POST 24 NEWS AND VIEWS, JULY 2009

Post Commander, Frank Molina
Auxiliary President, Deirdre Nye
SAL Commander, Chuck Klein
ALR President, Michael Smith
Lead Bartender, Jeff Sweet
Bingo Chairman, Barb Klein
Adjutant, Don Aiton
Editor, Karen Goodman

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Meetings
Auxiliary Meeting, Dark July-August
E-Board Meeting, July 8, 7p
ALR Meeting, July 11, 9a
District Meeting, July 12, 1:30p, Douglas
SAL Meeting, July 15, 6:30p
Post Meeting, July 22, 7p

Pot Luck, Monday, July 6, 6:30pm - Bring a dish to share. The theme is picnic foods.

Shuffleboard Night, every Monday night @ 6p, except for Pot Luck night. Entry fee, $5.

Pool Night, Every Tuesday @ 6:30p. Happy hour drink prices for all players. The entry fee is $5. Cafe Legionnaire is open and will serve pool night specials.

Karaoke and Taco’s, every Thursday @ 5:30p.

Bingo will be dark in July! Join us again in August!

Play SLINGO, Saturday 3-5p, sponsored by the SAL and Sunday 3-5p sponsored by the Ladies Auxiliary. There will be no SLINGO Saturday July 4!

Café Legionnaire is open Tuesday, 6-8p, Wednesday thru Friday, 11a - 8p, Saturday, 9a – 8p (Breakfast 9 – 11a) and Sunday 2-6p. Thursday is taco night and there is a fish fry each Friday.

Rita and the Blind Vets will visit Tombstone Friday July 3, 11a. Volunteer and help make their visit a memorable one!

Celebrate July 4 by joining is the fun at the BBQ to be held in the back picnic area…2-6p, a $5 donation will support Fisher House.

The Auxiliary Annual July 4th Balloon Pop will be held July 2-4. Pop a balloon for a prizes while supporting the Children’s Annual Christmas Party, sponsored by the Post and Ladies Auxiliary.

POST COMMANDER
Frank Molina
Well Legionnaire’s, here we go again. Time is really going by fast. And boy have we been busy with funerals and parades. By now most of you know that recently we lost two great members, Frank Chadwick and Calos Montijo. They will be greatly missed by our Post 24 members. My prayers go to both of them and to all Post Officers. Thank you for your help with the wonderful memorial for Frank Chadwick. Thank you E-Board, SAL, and ALR members. And a special thanks goes to the Ladies Auxiliary for the great food and all of the great help they provided. We are an American Legion Family. A big thanks to all of you. For God and Country…Commander Frank Molina

AUXILIARY PRESIDENT
Dierdre Nye
The first Wednesday of the month from September through June, The American Legion Auxiliary has a 6.30 meeting at Roy Fourr, Post 24 on Allen Street. July and August will be "dark". That by no means stops The Auxiliary from their dedicated work of helping our Veterans and our Community.

Slingo, single line bingo is hosted by The American Legion Auxiliary for members and guests every Sunday from 3:00 pm until 5:00 pm.

Pot Luck will be ongoing throughout the summer on the first Monday of every month. The theme for the 6th of July is "Picnic food", starting always at 6:30.

It was wonderful to be invited to participate in the parade on the 13th of June, A Salute to the Buffalo Soldier.

Monday the 15th we wished Steve Washbourn (Shanana) Bonn Voyage, it was indeed a great send off, thanks to the organization of Dee Dee Molina our Legion Liaison. Steve will be living with his daughter in Thailand. We want him to enjoy every minute there.

Unit 24 had five representatives at the State Convention the weekend of the 20th, not including our own Sencie Patchin, District 3 President who represented us. We all came away with more ideas on how to help our Community more. The District Meeting this quarter for The American Legion, Sons of The American Legion and The American Legion Auxiliary is at Post 11, on the12th of July in Douglas.

That day Saturday the 20th of June will never be forgotten at Post 24. We lost a beloved member Frank Chadwick, and Saturday the 20th of June was his Memorial at Roy Fourr Post 24. I want to thank every one that helped our Memorial Chairman Nancy Sperry, with not only food and refreshments but with service and support, thank you indeed. Another Member, Carlos Montijo, recently died and will be greatly missed. It was a sad month for our Post.

The 4th of July is almost upon us. This is when The Auxiliary has their annual "Balloon Pop". All donations from this event goes to our annual Children’s Christmas Party. Last year it was a great success. We were even able to give each child money as well as gifts, candy and fruit, not forgetting the wonderful entertainment. If you have a small gift to add to the 4th of July Balloon Pop, please call Sandi Freeman at 520-429-4108.

Unit 24 has an e-mail address. Those wishing a folder please contact Ann Bliss via the Unit's e-mail, alauxunit24@yahoo.com. The Auxiliary also has a calendar. It is posted on the bulletin board in the hallway. Auxiliary meetings, projects etc., will be posted and updated as necessary. Happy 4th of July everyone, lets hope that this is a great month for us all.

God Bless. Deirdre Nye President Unit 24

ALR PRESIDENT
Michael Smith
The next ALR meeting is 11 July at 0900.The August meeting will be on the 8th. We will be riding in the Tombstone 4th of July Parade on July 5 with 3x5 flags.

VETERANS AFFAIRS AND REHABILITATION
Susan Schubert
First and foremost, thanks to our Legion Service Officer, Don Aiton, I was able to attend the service officer trainings at State Conference. Thanks, Don. I learned a lot and was once again impressed with how much there is to learn.

The Southern Arizona VA Health Care System has improved their formula for determining who is eligible for health care. Of course, the new formula is just as much a secret as the old one, but if you have applied for health care before and been turned down, this is a good time to try again. If you have never applied, this may be your opportunity. Call or visit an Eligibility Clerk either at the Sierra Vista Clinic, or the Tucson Hospital. No appointment is necessary and you should receive an almost immediate answer.

Mario Arrosco, our area Veteran's Employment Representative, has three new grants for training for unemployed veterans. Interested? Call Mario at (520)439-3550. Or stop in and see him on Monday or Friday at his Sierra Vista office: 1843 Paseo San Luis.

The Joint POW-MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) is broadening it's program of using DNA to identify recently found remains of our MIAs. Relatives who are in a missing service member's maternal line are encouraged to donate a DNA sample. For more information, see Mike Stout, or visit http://www.jpac.pacom.mil.

Finally, remember, Luella Emmons, Benefits Counselor with the Arizona Department of Veterans Services is available at the Veterans Outpost (121 4th Street) every 3rd Wednesday from 1-4 pm. In July, that day will be July 15. Her visit is an opportunity to "ask the expert" as Luella has more than 10 years experience as a veteran advocate. So stop in on July 15.

DISTRICT 3 PRESIDENT
Sencie Patchin
District 3 new Officers for 2009-2010 are Sencie Patchin President, Unit 24, Jennie Molina Vice President, Unit 11, Karen Smith Sec-Treasurer, Unit 11 and Ann Graves Chaplain, Unit 24.

I am Pleased to Announce that Karen Smith from Unit 11, Douglas was elected as Department Chaplain for 2009-2010. Also Deirdre Nye, Unit 24 President is a Department Chairman for the Department President’s special Project.

As District 3 President I will be holding my agenda meeting at the Tombstone Motel on July 11, 2009 starting at 10:00 am, you will be able to get lunch at Morgan’s Pizza. Please RSVP at 520-457-3749 so that I know how many people will be attending. I would like to see all the Unit Presidents in attendance and a many of her Officers that can attend. This is important so that we can get our district meetings agenda setup of the year.

District 3 also won the membership circus wagon contest for the most votes. The wagon was dedicated to Armida Silva, PDP from Unit 11,Douglas. We received $100 and a huge Dalmatian dog.

I’m also proud to announce that Unit 11 we’re recipients of several Department Awards.

District 3 Meeting will be in Douglas at Post 11 on July 11, 2009 at 1:30PM. Hope to see you all there. Installation of new officers will be held at this time.

BINGO
Barbara Klein
There will be no bingo for the month of July. Bingo will start up again on the first Friday in August. The Senior Jackpot will be guaranteed at $500.00.

POST AND UNIT NEWS AND VIEWS
E-board and General Meeting Minutes…
Discussions took place at the E-board meeting regarding summer kakoke, dress code, kitchen contract, cleaning contract and lead bartender contract.
A motion was passed to have happy hour prices during slingo and karaoke.
A motion was passed to donate $50 to the Tombstone Foodbank in Carlos Montijo’s name.
A motion was passed to donate $500 to the Tombstone Volunteer Fire Department for 4th of July fireworks.
A motion passed to increase our monthly contribution to the Tombstone Foodbank from $100 to $200 for the next year due to the state of the economy.
A motion passes to reimburse Mr. Perry and Mr. Stout $200 for convention expenses.
A motion passed to allow Dick Perry to sponsor a raffle to defray expenses for his run for State Commander.
Informative convention reports were given by Dick Perry and Mike Stout.
A Post Everlasting ceremony took place for Frank Chadwick and Carlos Montijo.
The Fall Conference will be Oct 29-31 in Lake Havasu.
A complete set of the minutes can be found on the bulletin board in the hallway.

HAPPY JUNE BIRTHDAY
Buff Huntsman July 2, Independence Day July 4, Ralph Gonzales July 5, Kathyrn Waite July 6, Larry Braden July 7, Holly Towers and Cheryl Lindsey July 8, MJ Sullivan July 9, Lee Althaus July 10, Russel May July 15, Ernie Molina and Amanda Beesley July 16, Madelyn Perroti and Anna Graves July 19, Joy Westin, Dennis Harbison and Bob Hause July 20, Walt Lukasavage July 22, Richard Grinnell July 25, Nancy Sperry July 26, Billy Joe Cole and Commander Frank Molina July 27, Janie Hause July 28.

SICK CALL
Lillian Rafferty, Jean Sullivan, Commander Molina, all recovering from falls and Evelyn Holder.

IN MEMORIUM
Carlos R. Montijo
July 30, 1937 - June 19, 2009

Carlos R. Montijo, 71, of Tombstone, Ariz., passed away peacefully at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tucson, Ariz., on June 19, 2009, surrounded by his loving family.Carlos was born on July 30, 1937, in Tombstone to Ignacio and Librada Montijo.One of 14 children, he was preceded in death by his father, mother and seven of his siblings.

Carlos is survived by his wife, Mary Ann Montijo; his children, Donna, Wendy and Carlos Jr.; nine granchildren and a great-grandchildren.Carlos served four years in the U.S. Navy and was a member of the American Legion Post #24 for 47 years. He retired from civil service Sept. 30, 1997, from Fort Huachuca, Ariz.Carlos was a wonderful husband, father, brother, uncle, grandfather and a friend. He will be missed very much and always remembered.A rosary for Carlos was held at 3 p.m. on Thursday, June 25, 2009, at the Sacred Heart Church on Sixth and Stafford Streets in Tombstone. Graveside services will be private. Donations are being accepted at the Tombstone Foodbank in his name.

Frank Richard Chadwick, Jr.
March 6, 1948 - June 12, 2009

Frank Richard Chadwick, Jr., 61, passed away following injuries sustained from a accident on Saturday, June 12, 2009, on Middlemarch road in Tombstone, Ariz.Frank, a Tombstone resident, was born on March 6, 1948, in Athens, Ohio to Frank Richard Chadwick, Sr., and Aldine Duncan Chadwick. He was raised in Ohio and attended public schools and college.Frank entered the Army and served in the Vietnam War and retired as a CW3 after 20 years service. He moved to Tombstone and has been a resident of Arizona for the last 29 years, coming from Kentucky.

Frank enjoyed riding his quads and shooting his pistols. He was an avid follower of history and enjoyed designing jewelry and sculptures. He will be deeply missed by his family and friends.Survivors include his parents, Frank and Aldine Chadwick of Tombstone; his daughter, Vanessa Chadwick of Sierra Vista, Ariz.; his son, James Richard Chadwick of Tucson, Ariz.; his granddaughter, Amber Chadwick of Tucson; wife, Nancy Chadwick of Tombstone; his friend and companion, Sue Hilligoss of Tombstone; his two sisters and brothers-in-law, Nancy and Douglas Crandall of Connecticut, Dona and George Murphy of Ohio; and several nieces and nephews. A memorial service was held on Saturday, June 20, 2009, at 11 a.m. at the American Legion Post # 24 in Tombstone. Burial of cremains will be held privately at a later date. All arrangements are being handled by Dugan Funeral Chapel.

Also remember in your prayers Donald Morelock of Tombstone and and Donald Herb formerly of Sierra Vista and former regular bingo player here at the Post.

FROM THE EDITOR
Karen Goodman
If you would like to have a copy of the newsletter emailed to you, send your email address to karengoodman66@msn.com or leave the information at the Post. The same can be said for information, articles or commentary you wish to publish. Deadline for the Newsletter will be JuLY 30. Please follow the Post News and photos on our blog at http://post24az.blogspot.com/

Reports received from Post and Unit Officers after the Newsletter deadline will be published in the blog only.

The Declaration of Independence
The first sentence of the Declaration asserts as a matter of Natural Law the ability of a people to assume political independence, and acknowledges that the grounds for such independence must be reasonable, and therefore explicable, and ought to be explained.

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

The next section, the famous preamble, includes the ideas and ideals that were principles of the Declaration. It is also an assertion of what is known as the "right of revolution": that is, people have certain rights, and when a government violates these rights, the people have the right to "alter or abolish" that government.[71]

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

The next section is a list of charges against King George which aim to demonstrate that he has violated the colonists' rights and is therefore unfit to be their ruler:

Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Many Americans still felt a kinship with the people of Great Britain, and had appealed in vain to the prominent among them, as well as to Parliament, to convince the King to relax his more objectionable policies toward the colonies. The next section represents disappointment that these attempts had been unsuccessful.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

In the final section, the signers assert that there exist conditions under which people must change their government, that the British have produced such conditions, and by necessity the colonies must throw off political ties with the British Crown and become independent states. The conclusion incorporates language from Lee's resolution of independence that had been passed on July 2.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.