Tim Engstrom
EditorRecent Articles by Tim Engstrom
1st District Commander’s March-April 2025 Report
The essence of leadership within any organization lies in the unwavering commitment to the principles of transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct. Nowhere is this more evident than in the esteemed ranks of the American Legion.
Commander’s Project is at 61 percent
Department Commander Carl Moon’s Project is at 61 percent. He has raised $36,632.
February had love for Minnesota veterans
February was full of LOVE for our veterans in the eight Minnesota Veterans Homes and four VA medical centers the Department of Minnesota supports.
Special request from overseas commissaries for coupons
Helpful tips and contact information on where to send the coupons:
National Volunteer Week is around the corner
National Volunteer Week was established in 1974.
Minnesota Girls State deadline is April 1
American Legion Auxiliary Minnesota Girls State 2025 78th session is June 15-21, 2025, at Bethel University in Arden Hills.
American Legion National Samsung Scholar is a Minnesota Girls Stater!
Jensen was among 10 scholars who were recognized at a dinner. The 10 Boys and Girls Staters each received $10,000 scholarships from the the American Legion’s Committee on Youth Education.
Department of Minnesota is near a membership milestone!
March is Community Service Month. What are your plans for your community? Please share your ideas with the district and department community service chairmen. We want to be able to toot your horn in the annual reports as to what you have done and will be doing.
There is time to register for Boys State
High school boys currently in their junior year are registering for the 2025 Boys State session at St. John’s University June 8-14 at www.mnboysstate.org.
ALR Director: Warmer weather is around the corner
Please make plans to attend the Minnesota American Legion Riders Department Convention in Willmar on July 11. This year we will elect a new MNALR director to a two-year term, as well as an assistant director to a one-year term, along with a secretary/treasurer to a one-year term.
NECman: Don’t be afraid to take on an officer role within your post, district, department
Spring is in the air, which means Girls Fastpitch Softball and American Legion Baseball. Our own Minnesota Twins are at their spring training too, so let’s start thinking along those lines for our youth. Get those teams registered.
Veteran tries to connect with distant relative’s POW experience
In 2019 I drove 3,300 miles and 72 years into the past when I connected with my paternal biological family. Thanks to DNA technology I suddenly I had five new brothers and a new sister whose unconditional love and acceptance have been amazing. Over the past five years they’ve shared history of our family with me. As a youth, I spent four years in the military, so when I learned that I had a distant relative, Andrew O. Grignon Jr. who was a Japanese prisoner of war (POW) during WWII, I had to learn more about him.