I bring you greetings from your Department Headquarters Staff. I wish for all to have a Happy Thanksgiving and a Joyful Christmas this year. We continue to pray that our members have a safe and prosperous New Year.
As you are reading this we have returned from holding our annual PA American Legion College. This one day College offers educational courses on all aspects of our American Legion. If you have never attended the classes before I encourage you to do so. Our Posts are not just bars on the corners in every community, and if you think yours is…please help us change that attitude. Our Posts were established to support the Four Pillars of the American Legion: Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation, National Security, Americanism, and Children & Youth. Every Post in this Department should have active members that support these four pillars. The Home Association’s function is to raise funds for the Post to carry out this mission. Far too many Posts in this Department do not understand this and it’s hurting us as an organization. If you would show your communities all the good things that occur when supporting the Four Pillars your membership would increase as they would want to be a part of doing those good things also. Give it a try…you will be surprised.
During the second week in December (06 Dec -12 Dec, 2024) we will be traveling across the Commonwealth conducting our annual Holiday VA Hospital Tour. We will visit every VA Hospital and Home in Pennsylvania. The tour schedule is provided on the Department website www.pa-legon.com. We hope you’ll stop in and see us when we are in your area and help bring some Holiday cheer to our residents of these facilities. It is a rewarding experience to visit the veterans in these homes that might not get visitors very often.
Lastly, in the last Post mailing a flyer was included encouraging your Post to attend the annual PA Housing for Homeless Veterans fundraising dinner being held this year on Saturday 18 January 2025. The event will be in conjunction with the Winter DEC meeting at the Hilton Double Tree Hotel in Moon Township. Please consider placing an advertisement for your Post in the book and making a financial donation to the Corporation. This PA American Legion Corporation relays solely on donations given by our American Legion Family…so please give with your heart. There are still too many veterans living on the street and we strive to give them a hand up to get them in a better place to contribute to our great Nation once again.
Until next time…I remain…Devoted to mutual helpfulness…
J “Woody” Hogan Department Adjutant
