This newsletter is published to keep the members and friends of Post 284 involved

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The American Legion Colonial Heights Post 284 P.O. Box 57 Colonial Heights, VA 23834

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage Paid

Permit No. 12 Colonial Heights, VA

23834

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- MONTHLY MEETINGS -

American Legion Riders 1st Tuesday, 6:30 PM

Auxiliary Membership (Unit 284) 2nd Wednesday, 7:00 PM

General Membership (Post 284) 2nd Thursday, 7:30 PM

S.A.L. Membership (Squadron 284) 3rd Wednesday, 6:30PM

Executive Committee Meeting (Post 284) Last Thursday, 7:30 PM

Greetings! As the heat and humidity begin to slack off for the year, activity around the Post remains at a high level. Here

are some of the recent highlights:

American Legion National Legacy Scholarship Ride: This year’s annual National Legacy Scholarship

Ride left from Post 57 in Lake City Florida and ended in Indianapolis, the site of this year’s American

Legion National Convention. Over 350 riders and passengers registered for the 18-23 August event.

Enroute the ride was met by a contingent of Virginia riders in Jonesville, VA on 21 August where a check

was presented to the outgoing National Commander Brett Reistad for $30,000, the amount collected by

the recent Virginia Instate Legacy Ride in July.

National Commander Visit 5 September: Post 284 was honored with a visit from the newly installed

National Commander, Bill Oxford. His visit was part of a 4 day tour of Virginia that was hosted by Virginia Department

Commander, Mr. A.B. Brown. Several members of the Post 284 Riders Chapter provided motorcycle escorts for the trip

around the Commonwealth. As part of the Virginia tour, the Commanders had dinner at Post 284 on 5 September. A special

Thank You to all the Legion Family members who pulled together to make this event happen. Good job to all!

Hurricane DORIAN Relief: Helping other veterans is always a priority for the Legion family. From 5-6 September,

donations of disaster relief supplies (pampers, paper products, pet food, etc.) for the victims of Hurricane DORIAN were

collected at the Post. On 7 September, they were added to other donations from Post 320 in Spotsylvania and sent to Post 58

in Rocky Mount North Carolina to be distributed to needy veterans in the hurricane’s path. National Commander Oxford led

the caravan to Rocky Mount to deliver the relief supplies. Thankfully, no Posts in North Carolina needed any of the

assistance so all items collected will ultimately be turned over to a National Relief Agency for further distribution as the need

arises.

Smoking in Topside Lounge: At the General Membership meeting on 12 September, a vote was taken on suspending

smoking in the Topside Lounge. The vote was 63 in favor of the ban on smoking, and 36 against. Therefore, effective 1

October 2019, there will be no smoking allowed in the Topside Lounge. I would like to thank all that came out to vote. It

was definitely the largest group at a membership meeting I had ever seen with over 110 in attendance. I would now also ask

all those who voted to stop smoking in Topside to come out and patronize the lounge’s facilities and continue to support its

employees.

First Responders: On 11 September members of the American Legion Post 284 and the Veterans Of Foreign Wars (VFW)

Post 2239 provided pizza, chicken wings and cookies to local area first responders. Locations visited included a total of 7

local fire and police department and sheriff’s offices along with 6 school resource officers.

Major Upcoming Events:

31 October, Halloween In The Park, 6:00pm

For God and Country,

Adrian “Skip” Klaas

Commander

American Legion Post 284

CDR.alp284@gmail.com

skipklaas1037@gmail.com

AMERICAN LEGION POST 284

NEWS AND VIEWS • OCTOBER 2019

- COMMANDER’S MESSAGE -

Commander Adrian “Skip” Klaas 540-220-5013 First Vice Commander Louis M. “Lou” Vallette 804-721-8275 Second Vice Commander Jerry Chenault 804-414-1066 Adjutant Richard C. “Rick” Oertel 804-520-2338 Chaplain William H. Gibson III 804-536-1125 Finance Officer William “Bill” Feasenmyer 804-337-8753 Asst Finance Officer Timothy “Tim” Farley 804-526-6611 Judge Advocate Jim Althouse 804-516-4534 Veteran Service Officer Craig Ervin 931-980-7934 Historian Jesse Stacy 954-536-9501 Mass Media & Comm Doug Osborn 703-200-0543 Athletic Officer Bill Shill 804-218-1198 Sgt-at-Arms Robert G. Emerick John Bowers

AUXILIARY UNIT 284 President Ann Robins 804-502-5233

S.A.L. SQUADRON 284 Commander Joe Gallagher 804-836-3046

Southern VA Chapter, ALR Director Brad Harter

- POST OFFICERS - - UPCOMING EVENTS -

News & Views is the publication of Colonial Heights Post No. 284, The

American Legion, Department of Virginia. The purpose of this newsletter is

to keep all members of Post No. 284 informed about activities at their Post.

The Legion Home telephone is 804-526-4167. Address comments to the

Editor, PO Box 57, Colonial Heights, VA 23834. NEWS & VIEWS :

Doug Osborn, Editor

Osborn.douglas@gmail.com CHANGE OF ADDRESS:

Rick Oertel at 804-520-2338 or

adj.post284@gmail.com BUILDING RENTAL INFO: Contact Bill Feasenmyer

at 804-337-8753 (cell)

1 October

Celebrate Safe Communities

SVALR Meeting

2 October

Building & Grounds Meeting

4 October

Bingo

6 October

VA&R McGuire Visit

7 October

Bingo

8 October

Topside Committee

9 October

ALA Meeting

10 October

General Membership Meeting

11 October

Bingo

12 October

Member Breakfast & Post Clean-up

14 October

SAL flags out (Columbus Day)

Bingo

16 October

SAL Meeting 7pm (Dinner 6:30)

18 October

Bingo

20 October

VA&R McGuire Visit

21 October

Bingo

25 October

Bingo

25-27 October

Department Fall Conference

28 October

Bingo

31 October

Halloween in The Park

- SEPTEMBER PHOTOS -

Building and Grounds

With the “Smoking Ban” taking place on 1 OCT, Post Leadership thought to provide members who do smoke a smoking area away from the

entry door to Topside. B&G has contacted several contractors to get bids on an elevated deck off the ramp and pad into the main Topside entry

point. We hope to have it constructed by the 1 OCT date, but that may not happen. However, the area will be constructed as soon as possible.

We contacted three contractors; have had two as of this date to inspect the project area and come up with proposals, sketches and cost estimates.

Hopefully the third will do so as well and we can then select for the work.

12 OCT will be a Post Clean Up day after the Members Breakfast, so please show up and lend your support to keeping our Post Home

presentable

If you can’t come that weekend, then show up some day to pull weeds, water the front building plants (we have a 100 ft hose near the main

entrance, just connect the hose to the faucet near the kitchen door and help keep our plants watered). If you do any work at the Post related to

B&G, send me you name and number of hours you worked; this will help collect our efforts on behalf of the Post.

Some ideas we’ve had are to construct 12X12 concrete pads, or paver pads for two of the picnic table in the grass area between the building and

back deck, and then have pergola/gazebo structures put up for shade and weather protection. Any ideas on what we can do to improve Posts

buildings and the property? Sound out; get in touch with the B&G CMTE.

John G. Woyansky

B&G CMTE Interim Chair

jgwoyansky@gmail.com

804-301-7990

- BUILDING & GROUNDS -

Post, 11th District, and Eastern Region

Commander of the Year John Woyansky

Joanne Duncan, Skip Klaas, and Bill

Feasenmyer Delivering food to First

Responders on 9/11

Buccaneer’s Coach Jeremy Cole

presents the team’s championship cup

to Commander Klaas

Young men who attended this year’s Boys State

after receiving the American Legion Boys State

Medal

Bob Barrett is presented the Category 6

Americanism Award for 2018-2019

Craig Ervin is presented the Department

Service Award for 2018-2019

Tom Goudreault is presented Legionnaire of

the Year for 2018-2019

What an exciting month. An evening with the National Commander, Bill Oxford, and Department

Commander Brown was a great time and an honor. They have great enthusiasm for the future of

the organization. A last-minute collection of items for hurricane victims resulted in Commander

Klaas driving a load to North Carolina with the help of the Post 284 Riders.

At National Convention Sue Oertel won the National Legislative Presidents Award and

Lynne Norton was presented with Unit Lady of the year.

Lynne Norton, Lari Woyansky, Aleta Perkins, Betty Haney and Sue Oertel attended the back to school night for

Colonial Heights, while Barbara Worley donated the school supplies she collected to another school in desperate

need. Pam Ward, VA&R chair, did a fantastic job with the September BINGO at McGuire. Nalena Klaas, Betty

Haney, Lynne Norton and Amy Blumenthal were on the job!! Many of the Veterans needed help to participate

and 40+ Veterans enjoyed the event.

NEWS: As you many have heard, male spouses may now join the American Legion Auxiliary. The American

Legion voted to extend membership in the American Legion Auxiliary to male spouses of U.S. veterans and

servicemembers. During The American Legion National Convention in Indianapolis in August, delegates of the

American Legion voted to replace the word "wife" with "spouse" in their constitution and bylaws, opening up

membership in the American Legion Auxiliary.

I can’t end this without congratulating Rose Moore, Past Department President, for ending her year in style.

Great job Rose!

It is with great sadness that we must drape the charter once again. We lost 2 incredible ladies: Gloria Stark and

Rosemary Scarborough.

For God and Country

Ann Robins

Upcoming Events:

9 October – Unit Meeting

12 October – Eastern Zone Workshop at Unit

25/26 October – Department Fall Conference

31 October, Halloween in the Park

For God and Country

Regards For God and Country

Ann Robins

President, Unit 284

- AUXILIARY UNIT 284 - - CHAPLAIN’S REPORT -

This past month was somewhat slow for me; the following activities were accomplished: 1. Participated in Legionaire Richard "Dick" Eastman funeral ceremony. 2. Participated in the back to school program. 3. Participated in Legionaire Bob Barrett's Son-in-Laws Memorial Service. 4. Went to Oklahoma and visited several sites; including the POW/MIA Monument at Tinker AFB, The Firefighters

Museum, The Oklahoma City National Memorial (the site of the April 19, 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah

Federal Building, and ended with some sights in Tulsa. 5. Invited to do the invocation for the National POW/MIA Recognition Day Ceremony. 6. Legionaire Harold Bibey will be going into the hospital for surgery, keep him in our prayers. ****Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding: In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)****

Rev Gibson

804-536-1125

Rose Moore, Past Department

President, ending her year in style .

Sue Oertel, recipient of the National

Legislative Presidents Award

Old Dominion Honor Flight (ODHF) is seeking Veterans and Guardians for ODHF Mission 1, which

will launch November 2, 2019. Mission 1 will visit the World War II Memorial, the Korean War

Veterans Memorial, and the Vietnam War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.; the National

Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico; and the Air Force Memorial and Arlington National

Cemetery in Arlington.

Applications are being accepted now for Mission 1. The trip is FREE for the Veterans. There is a $125 fee to serve as a

Guardian. Guardians must attend training (in the evening) either on October 22 (Tidewater) or October 24

(Richmond). Anyone interested in the honor of serving as a Guardian should to download the attached GUARDIAN

APPLICATION, print and complete the form, and send it to the address shown on the form.

More information is on the ODHF Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Charity-Organization/

Old-Dominion-Honor-Flight-416148685825985/

AARP SMART DRIVER CLASSES AT 284

Nov 27 2019

Participants over 55 get an insurance discount if they take the course. Classes start at 9 a.m. on the above dates and lasts for 8 hours. Bring along a bag lunch..

Reminder!

There’s a Drop-off at Post 284 for Unserviceable Flags

Rose Moore, Recruitment award, Peggy Kagels, Recruitment Award, Sue Oertel, Dept.

Award for Best Legislative Program, Lynne Norton, Department Award for best

Children and Youth Program, Betty Haney, Department Award for best Americanism

Program, Barbara Worley, Department Award for best Education program

- SAL SQUADRON 284 -

A Happy October to all of the 284 Family!

September found your SAL busy adorning the Boulevard with the majestic American flags on Labor

Day, and again on Patriots Day, 9/11. May we never forget. We also helped with cooking and

serving all at the 284 annual picnic at McGuire VA in Richmond.

We’ve got a lot coming up. We will be cooking Hot Dogs at Post 284 for the annual Safe Communities Night on

October 1st. On October 31st we will be supporting Halloween in the Park. Held in Flora Hill Park, this annual event

is a wonderful project that supports Children and Youth. Please find out how you can participate and providing local

children a safe and fun night of Trick or Treat.

Many of the SAL will be participating in the Fall Conference 25-27 October in Williamsburg, VA at the Double

Tree Williamsburg Hotel and Conference Center. This is an exciting event with meetings, award ceremonies,

vendor demonstrations, and bonding activities.

If you haven’t renewed your membership in your respective Post family, I encourage you to please do so. Also, let’s

all invite at least one person who is eligible to join our respective Post organization. With the recent passage of the

Legion Act, there are many more folks who are now eligible to join – so let’s get out there, and bring them in!

Lastly, be on the lookout for the Son’s Fall Boston Butts fundraiser on November 15 - 16. Tickets will be available

soon for this annual tradition. More information is forthcoming, so don’t delay to reserve that Butt or two or more.

For God and Country The Squadron of 284 & Joe Gallagher Commander SAL 284 For God and Country

The Squadron of 284

& Joe Gallagher Commander SAL 284

September was a great month for the SVALR. The approaching Fall weather will be perfect for upcoming rides. Please remember that the Fall leaves can be just as slick as grass clippings in the road. Maintain your vigilance as you ride. Always keeping your head on a swivel. We started the month with our September meeting. We established a nomination committee for next years officers. Please see our Committee Chairperson, Lester Brewer, if you have any nominations you would like to make. We would like to have all nominations in as soon as possible.

We were honored to attend the meet-and-greet dinner for our newly elected National Commander, Bill Oxford. Bill is a fantastic gentleman and we were excited to hear about his vision of the future for the American Legion. I would like to thank our SVALR who participated in the escort of Commander Oxford as he made his way through Virginia. Post 2 hosted a Poker Run in September 7th. We had several riders, along with guests, participate in the ride. I am proud to say, that my son, Aidan Harter, was the winner of the day. Aidan snagged top prize with 4 of a kind. Way to go! We participated in several 9/11 Memorial activities. On September 8th, we supported the Red Knights on their 3rd annual 9/11 fundraiser. On September 11th we participated in the activities at Unity Park. We must never forget those we lost. The Patriots day celebrations are a great way to honor our heroes. On September 20th and 21st, we had the 9th annual ALR Virginia State Rally at Post 25 in Newport News. On the 21st of September, we also had a picnic at McGuire VA Hospital. The Veterans always appreciate our efforts. They truly seem to enjoy looking at the motorcycles. If you participate in a rides, please make sure you report it to our Assistant Director, Joe Pully. It is very important we keep accurate records of our rides and participants each month. Joe sends a report monthly to our State Director. Upcoming Events - Monthly meeting October 1st at 1830 in the Bingo Hall. - October 10th General Membership meeting at 1930 in the Bingo Hall - October 12th 2nd Blue Festival of Meat at Hopewell VFW Post 637 from 1800 to 2300 - October 25th through 27th is the American Legion Department Conference at the Doubletree in Williamsburg. Remember to keep an eye on the ride calendar as new rides are added. Stay safe and thank you for your continued support. Bradley E. Harter

Director, SVALR

American Legion Post 284

SOUTHERN VIRGINIA CHAPTER OF

THE AMERICAN LEGION RIDERS

The Post 284 Legion Family gathered at the recent visit in September by the National Commander

of the American Legion, Bill Oxford.