What a great day we had last Saturday at our first expanded Legion and Community Yard Sale and Craft Fair! Our Community Yard Sale participants and our local crafters thought it was great and most committing to come back next year and will ensure the word gets out so we fill the Common. This year, the money raised at the Legion Yard Sale is dedicated to the Legion’s Henry Rowe Education Scholarship Fund. Once we reach the threshold in the “market account,” we will be able to start awarding annual scholarships. The goal is for the first award going to the class of 2025. Putting on an event like this is a team effort. It starts with the generous community that donated many of our treasures. Of course, our membership always comes through with items that adds so much to the yard sale. Nothing would happen without the volunteers. To all of those who support this year’s effort, thank you. I do want to put out a special Thank You to the Moroney family, Cathy (our finance officer), her husband Tom, and their daughter Ciara who worked none stop from Friday morning transferring all the items from the Hall to the common and helping set up through the final clean up and packing what was left to go to the Rotary barn or to the facility in Damariscotta serves the homeless or others in need. I also want to single out Millie and Ron Edwards (our Sergeant-at-Arms) who were in charge of the sorting out and setting up the yard sale and coordinating the sellers. That was an all day Friday and Saturday effort. And then there was Larry Smith! He was by my side both days doing what was needed. And, a volunteer who needs no introduction was Stephanie Hawke! One of our biggest supporters who donates her time and resources for a number of great causes in the region and thankfully that in includes the Legion. She was there with her grill and made sure we kept nourished during the day (and made money). What most didn’t know was that the hot dogs, hamburgers and cheese were provided at no cost my her son, Andrew, owner of Dunton’s Dog House! A really big thank you to the Hawke family. And to Robin Ford, Joel Morley, Chris Goodwin, and my nephew’s son Josh McAllister, and everyone else who supported this effort, you know who you are, thank you! It takes a team!

Let’s not forget our Auxiliary! For the early birds, they were there with their breakfast sandwiches and coffee! For those who don’t know, our Auxiliary has grown exponentially since it was reformed just a few years ago. I think they now have more active members than the Post! And, they are extremely generous with the money they raise, always there to support worthy causes. So, for those who bought breakfast sandwiches or items from their yard sale, thank you too!

The next breakfast Aug. 13, and next meeting is potluck dinner on Aug. 14.