American Legion Post 36

Mon, 12/28/2020 - 8:45am

I suspect I am not alone when I say, goodbye 2020 and good riddance! With the vaccines now becoming available, 2021 promises to end with COVID-19 a treatable disease and life going back to normal, well probably a new normal anyway. However, there were some positives for your Legion in 2020. Here are some of them:

1. The Hall renovations were completed

2. Held our first very moving and meaningful 4 Chaplains ceremony in many years

3/. While we didn’t have a Memorial Day parade, we did perform appropriate ceremonies at our five memorials and added a 6th at the Edgecomb Town Hall

4. Restarted the breakfasts, thanks to the support of our Auxiliary we were able to meet all the safety and health CDC and State recommendations, and our community supported us by attending in almost the same numbers as 2019.

5. Held our first Veterans Day ceremony in the Hall

6. Restarted the Flag Disposal ceremony assisted by our scouts.

7. The Sons of the Legion initiated the program to provide emergency shelter trailers for homeless veterans. This initiated the forming of VETS, Inc, a 501(C)3, and the building of four trailers. As of this writing, three of the four are being used as temporary shelters for veterans and four more are on order.

8. Hosted a number of virtual events in the Hall, including the Change of Command of our RADM Wyman Howard, who took command of the Naval Special Warfare Command (SEALS), and the VA Town Hall meetings.

9. Welcomed the Anchor Church as a long-term renter to hold their mid-day Sunday services.

10. And, of course, we continued to support our veterans by assisting them in in navigating the VA system.

So, many thanks to our American Legion Boothbay Region family

The Moderna vaccines have arrived at Togus and the first shots were provided last week to an Army veteran who is living in the Community Living Center. The first limited supply of the vaccines will be provided to the residents of Togus’s long term Community Living Center and to the staff. For more information on when veterans who are in the VA healthcare system will get their shots, tune in to the virtual VA Town Hall meeting on Jan. 7 from 3 to 4 p.m. The link is http://va-eerc-ees.adobeconnect.com/rsle33crqquu/%20%20%20 or call in to 1-800-767-1750 Code: 11234#.

On behalf of our American Legion family, I thank you for all your support in 2020! And, we wish everyone a Very Happy, Healthy New Year!

The next Post meeting will be Jan. 11.