Commander: Who wants to win an ice-fishing pole?
I want to take this opportunity to thank all the posts that stepped up during the National Commander’s Tour of Minnesota, as well as those that came out to meet and greet the national commander.
It was a great week visiting the posts in our state. We started in Fargo and ended up in New Prague visiting a variety of posts along the way as well as the new Minnesota Military & Veterans Museum, the 133rd Airlift Wing, the Fargo VA Medical Center, the Minneapolis Veterans Home and the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs.
National Commander Dan K. Wiley was a guest speaker at Veterans Day on the Hill at the St. Paul Armory. Every stop we made his talks were informational and very motivating.
Did you know the American Legion is made up of more than 12,000 posts. That’s more than the number of Walmarts. There are more American Legion posts in Minesota than Starbucks. There are more posts than McDonald’s restaurants.
The National Commander’s Project is the American Legion Children & Veterans Foundation, or VCF. It provides funds to assist families with children in times of crisis and it also provides accredited training for veteran service officers. As you know, veteran service officers help veterans receive their VA benefits, which ends up as dollars back into your local community.
Thank you to those posts that made donations to the National Commander’s Project. They are very much appreciated.
The department president, detachment commander and the Riders director and I took part in the Legion Bowling Tournament on March 28. Though we did not win anything, it was a fun event, and we all enjoyed taking part in this event.
Part of the national commander’s theme is “Better Together,” and we are trying our best to do things as a family. Next up, the St. Paul Saints game, I hope you can take time out to come watch the game.
It’s the time of year when all our reports are due, including the Consolidated Post Report (CPR). This is an extremely important report. The national commander uses this report to testify to Congress on the great things we do.
It is a great tool to show your communities what we do as an organization. The deadline is June 1 to the department office. I am asking each district commander to assign someone from your district to ensure that this is accomplished. That person does have the ability to call a post and process their CPR for them.
Sy Fix of La Crescent Post 595 is the department monitor this year. Thank you, Sy, for taking on this challenge.
Do you know of a Global War on Terrorism veteran that likes to ice fish? At the Department Convention, a handmade ice-fishing pole will be auctioned off.
A Navy veteran friend of mine, Dan Bisek from New Prague, made this fishing pole in the colors of the Global War on Terrorism ribbon. He asked if I would ensure that a GWOT veteran received this fishing pole. All proceeds will go toward Fund 85, the Minnesota Veterans Assistance Fund.
My project for the year has been tables and chairs at the Minnesota Military & Veterans Museum (set to open in September 2026) and Fund 85. I have exceeded my goal of $100,000, and this is all due to your efforts, Thank you!
I appreciate each and every one of you and what you are doing for this great organization. Keep up the great work for our communities, our veterans and our great country!
Linda Dvorak of New Prague Post 45 is the commander of The American Legion Department of Minnesota. Her theme is “Back to the Basics – The Four Pillars.”