American Legion Post 36

Tue, 01/28/2020 - 8:30am

Hopefully, the paper will publish the Letter to the Editor I submitted. The letter was to tell the readers about the 4 Chaplain Ceremony we will be holding this Saturday, 10 a.m., Feb.1, in the Hall. This ceremony is about the heroic actions of 4 members of the clergy, of different faiths, but brothers with a common goal for serving others, even if it meant paying the ultimate sacrifice. Posts all around the country will be performing the ceremony this weekend. This isn’t the first time our Post has conducted this ceremony but it has been many years. I hope this is the restart of a remembrance that reminds us of what service to others is all about. I am hoping that many in the community will attend. I also hope this might be an opportunity for members who aren’t able to participate often in other events to get together.

Many of our members are doing really great things in the community, some we hear and read about, some we don’t. Some members are part of other organizations that provide services to our community, again, some we hear about and some we don’t. Many of our members are reluctant to even mention what they are doing for others. I would like to take this opportunity for everyone to think about what they are doing to give back to others and the hours you spend doing it. Why do I ask? Every year the Post has to send a report to our Legion headquarters in Maine that tells them what we are doing at the Post. This is consolidated and sent to National. Again, it is consolidated and sent to Congress. Since the Legion is Chartered by Congress, we are required to provide this information. But, more importantly, it tells them how we are making a difference.

This year, I would really like to send to headquarters a real accounting of what our membership is doing. So, I am asking all of you to think about how you are helping others and how much time you spend doing it. For example, if you are a driver for Meals on Wheels, state that and how many hours in 2019 did you spend doing that. If you are part of Woodchucks, how much time have you put into that. If you visit a friend or someone you don’t even know but who are homebound, how much time did you spend doing that. I think the residents of this peninsula are extraordinary in our community service. And, most don’t want to be recognized for that, they just what to do the right thing. I am asking this one time that our membership take the time to let us know what you do. When it goes forward, there aren’t names, just activities and time spent. So, over the next 30 days, please consider what I am requesting and provide me your input. My email address is: dapatch@roadrunner.com and home address is: 145 Samoset Road, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538.

Hope to see you Saturday. The doors open at 9:30 a.m. but Legionnaires are welcome anytime.