Detachment commander: My Commander’s Project is Fund 85

As I sit here writing this column, desperately trying to fight through writer’s block, I know that the past commanders have probably written about most of the things that I think are important. And I truly hate to be redundant.

But then into my thoughts jump all of the wonderful people that I have met during my travels as a member of the American Legion Family, and I think that I am one lucky son of a gun for having made the acquaintance of all of you wonderful people.

I know most of you don’t do the things that you do to get recognition or “to wear the corsage,” as our sisters (and a few brothers) in the Auxiliary say. You do it because you are truly driven to help our veterans and their families.

And I think that’s one of the most beautiful and important things that you can do.

Being a dual member, I get to see both sides of the coin. The help that is given freely without thought of recompense and the reluctant veteran who wishes that they didn’t have to even ask for help.

Our national leadership team is continuing to use “Be the One” as its theme for the year. You folks out there in Legion Family-land are living it by your actions daily of being of service to our veterans. I have decided to put my project in conjunction with our Department Commander’s Project and that is to raise $100,000 for Fund 85, which, if you don’t know, is our own Minnesota Veterans Assistance Fund administered by the Minnesota American Legion Foundation and American Legion Department of Minnesota.

This means 100 percent of the donations to Fund 85 go to the cause of helping veterans. Nothing goes toward administration because the Legion admin costs come from other sources.

This is a truly worthy project and the special thing about it is that it helps our Minnesota veterans. So, in closing this column, I would just like to give you all a huge thank you for all you do!

John Weiss of St Paul Arcade-Phalen Squadron 577 is the commander of the Detachment of Minnesota for the Sons of The American Legion. His theme is “Honoring the Past, While Moving Forward.”