Your Post's computer website has been established and is in operation. In order to visit it you need to use this address - www.al217cpmd.us  Thanks to everyone who assisted  in establishing this excellent website.

Our budget was completed in early September. It is a balanced budget showing a slight surplus. Thanks to everyone who helped in this process and who continue to help by saving money on expenses where they can, but still operating your Post efficiently and effectively.

I want to ask a favor of all of you. If you have a friend who is a member of Post 217, or a person you may have recruited in the past, would you contact them if possible to make sure that they have paid their dues and continue their membership. It is very important that they realize that they should pay their dues and keep in touch. Thank all of you for your anticipated response and continue with your support for our Post. Don't forget to check out our "Website" - it is really very well done and has a lot of news and information to check out. 

Tom Davis

Commander

P.S. That web address again is - www.al217cpmd.us 

These past two months were very busy for us. First, there was a Greenbelt Labor Day Festival, My thanks go out to volunteers Nancy B., Helen C., Nancy P., Katy and Mitch B., Miss College Park Erica Williams. Judy S., and Ron Gray. We owe a heartfelt debt of gratitude to Boy Scout Troop 1033 and Scoutmaster Gary Stewart who arranged to have two scouts and an adult leader for each 3 hour shift to assist us. The funds raised will go back into the community.

The Spaghetti Dinner on September 30th was a great success. Thanks to all helpers and bakers who made this another successful fund raiser. A special thanks to the winner of the 50/50 who donated the winnings back to the cause.

The "Baby Shower" held on October 4th was another huge success . The Greenbelt Pregnancy Aid Center was delighted with the more than $800 worth of merchandise collected from the special woman who participated.    

Catering coordinator, Sarah B., has kept her crew busy serving at all the various functions, and we thank her for these added duties, as she is very busy with membership. Sarah has us on track for another record breaking year. Way to go Sarah!

Children and Youth Chairman Katy B. has planned a great Halloween party for the community children, and since she does such a terrific job, we have decided to allow her to chair the Christmas Party as well. I have it on good authority that both Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus plan a trip to College Park again this year.

The Fall Conference was well attended and a lot of information was shared. Sarah B., Angie R., Judy S. and myself spent two very enjoyable days in Ocean City. The next two months will afford many opportunities to share love and fellowship with our families and community. Please remember the Veterans as you plan your activities. I am working, along with Mark Beard, on a concert for the Washington VAMC for Veteran's Day. A trip is also planned for Walter Reed to visit the returning military wounded in battle. I am keeping my fingers crossed that all goes well.

I want to thank all of our crew and deck hands, so far we have 109 sailing to "Drum Point". We are going to make that lighthouse shine. Be sure to check out our website for all the details about our Lighthouse.

Please get out and get some new members. We need to make "10 Plus" this year. Thanks to my Unit for the money I received for 2005, and I will try to work harder this year so our Lighthouse will shine, shine, shine.

Sarah Brown

410-672-6726

Membership Chairman

 YOUTH RECOGNITION DAY

We have scheduled Sunday, December 4th, for "Youth Recognition Day". It will be held from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. The Americanism essay winners will be reading their essays and we will honor school merit winners and possibly Eagle Scouts (depending on schedules), The R.O.T.C. from Northwestern High School have been asked to perform and Miss College Park has also been invited. Please put this date on your calendar and plan to attend and support the outstanding youth involved in Legion Programs.

Judy Slarb

AMERICANISM REPORT

Our Auxiliary American District Program won 1st place in the Southern Maryland District. Congratulations to Judy Slarb on a job well done. The amendment to protect the Flag of the United States from desecration, SJRES 12, is to be considered in this fall session. Please pick up and sign the letters and place them in the pre-addressed envelopes for Senators Sarbanes and Mikulski. The letters and envelopes are at the Post on the display table in the Lounge. Please - Use them!

The topic for this years Americanism Essay Contest is "What Freedom Means To Me". Later this fall, I will be visiting schools to encourage the students to participate.

Nancy Peirce

Americanism Chairman

CHAPLAIN’S CORNER

For several weeks we have been inundated with worldwide catastrophic events - flooding, hurricanes, earthquakes. I encourage all of you to pray and do what you can to help those that are suffering. It could happen to us.

Veteran's Day is upon us once again. Remember our men and women in uniform overseas. Pray for their safe return, Come join us at the College Park Memorial on Veteran's Day to honor our veterans. Please remember our fellow Legionaries that are on the sick list - Kenneth Sutton who has been hospitalized but is now resting at home and Bill Robertson is recovering nicely from knee surgery. Let me know of any members that are deceased, sick or hospitalized. I may be reached at 301-441-3226.

Last but not least, where has the year gone? I'd like to wish each and everyone a blessed Thanksgiving, Christmas and a New Year filled with the Almighty's grace, peace and love.         

Ron Gray

Post 217 Chaplain

Welcome new Legionaries - Edward Butler, Veretta Bynum, Harry Duany, Francis Fahey, Samuel Foster, David Johnson, Jody Lautenschlager, Robert McCann, Khalilah Montgomery and new SAL members Kevin Kennedy and David Patterson.

As you may have noticed we have a lot going on, programs for our vets, our kids, our community. Feel free to get involved. It's up to you. What ever you choose to do, know that we are delighted to have you join our family.

Bill Bladen continues to lead the way recruiting. When I get time, I will get an exact count of the "Bladen" recruits. I'm sure it's over 20 so far.

Thanks to Karl Christoffers and David Patterson, we now have a truly outstanding website. If you want to see something we can all be proud of, log on to www.al217cpmd.us  You'll be as amazed as I was. Hats off to David and Karl.

By the time you read this, the opportunity to enter the Early Bird Drawing will be coming to a close. We will draw two names from among the members with paid 2006 membership cards by October 31st. The drawing will take place in early November and the winners will be notified by mail and their names posted on the board in our lounge. Remember, it's up to you to insure that we have your correct address.

Yours in Service

Bill Robertson  301-345-4873

WORLD WAR TWO MEMORIAL NEWS

On September 2nd, 2005, a number of Post members attended the 60th anniversary Commemoration in a tribute to WWII members at the WWII memorial in Washington. It was to celebrate the end of the war. It was a fun night for all - music was from the Navy and Air Force bands, and a U.S.O. show right out of the 1940's. Thanks to "Wild Bill" Bladen, all of the arrangements were made for a 15 seat van that took us all there and then brought us back to our Post after a very emotional, patriotic tribute to all the veterans. We are planning similar trips in the future to many other memorials in our "Neighborhood". We will keep the members informed. Check into our website for more info.

Fred Schaffer

1st Vice Commander

Some of the gang that was at the memorial

HERE'S SOME COOL LEGION NEWS

Our very own Mark Beard was recently voted "Most Patriotic Artist of the Year 2005" by the "Best of Texas" Award Show. Way to go Mark! Call 301-441-2691 for more info, cd's, and other cool stuff.

UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER 

December 1st  - Start collection for food baskets. Bring canned goods to the Post

December 11th - Christmas Party for the Kids Time 1 PM to 3 PM

December 17th - Food Basket distribution

December 24th - Christmas Party/Open House at the post. 4 PM to 6 PM

December 31st - New Year's Eve Dance

This is to inform the members of the successful "Night at the Races" we had on Saturday, September 17th, 2005 and to express my appreciation to those who made it happen. I want to thank the following and I believe the entire membership should also be thankful that we have members like them working for us. They are -        Angie Rodriguez - Bill Bladen - Brian Robinson - Sharon Lewis - Nancy Burke -Nanny - Steven and Chris Gerondakis - Gary Kingerly Chuck and Judy McDonald. 

Also to be included, all of the salesman of the horses, those of you that purchased the horses, as well as you great "gamblers". It is my understanding that everyone had a good time and possibly there will be more in attendance at the next "Night at the Races". The profits obtained that evening went to the "General Fund" of our Post. Again, a big "Thank You".

Ed Burke - Chairman

SERVICE OFFICER NEWS

About 30 people attended our picnic and were treated to another great show by the "Greenbelt Concert Band". Good food, good music and good friends. What more could you ask for? A good time was had by all.

There were about a dozen Legionaries that went to the World War II Memorial in Washington on September 2nd to honor the veteran's on the 60th anniversary of the end of WWII, Also the planned trip to the Bedford Virginia WWII D-Day memorial has been cancelled and will be set-up for a later date that we'll announce when we have more info to pass on. We will post the info on our website and/or in the next edition of the "4 Star".

The 450th Civil Affairs Battalion will have a "Change of Command" ceremony on December 10th, 2005 at the Post. There will be a luncheon at 11:00 AM followed by the ceremony at 2 PM. There will be a dinner after the ceremony by invitation only.

 S.A.L MEMBERSHIP

Attention ALL S.A.L. members - Put November 15th 2005 on your calendar. From 2 PM to 8 PM I will be at the Post to discuss with those members who would like to become nominees for Office's in the Post 217 Squadron plans for next year. This special meeting is scheduled to encourage your participation in getting the S.A.L on track. The legion family needs your help. Drop in any time from 2 to 8 and I will be glad to discuss our goals and aims in support of the Legion and all other activities.

Kc - S.A.L Liaison 

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