DEPARTMENT OFFICERS Department Commander
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DEPARTMENT OFFICERS COMMANDER’S COLUMN Department Commander: Pete Wasco Pete Wasco, Department Commander PO Box 2324, Harrisburg PA 17105 717-730-9100 Let me start by wishing everyone a Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a great Christmas. Speaking of Eastern Vice Commander: Joe Cocco, Jr. Christmas, I would like to thank everyone that traveled 115 Oak Street, Ringtown PA 17967 570-889-3712 with us on the Department Christmas Tour and a special thanks to our Department Hospital Central Vice Commander: Earle “Spanky” McCarney Entertainment Chairman Ed Connell for making sure 202 Tritle Avenue, Waynesboro PA 17268 717-762-7571 everything went smoothly. By the time you read this article, I will be into my Western Vice Commander: Alex Dombrowsky sixth month as you Department Commander and it’s 114 Union Street, Salisbury PA 15558 412-605-2340 been a very busy six months. I have been blessed to have met so many great people during my travels and I am looking forward to meeting many more during NEC: Richard Coccimiglio my next six months. I attended both Legion Collages East and West and would 407 Horseshoe Drive, Penfield PA 15849 814-637-5616 like to thank both committees for doing an outstanding job. Both colleges were Alt. NEC: John Gasper well attended and very successful. Well it’s the start of a New Year with some of our programs beginning, such 1215 W. State Street, Archbald PA 18403 570-876-2903 as our Oratorical and Essay Contests. I hope all our districts have been out in the Department Adjutant: Kit Watson schools pushing these and our other programs. PO Box 2324, Harrisburg PA 17105 717-730-9100 I commend the section commanders and the district commanders that have made their last target date of 75%. We still have a long way to go and a short time to get there. Let’s all get out there and beat the streets by going to their DISTRICT COMMANDERS homes and asking them why they haven’t renewed their membership. Phone 1 Al Willis, 6818 Paschall Avenue, Philadelphia PA 19142 215-727-4249 calls can be made as well asking them the same. 5 Mike Stelacio, 28 Sunnyside Dr., North Cape May NJ 08204 267-566-5572 I hope that all the districts and posts have been pushing my project, the 8 Al O’Rangers, 57 Andrew Court, Upper Chichester PA 19014 610-485-9439 National Emergency Fund (NEF). 9 Robin Liberty, 611 Meadow Lane, Oreland PA 19075 215-870-3392 We also have a new governor coming in and a lot of new faces in the house 10 Kenneth Walsh, 142 E. Willow St., #101, Elizabethtown PA 17022 and the senate. Hopefully we can get some of our veteran’s legislative issues 717-361-7163 passed. I had the privilege of meeting with the new governor’s Veterans 11 Bill Cleveland, 2230 Capouse Avenue, Scranton PA 18509 570-343-3201 Transition Team in early December and it went very well. 12 Jesse Turner, 1270 Bethel Hill Road, Shickshinny PA 18655 570-864-3740 I feel it necessary to remind everyone of my slogan, “Pride & Performance”. th 13 Bob Bedford, 321 N. 9 Street, Pottsville PA 17967 570-628-5093 Have pride in this great organization and perform proudly the duties we all took 14 Roy Showalter, 62 E. High Street, Topton PA 19562 484-332-2273 an oath to uphold. 15 Jim English, 851 Easton Turnpike, Lake Ariel PA 18436 570-698-8148 I hope to see all of you at the January DEC. God bless. 16 Wayne Walker, 101 Pineview Drive, Lock Haven PA 17745 570-748-9036 17 James Farley, 25 Farley Lane, Dushore PA 18614 570-938-7539 ORDER YOUR THANK YOU BEAR 18 Tom Radel, 30 S. Market Street, Duncannon PA 17020 717-834-4062 In the next few months 2,000 Pennsylvania children will be affected by 19 Bob Heffelfinger, 90 Hilldale Road, Etters PA 17319 717-932-5872 the deployment of a parent. 20 William Harker, Jr., 163 Rocky Road, Johnstown PA 15909 814-749-9512 nd The Pennsylvania American Legion Auxiliary will be packing 2,000 Operation 21 William Weaver, 124 E. 2 Street, Williamsburg PA 16693 814-832-4615 Military Kids Backpacks for these children. We call them "Hero Packs" for our little 22 Robert John, 7430 Nyesville Road, Chambersburg PA 17202 717-264-4549 heroes who have loaned their 23 Jack Dugan, 103 S. Highland Street, DuBois PA 15801 814-371-0777 parents out to the military. 24 Robert Doria, 370 Laureldale Road, Perryopolis PA 15473 724-677-0797 Along with supplies such as 25 Herb Hermann, PO Box 632, Fredericktown PA 15333 724-377-2169 crayons, disposable cameras, 26 Charles Oliver, 159 Concord Church Road, Baden PA 15005 724-869-3589 journals and basic school 27 Joe Spellane, 1313 Dixon Road, Clarksburg PA 15725 724-639-9661 supplies, we are hoping to 28 Melvin Frederick, 32 Daugherty Road, Grove City PA 16127 724-450-1664 put the American Legion 29 Frank Abate, 12 N. Pearl Street, North East PA 16428 814-725-3333 Auxiliary "Thank You" Bear 30 Joseph Kluk, Sr., HC 1, Box 331, Gilbert Rd., Gilbert PA 18331 610-681-4784 into each and every Hero 31 Robert Jartin, 1055 Lux Road, Jeannette PA 15644 724-744-1453 Pack. 32 Paul Kennedy, 138 – 6 th Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15229 412-215-6555 Without your help we will 33 Jay Wise, 105 Ridge Lane, Murrysville PA 15668 724-327-7250 not be able to achieve this. 36 Earl Utterback, 754 Mary Street, McKees Rocks PA 15136 412-771-5650 To date we have 92 Bears sponsored ‐ a long way to go The KEYSTONE NEWS is published quarterly by The American Legion, Department of for 2,000. Pennsylvania, 800 N. Front St., Wormleysburg, PA 17043. We are asking everyone to Issue No. 0111 "go outside of the box" in Subscription: 1 yr $6.00; 2 yrs $11.00; 3 yrs $15.00 order to raise the funds for these Bears 4 Kids. For more information contact BJ Lysic at 814‐886‐7744 or [email protected] FROM THE DESK OF VAVS Representatives and all the volunteers who make the days a little brighter Kit D. Watson, Department Adjutant for our veterans and for representing our goals so well - we salute you! Happy New Year Legion Family members! As we A few 2011 dates to remember: The annual Allegheny County Youth enter 2011 there are some very important issues before Achievement dinner will be held at the Pittsburgh Soldiers & Sailors Hall April us. Membership is our lifeblood! Efforts to retain and 10; February 2 is our 80% membership target date; March 3 is our 85% recruit members are of utmost importance for our membership target date; April DEC will be April 1-3 at the Holiday Inn posts, our Department and our National organization. Harrisburg East; Department Commanders Testimonial Dinner will be at the We must stop the decline in membership! Our posts Holiday Inn Harrisburg East April 2 and Department President Reinhard’s are the window through which our communities view Testimonial Dinner will be in Allentown April 9. All testimonial dinner flyers The American Legion. We encourage all our readers have been mailed out and are on our website. Until next time… to assist our posts in meeting their membership goals. As we’ve said many time before “membership is everyone’s business!” Get involved in making your post PAST COMMANDERS HONORED 100% this year. The James G Zimmerman Post #340 in Duncannon held its Past An area of concern for our members, and especially our post homes, is what is Commander’s banquet Saturday, October 16 th at the Post home. The guest happening with the “small games of chance” legislation. Department speaker for the occasion was Central Vice Commander, Earle “Spanky” Commander Pete Wasco has met with Governor Elect Tom Corbett’s McCarney. Other guests were; District Commander Tom Radel who was transitional team and discussed the need to address some real changes in the accompanied by his wife Glenda who also serves as the District President for the current small games of chance laws. The current law is 30-years old and falls Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Parry Counties, and ALA Department of short on realistic limits on prizes and how or what those funds can be legally Pennsylvania Chaplain, Brenda Williams. The deceased Past Commanders were expended on. The expectations are very high; we will see new legislation passed named by Commander Chad Reed and Presidents were named by President this year. We will keep you apprised of the process as the new legislation is Gloria Hughes. Each was honored with the ringing of the bell concluded with introduced. We would appreciate if you would contact your local legislator and the playing of Taps. All the Past Commanders and Presidents were recognized as get them to support this needed change. For those with Internet access the well as all officers of the Legion, Auxiliary and Sons of the American Legion. information is on our website at www.pa-legion.com. Commander Reed announced the names of those members who have been Another Pennsylvania General Assembly issue is increased funding for Act 66 members for 50 or 60 years. The list includes: Leonard E. Lukens, R. Ashton (the service officers initiative). Our Pennsylvania American Legion should be White with 50 years and Lee Loper, William D. Souder, and Past Commander very proud of the performance of our Department Service Officers. Collectively, William Wright each with 60 years.