Dear Post 904 member,

            Thank you for signing up, renewing or transferring your American Legion membership to Post 904.  Your post does amazing things to support community and country.  Members of Post 904 have been LEADERS since the post founding in 1919 and continues to serve.  This year our entertainment committee teamed up with our community health and welfare committee to answer the National Commander’s call to “Be The One”.  The Post held a comedy show to support the $1000 donation to the Department’s contribution to the cause and used the balance to pay for a lunch to go with VA S.A.V.E training to the post.  The articles about the effort were written up in LegionTown and the 3^rd submitted entry prompted an interview by the National Magazine of the Post and the Department of NY Commander Dave Riley.  Commander Riley ATTENDED the training the first SAVE training, at the post.  That training inspired him to conduct SAVE training at Department convention.  He further requested that a resolution be passed encouraging American Legion posts to host SAVE training in their post homes and encourage the public to attend.  That resolution passed and is under review by the National Executive Committee currently for National adoption.

 The post continues to hold blood drives, sponsors Troop 65B and Troop 65G as well as Cub Pack 65 and now a Girl scout troop and Sea Cadet contigent.  Both Troop 65B and 65G had an Eagle Scouts this past year.  Katarina Probst was Troop 65’s first Eagle Scout.  This Auxiliary member and Girls Stater is already and advanced EMT who finished 2^nd at the Zone level of the American Legion oratorical for the second year in a row.  Kat also earned the state of NY VFW Eagle Scout of the year and hopes to be an army surgeon someday.  Post 904 sponsored Trenton Dunn to attend Boys State this year and he PASSED the NY state Bar exam.  Post 904 legionnaires 1^st Vice Commander Scott Diang served as a city councilor this year and Service Officer/Adjutant Dean Erck returned as a state councilor in 2023.  The Jr. shooting team has seen an increase in both participants and volunteers since Past Commander Richard Drake returned to run the program again.  His committee continues to start new programs, find new ways to recruit and bring in members to the post.  The Range currently has a women’s shooting group and his hosting shooting by 4H groups, scout groups, sea cadets and home schoolers.  Contact PPC Drake for details.

The Christmas in July program included members from EVERY Legion family at the post.   Christmas carols, acts of kindness and the Law-and-Order committee’s ALF dog kick off.  The entertainment committee sponsored activities that would fund the effort of the Law and Order committee to provide children in crisis plush huggable dogs when law enforcement or rescue came across them.  The Alexandria Bay PD, State Police, Park Police, Jefferson County Sheriff and rescue services will distribute the dogs to children in crisis.  Son’s member Officer Jorgensen is leading that effort.  Anyone wanting to sponsor a dog you can email me.  We plan a new program to capture fire department volunteer hours in the future.

You will notice improvements to the post home when you visit.  A new ceiling in the bar room, and plans to upgrade, finish or dress up the post continue with new ideas coming into the building and grounds committee daily.  Three American Legion Post members attended American Legion FAMILY college this year.  2^nd Vice Commander Phillip Hunter, Judge Advocate Dennis Cook and Historian Doug Side attended the course in Morrisville this June to learn about the American Legion Family, Legislation, resolutions, post officers, membership, leadership, auxiliary, Sons and Riders.  This brings the number of Legion College graduates from Post 904 to 10.  Hopefully, we will continue to send Legion, Sons and Auxiliary members to the college.  Post programs are thriving but can always use more participants as well as volunteers.  Several active committees have drawn recognition from state and national officers and post ideas have become state wide efforts through Department resolutions.  The 2023 Department of NY Post 904 received the Most Outstanding Post in the Fifth District for both Americanism and Children and Youth programs.

            You can see Post 904 Hero banners around town and they continue to be purchased by family and sponsors that honor them.  Notice they have Post 904’s name on them.  The John B. Lyman American Legion Post 904 brand is one that is recognized for over 104 years.  If you know of veteran in need of a buddy check reach out to smerck54@yahoo.com or if you know of veteran who wishes to join or renew their membership let me know that as well.  Post meetings are the 3^rd Wednesday of every month at 7pm.  Please make sure I have your email so I can send you monthly post minutes.

Thank you,

Dean Erck Membership Chairman

Be The One!