Travis Post 76 Newsletters 2009

First of all, Happy New Year to all of you and your families! I sincerely hope and pray that 2009 is good to you, good to the Legion and good to the country. The close of 2008 and start of 2009 got a little rocky but through faith and prayers the road will get smoother. We will try something different to start off the new year. Instead of our usual Post Social Monday evening, we will have a breakfast Saturday, January 17, 2009, starting at 9:00 a.m. The Post will have pancakes for all to enjoy. The breakfast is open to all members, their families and guests are also welcome. We ask the members to bring a breakfast dish for all to share, something that complements the pancakes. For more detailed information see Cyndi’s First Vice Commander’s Comments. Those of you who want to help out, please show up early Saturday to help cook and set up.
Our Christmas Post Social went very well. We had good attendance and the food was good. Our Dinner Committee, as always, does just a super job in making sure we all get enough to eat and the food selection is just excellent. While we didn’t sing this year, the conversationwas lively and everybody seemed to have a good time. I would also like to thank those in attendance for the very generous contribution y’all made to the veterans cause. We collected $115 at the meeting and that was added to the Post’s $200 donation that we took up to Temple and donated. Will Ivie, Will Brown, George Ruiz and Gene Volcik made the trek to Temple on Friday, December 19th, and presented the donation and assisted with the distribution of presents to the veterans. All told, they visited 182 veterans. My warm thanks and appreciation go out to you guys for taking the time and making the effort! I know 182 veterans were very, very happy!
A couple of reminders. The Department’s Midwinter Conference is this month, January 22-25 at the Omni Southpark Hotel, intersection of I35 and 71. It’s a good opportunity to get to know other Legionnaires and learn a little more about your Legion. Check the Department’s web page for details. If you are planning to go, please let Will Ivie know. We voted and approved at Tuesday’s meeting to have a table at the hotel on Saturday to advertise our Post and to hold a raffle or two to collect money for our elevator. We are still looking for items that would make for a good raffle and that Legionaries would find interesting and would like to take a chance on winning. If you believe you have something of interest and would like to donate it for the raffle please bring it to theNew Years Breakfast on Saturday.
We are also planning to have our Executive Committee Meeting on Saturday, January 31, 9:00 -10:00 a.m. After that meeting we will be doing Post projects and one big one we want to do is recover the chairs that are used upstairs. Some of them look pretty bad and we discussed recovering them at the Members Meeting. We will have the material, we will just need the labor! So, starting at 10:00 a.m., we will be recovering chairs upstairs and all volunteers are welcome!
Not too late to plan for February and we will be going to the V.A. Hospital in Temple on Friday, February 13th for Valentines Day. If you all can make it, please plan on it. The Veterans so enjoy the visits!
This is your Post! Get involved and get active!

Post 76 is leading the 10th District in membership. The 3rd renewal notices for the 2009 membership year were mailed on Monday January 5th. We currently have 366 members for 2009, which represents over 94% of our membership goal. If you recently paid,you may still receive a notice since the Department and National must process the payment before the records are updated. Thanks for your help.

The Honor Guard is accepting new members for the 2009 year. See the Post website for more details.
The Honor Guard is a very active part of the Post and a crucial part in keeping "Old Glory" and the millions of veterans who served that flag visible and respected. Come be a part of that tradition. We are also accepting monetary donations that are only used for "Honorships" to assist deserving members in getting their uniform assembled. Our Post does give a "Presentation Package" to new members consisting of Legion patches, shoulder & hat cords, ascot, gloves & brass '76', but everything else is covered by our members.
Our service to the Post includes a myriad of activities including providing an Honor Detail for membership meetings and social events, Veterans Day Parade, and a memorial team for members. We will have a Full Formal Retreat at the April Social – flags, guns, & bugle and a military formation of Legionnaires.
In a continuing request, we need a legionnaire with the drive and Internet searching skills to find some grants and/or donations to help us move forward on getting an elevator installed so our older members can have access to the second floor.
This would also help rentals. For example, Ms. Ruthie Rental would be able to invite her favorite uncle, who's in a wheelchair to attend her wedding reception; but since the 2 floor is inaccessible nd to people like him, she decided to have her reception elsewhere. So, that,s a rental we lose.
The Elevator Fund currently holds only $50 so we need help. We can take donations/grants of cash or securities.

Everyone remember the pancake breakfast on January 17th. We will make pancakes and everyone bring a breakfast item to go along. You can bring the whole family to this Post Social ( yes, kids, too!).
Be getting your chili recipes ready. February is the Chili Cook-Off for our Post Social. Also, February 1st in San Marcos is the Division competition for the oratorical competitions. Remember the Mid-Winter conference in Austin at the Omni hotel Jan 22- 25.

I think our first new venture in 2009 was a success. I am, of course, talking about our New Year’s Breakfast we had on Saturday, January 17th, in lieu of our regular third Monday of the month evening Social. The kitchen volunteers did a great job with cooking the pancakes and frying up the bacon and sausage. Attendance was good and those that came all liked the idea; so, we just might do it again next year! Would like your feedback on this so please let your comments be known. Any officer of the Post can be contacted and your comments/opinions will be taken to heart.
At our Post Projects get together on Saturday, January 31, we had a great turn out and we really made good head way on redoing the chairs upstairs. We did a bunch of chairs replacing the seat vinyl and the chair feet. My thanks to you volunteers! Check out Cyndi’s Comments about our sponsored Oratorical Contest entrant! Woo, hoo!
I’ll do the unpleasant stuff first. DUES! Two things. If you have not yet paid your dues please, please do so. By now you should have gotten a third notice of dues if you have not yet paid. For this year, it’s still only $26. When you get this Newsletter and you realize you have not yet paid your dues, please sit down, write a check and mail it to the Post. Even if you missed paying last year, you can still continue your membership by paying this year’s dues ($26). We need your support! Second thing, the Executive Committee discussed the current dues and if they should be increased at all. As you may recall, National and Department increased their share of the dues to $26 a year or so ago; therefore, since we only assess our members $26 that leaves nothing for the Post. The Committee recommended we increase the dues to $30 this coming year and the additional $4 will be used to defray some of the cost associated with our Post Social Meetings. We encourage your input on this and want your opinion. We plan to discuss at the February Post Social Meeting and will vote on it at the March Business Meeting. You are all encouraged to come on out, discuss with the other members and join in the vote.
Will Ivie, Cyndi Miller, Mike McNamara, Jason Denny, Charles Matheson and I attended some or all of the Department’s Midwinter Conference. I believe we all benefitted through our attendance. I know I did. Learned a lot and met a lot of fellow Legionnaires from around the State. Even had some excitement - a fire at the hotel and we all had to evacuate around 8:30 a.m. that Saturday morning and yes, it was very cold standing outside for a period of time before they would let us back in! As a result of the fire things were set back a few hours which impacted the time we would have for a raffle which we had planned to raise money for our elevator fund. We decided to hold off and do it another day. Those that donated items, Mike and David, thank you. We have them locked up and will try it again at another Legion function. That Saturday also saw the dedication of our Department’s new building through a formal dedication ceremony.
On Friday, February 13th, Post members will be going to Temple VA Hospital to pass out Valentines made by Austin school children to the veterans at the hospital. We need volunteers; so if you can go, contact George Ruiz (443-7232) and plan to meet at the Post at 10:00 a.m. that Friday to car pool up. If you like fresh air and the great outdoors, early March is a great time of the year. Plan on being at Austin Memorial Park cemetery on March 7th, 9:00 a.m. The Austin Parks Foundation is having, “It’s My Park Day” on March 7th, 9:00 -1:00. This is an annual, citywide park volunteer event. Sharon Blythe, Post 76 Auxiliary member, is heading up the effort for the clean up, raking, ball moss removal, etc. for Austin Memorial Park and can use our help. As you know, many veterans are buried there and that is where we planted flags last Veterans Day. If you can go, contact any Post Officer or register at www.austinparks.org/itsmypark.html
Don’t forget about St. Patrick’s Day – not to early to plan for it. We will celebrate at our Post Social, Monday, March 16th - be sure and wear green! Also at the Post Social we will have new member inductions. If you are a new member, joined or transferred in the last half of 2008 or during the first quarter of 2009, please plan on attending the meeting. (We will present you with a welcome kit, meet the current members and see what your Post is all about.) AND, on Saturday, March 28th, we will have our first Garage Sale at the Post from 7:00 - 11:00. We need good stuff, and maybe not so good stuff, to sell. Please check your garage, attic, or wherever you keep things that at one time you thought you would need but is now taking up valuable space, for donations. All proceeds will benefit the Post upkeep. In addition to items to sell we will need volunteers to help set up, clean up and take down on Saturday. All items to sell should be at the Post no later than Friday evening. We do ask a couple of things, please mark on the item what you think a fair price is and please plan to pick up all unsold items after 11:00 a.m.
We are also planning to have our Executive Committee Meeting on Saturday, February 28, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. After that meeting we will be doing Post projects – continuing with our upstairs chair redoing project and some general fan, light, wall, woodwork cleaning. All volunteers are welcome and that starts at 10:00 a.m. We have a big renter, SXSW, coming in for an entire weekend in March and I would like the Post to look nice.
We have a lot going on in April too! One biggie is our Second Annual ROTC Appreciation Dinner and Pass in Review. That’s planned for April 20 so mark it on your calendar. It will be a little different than last year, so stay tuned! Jason Denny, Steve Dawson and Henry Shoenfelt are heading this up and are looking for volunteers. Let any one of them or any Post Officer know of your interest to help out.
This is your Post! Get involved and get active!

The Honor Guard will induct a new member this month. Be sure to be there for this important Post event.
As mentioned elsewhere in the newsletter, the ROTC Appreciation Dinner & Formal Retreat will be April 20 . Same format basically as last th year except no sit down dinner. Instead we will have a mix and mingle with hors d’oeuvres so the JRROTC's, UT ROTC's, and Legionnaires can get to know each other more; per a request from last year’s attendees.
Henry Shoenfelt and I will be coordinating the HG, Jason Denny will handle logistics and will be signing volunteers up the next Members & Social meetings for Security/Parking, Hosts, & Food Teams. Commander of the Legion Platoon this year is 2nd Vice Commander Derrick Israel. Traditionally it’s the 1st Vice Commander, but she is marching with the Honor Guard, so chain of command follows.
We also request help for a special need. We need a way to oil the wheel at the top of the flagpole. We would like to eliminate the noise by the time of our ROTC event. Suggestions have been a cherry picker, a pole climbing expert, and a fire truck with a ladder; none of which we have nor the money to get one. Help!!
In a 2nd continuing request, we need a legionnaire with the drive and Internet searching skills to find some grants and/or donations to help us move forward on getting an elevator installed so our older members can have access to the second floor.
This would help rentals also! For example, Ms. Ruthie Rental would be able to invite her favorite uncle, who's in a wheelchair to attend her wedding reception. But since the 2nd floor is inaccessible to people like him, she decided to have her reception elsewhere. So, that,s a rental we lose. The Elevator Fund currently has tripled from last month to $150 so we still need help. We can take donation/grants of cash or securities.

Remember the Chili Cook-Off for our meeting on February 16th. Also, on February 16th I will be attending the Department of Texas Oratorical Competition with our Division winner sponsored by Post 76, Camille Peeples from Hype Park Baptist High School. If you are unable to attend please send best wishes and prayers for her.

I believe the Chili Cook-Off we had at the February Social was a success! We had a number of entrants, had some great prizes and it was all good. My thanks to those that made chili and entered the contest and to those who sampled the different kinds of chili. We still have a difference of opinion as to whether beans belong in chili or not, and I don’t think that will be resolved anytime soon!
At our Post Projects get together on Saturday, February 28, we had a small turn out so we didn’t get a chance to redo any more chairs. Instead, we cleaned up the post building a little bit, cleaned the ceiling fans, did the inside windows upstairs and wiped down some of the woodwork. My thanks to you volunteers! Derek and Will purchased an electric lawn mower for the Post and we all tried it out. Works great. Dallas and Post volunteers will be doing our lawn from now on saving us a bunch of money that is now spent on lawn care. If anyone likes to work outside and/or knows about lawn and shrub care, please feel free to contact any Post Officer. We can use volunteers and any and all help any member would like to offer.
DUES! Once again, if you have not yet paid your dues please, please do so. We are only four (4) short of our goal. So close! We have not heard from any member that would object to the dues going from $26 to $30 annually. (See the February Newsletter) It looks like dues will be set at $30 for the coming year. The March Social will be all about St. Patrick’s Day, be sure and wear green, and we will also have new member induction. Tuesday may be the official St. Patrick’s Day but Post 76 will celebrate on Monday! If you are a new member, joined or transferred in to the Post the last half of 2008 or during the first quarter of 2009, please plan on attending the meeting. (We will present you with a welcome kit. You can meet the current members and see what your Post is all about.) Please contact any Post Officer and let them know you will be attending so we can have the correct number of welcome kits. Also, on March 16th the Sons of the American Legion (SAL) will have their induction. We will be revising the Constitution of the Post to allow for the Post to have a SAL Squadron. Check out Jason Denny’s write up in this newsletter for more information about the SAL and other activities your Post is involved in.
As stated in our February Newsletter, on Saturday, March 28th, we will have our first Garage Sale at the Post from 7:00 to11:00. We need good stuff, and maybe not so good stuff, to sell. Please check your garage, attic, or wherever you keep things that at one time you thought you would need but is now taking up valuable space, for donations. All proceeds will benefit the Post upkeep. In addition to items to sell we will need volunteers to help set up, help with the sales, and help clean up and take down on Saturday. (We have a rental on Saturday so the Post will need to be cleaned up for the renters.) We also have a rental on Friday so we are asking that you not bring stuff to sell until early Saturday morning, the day of the sale. If you really need to bring stuff earlier please let Dallas know so he can find a place for it. Space is very limited for storage. We do ask a couple of other things as well; please mark on the item what you think is a fair price and please plan to pick up all unsold items after 11:00 a.m. Those working the sale will do their best to ensure all items are sold but sometimes a sale is not possible and we just do not have the space to keep it.
We have a lot going on in April, too! One biggie is our Second Annual ROTC Appreciation Dinner and Pass in Review. That’s planned for April 20, so mark it on your calendar. It will be a little different than last year so stay tuned! Jason Denny, Steve Dawson and Henry Shoenfelt are heading this up and are looking for volunteers. Let any one of them or any Post Officer know of your interest to help out.
This is your Post! Get involved and get active!

The Sons of the American Legion (SAL) was created in 1932 as an organization within the American Legion. The SAL is made up of male descendants whose parents or grandparents served in the United States military and became eligible for membership in the American Legion. Together, members of the American Legion, the American Legion Auxiliary and the Sons of the American Legion make up what is known as The Legion Family. All three organizations place high importance on preserving our American traditions and values, improving the quality of life for our nation's children, caring for veterans and their families, and perhaps most importantly, teaching the fundamentals of good citizenship.
If you have a son or grandson that is eligible and would be interested in joining Travis Squadron 76, please have them contact Santiago Betancourt (sjamesb@hotmail.com). Travis Squadron 76 meets on the 1 Monday st of the month at 6:00 p.m. in the Alamo Room at Travis Post 76.

The “7 day R 2 R Bicycle Ride” that will come through Austin on Tuesday March 31st at 6:00 p.m. Post 76 has agreed to host the dinner for them that night. Check out www.TheRoad2Recovery.org. We expect 60-75 wounded warriors to be on the ride from San Antonio Brooks Army Medical Center to the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. We'll be serving a pasta dinner, not necessarily eating unless we can get a lot of food donations. We need members to welcome the wounded warriors. Commander Al Banzer has agreed to coordinate the requests for food donations. If you would like to help call the restaurants or stores, please contact Al to let him know which restaurant or store you will contact.

March was pretty busy. On Saturday,March 7th, some of us went out to Austin Memorial Park Cemetery and helped with the clean up of the grounds, raking and bagging up the leaves, twigs, etc., and planting fresh flowers at the entrance. My thanks to Auxiliary Member Sharon Blythe for organizing this and to those that came out and helped. It was a nice day and all those that helped seemed to have a good time even though we all put in a good day’s work!
On Monday the 16th, we celebrated St. Patrick’s Day and most of us wore some green. (It should be noted that we have some non-believers in the group so we had to pin a little green on them. My thanks to Dallas for the pins.) We also inducted six new members into the Legion and into the Post. A big welcome and “glad to have you aboard” to:William Heiser, Frank Espinosa,Allen Bergeron, Bryan Garlock, Gregory Ginn and Henry Quinn. Hope to see y’all around the Post frequently and for many years. In addition, we established our first Sons of the American Legion, SAL, Squadron. We had a formal induction ceremony for members of Travis Squadron 76 as well and a big welcome to them. I am looking forward to having them as a part of the family. Heading up Travis Squadron 76 is Santiago Betancourt and I know he will do a great job. He has a lot of energy and great ideas.
On Saturday, March 28th , we had our first garage sale. While we were far from overwhelmed with visitors dying to purchase our goods, we did make a few sales, albeit among ourselves. But, hey, it was fun! We all got some good bargains and I am sure we will try this again. On March 31st, our Post hosted a dinner for the bike riders and the support staff of the Road 2 Recovery. The Road 2 Recovery organization assists wounded warriors withmental and physical rehabilitation through bicycling. The Texas Challenge Bicycle ride started in San Antonio on Monday, March 30, and concluded in Arlington on Saturday, April 4, and is a fund raiser. In addition to hosting the dinner with the help and support of Austin Post 83, Elgin Post 295, Onion Creek Post 326, and Round Rock Post 447, who all contributed either money or helpers or food or a combination of money, helpers and food. We were able to donate $500. Post 447 brought the venison sausage and brisket. Talk about good and “to die for”… My thanks to all those who helped with the dinner – preparation, set up, etc. - and who donated cash. Also, a BIG THANK YOU to Pat Ivie for the chicken and rice dishes - talk about good!! If you missed it, you really missed it! Did my heart good talking with the wounded warriors.
April promises to be just as busy! The biggie, as noted in last month’s newsletter, is our 2nd Annual ROTC Appreciation, Formal Retreat and Pass in Review Program planned for April 20th. A lot of planning, preparation and work are going into this event. Steve Dawson is doing a great job getting the Honor Guard in shape, organizing the rehearsals and generally making sure we all know what we need to do in order to pull this off as smoothly as possible. Jason Denny is in charge of the logistics and is doing a great job. Those who attended last year can attest to the fact all the cadets expressed a feeling of welcome and had a great time. They enjoyed talking with the Post members and really appreciated what we were doing for them. I encourage as many members as possible to come on out, mingle with the cadets and talk with them. I know y’all will have a good time and will have a very rewarding experience to boot.
A couple of other things. The 10th District Convention will be in Round Rock at Post 447 on April 18th. Registration starts at 8:00 a.m. and the General Session starts at 9:30 a.m. All are welcome. Post 447 will have breakfast starting at 7:00 a.m. and will also host lunch. If it’s even close to what they brought to our Post for the Road 2 Recovery dinner, it will be wonderful! Post 447 is off of Highway 79, going toward Hutto from I35, behind the Wag -a- Bag Shell Gas Station, 1000 N. Georgetown St. Please take note, April 18 and 19 at Camp Mabry, American Heroes Celebration (used to be called Muster Day) from 9:00 to 4:00 each day. If you have never been, it’s well worth it. Besides, it’s free; you just need your license to get on the base. It’s fun and a nice outing for the whole family. We will be manning a table and will have Legion material for those interested. If you would like to volunteer, contact any officer of the Post.
Finally, on April 25th, it’s the Texas Round-Up 10k, 5k and Family Mile Walk. The mission is to improve the health of Texans through exercise and healthy living. To sign up go to www.texasroundup.org. It will start at 18th and Congress at 8:00 a.m. for the 5k and 10 k races and 10:00 a.m. for the Family Mile. The races will end with a fitness festival at the State Capital. Again, it’s family fun and it’s healthy!
DUES! At the Members Meeting Monday, themembership approved increasing the dues to $30 annually for the coming year. That’s a $4 increase over the current rate. See the February and March Newsletter for more information.
It’s about that time of the year and I am thinking about a new slate of officers for the 2009-2010 year. We encourage all members to get involved, so please let your ideas, thoughts, and comments be known. You can contact any Post Officer. We are looking for volunteers who would like to donate time to making this Post better and more involved in community and veterans affairs including youth involvement. Please let any Post Officer know if you would like to be involved with Post activities in any way.
This is your Post! Get involved and get active!

Remember the ROTC event on Monday the 20th of April. We are having hors d’oeuvres for our meal that night. We need enough food for approximately 100 people. Anyone who can bring a dish or dessert please notify me by email at miller5019@sbcglobal.net or call 512-947-0826. We want things like cheese platters, crackers, veggie tray, chips and dips, wings, lil smokies sausages and etc of that sort. If unable to bring a large dish or dessert, maybe a legion friend and you can pair up for a larger dish.
Thanks for all of your help and do not forget District 10 meeting April 18 at Round Rock post. Almost our entire post should be able to attend, this is basically our backyard (very close no travel pretty much). Thanks!

1. It was created to honor local High School & College ROTC students and Cadre for their current service to their schools and in some cases pending upcoming service in our Armed Forces.
2. It will start sharply at 1830 HRS on the front lawn with the Pass In Review of the Post and School Color Guards followed by a Formal Retreat. We will then adjourn upstairs for the Service Flag ceremony and good food, socializing & a short report from each ROTC Unit.
3. Legionnaire Platoon falls in formation at 1825 HRS sharp!
4. Legion Platoon leader will be 2nd Vice Commander Derrick Israel.
5. Legionnaires please park in back lot (unless handicap sticker) so our 75+ ROTC guests have a place to park.
6. Post Dinner hats or Legion "Stars" Ball Cap is accepted uniform of the day; or your old uniform you haven’t worn in years is also acceptable.
7. The Cadets quite enjoyed talking to and meeting us veterans last year. Continue it again this year. 8. All Legionnaires bring desserts; we have a lot of cadets to feed.
9. Post Honor Guard should meet about 1715 HRS. Student ColorGuards arrive 1730 HRS for rehearsals.
10. Bring your camera and Post 76 Spirit!! Let’s show these students how much we appreciate them.

We had our 2 Annual ROTC nd Appreciation Program, Pass in Review and Formal Retreat on April 20th, and from all the comments I heard it was a real success. Our own Honor Guard, Spirit of 76, headed by Honor Guard Commander Steve Dawson, led off the pass in review. Junior ROTC Honor Guards from Bowie, Travis and McNeil High Schools and from the University of Texas, the Navy and Marine Corps and Army Honor Guards followed. A finer group of young men and women you would be hard pressed to meet. We tried something different this year with more of an informal program where the Cadets could mix and talk with other Cadets and with Legionnaires. It seemed to go over quite well. First Vice Commander Cyndi Miller did an outstanding job in coordinating the food and making sure we all had enough to eat. If you missed this event you missed a great opportunity to meet some fine young men and women who have chosen the path of being ROTC Cadets. My personal thanks to Steve for organizing the Pass in Review and Formal Retreat and for arranging all the practice sessions so we all could get it right (with a lot of help from Henry Schoenfelt), to Cyndi and the rest of the dinner crew for all the food preparation and work they did, and all the other Legionnaires and their spouses and Auxiliary members who provided all the help to ensure a very successful program. I salute all of you!
Memorial Day is May 25th and we are planning a short American Legion Memorial Day Ceremony at 9:00 a.m., followed by the planting of flags at Austin Memorial Park Cemetery at 10:00 a.m. We will return to the Post at noon to raise the flag to full staff and start our Muster Day activities at the Post to include a cookout of hamburgers and hot dogs. As in past years, this is a family affair so bring out the family! Since we are having Memorial Day activities on Monday the 25th, we will NOT have our regularly scheduled Social Meeting on Monday the 18th. Thrivent, a financial, faith-based, not-forprofit organization requested if they could participate in our Memorial Day activities and provide volunteers to help plant flags. I met with them as they expressed a high level of interest in showing support for veterans. I invited them and they accepted and said they would bring a cooker plus the food! Let’s have a really GOOD turn out and show a warm Legion welcome to the Thrivent volunteers!
Also in May, the 3rd Division is having their convention in Brownsville on May 15th to May 17th. All are welcome. May 16th is also Armed Forces Day. Keep that in mind and check the paper for any Armed Forces Day activities the City of Austin or other organizations may have.
As noted in last month’s newsletter, it’s that time of the year again where we need to be thinking of a new slate of officers for the 2009-2010 year. The Nominating Committee made their presentation at Monday’s members meeting. (See the list of candidates in this newsletter.) I believe we have a great slate of candidates for the coming year and I solicit and encourage your support. We need to vote on the new Officers at our June members meeting on Monday, June 1, so I encourage all of you to be at the meeting and vote. We have a couple of positions open and we are looking for volunteers. Also, remember at that meeting, or anytime prior to the meeting, any member can submit a candidate for any position for consideration. If you have any questions, contact any Post Officer.
One more thing. You know those pull tabs on cans of soda? Well…. PULL TABS FOR RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE! At the Post we have a little red-roofed cardboard house where pull tabs may be deposited. It is for a great cause. When at the Post and if you pop open a can of soda, twist off the pull tab and drop it in the house. When home, please save them and bring then to the Post to put in the house. The tabs will be collected and given to Julia McNamara. Julia, wife of Legionnaire Mike McNamara, is President of the Sprinkle Chapter of Texas Extension and Education As soc iat ion (TEEA) in Northeast Austin. That group is collecting the tabs for the Ronald McDonald House. Specifically, the funds obtained from the tabs help support the Ronald McDonald “Home-Away-From-Home” for families of seriously ill children being treated at nearby hospitals. This program not only supports veterans families who may need assistance but any family that may need help while their child is hospitalized. If you have any questions about the project you may contact Julia at 926-1186.
This is your Post! Get involved and get active!

Come on Memorial Day at 9;00 a.m. for a memorial ceremony, then to the cemetery to place flags, and then our Post Muster and Reunion. We are being graciously furnished with our food, preparation and etc., Post members and guest please bring desserts. Come one, come all for a great time.
Our speaker in June will be Jan Thompson with Cook-Walden to explain old and new information on burial benefits for veterans. She will be sending everyone formal invitations to the event.
A special thanks to all those on the dinner crew that helped with the ROTC event.

My name is Santiago Betancourt and I am the Commander of the SAL Squadron for Travis Post 76, Travis Squadron 76. The Sons of the American Legion is a program of the American Legion to educate Americanism and other values to which all of our brave men & women fought for in current and past wars. The history of those wars and to which the American Legion preserves, must be taught to young men throughout Central Texas.
The Sons of the American Legion (SAL), a program sponsored by Travis Post 76, has been pretty busy getting associated with the Post, its members and the SAL State Chairman. We have successfully recruited five (5) members into the Squadron and look forward to recruiting more new members. We would like to see all of you join our Squadron and/or get your sons/grandsons to join. Please consider. I can be reached at, sjamesb@hotmail.com.
I have been actively working getting things organized and was appointed SAL Chairman of the Boys State Committee, one of the highest positions within the SAL, and Vice Commander of the 10th District of the SAL. As Commander of Travis Squadron 76, I attended the SAL District Convention in Killeen last month, learned a lot and met fellow members of other Squadrons from around the State.
Travis Squadron 76 will be talking to area high schools about the SAL programs and the Rotary organization and will present each school talked to with a flag from the State Capitol.

Our Memorial Day Program was a success. The ceremony started at 9:00 a.m. and upon its conclusion we all went to Austin Memorial Park Cemetary to post flags on the graves of veterans. We purchased and posted 720 flags and could have used more. This was the first time we tried a partnership with another organization. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, with contacts within the Lutheran Churches in and around Austin, joined us this year with volunteers to help post flags. Thrivent, to show support for veterans, provided the food, a very large grill, and arranged for a choir to sing the service songs - complete with a keyboard for music, at the cookout we all enjoyed at noon. We had Legion families, guest families, children and grandchildren, and all seemed to have a great time. Boy Scout Troop 413 provided the Honor Guard at the cookout and did a really outstanding job. As the choir sang the service songs, the service flags were displayed by the Boy Scouts. I want to thank Thrivent for their very generous support and their invaluable help in setting up the program. Cathy, Cynthia, Tiffani and George from Thrivent all did an outstanding job in providing help before, during and after. Thanks guys! And I hope we can pursue this again next year and maybe partner up for other veterans activities during the year.
At the June 1 members meeting the Officers for the 2009-2010 year were elected. The list of officers that will guide us this next year are listed on the back page of this newsletter. Your Nominating Committee did an outstanding job and I firmly believe we have a great team to lead the Post next year. The Installation of the new slate of Officers will take place at the Social Meeting on August 17, 2009, so please mark it on your calendar and plan to attend. Your support is needed if we are to make this Post all that it can be.
At our Social this month, Monday, June 15th, we will have our Flag Retirement Ceremony. We have accumulated a number of worn flags and we will give them a fitting tribute. If you have an old flag and wish to have it retired, please bring it to the Post and we will see to it that it gets retired properly.
This month in McAllen, Texas, the Department of Texas Convention will take place. Dates are Friday, June 26 through Sunday, June 28. All members are invited and if interested, please let any Officer of the Post know.
On June 13th AARP will be having their event at St. Louis Catholic Church, 7601 Burnet Road, and our own Honor Guard, Spirit of 76, will be on hand and at 9:00 a.m. will Post the Colors. This was planned last year but got canceled due to very bad weather. All are invited and there will be information, prizes and some good food. Come on out!
On Saturday, June 20th, we will have an Executive Committee Meeting starting at 9:00 a.m. and at 10:00 a.m., we will have Post Projects. Remember to save your pull tabs on the cans of soda you may drink and bring them to the Post. We have a little red-roofed cardboard house where pull tabs may be deposited and if you recall from last month’s newsletter, it is for a great cause - the Ronald McDonald House. Specifically, the funds obtained from the tabs help support the Ronald McDonald “Home-Away-From-Home” for families of seriously ill children being treated at nearby hospitals. This program not only supports veterans families who may need assistance but any family that may need help while their child is hospitalized.
This is your Post! Get involved and get active!

The Post Social will be on June 15th, where we will celebrate Flag Day with a flag disposal ceremony. The entree will be fried chicken, so bring items to go with this dish. Thanks for everyone's help and support.
In May a few of us gave deserving ROTC students awards at their banquets. It was an honor to do this and see these great young men and women move on with their education and careers.

First a bit of bad news. It is with regret and sorrow that I pass on to all of you the sad news that a good friend and great Legionnaire passed away on June 28, 2009. Will King Brown, who was always the first one to raise his hand and offer whatever he could to help the Legion, our Post and his fellow veterans, will be sorely missed. He was always involved, always had a smile and his wit and wisdom will never be forgotten. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Lakki, his wife of 52 years, his two daughters, Valerie and Laura and three grandsons , Christopher, Cameron and Ethan. Our Honor Guard, a number of Legionnaires , including myself, from the Post were at his Memorial Service on July 7th. Our Honor Guard - Steve, Horace, Henry and Patrick, in full uniform, did a flag ceremony presenting the flag to Lakki. Cyndi did a super job on the bugle - don't think there was a dry eye at the service during the playing of Taps.
Speaking of our Honor Guard, they posted the colors at the AARP meeting on June 13th held at St. Louis Catholic Church and did just an outstanding job. We received a very nice thank you letter from AARP. We had a number of Legionnaires in attendance. All those attending the AARP meeting got goody bags and the lunch was good. Will Ivie, Cyndi Miller and I attended the Department of Texas Convention in McAllen, Texas, June 25 through June 28. Don Daft was elected Department Commander, 2009-2010, and will replace James McNair, Department Commander, 2008-2009. At this month’s Social (July 20th) we will have the induction of the incoming officers for 2009-2010 year.
We originally planned, as stated in last month’s newsletter, to have the induction ceremony in August and while the "changing-of-the-guard" doesn't happen until September, we need to hold the induction ceremony at this month's Social to accommodate everyone's schedule. We will also have the induction of a new member or two into our Honor Guard, Spirit of 76. (Hummmm, wonder who the new member or two will be?????) Please plan on coming out, meet your newOfficers for the coming year and show your support, mix, socialize, and let your thoughts, ideas and comments be known to your new Officers. Always remember, this is your Post, it is what you make it to be.
While it wasn't advertised that much, we did have a July 4th celebration at the Post. We had a rental (a wedding) so we all met on the lawn around 6:30-7:00 pm (yes, it was a little warm!), cooked hot dogs and had all the good stuff that goes with hot dogs and a 4th of July cookout. Dallas did a great job setting up and we even had a surprise visit from Uncle Sam! Around 9:30 p.m., the City of Austin fireworks program started and we had a great view from our lawn. Please keep in mind that as an on going activity of your Post, we have a July 4th cookout every year, so, as you get your new calendars for a new year, mark it down!
On Saturday, July 25th, we will have an Executive Committee Meeting at 9:00 a.m., followed by Post Projects at 10:00 a.m. For a Post Project, I really, really, really want to tackle the closet and outside storage shed.
Another reminder to save your pull tabs on the cans of soda (or beer) you may drink, and please bring the tabs to the Post. W e have a little red-roofed cardboard house, provided by Mika and Julia McNamara, where the tabs are to be deposited and if you recall from previous month's newsletters, it is for a great cause, the Ronald McDonald House. Specifically, the funds obtained from the tabs help support the Ronald McDonald “Home-Away-From-Home” for families of seriously ill children being treated at nearby hospitals. This program not only supports veterans families who may need assistance but any family that may need help while their child is hospitalized.
This is your Post, get active and get involved!

Our new officer induction will be at the July 20 Post Social. Food will be lasagna so please bring a dish to go along with it.
Will Brown had a nice memorial ceremony attended by several members plus an Honor Guard detail. Our officer planning meeting will be August 22nd.

As I write this today, I have just gotten back from Legionnaire Will Brown's funeral (US Navy & Marine Veteran).
This was the first time our Honor Guard provided a funeral detail. I was proud to command the detail of Bugler - Cyndi Miller and Flag Detail Members - Henry Shoenfelt, Horace Johnson (88 years old this month) & Patrick Moore. They performed a very military and moving ceremony. Over a dozen other Legionnaires attended and formed an adjacent platoon of veterans. This was one of the primary reasons we formed the Honor Guard. DOD can no longer cover funerals properly; as was done in the past, due to current war constraints on manpower. We wanted to make sure that any veteran's family of Post 76 that requested military honors, we would be there for them. It’s that important. Behind the scenes assisting in arrangements, getting a flag, etc., were Al Banzer - Post Commander, George Ruiz - Service Officer, Joe Trochta - Legionnaire, and others. Thanks to them. It’s a pleasure to work with this kind of caliber of veterans of Post 76.
The Honor Guard is still accepting new members. No prior experience needed. Well, prior military service is required!! You will find it very rewarding. See our website for more details. Last month we inducted our first Coast Guard veteran into the Guard, Legionnaire Greg Ginn. Welcome aboard!!
And finally, we are still looking for someone with skills to find sources of grants, donations or funding to build our elevator. The fund is up to $500 now. Contact the Post Commander.

We had a pretty good turn out for the July meeting. At the meeting we installed the new slate of officers for the 2009-2010 year. We were fortunate to have Department Commander Don Daft to conduct the Installation Ceremony. Also, Second Division Commander Lynn Sparks was also in attendance. I believe you have a real good slate of officers for the coming year who are all dedicated, willing to serve and will do their best to improve the Post.
The new officers will take on their responsibilities starting in September. Hard to believe that another year has gone by. The old saying is true - the years seem to go by faster as you age! My second tour as your Commander is about over and as I look back, I think I made a little difference and I hope you all agree that the Post is a little better. I feel I benefitted from being your Commander the past two years and I learned a lot. I couldn't have done it without the help and support of my Staff, of the general membership and, of course, my wife. I want to say, "thank you" for all that y'all have given me. I have made a lot of new friends in the Legion and for that I am extremely grateful. Cyndi has done an outstanding job as your First Vice Commander this past year and I believe she will do a great job as your new Commander. I know all of you will provide her the same level of support and encouragement that you provided to me these past two years. Just to let you know I am not planning to disappear. While I am stepping down as your Commander, I decided to join our Honor Guard. I think our Honor Guard, Spirit of 76, is a great addition to the Post. A finer group of men and women you would be hard pressed to find and I will do my best to make whatever positive contribution to the group that I can. Speaking of the Honor Guard, we will have the installation of the new Honor Guard Officers program at the August 17th meeting.
At the Executive Committee Meeting held on Saturday, July 25th, we discussed having a series of short presentations on Legion Etiquette and Robert's Rules of Order. Etiquette as relating to Legion meetings, hats, POW/MIA table and the like. Rules of Order on conducting a meeting, proposing motions, etc. Be interested in hearing what y'all think about that.
Come on out to the August 17th meeting and meet your new officers. We will be having a 2009-2010 planning meeting on August 22nd where we will be laying out the yearly schedule and setting goals for the coming year. Now is the time to let your officers know your ideas, thoughts, concerns, suggestions, etc. and no better time than at the August 17th meeting. Mark on your calendar for the Social on September 21st. We will be having our annual Boys State/Girls State Dinner. More on this later.
Remember to save your pull tabs on the cans of soda you may drink and bring them to the Post. We have a little red-roofed cardboard house where pull tabs may be deposited and if you recall from the last couple of months' newsletters, it is for a great cause - the Ronald McDonald House. Specifically, the funds obtained from the tabs help support the Ronald McDonald “Home-Away-From-Home” for families of seriously ill children being treated at nearby hospitals. This program not only supports veterans families who may need assistance but any family that may need help while their child is hospitalized. This is your Post! Get involved and get active! Again, thank you all for your support these past two years and God bless all of you!

Thank you for electing me as the new Honor Guard Commander. Steve Dawson has done a fabulous job for two years as theCommander, along with the support of everyone in the Honor Guard.
At the August Dinner meeting, we will conduct our first “Change of Command” ceremony.
We have inducted Al Banzer and Randy Martin as new members, and it would be great to have you join us.
In September, we will be practicing and conducting a ceremony for “Boys State”.

Thank you to our guest speaker at the August dinner meeting. We had great chicken fried steak before our speaker entertained us. The Executive Committee had a great planning meeting for next year's events on August 22, 2009. We thank Al Banzer, immediate Past Commander for his service the last two years and the great job he did.
Our Spirit of 76 Honor Guard will be presenting the colors at American Legion night at the Dell Diamond Round Rock Express Baseball Game on September 6th at 6:00 p.m.
We lost a long time member in August, Lorraine Tyx. Joe Trochta attended her memorial service. Our prayers and condolences to her family with their loss.
For September our membership meeting will be on September 14th due to the Labor Day holiday. Please remember that Fall DEC is September 18th to 20th, at the OMNI South in Austin. Let's have a good turn out to represent our post. Dinner social will be September 21st with Boys State, Girls State dinner. Our meal will be fried chicken and mashed potatoes. Please bring side dishes to go with this meal and remember we will a larger group, so larger portions are needed. September 26th is our Executive Committee meeting at 9:00 a.m. and work detail at 10:00 a.m. for all to attend and assist with the upkeep of our great post.
Something new for the newsletter from now on. We are going to announce the next month’s events also. If mail service delays delivery of your newsletter you will still be able to be informed. So the membership meeting is on October 5th, October 3rd is the 10th District meeting at the Luling post. October 19th is the dinner meeting with new member induction and Derek and I will be your speakers with some great information for you. October 24th will be the Executive Committee meeting at 9:00 a.m., work detail at 10:00 a.m. Also on this date is the stand down in Austin from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Please do come out to support the great young men and women for the Boys State/Girls State dinner. Also please remember the membership meetings are for all Legionnaires; this is your post. I look forward to serving as your Commander. Continuing to show and grow our great post is important. We are a fantastic group of Legionnaires, SAL and Auxiliary.

Another month has gone buy and Fall is upon us along with flu season. I spent the last six days, so far, in the house with the H1N1 (swine flu). Some information to help others to avoid this if at all possible is: wash hands, cough into your elbow, not your hands (the old way we were all taught). If you forget and cough into your hands, clean them and the handles you touched. Next part that is very important is if you get a cough and an odd feeling or sore throat, do not assume it is a cold, etc. You must get tested to see if it is the swine flu. Why? With the “regular” flu you are no longer contagious as soon as your fever subsides. It usually lasts a couple of days and you may still have a cough, but you are not going to spread it. With the swine flu you are contagious 3-4 days after the fever stops. This could be contributing to the spread of it. If you do get the swine flu, drink plenty of fluids, take your Tamiflu prescription as it does help you feel better. DO NOT give aspirin to young children with the flu, use Tylenol instead. Aspirin can cause a devastating result of Reye's Syndrome. My prayers go out for all our Legion family to remain well through the flu season.
Thank you to all who attended the Boy's State/Girl's State Dinner celebrating the young men and women our post sponsored to these great programs. Everyone had a great time. If you missed it, be sure and come next year and see what great things your Post contributes to. The first event for this month was the 10th District Conference on October 3rd, in Luling at Post 177. I regret that I was not able to attend, so I could recover completely from the H1N1.
Membership meeting for all Legionnaires was on October 5th at 7:00 p.m. Our Post Social will be on October 19th, at which we will have spaghetti; please bring your food items to go with this entree. Speakers will be Derek Israwl and myself. We will also have new member induction. So, new members, please come and get an official welcome to your Post. Executive Committee will be on October 24th.
November is going to be a busy month for our Post. November 2nd is the membership meeting. November 6th we are invited again to Metz Elementary for “Take a Vet to School Day” sponsored by the History Channel and Time Warner Cable. They have a great ceremony in the cafeteria for student's, parent's, and veteran's. Then veteran's are matched with a classroom where the students in that class ask you questions and talk with you. It is a magnificent experience. November 11th is the Veteran's Day Parade; please be sure and be a part of this. Those who cannot walk, can ride in some great vehicles (restored military vehicles). We can look even greater this year; we looked quite grand last year. On November 14th, we are invited to the City of Austin tree planting for the third year in a row. They plant trees in a chosen park in honor of Veteran's. November 16th is the Post Social with turkey, of course, for our entree. Bring food that goes with turkey. We are supposed to have a special guest speaker for this dinner so let's have a big turn out.
Also, our SAL program is taking off with several new members. Santiago Betancourt is doing a great job with recruiting new members and officers. Please contact him to become a member, send him more members or any other information.
Also, remember our Auxiliary can use more members; you can contact Pat Ivie for more information. And check out the article from Auxiliary member Lisa Luhrman in this newsletter.
If anyone has seen our small table flags and holders, please let me know. I think I remember someone borrowing them and may have put them in an unfamiliar location or forgot to return them. God Bless and keep you safe.

Well, another month has passed by and hope all are well. If you are not well and need some extra prayers, please let Chaplain Sean Bridwell know so we can give those extra prayers to you. I am excited about all of our festivities for the month of November. First we have our Post membership meeting on November 2nd. Then on November 6th we will be at “TAKE A VET TO SCHOOL DAY” at Metz Elementary for the 3rd year in a row. It is a fun and rewarding event. Then, of course, we have the Veteran's Day Parade on November 11th in Austin. We will meet at the Post at 0600 to help prepare breakfast, eat and then carpool over to the parade. Remember those who cannot walk can ride in the restored vehicles. Let's set a record of how many participants we have this year. Next on November 14th the Honor Guard will be presenting the flags for Austin's annual Veteran Tree Planting ceremony to be held this year at Pease District Park, 1100 Kingsbury Drive. We are usually there around 8:00 a.m. but the time was not posted on the last email. Any interested Legionnaires that would like to come and be in the audience, please come, you are welcome to be there. You can email me at miller5019@sbcglobal.net for any further questions.
The Post Social is on November 16th and turkey will be the entree, of course. We will have a guest speaker. Bring items to go with a thanksgiving theme dinner. I hope to see everyone there. December is right around the corner and we will have the membership meeting on December 7th, and on the 21st is the Post Social with Ham for our entree that evening. We are going to collect can goods at the Post Social. Let’s set a record with the most can goods we have collected in several years. Also, December 18th may be the date for the Waco VA visit. More details on that next newsletter or at the next meeting.
The Sons of the American Legion (SAL) had a big dinner and officer swearing in ceremony last week on October 28th. Congratulations for their success. I regret I was unable to attend this great event due to a unexpected auto breakage and repair shop necessity. Things can happen at unwanted times. Please see Santiago, your SAL commander for any information or questions about joining.
Also, please join our Auxiliary. It is trying to grow and help the Legion. They would like to elect officers and have a swearing in ceremony. Come join and participate. And Legionnaires, please remember to pay your dues for next year before the end of December. Also, please recruit a new member before the end of December.
My trip to Indianapolis to the National Headquarters was great. I helped to judge Historian's books from all over the country and one of the books from Texas made 2nd Place. It was chilly there and several of our Department officers were present for various meetings including Commander Don Daft. It was an honor to represent Texas and our fine Post.
A special thanks to Derek Israel for being a co-speaker at last month’s Post Social. He did a excellent job at giving us information on Robert’s Rules of Order as they pertain to the American Legion. God Bless.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Our Post Social with our special guest Jim Swift was enjoyed by all. We thank him for such an entertaining evening. And the food was great too. If any member schedules an event at the post, theyMUST put it on the calendar with Dallas. There may be an event already scheduled or it may be a night that we have contract rentals. If you do not do this you will NOT be allowed to have your event. This has been happening too often lately and we must stick to the rules. Thank you everyone for your help with this matter.
Our Post looked fantastic in the Veteran's Parade. Our Honor Guard looked sharp in the annual Tree Planting ceremony for the City of Austin. Metz Elementary “Take a Vet to School Day” was a blast also.
Membership meeting is on December 7th at the regular time, 7:00 p.m. with visitation from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. December 18th is the possible date for the VA visitation in Waco. December 21st is the Christmas Post Social and ham is the main dish. We are collecting can goods from now until the Post Social. Please bring your donations to help fellow veterans.
January 4th is the membership meeting. We will have a brunch on January 16th for our Post Social. Also, do not forget that the Winter Department meeting is January 20-24. District Oratorical competition will be in January also. I do not currently have the dates.

I would like to thank Post 76 and Commander Miller for allowing me to address those who attended the Post Social. For those who were not able to attend, I would like to invite any Legion members interested in the Forty & Eight to meet with us at a Special Promenade to be held at Post 76 on Tuesday, December 15th at 7:00 p.m. Please go to our website: www.texasboxcar.com/links/Post76.pdf for more information or contact me directly at 736-2377.
David J. Knutson, Chef de Gare Travis County Voiture Locale 175

On Monday, November 5th, the Auxiliary met at the Post. Three ladies were in attendance,which is an improvement. However, we would like to see even more involvement. Legionnaires, please consider asking wives, daughters, granddaughters or any other ladies you know who might be interested - please invite them. Most all of us have a family member who served during World War II, so they wouldn’t necessarily have to be your spouse or descendant to be eligible to join. The December meeting was on Monday, December 7th at 7:00 p.m. at the Post.