LEGION FAMILY NEWSLETTER

March 2012 - May 2012

American Legion Post 200

Commander’s Message:

Legion Family:

The post business is good and many great things are coming up. First the new bar stools are in and what a good addition to the lounge they are. Thanks to everyone who purchased one to make our lounge a more attractive place, and more comfortable to be in.

We have an Oyster Feed with music by Blain Brown in the lounge afterward, Sadie Hawkins Day, Bus Trip, St. Patrick’s Day Dinner (corned beef and cabbage), Riders Breakfast, Bake Sale and Easter Egg Hunt, Car Show, Spring Fling with a Big Cash Give-Away, and Memorial Day picnic (please bring a covered dish) all coming up in the next 3 months so check your calendar. The SAL is running the Ace of Diamonds game every Wednesday night, stop by and check it out. I want to say thanks to everyone who has been working so hard to make the Post the best it can be. A special thanks to Susan Miller for the Oyster Feed tickets and everyone working hard on the hall upstairs. It is people like you who make this Post so great. In closing, thanks to our staff who work so hard.

And don’t forget to buy a lottery calendar.

Commander

Richard W. Hess

From the 1^st Vice/Bar Chairman:

Please remember to bring in any chips that you have at home.

We are going to be installing a new plaque at the War Memorial If your name should be on it, you will need to fill out an application, attach your DD214 and submit it to us. Applications can be gotten at the Legion or from the Town Hall in Hampstead.

For Hall Rental, please call Marvin at 410-374-4466. Details on our website

www.alpost200.org.

Happy Spring

Marvin L. Frush

1^st Vice/Bar Chairman

American Legion Auxiliary Unit 200

     Membership currently stands at 358 and we are 2^nd place in the District. Just a reminder, if you haven’t paid your dues, this will be your last newsletter.

     I want to personally thank everyone who participated in and helped with the Christmas parties for the seniors and children of the community. This is an event that everyone looks forward to and you certainly did it good again this year.

     Our website has taken on a whole new look. A special thanks to Warren Campbell for all his hard work. Check it out...   www.alpost200.org

     Our Prairie Wagon raffle was a huge success and we are doing another for Easter. We are asking for donations of spring/summer items for children and adults to help fill the wagon. Tickets are available in the lounge for $1.00 each.

     The Cook Book project is progressing very well. We have already sold enough to clear the expenses so we are looking forward to a nice profit. Books are available in the lounge or call (410) 239-4203.

      Good Friday Bake Sale and Egg Hunt is April 6^th.   Flyers will be in the lounge plus on the website.

      We are having a Spring Fling on April 28^th featuring a picnic lunch, beverages, BIG CASH GIVE- AWAY and music by APSEN RUN. Tickets are available in the lounge. For more information, call Mary Jane 410-374-9014 or check the website.

     Our annual Car Show is May 12^th.   Flyers with registration and other details will be in the lounge plus on the website.

     It’s that time of the year to get the schools involved in our projects again.    These programs are available to our local schools in both Hampstead and Manchester. We have the Americanism Essay Contest for Elementary and Middle school students; the Girls State Program for high school students; and the Kathleen Twigg Memorial Scholarship program for high school seniors. Registration and eligibility forms have been delivered to the schools along with the deadlines for each. Please encourage your children or grandchildren to participate in these worthy programs.

Our upstairs hall is in the process of a huge make-over. Thanks in advance from all the help from our fellow family members, AL, SAL and Riders.

IN GOD and Country

Faye Dell

Sons of the American Legion Squadron 200

     As always, meeting attendance is good. Thanks for coming out to the meetings guys, and remember after the meeting the 1st drink is on us. Please pay your membership dues.

     As a reminder to all new SAL members, when you bring a guest in, make sure that they sign the guest book and when you leave that they leave with you. Just a friendly reminder. Thanks.

     We have a new game in the lounge – the ACE of DIAMONDS game. It only costs a dollar to play or six tickets for $5.00. Rules and instructions are attached to the game board. Drawing is every Wednesday at 7:30. Get your tickets and we will see you Wednesday night.

     A night at Charlestown and $300 cash raffle tickets are available at the bar. Tickets are one dollar per ticket – you’re looking for holders in red.

     We are working on a new fundraiser hopefully in May or 1^st part of June, I’ll keep you posted.

     Speaking of keeping us posted, Warren Campbell of the American Legion has been so kind to help us on our website. Warren will be keeping it up to date for us with new information. The website addresses is www.sal.alpost200org. From me personally and all us at SAL Squadron 200 – Thank you Warren.

     A new surround sound system was donated by my wife Lorraine and I. I’d like to thank the Commander and all Legion members for allowing it to be installed in the lounge. Thank you. Also thank Cid Reyes and Steve Jenkins for installing it for us. It does make football games sound so much better.

   March 3^rd at Perryville A.L. Post 136, a night at the Races and a Drawdown, dinner, beer and other fun stuff. For more information contact me, the SAL Commander Tom Clavell. Tickets are $40.00 per couple. Hotel rooms may still be available – my # is at the bar. Also at Perryville that night the American Legion Family will be presenting a check to the State Commander, Buddy Mastin, for the Commanders Projects. His project for this year is a bus for Charlotte Hall. The cost of this bus is $67,000 and they already have taken in $55,000. We would like to help him make his goal. So if you see someone going around with anything to help raise money for this project please help us out. With your help we will provide the handicapped accessible bus for the residents of Charlotte Hall.

     I attended the winter meeting for S.A.L./D.E.C. in Ocean City in January. They encouraged for keeping up with membership, as we as a whole for the State are doing well. As for Western Maryland District we are currently at 76%. We still have plenty of time to make our goal. Donations raised at the meeting were nearly $40,000 that day. The next D.E.C. meeting is in Damascus on April 1, 2012 at 1:00. Damascus Post #171 is located on 10201 Lewis Dr.

     I’d like to thank Richard Hess, the Legion Commander, and his wife Paula, Tom Wickline Jr., Chairman for SAL and his wife Jeannie for accompanying me and my wife Lorraine in Ocean City during the D.E.C. meeting – it was a nice time.

     The next Western Maryland District meeting is at Cascade Post 239 February 19^th at 1:00 pm. I’ll also be attending that meeting.

Squadron 200 will be hosting the convention hospitality room this year. I’m looking for some volunteers to help maintain the room. Again see me or contact me – my # is at the bar.

    The upstairs hall is getting a facelift. If you think you can help spruce it up, contact the Auxiliary to see how you can help.

Until next time let’s have a great fundraising quarter. Please come visit the post and help raise some money for some great causes.

Thank You

Tom Clavell

SAL Commander

American Legion Rider's Post 200

*** Reminder – Meeting night is the 2^nd Wednesday of every month!!

ALR MEMBERSHIP: Our current membership stands at 34. Welcome Shirley Critzer, Trisha & Brad Hewitt. *** Anyone interested in becoming an ALR member, applications can be obtained from the bartender or John Sharp. Cost is $10.00 per year. Don’t have a Motorcycle?? Be a “Support Member”.

UPCOMING EVENTS & NEWS:

ALR Breakfasts – Mark your calendars, upcoming dates for breakfast are March 18^th & May 20^th. Price is $6 AYCE. Time – 8:30am -10am. Come out and support the Legion Riders – IT’S THE BEST DEAL IN TOWN!

Donations Needed – Keep an eye out for a donation box being set up in the lounge for donations to make goodie bags for our trip to Martinsburg

VA Hospital – Date will be announced later.

ALR Annual Memorial Ride – We are in the process of setting up our Annual Memorial Ride. This year’s ride will be a “covered Bridge Ride” in Memory of James Malachowski. Date will be announced later.

Vet Dog Ride – ALR Towson Post 22 is having a ride on July 8^th to benefit the American Vet Dog Program. Sign-up 9am, kickstands up at 10:00am from Towson Post, coming to Hampstead for snacks (we can join the ride here), than back to Towson for a meal.

On Don Critzer’s return home from Afghanistan, he has brought back our ALR Flag that was flown at his comp this past year. Form everyone at American Legion Post 200 – “Welcome Home Don !”

Huge thanks to everyone who participated in “Operation Welcome Home” in December – Thanks to Maryann Schestag who put it all together. These members went to BWI to welcome some of our soldier’s home – A very rewarding experience.

Thank you for your continued support, without it, we wouldn’t be able to donate to the many different charities during the year; like our latest donation of $500 towards a new bus for Charlotte Hall VA Hospital.

American Legion Post 200

American Legion Auxiliray Unit 200

Legion Riders Post 200