state judge who raises cattle. He has held many American Legion leadership positions, such as Department of Kansas commander and NECman from Kansas. He and his wife, Sonia, have two children.
He is the first national commander from the eight-state Midwest Region in 11 years. Minnesota is in that region with Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and the Dakotas.
The suicide-prevention mission of “Be the One” remains while Wiley presents his theme of “Better Together,” where he encourages veterans to put differences aside and focus on helping veterans and their communities.
The crew joining Wiley on the tour are Commander’s Aide Doug Hensley of Paola, Kan. Post 156, Department Commander Linda Dvorak, Department Membership Director Joe Bares, Department Adjutant Mike Maxa, Department Assistant Adjutant Janet Lorenzo and Department Communications Director Tim Engstrom.
After the VA, it is off across the flat Red River Valley to a lunch and program at Twin Valley Post 431. The crew then rolls to Thief River Falls, where there is a dinner and program that evening.
The dinner stops also provide one-hour social time.
Monday, April 20, starts with breakfast and a program at Bagley Post 16. Lunch and a program are set for Walker Post 134. The evening’s festivities take place at Little Falls Post 46.
The tour arrives Tuesday, April 21, at Camp Ripley to tour the Minnesota Military & Veterans Museum, then head to Long Prairie Post 12 for a lunch and program.
At this point, they head down the busy I-94-U.S. 10 corridor part of the state.
Clearwater Post 323 hosts the evening get-together. Post 323 is known for its large American Legion Riders chapter, so if you like motorcycles, this is the stop for you. Elk River Post 112 hosts the Wednesday morning program and breakfast on April 22.
The crew then arrives at the Minneapolis Veterans Home. They handle lunch on their own before visiting the 133rd Air Wing that afternoon. A dinner and a program are slated for Hugo Post 620.
It’s off the Department HQ on Thursday morning, April 23, at the Veterans Service Building. The commander will visit with state Veterans Affairs Commissioner Brad Lindsay and his staff.
Wiley then speaks at Veterans Day on the Hill at the St. Paul Armory, then heads west to St. Louis Park to record a session with Doug Wortham on Minnesota Military Radio, followed by a tour of the new home for Golden Valley Post 523.
That busy day concludes with a dinner and a program at New Prague Post 45. Wiley and Hensley fly out of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on Friday, April 24.
The tour travels around the state in a passenger van provided by Bloomington Post 550.
National Commander’s Tour of Minnesota
Please call to reserve your spot. Leave messages if no one answers.
Sunday, April 19
• Twin Valley Post 431 lunch noon 701-729-5328 (Preston) or [email protected]
• Thief River Falls Post 117 social 5 p.m. dinner 6 p.m. 218-681-1341 or [email protected]
Monday, April 20
• Bagley Post 16 breakfast 8:15 a.m. 701-799-1427 (Denise) or [email protected]
• Walker Post 134 lunch noon 218-547-1011
• Little Falls Post 46 social 5 p.m. dinner 6 p.m. 320-630-1581 (Judi)
Tuesday, April 21
• Long Prairie Post 12 lunch noon 320-732-4045
• Clearwater Post 323 social 5 p.m. dinner 6 p.m. 320-558-6627
Wednesday, April 22
• Elk River Post 212 breakfast 8:15 a.m. [email protected]
• Hugo Post 620 social 5 p.m. dinner 6 p.m. 612-751-3667
Thursday, April 23
• New Prague Post 45 social 5 p.m. dinner 6 p.m. 952-374-8530 (Kristi) or [email protected]