The Greene Legion Post had its monthly meeting on Monday Feb 4 at our room at 7 S Canal St. The staff meeting which was supposed to take place the previous week, but was postponed due to weather, took place right before the monthly meeting.
The Post has gotten Legion Signs that will be posted around town in the coming future. A new Garrison Flag was purchased which will be displayed at the Memorial Day Parade and other events. Events for the Parade were discussed.
The Post authorized the purchase of service flags for the All Veterans Memorial. Thanks to community folks who donated the funds for these flags. It was announced the boys that were selected to go to Boys State. Shortly we will be setting up a date to interview girls for the Girls Leadership Day.
Girls Leadership Day was innovatively started by our Post to bring outstanding High School Junior Girls to Albany to meet with legislators. There is a Girls State but it is smaller than Boy's State with Post Auxiliary Groups filling the slots. Greene does not have an auxiliary. We encourage women who have served to join us as regular members.
The meeting ended with an excellent picture presentation by George Estey on his trip as a booster on the Southern Tier Honor Flight 2 day bus trip to Washington DC. George captured the joy of aged Vets that went on the trip and all they saw. Next month the Post will have its monthly meeting at the Oxford Veterans Home.
If you have a question about the Post, donations, activities, and or want to buy items(Flags-grave markers, branch cups,etc). Please call us at 607-431-8286 or drop a note at our PO Box 149 Greene, NY 13778.
Also please put tattered flags in the lectern we have on the S Canal St entrance to the Greene library. Please check the STVSG.org web page and our Greene Legion web page for veteran activities in the area. If you have a veteran, widow, or active duty military member(Guard-Reserve-Active) in need of help, please call any of the following groups: Veterans Crisis Line 1-800-273-8255, Binghamton Vet Center 772-2393, VA Outreach Center 772-9100, County Outreach Officer 724-1299, Southern Tier Veterans Support Group 205-8332, Post Chaplain or other questions J Koopman.
A whole additional list of support services are available in a pamphlet put out by the Southern Tier American Red Cross. Copies are at the Greene Library.
In February we celebrate Lincoln's birthday Feb 12, Washington's birthday Feb 22, the day the Iwo Jima flag was raised Feb 1945, Operation Desert Storm Feb 24-28, 1991 and the start of the Vietnam War Feb 28, 1961.
It would be interesting to ask those under 30 what these events and people meant? There are 2 words that all represent. The first One is Patriotism which is defined simply love and devotion to one's country. The second word is sacrifice which is defined as forfeiture of something valued for the for one considered to have a greater value or claim.
Veterans and those who have served did so because they believed in the great principles of America. May we never forget our heritage.
This week's Hero of Greene is Gary Ives. He was born in 1945 in Afton. He entered the US Army in September 1967. He did his Basic Training at Ft Dix, NJ. He was stationed at Long Binh, Republic of Vietnam.
He received the National Defense and the Vietnam Service Medals. He reached the rank of E-4. He was Honorably discharged on Oct 30, 1969. Greene and America are grateful to long time Greene resident Gary and his family for their dedication to America's freedom.