Welcome to the Ira J Jacobson American Legion Post 474 Newsletter. This Newsletter was created to provide news and information. This Newsletter, updated monthly, and is also published in the Charlotte Community Association News. This provides a quick and easy way for you to stay up to date and get the latest information wherever and whenever you need it. If you would like to receive this newsletter before it appears on the web-site please send your e-mail address to 1stViceCom@irajacobson0474.org. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- May Newsletter 2008 The plants are starting to bloom and soon the sound of lawnmowers will be in the air. Summer is almost upon us and the gray of winter will be gone. The month of May is always a wonderful month with the beginning of our nice weather. May also brings to us the time for us to be thinking about our veterans who have gone before us, memorializing them in our hearts and in ceremony. The time for all of us nationally is Memorial Day. Memorial Day has long been a significant point in our calendar, to bring to mind all those who gave so much for us to keep this nation free. Freedom comes at a cost, with the highest price being the lives of those gallant men and women who have served and gone before us. Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War. While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it's difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860's tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all. Please join us on Monday May 26th at 3 PM for our annual Memorial Day ceremony at the Ira Jacobson Post Home. The question for last month was “Where did our boys spend the next 3 days after debarking the SS Krusk? They had to march uphill.” The answer is Napoleon’s Fort. This month’s question is “Our boys were saddened by seeing what while they were at Napoleon’s Fort?”. For those Navy people out there trivia on the USS Rochester. When and where was the keel laid for this ship? The USS Rochester was first named ? The answer is The keel was laid September 19, 1890 by William Camp and Sons, Philadelphia and launched a year later on December 2, 1891. The original name of this ship was?????? Have fun looking, the answer will appear next month You can find the answer on our website at http://www.irajacobson0474.org and select the email address listed there and send in your guess. I will list the guesses and winner in the next newsletter. Please visit our website at http://www.irajacobson0474.org for news and information for our veterans. April Newsletter 2008 Spring is finally here. We are so glad to see the snow finally going away, it is time for some cleaning up. We are putting on a new face. When you come into the Post Home you will notice the fresh smell of paint. We are painting the bar area and refurbishing the bathrooms. We will also be replacing the carpeting. Come on in and enjoy. If you are not a member come in for a visit and enroll in the American Legion. We are a great group and are here to serve you and your family. Serving all veterans in good times and bad we will stand beside you. We have some events coming up Our Auxiliary is sponsoring their Spring Raffle on April 18 starting at 7PM. This is a great way to start your Spring. April 19th the Ira Jacobson Post will be sponsoring a Child Safety Day from 1 - 5 PM. We will be providing Bicycle Safety Helmets, Youth ID and finger printing, Bus Safety, and representatives from the local Police departments will be on site to provide information on keeping your child safe. We will be sponsoring a Veterans Information Meeting April 26th 1 - 5 PM Information will be presented Monroe County Service Officer on benefits, and rights for veterans, active duty service men and women, families and widows. New information has been posted on our web site about Veterans and Mesothelioma. There are currently 25 million living individuals who have served in the United States' armed forces. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions of these living veterans were exposed to toxic asbestos-containing materials during military service. There has been changes in the laws affecting veterans exposed during their service. Please visit our web site for important information on Mesothelioma and your rights. Enjoy dinners at the Post on the weekends. Check the menu board for the delicious entree offered. If any of you readers have any information on our namesake Ira Jacobsen or old pictures of Post 474 home or events please contact the Post or email me at 1stvicecom@irajacobson0474.org. I am collecting old news articles, pictures and other memorabilia. The question for last month was “Where did our boys spend the next 3 days after debarking the SS Krusk?” They had to march uphill. The answer is On May 24th 1918 our guys marched up the hill from Brest to Napoleon’s Fort. There they spent the next 3 days. It was a beautiful time in France. The trees were in blossom and the earth smelled good. Our question for next month is “What was the sad sight they saw those days?” For those Navy people out there trivia on the USS Rochester. The question was, When and where was the keel laid for this ship? The keel was originally laid September 19, 1890 as the armed cruiser New York. Our next question for you is when was she launched and when was she commissioned?. The USS Rochester is actually the third renaming of this vessel. Have fun looking, I will tell you next month. You can find the answer on our website at http://www.irajacobson0474.org and select the email address listed there and send in your guess. I will list the guesses and winner in the next newsletter. Please visit our website at http://www.irajacobson0474.org for news and information for our veterans. March Newsletter 2008 Keep smiling the cold weather will be over soon. The sun will be shining and days are getting longer. Now is a good time to think about taking down your flag and wash the winter out of it. If your flag needs to be replaced, call us and we will gladly dispose of your old flag. April 19th the Ira Jacobson Post will be sponsoring a Child Safety Day from 1 - 5 PM. We will be providing Bicycle Safety Helmets, Youth ID and finger printing, Bus Safety, and representatives from the local Police departments will be on site to provide information on keeping your child safe. We will have hot dogs. March 9th from 9 - noon the Genesee Valley Marine Corp League will be hosting a breakfast at the Post Home. Please join us for a warm and delicious breakfast. Enjoy dinners at the Post on the weekends. Check the menu board for the delicious entree offered. If any of you readers have any information on our namesake Ira Jacobsen or old pictures of Post 474 home or events please contact the Post or email me at 1stvicecom@irajacobson0474.org. I am collecting old news articles, pictures and other memorabilia. The question for last month was “What was the name of the escort vessel that led the convoy across the Atlantic?” The answer is From May 10th to May 20th 1918, the SS Kursk was escorted across the North Atlantic by the Cruiser USS Rochester” This month’s question is “Where did our boys spend the next 3 days after debarking the SS Krusk?” They had to march uphill. For those Navy people out there trivia on the USS Rochester. When and where was the keel laid for this ship? The USS Rochester was first named ? A couple clues are, originally built before 1900 under a different name. USS Rochester is actually the third renaming of this vessel. Have fun looking, I will tell you next month. You can find the answer on our website at http://www.irajacobson0474.org and select the email address listed there and send in your guess. I will list the guesses and winner in the next newsletter. Please visit our website at http://www.irajacobson0474.org for news and information for our veterans. February News Letter 2008 I hope you all enjoyed out short respite from the cold weather in January. It was nice to have a few warm days. Now were back to the winter doldrums. January 13 the Sons of the American Legion held a fund raiser to help maintain the Ira Jacobson Post. I want to thank all of you that attended to help our cause. .At this writing we are looking forward to Kids Safety Day, January 20th. I hope many of you attended this event. There was a lot of good information for keeping your child safe and a lot of fun things to do. February 10th from 9 - noon the Genesee Valley Marine Corp League will be hosting a breakfast at the Post Home. Please join us for a warm and delicious breakfast. Enjoy dinners at the Post on the weekends. Check the menu board for the delicious entree offered. If any of you readers have any information on our namesake Ira Jacobsen or old pictures of Post 474 home or events please contact the Post or email me at 1stvicecom@irajacobson0474.org. I am collecting old news articles, pictures and other memorabilia. The question for last month was “How long were our boys at sea and what was the port they arrived at?” The answer is 13 Days on board ship, the S S Kursk. The shipped out on May 10th , 1918 and arrived at Brest on the French coast on May 23rd ,1918. This month’s question is “What was the name of the escort vessel that led the convoy across the Atlantic?” You can find the answer on our website at http://www.irajacobson0474.org and select the email address listed there and send in your guess. I will list the guesses and winner in the next newsletter. Please visit our website at http://www.irajacobson0474.org for news and information for our veterans. January Newsletter 2008 Happy New Year everyone. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and Santa granted your wishes and I hope your New Year was a safe one. January 13 the Sons of the American Legion will be holding a fund raiser to help maintain the Ira Jacobson Post. Jeff Elliott will be entertaining us so be ready to kick up your heels and dance the day away. We will have free munchies and a full bar with our usual low Post prices. We will have 50/50 raffles through out the day. TV are available for those of you that want to keep an eye on the football games. Children are welcome, fun for them too. There will be a donation of $5.00 at the door. Come out and support our Post where we host many groups and activities. January 13 from 9 - noon the Genesee Valley Marine Corp League will be hosting a breakfast at the Post Home. Please join us for a warm and delicious breakfast. January 20th the Vietnam Veterans Chapter 20 will be hosting a Child Safety Day at the Post Home. from Noon until 4 PM. There will be child ID, car seat safety, clown, face painting and much more. Bring the kids and help them learn about being safe. This is being presented in cooperation with the Monroe County Sheriff department. Enjoy dinners at the Post on the weekends. Check the menu board for the delicious entree offered. The question for last month was What was the name of the ship the 108th went overseas on?” The answer is the S S Kursk. The shipped out on May 10th 1918 This month’s question is “How long were our boys at sea and what was the port they arrived at?” You can find the answer on our website at http://www.irajacobson0474.org and select the email address listed there and send in your guess. I will list the guesses and winner in the next newsletter. Please visit our website at http://www.irajacobson0474.org for news and information for our veterans December Newsletter 2007 Button up those overcoats, winter is upon us. We hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We took a moment to remember those who are serving and protecting us overseas and here at home. Remember we have men and women serving in our country. Going unnoticed is our Coast Guard. We have a Coast Guard station right here in Rochester. They are deeply involved in keeping our borders safe. They are also involved in search and rescue should anyone need them. We at Post 474 salute you. Post 474 wants to thanks everyone for attending our Veterans Day Ceremony. Our auxiliary made a fine presence. We were honored to have Terri Robach representing NYS Senator Joseph Robach. Her remarks were wonderful and heart moving. Our veterans and those currently serving were honored. After the ceremony the post hosted a pasta dinner. It was well attended. Reminder - We will be having our annual Children’s Christmas Party December 16th Please sign up for your children and grand children if you have not already done so. Enjoy dinners at the Post on the weekends. Check the menu board for the delicious entree offered. The question for last month was “What was the weapon used by Machine Gun Co.?” The answer is a 1914 model of the French-made Hotchkiss machine gun. The gun and mount weighed 88 pounds, fired 8-mm. Lebel Mle 1886 rounds from a 30-round metal strip, and had a rate of fire of 600 rounds per minute. It was gas-operated and air-cooled, and had a maximum effective range of 3800 meters. The Hotchkiss served in both ground combat support and antiaircraft roles. This month’s question is “What was the name of the ship the 108th went overseas on?” You can find the answer on our website at http://www.irajacobson0474.org and select the email address listed there and send in your guess. I will list the guesses and winner in the next newsletter. Please visit our website at http://www.irajacobson0474.org for news and information for our veterans November Newsletter 2007 Fall is truly here the leaves have changes and for those of you that remember when - the smell of burning leaves, when Dad was not as environmentally inclined. The good old days. Brings back a lot of memories. Memories we do not want to forget are those of our veterans. On November 11th at the Ira Jacobson Post Home we will have a Veterans Day Ceremony honoring our comrades. This is an invitation to everyone to come join us in this wonderful remembrance and tribute to Those Who Gave Some and Those Who Gave All. The ceremony will start promptly at 11 AM. In the Post Hall. After the Veterans Day Ceremony enjoy a Veterans Day Pasta Dinner for Veterans and significant other hosted by Ira Jacobson Post Home from Noon - 6:00 PM Veterans take notice that you have benefits you may not be using. You are eligible for educational benefits. These benefits have increased as of October 1st, you could be eligible for grants for education. These are based upon your military status. Activated reservists your eligibility is extended to your call-up time plus 4 months. For example you are called up for 12 months, your eligibility is 16 months after your discharge from the reserve unit. You are also eligible for reduced home mortgage rates through the VA Loan Guaranty Service. There are no time limits for VA Home Loans. For more information go to www.VA.gov, from there go to the benefits tab and select EDUCATION or LOANS for more detailed information. Enjoy dinners at the Post on the weekends. Check the menu board for the delicious entree offered. The question for last month was “What was the name of Ira Jacobsen’s Unit?” The answer is Machine Gun Company.108th Infantry, 27th Division This month’s question is “What was the weapon used by Machine Gun Co?” You can find the answer on our website at http://www.irajacobson0474.org and select the email address listed there and send in your guess. I will list the guesses and winner in the next newsletter. Please visit our website at http://www.irajacobson0474.org for news and information for our veterans. October Newsletter 2007 Fall has come to Rochester; cheer up summer is only 5 months away. We have had our 20-20 Dinner and final draw. Thank you for everyones support. We will be holding our Turkey Shoot on October 19th at 6:30. Please plan on attending and participate in the fun, remember this helps support Post activities. Mark your calendars for Veterans Day Sunday November 11th at 11 AM. The Post will be hosting a ceremony that Morning from 11 - 12PM. From Noon until 5PM we will be providing dinner to veterans and their significant other. On Sundays 2 - 8PM and Mondays 1 - 8PM we will be having full dinners available please stop by the post for menus. Remember post meetings on the second Monday of the month. Looking forward to seeing you on October 8th. 7:30 PM. Last month’s question “What was the name of Ira Jacobsen’s Unit?” The answer is Ira was part of the 108th U. S. Army Division.. The question for this month is: “Ira was in the 108th U. S. Army Division but he was a member of what company?” You can find the answer on our website at http://www.irajacobson0474.org and select the email address listed there and send in your guess. I will list the guesses and winner in the next newsletter. Please visit our website at http://www.irajacobson0474.org for news and information for our veterans. September News Letter 2007 Summer is winding down, time to think about closing the pool and putting that picnic basket away. Summer is the best time of the year. It makes you so alive. It is always nice to spend with family and friends. Ira Jacobson Family picnic was a great time had by all. We saw some people we have not seen in quite a while. It is nice to have a get together and renew friendships. The food was great. Thanks to all those who helped make it a great day. It is so nice to recognize one of our own who has helped someone. The deed may seem insignificant but to the recipient it was a wonderful thing. One of our members responded to a wheel chair bound veteran with some items to cheer him up. He visited him bringing some military and veteran group decals and a “Post Plate” (like a license plate) with our Post number and location on it. The response from this veteran was heart warming. He wrote us a letter: “Thanks for bringing me those items. You really went out of your way and I am so grateful for them. I already have them on my chair. You are a great guy and I am proud to know you. I will continue to support your Post.” Doing something like this may seem so insignificant to us but as you can see the result had a major effect on the recipient. We here at Ira Jacobson will always reach out to our veteran to do what ever it takes. This past Saturday the community came out to say goodbye to a fallen 21 year old Marine, killed in Iraq. Cpl. Reynold Armand, a 2004 graduate of Eastridge High School, was laid to rest in Riverside Cemetery. He was a brother; we were there to show him honor and respect. We turned out quite a few people from the community. Thank you all for taking time out of your day to honor this young hero. Our membership drive is now in full swing. Send in your renewal in as soon as you can. Last month’s question “Where was Ira Jacobsen buried?” The answer is he is buried in France near Brandival. The question for this month is: “What was the name of Ira Jacobsen’s Unit? You can find the answer on our website at http://www.irajacobson0474.org and select the email address listed there and send in your guess. I will list the guesses and winner in the next newsletter. Please visit our website at http://www.irajacobson0474.org for news and information for our veterans. August News Letter 2007 It is so nice to see the brand new flag flying from the pole in the triangle at River Street and Lake Avenue. It is a glorious sight to see every day. Ira Jacobson Post 474 has started renewing memberships for the 2008 membership year. Get your membership in to help us meet our goal of 100%. We accomplished 100% membership for the 2007 membership year. Thank you everyone for getting in your renewals. Lets get 100% for 2008. In going thru our incoming mail I discovered we had lost 2 of our members. We are truly saddened by the loss of any of our comrades. During the time when a family looses a loved one their thoughts are not of notifying our Post of the passing. Your funeral director should remember this for you. I apologize to anyone that has received a mailing from us. We do our best to keep informed that a member has gone to Post Everlasting. I would like to remind you that every veteran is entitled to an Honor Guard at the Funeral Home and at the grave site. In the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2000, the United States Congress legislated that, upon request of the next of kin, all eligible veterans MUST receive Military Funeral Honors when they pass away. The legislation also encourages veterans' service organizations, and others, to augment the honors detail as an authorized provider with pallbearers, firing party, bugler and color guard. The American Legion has performed thousands of burial ceremonies annually for the families of veterans throughout their history; this will not change. Whenever The American Legion is assisting the United States Government they should conform to the DOD's methods of conduct. In working together, we honor, in the highest traditions of American military service, those who have gone before. In doing so, all the requirements for a reverent, respectful, and dignified ceremony are met. By law, the Military Funeral Honors detail will consist of at least two uniformed members of the military, with the detail leader from the parent service of the deceased. When requested by the next of kin, the ceremonial paying of respect and gratitude to those who have faithfully defended our Nation MUST include: The sounding of "Taps" and ceremonial folding and presentation of the American flag. I also want to remind you of VA benefits available. Burial benefits include a gravesite in any of VA's national cemeteries with available space, the opening and closing of the grave, a Government headstone or marker, a burial flag and a Presidential memorial certificate at no cost to the family. The VA can also pay a burial and plot allowance to the family of those veterans eligible by law. Many national cemeteries have columbaria or special gravesites for cremated remains. For any assistance with Burial Benefits please contact the Post at 663-7030. Our Post Service Officer will be in contact with you. Last month’s question was Ira Jacobsen was employed as a ??? before he enlisted to fight for his country in World War I. What was his job? The answer is Ira was a clerk at the old railroad station in Charlotte The question for this month is Where was Ira Jacobsen buried? You can find the answer on our website at http://www.irajacobson0474.org and select the email address listed there and send in your guess. I will list the guesses and winner in the next newsletter. Please visit our website at http://www.irajacobson0474.org for news and information for our veterans. July News Letter 2007 Memorial Day was a wonderful experience. The weather was perfect and for those of you who attended our ceremony I thank you. Every time I hear Flanders Field poem and the sound of TAPS and the resounding volley of the Honor Guard salute brings up a well of emotions. Remembering those who have served and given their all is a duty for all of us. We not only remember those who have gone before us serving our country, we honor those who have returned to us from those dangerous times. We thank each and every one of them for their bravery and fortitude. Fly your Flag and show your patriotism. When you read this we would have already had Flag Day. Honoring the symbol of our country is something all of us should do. Our country’s Birthday is July 4th, honor your nation and remember those who fought to preserve your freedom. Notice when you are at a parade, the proud men and women who stand and either salute or place their hand over their heart as our Flag goes by. You can see the reflection of Honor and Duty in their faces and know also the memories that are brought forth for the friends they have known and lost. For those of you, who have a Flag that has become unserviceable; please bring it by the Post so we can properly dispose of it. We hold an annual Flag disposal to retire those old soldiers. This month of July we are starting our membership drive. We welcome any past or active service man or woman to come visit our Post. This is an invitation for you to join the largest veteran’s organization in the world. Why should you join our organization you may ask? It is very simple; the American Legion has been and still is the biggest advocate for the veterans (you and I) with congress. We support our fellow servicemen and women, both veteran and active. The American Legion’s voice is only as large as the numbers they can show in membership. As we now find ourselves at war against terrorism, we see so many of our younger Americans serving to protect the things that we served to preserve for them. These young Americans are our new “Greatest Generation”. I hope you consider these things and see how important your one membership is to our organization and join our family. For those of you who were wondering about the answer to our question in our last article. The building that is our current Post Home was purchased in 1945 for $2500. This month’s question is Ira Jacobsen was employed as a ??? before he enlisted to fight for his country in World War I. What was his job? You can find the answer on our website at http://www.irajacobson0474.org and select the email address listed there and send in your guess. I will list the guesses and winner in the next newsletter. Ira Jacobson will be holding our annual family picnic on August 5th starting at Noon. See your newsletter for details. Please come and enjoy your Legion family. Remember every 2nd Wednesday is Jamboree night. Players will be Southern Thunder – Bang – Frank Hill – Paul and the Strangers We just received a note from a handicapped veteran which I would like to share. This is from a Vietnam veteran, wheelchair bound living in the upper St Paul area. “Thanks so much for bringing me the items I asked you for. You really went out of your way and I am so grateful for them. A few days later in the newspaper it told of a guy that was around the Main and State St. area on a Friday with the poppies. That must have been the only day he was around because I checked that area three days in a row around 9 am each morning and found nobody. I even asked the guard at the bank if anyone was around and he said he did not see anyone. So once again thanks so much for being so helpful and the job your organization does for others.” We brought this vet some Buddy Poppies for his wheelchair. We also brought him some Vietnam Vets Chapter 20 decals and some other things. Something so insignificant to some means so much to others. We are proud to have been of service to one of our veterans. Have a happy and safe summer. June News Letter 2007 Memorial Day was a wonderful experience. The weather was perfect and for those of you who attended our ceremony I thank you. Every time I hear Flanders Field poem and the sound of TAPS and the resounding volley of the Honor Guard salute brings up a well of emotions. Remembering those who have served and given their all is a duty for all of us. We not only remember those who have gone before us serving our country, we honor those who have returned to us from those dangerous times. We thank each and every one of them for their bravery and fortitude. Fly your Flag and show your patriotism. When you read this we would have already had Flag Day. Honoring the symbol of our country is something all of us should do. Our country’s Birthday is July 4th, honor your nation and remember those who fought to preserve your freedom. Notice when you are at a parade, the proud men and women who stand and either salute or place their hand over their heart as our Flag goes by. You can see the reflection of Honor and Duty in their faces and know also the memories that are brought forth for the friends they have known and lost. For those of you, who have a Flag that has become unserviceable; please bring it by the Post so we can properly dispose of it. We hold an annual Flag disposal to retire those old soldiers. This month of July we are starting our membership drive. We welcome any past or active service man or woman to come visit our Post. This is an invitation for you to join the largest veteran’s organization in the world. Why should you join our organization you may ask? It is very simple; the American Legion has been and still is the biggest advocate for the veterans (you and I) with congress. We support our fellow servicemen and women, both veteran and active. The American Legion’s voice is only as large as the numbers they can show in membership. As we now find ourselves at war against terrorism, we see so many of our younger Americans serving to protect the things that we served to preserve for them. These young Americans are our new “Greatest Generation”. I hope you consider these things and see how important your one membership is to our organization and join our family. For those of you who were wondering about the answer to our question in our last article. The building that is our current Post Home was purchased in 1945 for $2500. This month’s question is Ira Jacobsen was employed as a ??? before he enlisted to fight for his country in World War I. What was his job? You can find the answer on our website at http://www.irajacobson0474.org and select the email address listed there and send in your guess. I will list the guesses and winner in the next newsletter. Ira Jacobson will be holding our annual family picnic on August 5th starting at Noon. See your newsletter for details. Please come and enjoy your Legion family. Remember every 2nd Wednesday is Jamboree night. Players will be Southern Thunder – Bang – Frank Hill – Paul and the Strangers We just received a note from a handicapped veteran which I would like to share: This is from a Vietnam veteran, wheelchair bound living in the upper St Paul area. “Thanks so much for bringing me the items I asked you for. You really went out of your way and I am so grateful for them. A few days later in the newspaper it told of a guy that was around the Main and State St. area on a Friday with the poppies. That must have been the only day he was around because I checked that area three days in a row around 9 am each morning and found nobody. I even asked the guard at the bank if anyone was around and he said he did not see anyone. So once again thanks so much for being so helpful and the job your organization does for others.” We brought this vet some Buddy Poppies for his wheelchair. We also brought him some Vietnam Vets Chapter 20 decals and some other things. Something so insignificant to some means so much to others. We are proud to have been of service to one of our veterans. Have a happy and safe summer. All gave some, Some Gave All May News Letter 2007 Ira Jacobson Post 474 will hold its annual Memorial Day ceremony at the Post Home 90 St Johns Park. The ceremony will be held on May 28th beginning at 2:30 pm. Please come with your family and friends. Help us honor all of our veterans past and present. Spring is here and it is time to bring out “Old Glory” if you have not already have not been doing so. It is always a wonderful tribute for your self and all of our veterans to observe patriotism in our community. I will be in the neighborhood placing something you door thanking you for you display of “Old Glory”. For anyone that wants to retire an old tattered US Flag please bring it to the Ira Jacobson Post. We hold an annual US Flag retirement to properly dispose of retired flags. Remember every 2nd Wednesday is Jamboree night. Players will be Southern Thunder – Bang – Frank Hill – Paul and the Strangers Just a little history for you. The Ira Jacobson Post has been in existence for 78 years, established in 1919. The members first met at the old railroad station then moving to 50 Stutson Street and eventually moving to our present location at 90 St Johns Place in 1945. If anyone would like to venture a guess at what the property was purchased for in 1945 go to our website at http://www.irajacobson0474.org and select the email address listed there and send in your guess. I will list the guesses and winner in the next newsletter. If there is anyone out there who know of any history of the Post and of our namesake Please let us know through our website. April News Letter 2007 We at Post 474 have committed to establishing a program called “Heroes to Hometown” The “Heroes to Hometown” program is being established to help returning severely injured service members and their families connect with their hometown or new community. The vision of this program is to provide service to the returning injured service member at no charge to them. As veterans, many Legionnaires have returned home from war with life altering injuries and have gone through the same kind of trauma. Other veterans were there for us – now it’s our turn to be there for today’s men and women who have gone into harms way on our behalf. Our post has always reached out to our fellow veterans and their families, but the establishment of this special Heroes to Hometown Team will give us the ability to reach out to the community for local resources that will help the injured service member and his or her family get back to a normal life. This unit will be ready to provide an around the clock “buddy” for the family to respond to their needs, evaluate the nature of the request, determine the fix and activate the resources to get the job done. We are asking for help from our community to make this program a success. Individuals, businesses, corporations, and local government can show their pride and nationalism in our country and toward our returning “HomeTown Heroes” by coming forward to do their part in this program. It will harness the talents and resources of many citizens and businesses in Rochester as needed to ensure all the families of our citizen soldiers from this area that were injured serving our country in Iraq will be welcomed home and given every chance to assume a happy and prosperous life back home. Things that can be done could be: Organize a welcome home celebration –Help secure temporary and/or permanent housing –Assist in adapting a home or vehicle –Find jobs and educational opportunities –Create a carpool for hospital visits –Help work through government bureaucracy Please join us in creating a strong support network for our returning injured men and women. Think of the feeling of pride you would have seeing the happiness and thankfulness show on the faces of the service member and his/her family. Lets all help heal their wounds and welcome them back to our community as our family. We will be placing more information about this program on our web site http://www.irajacobson0474.org/ Please take a look and see what this program is about. If you are interested in coming forward to aid us in this program or have any questions you can contact the Post Home at 663-7030 or 1st Vice Commander Richard Raichlin at 426-8322. Once we have established a core work group we can contact the military units to alert them of this service we will be able to provide. March News Letter 2007 Well folks we went through some pretty rough winter weather and have all been hiding in the house. Cheer up, Spring is right around the Corner. Please join us March 4th for a Benefit supporting Galisano Children’s Hospital 2 PM until ???. Donations at the door. Music by Sudden Thunder. Munchies by Bob and Leroy. The Marine Corp League will be holding a fund raising breakfast on March 11th 9 until noon. Come enjoy a tasty pancake breakfast with your friends.. For news on Ira Jacobson Post check out WWW.IRAJACOBSON0474.ORG. I found some information on our namesake Ira Jacobson, check it out. Don’t forget Post 474 meeting night March 12th at 7:30 pm. January News Letter 2007 I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday and enjoyed the company of your loved ones and friends. I hope all of our readers will have a successful New Year. We had a very successful Children’s Christmas Party. The children had a great time and Santa spoke with every child. We fed Santa lots of cookies to give him energy for his annual Christmas Eve trip. I hope you saw his magical sleigh darting through the sky Christmas Eve. Many thanks to our wonderful Auxiliary for all their time and effort. We continue to hold our monthly music Jamboree, the second Wednesday of each month. The music and fun is free, enjoy munchies and the sounds. January’s jamboree is January 10th starting at 7 PM. Come on over, it is lots of fun. Many thanks to Bob and Leroy for running this event. If you are reading this and have not sent in your renewal membership, the membership fee has increased to $35. We have reached 89% of our goal. Let’s get those remaining memberships in. Our meetings are the second Monday of each month at 7:30. We invite all veterans and/or active service members to visit us and join our family. Hang out after the meeting for some pizza. For those members who are unable to drive and wish to attend a meeting please call the Post Home at 663-7030 to make arrangements. Remember for the latest news and information about Ira Jacobson Post 474 please visit our website WWW.IRAJACOBSON0474.ORG. We have added pictures from the past. Come check them out. December News Letter 2006 We are still holding our monthly music Jamboree, the second Wednesday of the month. The music and fun is free, enjoy munchies and the sounds. December’s jamboree is December 13th starting at 7 PM featuring Southern Thunder. We thank those that attended our Annual Veterans Day ceremony at the Post home on Saturday November 11th. I am glad those of you took the time to remember our veterans. It is appreciated. The Ira Jacobson Ladies Auxiliary will be hosting the Annual Jacobson Children’s Christmas Party, Saturday December 9th at 1 PM. This party is FREE to all Legion, Auxiliary, and SAL members. Children, grandchildren, and stepchildren age 12 and under are eligible to participate. There will be activities, refreshments, music and presents for all the children. Membership renewal time is here. We have reached 75% of our goal. Dues are increasing so remember to return your membership dues before Jan 1st. Our meetings are the second Monday of each month at 7:30. We invite all veterans and/or active service members to visit us and join our family. For those members who are unable to drive and wish to attend a meeting please call the Post Home at 663-7030 to make arrangements. Remember for the latest news and information about Ira Jacobson Post 474 please visit our website WWW.IRAJACOBSON0474.ORG November News Letter 2006 The Ira Jacobson Post 474 will be holding their Annual Turkey Raffle on Saturday October 28th starting at 6:30 pm. Members and the general public are invited. Come join the fun and win a turkey. We are still holding our monthly music Jamboree, the second Wednesday of the month. The music and fun is free, enjoy munchies and the sounds. November’s jamboree is November 8th starting at 7 PM. We will be holding our Annual Veterans Day ceremony at the Post home on Saturday November 11th at 11 AM. The public is invited. Please take some time from your busy day to honor our veterans. The Ira Jacobson Ladies Auxiliary will be hosting the Annual Jacobson Children’s Christmas Party, Saturday December 9th at 1 PM. This party is FREE to all Legion, Auxiliary, and SAL members. Children, grandchildren, and stepchildren age 12 and under are eligible to participate. There will be activities, refreshments, music and presents for all the children. The deadline for reservations is November 24TH!! Please send your reservations to: Ira Jacobson Post, 90 St. John’s St., Rochester, NY 14612 -OR- Dorothy Dodd, 65 Lillian Lane, Rochester, NY 14616 OR you may call her with your reservation at 663-5139. Coordinators: Michelle Brown and Denise Wright Membership renewal time is here. We have reached 50% of our goal. Remember to return your membership dues before Jan 1st to beat the dues increase. Our meetings are the second Monday of each month at 7:30. We invite all veterans and/or active service members to visit us and join our family. For those members who are unable to drive and wish to attend a meeting please call the Post Home at 663-7030 to make arrangements. Remember for the latest news and information about Ira Jacobson Post 474 please visit our website WWW.IRAJACOBSON0474.ORG Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday and remember those who gave their all. September October News Letter 2006 News for membership renewal, if you have not renewed your membership please do so before the dues increase in January. Renewing now will save you money. We have just completed our 20-20 drawings with a dinner held on Sept 24th. Congratulations to the Grand prize winner Howie Ophardt. Thanks to everyone that participated. We are offering tickets for our next 20-20 series of drawings which will start in May 2007. Call 426-8322 or 663-7030 for entry details. Enjoy Fee Live Music and munchies every second Wednesday of the month at our Post Home starting at 7 pm. On Oct. 11th come listen to WILDROSE and join in on the fun. Pancake Breakfasts have started on Sunday mornings, Adults $6.00, Children 10 and under $3.00 Children 2 and under free, sponsored by the Genesee Valley Detachment # 223 Marine Corps League. We will be having a Turkey Raffle on October 28th at 7:00 pm sponsored by Ira Jacobson Post 474. We will be sponsoring a Veterans Day event at the Post Home November 11th at 11 AM. This is open to the public. Visit our website at IRAJACOBSON0474.ORG for details on our activities. August News Letter 2006 The past month has been quiet with people enjoying the nice weather, spending time with their families on vacation. I have noticed many homes around the Charlotte area displaying “Old Glory”. We as veterans truly appreciate the display of patriotism in our neighborhoods. If you see me approaching your door it is with a thank you note for honoring our flag and our nation. When ever I see the flag my heart swells and I think of all those who gave so much for all of us. With all that is going on in this world we all can know that in this nation we can say what we want to say, print news and editorials with the knowledge that no one will be knocking on our door in the middle of the night. We fought for these constitutional rights for everyone. Upcoming events at our Post Home: Free Live Music and munchies every second Wednesday of the month at our Post Home starting at 7 pm. Pancake Breakfast Sunday mornings from 9 am till noon starting September 10th children Adults $6.00, Children 10 and under $3.00 Children 2 and under free, sponsored by the Genesee Valley Detachment # 223 Marine Corps League. Turkey Raffle coming October 28th sponsored by Ira Jacobson Post 474 Our Post Home is home to several veterans groups. They are American Legion Ladies Auxiliary, Post 474, Sons of the American Legion, Post 474, American Legion Post 1709 - Butler-Bevin, American Legion Post 1501 - Eike-Jordan-Bauer, Genesee Valley Detachment # 223 Marine Corps League, Korean War Veterans Association, Chapter 58, Navy SeaBee Veterans of America, Island-X12, Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 20. July News Letter 2006 The month of June was a productive month for the Ira Jacobson Post 474. The Ira Jacobson Post, like the rest of Charlotte, is part of a beautification process. Most recently our building received new siding and the parking lot was paved, adding more regular and handicapped parking spaces. Our improvements came with the help of Senator Joseph E. Robach in the amount of $46,000. Without this we would not have been able to make these improvements. Many thanks to Senator Robach We enjoyed a successful Child/Youth Safety Day. Many thanks to the Rochester Fire Department, Laidlaw with their Talking Bus, and the Girl Scouts of America for providing displays and answering questions from the visitors. The Month of July is upon us. Our Nation’s birthday is July 4th. This is a day that was given to us by those who went before us. Those who gave their lives for the rights we all take for granted today. Please remember to honor those who gave so much for us to enjoy the freedom we have today. It is always a wonderful sight to see homes decorated with the American Flag. The veterans of the Ira J Jacobson Post 474 thank you for your patriotism and showing our flag. The Month of July is our kick off month for 2007 membership. Anyone interested in membership in the American Legion should contact the Post at 663-7030 or Richard Raichlin at 426-8322 for more information. An AM-VETS organization is being started at our Post. Membership requirements are you must have honorably served or are currently serving in any of the branches of the Armed Forces after September 15, 1940. Anyone interested can call 663-7030 or Richard Raichlin at 426-8322. Come join us for free music and munchies on Wednesday July 12th starting at 7 PM. June News Letter 2006 We have just completed siding our Post Home. We look 100% better now. We were the recipient of Day of Caring from Kodak. Many thanks for the hours these wonderful people spent at our post home to make things look better for you. You will see some construction going on very soon. We are paving our parking lot from St. Johns Pk. to River Street. This will make it much nicer for parking and walking in the parking lot and driveway. ============================================================== Thanks for visiting, browsing the content of our current issue. 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