HAPPY
NEW YEAR 2006
New Year’s day, as celebrated on the first day of January each year, is primarily a western tradition. But where it’s celebrated, it’s observed in a wide variety of interesting and often idiosyncratic ways. Here are a few of the worlds customary countdowns: At midnight, children in Puerto Rico throw pails of water out of the window. This is supposed to rid their homes of evil spirits. Spaniards and the Portuguese share a similar countdown ritual. When the clock begins to strike midnight, they eat a grape for each toll to draw good luck for the 12 months of the year. The grapes are then washed down with wine. In Spain, everything stops to observe this ritual including theaters, movies, and concerts. The Swiss have a tradition of letting a drop of cream fall to the floor on New Years Day. The spilled dairy represents the hope for abundance in the coming months. South Africa rings the New Year in with church bells and gun shots. Japanese New Years celebrations marry traditional Shinto customs with contemporary modes of celebration. To keep evil spirits away, a rope of made of straw, which stands for happiness and good fortune, is strung across the front of Japanese houses. When midnight comes, it’s also a custom to start laughing. This is supposed to bring good luck in the New Year.
WASHINGTON– A
recent funding increase for research related to illnesses affecting some
veterans of the Gulf War– and the establishment of research treatment centers
and a pilot program that partners the VA with a prominent Texas medical center
in studying such illnesses-drew praise today from the Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) Secretary James Nicholson. The funding increase for Gulf War
illness research treatment centers and the creation of the pilot program at
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas were measures
incorporated into the 2006 VA budget by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-Texas).
The budget was recently approved by Congress and signed by President Bush. “VA
is committed to further investigating the unique health care needs of Gulf War
veterans, and the establishment of research centers, including this pilot
program and will help the department answer the questions that still remain on
this important issue,” said Nicholson.
December
was very busy. Toys For Tots (Tom and the band was great). We signed up seven
new members. Welcome aboard. Children’s Christmas Party. My chest swelled and
my eyes watered as I watched the children scrambling to see Sammy Santa (thanks
buddy). To the Ladies Auxiliary, EXCELLENT JOB, for and with the children. Thank
You Ladies. Clean up day. I was proud to see so many volunteers that showed up
to work, and the job that was done was beyond all expectations. Thank You All.
Special thanks go out to Mick Dunn and his family for providing Christmas dinner
for members at the Post who will be alone this year. Thanks Mick, It was
appreciated by all. As you might gather, I have a lot to be proud of. More than
anything else, the Post is becoming WE… The efforts of a few is
contagious to all and WE is more prevalent… This effects us all.
Thanks. New Years Eve is coming up so Come On Out. If you have not been coming
out, try to do so. Your participation supports the Post. I would like to
wish each and every one a safe and prosperous New Year...2006
is here!!
Membership
cards are in for 2006. The door key cards will be changed Jan. 01 2006. The new
will be given out to you. With a membership card with the year 2006 on it. If
you have not paid 2006 dues You can mail them in or come by the Post if you wish
to pay. We have 406 members that have re-upped for 2006. Post 639 is trying for
goal of 100% in membership. We have not reached our goal at this time we are at
81.4% for the 2006 year. If you as a member know someone that has not renewed,
get them to renew their membership. It takes members to make membership happen
at this Post. Every one of you count in what makes this Post grow today and grow
in the future for the service men & women of today and in the future. Very
soon we will have an answering machine at the Post during hours when no one is
there.
Hope
everyone had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year! Felt bad I was not at The Children's
Christmas party and the Ladies Auxiliary Party, but there are times things just
can’t happen. It will soon be 2006. I, myself, hope to do better at least
until August. With my cigar at my side, I feel I can do this. WE need to
make some changes for the better with the Ladies Auxiliary.
On
December 10th the auxiliary hosted the annual Christmas
party for the children. There were 25 children in attendance.
There was a visit from Santa, a craft, presents, candy and
each child was presented with a book. I want to thank all of the ladies that
made this a success. Debra had the attention of all the children when she read
them a story. There was absolute silence from the kids when she did this. Way to
go, Debra. On December 12th the auxiliary had their annual dinner party And
ornament exchange. It was held At Jose’s Place and anyone who left.
There hungry must have a problem. The
ornament exchange was a great Success and we all had a great time. Sorry
that Beverly couldn’t make it. Missed a great time. 
We
are starting a New Year!! Now is the time to reflect on
last years accomplishments and failures and to set new goals for this year. This
could have happened at the Post– I was sitting at the Bar when a man walked in
and ordered a drink from Pat, he told her that he had accepted a job in
Springfield and was thinking about transferring his membership to our Post and
wanted to know what our Post was like. Pat asked him what his Post was like and
he replied that it was not so nice in fact they were quite rude. Pat said, “Well,
I’m afraid you will find the same attitude here.” About that time another
man walked up and ordered a drink and told Pat he had just moved his family to
Town, he was also thinking about transferring his membership and asked what kind
of Post this was. Pat asked, “What was your Post Like?” The man replied, ”My
Post was great. We had fun and some of my best friends were there, I hated to
leave.” Well, said Pat you’ll find the same here. The man replied, “Thanks.”
The first man was listening to the conversation and was now confused, he said
what is this Post really like? Pat shrugged her shoulders and said, “It’s a
matter of your perception, you will find things just the way you think they are.”
Something to think about. If you did not make it to the Thanksgiving dinner you
missed out! It was better than going to Hemingway’s or the Tower Club or any
other buffet in Springfield. The food was excellent! The deep fried turkey was
the best thanks to Tennessee!!! Salads, pasta Chili, dumplings and pies were all
delicious. The only complaint I had was the plates were too small. YOU MISSED
OUT! Please pray for Gary Wayne and Steve Johnson who are facing cancer And not
doing well. Remember our Troops, men and women in the service, our POW’s and
MIA’s in your prayers. HAPPY NEW YEAR.
I
hope you had a wonderful Christmas and a great New Year. By now someone has won
the big screen TV and we are well on our way to having a lighted sign at the
road. Thank you to all who Purchased tickets...
The
bar and Kitchen has had a good year. We’ve had a few changes and look forward
to more, for the better. There will be daily drink specials so come in to see if
your drink is one of them. I would like to thank Bobby and Sheila for the
outstanding job that they have done. I think you both are just FANTASTIC. I
look forward to working with you in 2006. A very special THANK YOU goes
out to Katie McGowan and Crystal Veregge for helping clean the kitchen on
clean-up day. YOU ARE AWESOME.
“This
is one for the scrapbook,” Sergeant Aaron Olson, wrote to Scott Thomsen, Vice
President of the Iowa American Legion Riders. Thanks to Sgt Olson, a new member
of the Iowa ALR of Post 731 in Des Moines, the ALR flag flew high on November
30, 2005 at the 224th Combat Engineer Battalion Headquarters in Ramadi, Iraq.
Sergeant Olson learned about the Legion Riders from the Iowa ALR website. After
an exchange of emails between Olson and the Iowa ALR, he was asked to join from
Iraq. According to the Iowa ALR Chapter Vice-President, Scott Thomsen, “Olson
got so excited that he got his parents to join as well.” Olson approached Lt.
Col. Todd Jacobus, Battalion commander of the 224th CEB, who approved the
request to fly the Iowa ALR flag along side Old Glory. "I was proud to fly
the American Legion Rider colors in Iraq," Olson said. "Thank you for
all support and care from the Iowa ALR members." According to Thomsen,
Olson returned to the states and attended the Iowa ALR Christmas party on
December 17. Olson, whose hometown is Washington, Iowa, bought a 2006 Harley
Davidson Wide Glide while stationed in Iraq. It was waiting for him when he came
home on leave in September. Post 639 Chapter of the
Riders is being Organized now. See Harvey Williams for Details.
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