Merton Ira Staples, AMVETS Post # 1 DECEMBER 2017 NEWSLETTER (stamp) 147 Alfred Street, Biddeford, ME 04005
(Mailing Address Box)
Post # 1 Newsletter Editor AMVETS Post #1 Commander Adjutant: J. E. “Gene” Foster Marshall Archer
AMVETS NEWS
2017 is almost in the books! As another year winds down, our November featured a great Veterans’ Day Ceremony, Parade, and luncheon which was well attended; compliments and thanks to everyone involved – Vets, Ladies, & Sons; working together, no one can top Post 1! Thanksgiving is behind (even if some of the turkey isn’t) and the Christmas holiday season gets in full swing: we should be mindful of some important business at hand during December. 1. Pearl Harbor Day Remembrance Ceremony. The Department of Maine AMVETS is again hosting the ceremony on Thursday, December 7th at Fort Allen Park on Portland’s Eastern Promenade. Members of Post 1 will participate. If you’re interested in attending, contact Marshall Archer or Gene Foster for more information. If you haven’t seen that ceremony, it’s worth doing! Afterwards, you can attend a complimentary luncheon at Portland’s AMVETS Post 25 on Washington Street – just a five minute ride from Fort Allen Park. 2. Pick-3 Calendar Book sales. This is the home stretch! For the last five years, Post 1 has sold more calendars than any other post in the state of Maine. But the competition is gaining ground and they have their sights set on knocking Post 1 out of first place. Pick-3 Calendar Books make super gifts like stocking stuffers and they are easy to wrap! Once again our bartenders will be competing for generous gift certificates at local restaurants, all of which are donated by those businesses. So step up and buy some calendars from you favorite bartender. 3. Volunteer Service Reports; turn them in by the end of the year. Our membership is constantly doing things for the Post, for Veterans, and for the community. Please take a moment, put a little information on the Volunteer Service Report, and pass it along to the bartender, Post Officer, or post mail box. 4. Toys for Tots. Something different this year! We usually host a Christmas Party to benefit Toys for Tots. This year, we are donating all the proceeds from our November and December Breakfasts have to the local Marine Corps League Toys for Tots. Toys for Tots is a very worthy cause and Post 1 has always contributed generously. Anyone can help and it’s even easier this year – simply show up for Breakfast on Sunday 17 December and what you pay for your meal will be donated to Toys for Tots. It doesn’t get any easier. 5. Our December meeting will be Sunday, December 10th at 9:00 am. All AMVETS are invited to attend and speak their mind. This month’s SHOUT OUT goes to our Ladies Auxiliary and Sons of AMVETS Squadron – Super job putting together and delivering a record number of Thanksgiving dinner meals for those who would not otherwise would have been able to share in a traditional Thanksgiving. 30 of them! That’s impressive! And then you turned around and prepared then served a full dinner on Thanksgiving here at the Post for many folks. It was truly in the spirit and very much appreciated. Also a short shout & hoot to Doris, Steve, April, & Robin who painstakingly assembled one more time a very tired and feeble post Christmas tree. After three hours plus hours, the tree was once again very presentable and Christmas ready! Thank you for helping the post ‘getting to look a lot more like Christmas.’
LADIES AUXILIARY NEWS
Hello Ladies - we are in the middle of our busiest season! We just put a super Thanksgiving behind us – 30 Thanksgiving Dinner Baskets were delivered. Along with the Sons, we served Thanksgiving Dinner to anyone who showed up and many residents did just that. Next is providing Christmas gifts for 15 “adopted” Veterans at the Scarborough Veterans’ Home. Don’t forget to renew your dues – it’s that time again! Hope to see you all at the next meeting, December 6th at 6:00 PM.
SONS NEWS
Our December meeting is scheduled for Sunday the 17th at 11:30 AM. We just finished a tremendously successful Thanksgiving and are now working to buy Christmas gifts for every Veteran at the Scarborough Veterans’ Home. Also – it’s time to renew your annual dues. Get them in before the last minute rush.