Newsletter
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PLAQUE PRESENTATION TO STRAUS NEWS, THE PHOTO NEWS
Post 488 today presented a Certificate of Appreciation plaque to Straus News, The Photo News for their contribution to the advancement of several American Legion programs.
At the presentation, it was pointed out that articles in The Photo News were instrumental in the success of several programs.
The number of used cell phones for the Cell Phones for Soldiers program has always showed a remarkable increase after an article regarding the program appeared in print.
The Support Our Troops program resulted in successful campaigns when The Photo News reported on the program. Over 500 packages were contributed by our neighbors in Monroe and sent to soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan, with the help of the publicity generated by The Photo News.
After the article on our lunch for the Vets at Castle Point Hospital appeared, a new local caterer volunteered their services, and will be providing lunch for the Nursing Home unit in this month.
The Photo News has publicized our Boys’ State program by printing a picture of Monroe-Woodbury High School students who were selected as delegates to this Department of New York program. An article reporting on a Boy Scout’s
Eagle Scout project recently appeared in The Photo News and attracted the attention of our Post’s Boys’ State committee. The project resulted in the raising of $5,000 worth of goods split between the Wounded Warriors at Walter Reed Army Hospital & Bethesda Naval Hospital. That earned the Eagle Scout an interview and resultant selection as a Delegate.
Pictured above is (c) Bob Quinn, Managing Editor, The Photo News and The Warwick Advertiser, accepting the award, (l) Lawrence Chanowsky, Commander Post #488, who presented the plaque and (r) Bob Martell, Vice Commander.
A copy of the certificate is shown below.
Cell Phones
Bob Martell is collecting old cell phone's at the Post. Following a program set up by CELL PHONES FOR SOLDIERS, the old cell phones are sent to a recycle site in Michigan. Each phone sent has a value of 72 minutes in prepaid phone cards, which are primarily sent to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The goal of CELL PHONES FOR SOLDIERS is to help our troops call home.
As of June 4, 2009 we have collected 9,604cell phones, resulting in over 624,000PREPAID TELEPHONE MINUTES for use of troops to call their families, at no expense to them.
Please, drop off your old phones at our Post, 532 Lakes Road, Monroe, NY
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS
Post #488 has sent out over 500 care packages to our troops in Iraq/Afghanistan to date (4/01/08) The items in these care packages were mostly donated by the people in the Monroe Area. In addition to providing many of the snacks and toiletries for these packages, Post #488 absorbed the cost of postage for these boxes. We expect to start a new campaign later in the year. Please check out the newsletter to stay in touch.
SHOES AT THE LEGION
Horse shoe League starts ?????? there will be 3 game per week Games start at 6 and 7 pm Call the post if you are intrested.
Have you been by the post lately a new 2 acre area has been cleared behind the pavilion, and the horse shoe pits have been moved. Hats off to Frank Cush and the Venture Crew (boy scouts) for all the hard work to help make that happen. There were also others that need to be thank, Doug Kloiber, Steve Angel, Dan Olin, Kevin Burn, Pete Touhi, Jim Lynch, and many others. A special thanks go out to Mike Granholm who donated his equipment for the project. If I have forgotton anyone or have missed thanking anyone please drop me an E- Mail and we will fix the mistakes, Thanks
Eddie Ryan
The Eddie Ryan fundraiser was a great success for an operation put togeather on the fly (6 weeks). The Post along with the Knights of Cloumbus, The Nam Knights, The FOP, raised over $15,000 for Sgt. Ryan. A big thank you to all that helped make that a such a seccess.
April 13, 2008 will mark the THIRD anniversary of Eddie's being wounded. That's two years of suffering, rehab and fighting the system for Eddie and his family. You can contact Eddie at http://www.helpeddieryan.com to offer your support and well wishes.
PHOTO NEWS article from 8/15/08:
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Army Sgt. 1st Class Jesse Prater and his mother Marisa McGregor pose with Bob Martell, left, vice commander of American Legion Post 488, and Frank “Uncle Buck” Pilegi and Erwin “Benzee” Benz of WTBQ in Warwick during their visit to the Warrior Transition Brigade unit at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Photo courtesy of Marisa McGregor |
Washington, D.C. road trip is a reminder of the importance of saying thanks - Cell phone donations and community generosity make trip possible
By Nancy Kriz
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Army Sgt. 1st Class Jesse Prater was in his bed at the Warrior Transition Brigade unit at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. when three unexpected area visitors arrived with 500 telephone calling cards for him and other patients on the unit.
Prater has been a patient at the medical center for quite some time, recovering from a shattered pelvis. His injuries occurred during a mission when he and a group from his unit were riding in a truck in Mosul, Iraq. Their vehicle was attacked by an enemy truck which also crashed into it during an ambush, critically injuring the soldiers in Prater’s truck.
Prater, a Green Beret with the Army’s Special Forces division, was thrown from the truck. After being flown to Germany for surgery, he was sent to Walter Reed for additional surgery and rehabilitation.
Chrome rods, which protrude six to eight inches from his lower body, now hold his pelvis in place as it heals. He undergoes daily physical therapy to learn how to maneuver around and will be in the hospital for six more months. Just recently, he’s been able to get out of bed and into a wheelchair. Normally, his visitors are military people.
500 phone cards
Bob Martell, a Monroe resident and vice commander of American Legion Post 488 in Monroe, Frank “Uncle Buck” Pilegi of Chester and Highland Mills resident Erwin “Benzee” Benz of radio station WTBQ in Warwick were on their own mission. Their visit’s purpose was to distribute the 500 phone cards, donated to them for their trip by “Cell Phones for Soldiers” and let Prater and others know that people living in southern Orange County care about the soldiers fighting in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.
Martell also appears regularly on Pilegi’s and Benz’s WTBQ program (a.k.a. Uncle Buck’s and Benzee’s “Prime Time,” Fridays at 12:30 p.m.), discussing the cell phone program and other ongoing efforts to remember soldiers serving overseas. Pilegi and the radio station also collect phones, working with many other people and area businesses as well. | |||
“It tore my heart out to see his wounds,” said Martell. “It (the trip) was definitely worth it. It reinforces to me that for every soldier I see, I say thanks, thanks for serving.” | |||
Post 488 has “adopted” Prater and his unit, Martell said, and is planning a future hospital trip to bring more phone cards and other sundry items to Walter Reed. |
Perhaps more important to Prater was that a war veteran and his acquaintances took the time to make the almost six-hour drive for just an hour’s visit to someone they didn’t know. |
