SAL Commander: Project to remain veterans assistance

By John Weiss

Hello again, Minnesota American Legion Family.

I’d like to thank the members of the Detachment of Minnesota for re-electing me to be the detachment commander at the SAL Detachment Convention held at Forest Lake Post 225 on the weekend of June 28-29.

I’d also like to give kudos to the Forest Lake Legion Family for hosting the convention. They did a fantastic job! I hope that I can do a better job than I did in my first year. The learning experience is quite intense, even with the outstanding mentoring that I received from PNC and Adjutant Doug Bible and the past detachment commanders.

I intend to keep the Minnesota Veterans Assistance Fund (Fund 85) as my project. Your ongoing support is something that I would ask you all for.

John Weiss

The MVAF is very near and dear to my heart. The thing that I love about it is that the money that’s raised stays here in Minnesota to help our local veterans in need. And any help that we can give to a veteran and their family takes a lot of stress off of that veteran and their family.

Thus, it helps to curb the rash of veteran suicides. Being in tough financial straits is incredibly stressful and can lead to all sorts of complications in one’s life.

I have been asked by Auxiliary members if Poppy money can be used to make a donation. The answer I have received is, yes, it can be used to donate as the MVAF is a support program for veterans through the Minnesota American Legion Foundation. Make the check to “Minnesota American Legion Foundation” and put “Fund 99” in the memo.

Fund 99 always is the SAL Commander’s Project.

I’m looking forward to working with Commander Carl Moon and President Judy Ackerman in the coming year to support the programs of the American Legion Family. I’m also looking for to seeing you all as I travel throughout our beautiful state attending the various events that are upcoming in the future.

Thank you all for all of the things that you do in support of our veterans.

Yours in service.

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.”