Minutes

December 3, 2020

Commander Rob Meyer opened the regular meeting of Henry G. Fix Post 23 on Dec 3rd at 8:00 PM. Following a salute to the colors, Commander Meyer led the 14 members present in the Pledge of Allegiance and reciting of the Preamble to the Constitution. Chaplain Welch offered the prayer.

VIP/Special Guests: Kurtis Nelson (Director, Garretson Community Ambulance) and Judy Ellis (Garretson Food Pantry)

Commander Meyer presented the Garretson Community Ambulance a $1,500 check from the post. Kurtis Nelson thanked the Legion, and explained that the money would be used to purchase a new ambulance this spring. Commander Meyer then presented the Garretson Food Pantry a $1,500 check. Judy Ellis explained that the donation will fund turkey/ham coupons for Thanksgiving, the Angel Tree, and the backpack program. Both organizations were very thankful for the post’s donations.

The November 5^th regular meeting minutes were read by the Adjutant. No corrections were noted. Minutes approved as read.

Financial reports were presented by Finance Officer, Jim Kurtz. Motion by Nancy Grandy to accept financial reports, second by Jon Schmidt. Motion passed.

Commander Meyer presented the current bills. Motion by Mark Weisner to accept and pay the bills, second by Reid Christopherson. Motion passed.

Committee Reports:

Service Officer Report (Jon Schmidt): Mailed cards to Delmyn Johnson and Don Debates. Cody Linneweber (Coach Legion Baseball) is currently in hospital. Dale Schmiesing was in the hospital.

Membership Report (Nancy Grandy): The 2021 goal is 210. Current 160 members paid. 13 renewals received at meeting. Membership at 173 or 82%. The December National Goal is 75% (158), the January Goal is 80% (168).

Americanism Report (Bob Bennett): The flags approved last month are ordered. The flag holders have been put up. Commander Meyer did a great video for Veteran’s Day. The school edited in students which made it even better. There was a “Get Out the Vote” post on our Facebook page prior to the election. Bob passed out cards from the 3^rd graders to those present at the meeting. No one has expressed interest in the Oratory Contest. It appears we will not have a submission this year. Registration for Boy’s State is coming up. Cost is $250 (200 program/50 transportation) per student. Boy’s State is open to both juniors and seniors this year.

Legislative Report (Paul Evenson): None

Baseball Report: None

Old Business

Fireworks/Baseball Insurance: Jim Kurtz has looked at policies from the Fireworks Company, and talked with our insurance company on options. Commander Meyer discussed the letter on National Resolution 35 requiring National and State Headquarters be listed as additional insured on all of our insurance policies. Andy Lyngen will provide update on location options at next month’s meeting.

Constitution/By Laws: (Review of current Constitution/By Laws): Commander Meyer continues to work. The process of converting old Constitution into the new document while adding recommended changes is tougher than he thought.

Legion Breakfast: Legion Breakfast for December was cancelled.

Hometown Christmas: Commander Meyer attended the Commercial Club meeting. All in-door activities have been cancelled. The Commercial Club Breakfast we usually support was cancelled. The parade is scheduled. As of the meeting time, no one has asked if the Post will provide a color guard to lead the parade.

New Business

The next Post Meeting will be held Jan 7th at 8 P.M. Meal at 7 PM.

The post needs several individuals to work an event on 11 December. Tony & Nancy Grandy and Jon & Denise Schmidt volunteered to help. Andy Lyngen will reach out with details.

“Up to Now” highlights: Mid-Winter Conference is currently being held in February. The post will discuss attendance at next meeting.

Post Press: Jim Kurtz was highlighted on SD State Legion Facebook page for work with the Legion Foundation. The post’s donation to the Legion Foundation was highlighted in the State Legion Newspaper.

Commander presented correspondence received during the past month:

VA Christmas Parties and Veteran Affairs Volunteer Services Committee Letters: A brief discussion of past Post support of the VA’s Popcorn fundraiser and the VA’s Christmas Party occurred. Motion by Reid Christopherson to donate $50 to VA Popcorn and $100 for VA Holiday Programs, second by Steve Kirton. Motion passed.

Thank You letters were received from South Dakota American Legion Foundation ($5000 donation) and South Dakota Community Foundation (receipt for Legion Foundation donation).

Tara Hough and Beth Welch updated the status of the new raffle balls. Randy Pruiett returned his $150 winnings. They have the raffle tickets for next year’s raffle. The raffle drawings for December was conducted. $150 Winners this month are Joe Vandersnick, Amanda Schotskee, Ruth Sarar, Mike Winter, and Stan Hanson. $500 winners were Jerry Weiland, Teresa Winterton, and Kevin Engebretson

The meeting was closed by the usual closing ceremony at 8:52 p.m.

November 5, 2020

Commander Rob Meyer opened the regular meeting of Henry G. Fix Post 23 on November 5th at 8:02 PM. Following a salute to the colors, Commander Meyer led the17 members present in the Pledge of Allegiance and reciting of the Preamble to the Constitution. Chaplain Welch offered the prayer.

VIP/Special Guests:

The October 1st minutes were read by the Adjutant and approved as written.

Financial reports were presented by Finance Officer, Jim Kurtz, and the Social Chairman, Brian Siemonsma. Motion by Steve Kirton to accept financial reports. 2nd by Gary Lyngen. Motion passed.

Commander Meyer presented the current bills. Motion by Andy Lyngen to accept and pay the bills, Second by Mark Williamson. Motion passed

Committee Reports:

Service Officer Report (Jon Schmidt): No report. Jim Kurtz offered that Delmyn Johnson and Don Debates recently underwent surgery and recommended that cards be sent to each.

Membership Report (Nancy Grandy): 2021 goal is 210. Current membership is 140. Received thirteen additional renewals at meeting. Post current membership is 153 (73%). The November National Goal is 65%. The December National Goal is 75%.

Americanism Report (Bob Bennett): The committee developed a plan to place 19 flags on Dows and the holders are ready. They also updated many holders/locations on Main Street. Purchase of 2 ½’ x 4’ Poly flags at a cost of $1300 was approved. A new POW/MIA flag is now placed on the flagpole at the front of the Legion. No one has expressed interest in the Oratory Contest yet. The Garretson School decided to do their Veteran’s Day program virtually.

Legislative Report (Paul Evenson): No Report.

Baseball Report: (Jeff Koneche): No Report.

Old Business

Fireworks/Baseball Insurance: (Review of Insurance requirements). Received a copy of the policy and have requested Midland Insurance review and provide advice. Paul Evenson reported that the National Executive Council developed a resolution reference liability insurance. Each post liability insurance policy is to name the National American Legion and Department be added on as “additional insured”. There is no additional cost for this.

Andy Lyngen discussed location options being considered. Post 23 will continue to host the Fireworks. One is to use of the sports complex in coordination with the school and city as in past years. Andy is also in contact with J.R. Hoefert who is displaying fireworks by electronic means as a safer means. Commander Meyer mentioned the potential of partnering. The membership requested that Andy further develop this option and present options and a recommendation at a future meeting. Motion by Gary Lyngen to purchase the $3,000 in Fireworks for July 2021 now and continue to work the location specifics. Second by Paul Evenson. Motion passed.

Constitution/By Laws: (Review of current Constitution/By Laws): Commander continues to work.

Legion Breakfast/Meals at meetings: Following a thorough discussion on the current community and state COVID-19 trends and alternatives. Membership approved the motion that the December breakfast be cancelled.

Veteran’s Day Ceremony/Dinner: The dinner, ceremony and awards are cancelled. Members discussed alternate ways to honor and commemorate the day. A Thank you to veterans was placed in the Garretson Weekly. The Commander created a video message for the school and will share on social media.

New Business

The next Post Meeting will be held December 3rd at 8 pm – meal served at 7.

Honor Guard: Members are encouraged to join and support the Honor Guard. Very important role! Post 15 reached out to the Post 23 Honor Guard requesting assistance for two funerals recently. Thank you to the post Honor Guard members who supported the funerals!

Hometown Christmas: Members briefly discussed safely holding the event and potential Legion participation based on past years events. Commander is attending the city meeting.

Paul Evenson raised the point that Post 23 has traditionally made a number of donations to community about this time of year. Members discussed recent contributions and options for this year. Motion by Tara Hough to donate $1500 to the Food Pantry. 2d by Jon Schmidt. Motion passed. Motion by Andy Lyngen to donate $1500 to the Ambulance fund and $500.00 to the Fire Department. 2d by Jon Schmidt. Motion passed.

South Dakota American Legion Foundation. Last year the post approved a donation of $10,000 to be paid in two installments. $5,000 in 2019 and $5,000 in 2020. Commander Meyer directed payment of this year’s installment.

The raffle drawing was held by Beth Welch and Tara Hough. Winners this month were Brian Schnurr, Ruth Christopherson (twice), and Tom Willems. They will each receive $150.

The meeting was closed by the usual closing ceremony at 8:49PM.

October 1, 2020

Commander Rob Meyer opened the regular meeting of Henry G. Fix Post 23 on October 1st at 8:04 PM. Commander Meyer led the 18 members present in the Pledge of Allegiance and reciting of the Preamble to the Constitution. Chaplain Welch offered the prayer.

VIP/Special Guests: None

The September 6th minutes were read by the Adjutant. As no changes were made, minutes were accepted as read.

Financial reports were presented by Finance Officer, Jim Kurtz, and the Social Chairman, Brian Siemonsma. Motion by Andy Lyngen to accept financial reports. 2nd by Paul Evanson. Motion passed.

Commander Meyer presented the current bills. Motion by Gary Lyngen to accept and pay the bills, Second by Steve Kirton. Motion passed

Committee Reports:

Service Officer Report (Jon Schmidt): A Get Well Card was sent to Ron Bly.

Membership Report (Nancy Grandy): 2021 goal is 210. Current membership is 124. Received nine additional renewals at meeting. Post current membership is 133 (63%). The October National Goal is 55%. The November National Goal is 65%

Americanism Report (Bob Bennett): The Garretson School decided to do their Veteran’s Day program virtually. There will be no in-person program this year. No one has expressed interest in the Oratory Contest yet. Oratory Contest must be completed by Jan 10^th.

Legislative Report (Paul Evenson): No Legislative Report. Paul discussed the need to get out the vote. All Americans should register and vote in the upcoming election.

Baseball Report: (Jeff Koneche): None.

Old Business

Fireworks/Baseball Insurance: (Review of Insurance requirements) No Update

Constitution/By Laws: (Review of current Constitution/By Laws) Commander continues to work.

Legion Breakfast/Meals at meetings: December is the next scheduled Legion Breakfast. An extended discussion occurred on the risk/rewards of holding the breakfast as scheduled. The majority supported going ahead with the event. The Post needs to start advertising the event as soon as possible to gather interest in the community. The Post will also encourage masks and social distancing. If people are not feeling well, they will be encouraged not to attend. The Post will have a to-go option for those desiring not to stay. The breakfast will be French Toast and Biscuits and Gravy.

District 7 Fall Meeting: Jim Kurtz and Andy Lyngen provided an update. The Post received 3 awards for meeting membership goals for 2020 and an Americanism Award for the Post’s Activities. The 2020 Commander, Adjutant and Membership Chair received pins for meeting the 2020 membership goal of 220. District 7 passed resolution to add an additional Vice Commander. Andy Lyngen was elected as Vice Commander, District 7. The district overall is lacking nominations for Fireman/Teacher/Business nominations. District Commander Rod Smith indicated posts should encourage individuals to attend District and County meetings to get more involved in the Legion. State Headquarters is working on getting Post’s to contact Post 500 members in their area.

Ralph Scheurs Flag Memorial: Jim Kurtz discussed the actual amount of funds donated in Ralph Scheurs name following his death. The new flag poles on Main are metal so no flag mounts will be added. A committee was established to inventory current flags, and develop a plan to use the money set aside for flags.

New Business

The next Post Meeting will be held November 5th at 8 pm – meal served at 7.

Veteran’s Day Ceremony/Dinner: Commander Meyer opened the discussion on Post Veteran’s Day activities. With current COVID situation, there was extended discussion on hosting the Post Veteran’s Day Program. Three options were discussed: Full Meal//Presentation/Observance; Dessert Only/Observance; Observance only or cancelled. Individuals indicated that at some point the Post must return to normal activities. It was believed that most people are responsible, and follow rules. Those not feeling well or uncomfortable, should opt not to attend. Motion by Paul Evanson to host the standard Post program including full meal, speaker and observance. Second by Gary Lyngen. Motion Passed. Commander Meyer will call an Executive Committee meeting to finalize planning for the Veteran’s Day program.

South Dakota Veteran’s Cemetery: Paul Evenson provided update on the South Dakota Veterans Cemetery meeting he attended on September 14^th. Construction continues at the cemetery with flag poles and landscaping being done. Deputy Secretary Aaron Pollard discussed the need for Honor Squads to be available as the initial months will be quite busy. There is a list currently of individuals waiting to be interred pending opening of the cemetery. Garretson will provide honors for our local Veterans, but will also need to assist other squads as demands exceed capability. Interments will only occur Monday through Friday.

Raffle Balls: Beth Welch discussed the condition of the balls used for the raffle. They are very hard to read, and difficult to use. The balls are over 10 years old. Following a brief discussion, Motion by Gail Larson to purchase 500 new balls for the raffle. Second by Steve Kirton. Motion passed.

“Up to Now”: State membership is currently at 62.6%.

Correspondence received: None

The raffle drawing was held by Beth Welch. Winners this month were Delmyn Johnson, Randy Pierret, Ron Luke, Doug Viet and Nancy Grandy. They will each receive $150.

The meeting was closed by the usual closing ceremony at 9:05 PM.

September 3, 2020

Commander Rob Meyer opened the regular meeting of Henry G. Fix Post 23 on Sept 3rd at 7:02 PM. Following a salute to the colors, Commander Meyer led the 16 members present in the Pledge of Allegiance and reciting of the Preamble to the Constitution. Chaplain Welch offered the prayer.

VIP/Special Guests: None

The August 6th minutes were read by the Adjutant. Motion by Brian Siemonsma to accept the minutes as read. 2nd by Marty Luebke. Motion passed.

Financial reports were presented by Finance Officer, Jim Kurtz, and the Social Chairman, Brian Siemonsma. Motion by Andy Lyngen to accept financial reports. 2nd by Gary Lyngen. Motion passed.

Commander Meyer presented the current bills. Motion by Brian Siemonsma to accept and pay the bills, Second by Gary Lyngen. Motion passed

Committee Reports:

Service Officer Report (Jon Schmidt): Andy Lyngen indicated that a card had been sent to Marty Luebke. Ron Bly was reported to be in the hospital.

Membership Report (Nancy Grandy): 2021 goal is 210. 14 additional memberships were processed during the month. 7 members renewed on line. Go-Getters turned in 28 additional memberships at the meeting. Current paid membership is 109 (52%). The September National Goal is 50%. The October National Goal is 55%.

Americanism Report (Bob Bennett): The Garretson School is deciding if they will hold the annual Veteran’s Day program in November. Decision should be made in early October. Commander Meyer indicated the post will look at all Veteran Day activities during the October meeting.

Legislative Report (Paul Evenson): No Report

Baseball Report: (Jeff Koneche): No Report

Old Business

Fireworks/Baseball Insurance: The group continues its review of the Post’s insurance requirements.

Constitution/By Laws: Commander Meyer is reviewing and updating documents.

Preamble: The Preamble has been ordered, and we should receive this fall.

Post oratory contests: Must be completed by Jan 10^th. Bob Bennett indicated no one has expressed interest yet at the school.

Legion Breakfast/Meals at meetings: The Post discussed restarting meals at monthly meetings and hosting the Post breakfasts. It would be easier to have meals at the meetings with smaller attendance and more room to facilitate social distancing. Members felt the Post should see how the October meal goes, then relook hosting the breakfast for the community. Motion by Tony Grandy to have a meal prior to the October meeting. 2^nd by Andy Lyngen. Motion Passed.

Next Legion Breakfast (On hold, pending further discussion)

New Business

The next Post Meeting will be held Oct 1st at 8 pm – meal served at 7.

Scheurs Flag Memorial: Bob Bennett explained the Ralph Scheurs Memorial funds which was designated for flags. There are several issues on-going with the holiday flags. The condition of our current flags and poles need to be reviewed. The construction on Main Street replaced numerous poles so new anchors are needed. Marty Luebke recommended looking at permanent flags on Main Street. Jim Kurtz will research the actual amount designated for flags. Commander Meyer indicated that the Executive Committee will look at options and make recommendation to the post.

District 7 Fall Meeting SEP 26 (Dell Rapids): Commander discussed the upcoming District Meeting. Discussed who would attend.

Marty Luebke was presented his 2020 Go-Getter pin and a 5 Yr Go-Getter button.

The bench in front of the Dugout has been installed. It was donated by the Legion Auxiliary and the Williamsons.

Jesse James Gas Station is currently collecting donations for Post 23.

Gary Lyngen indicated that the Post is missing a key set for the thermostats. We need the keys back. Please check if someone used and may have them.

The Sanford Invitational Golf Tournament will be held in Sioux Falls on 11-13 September. It is free for Veterans with proper ID.

“Up to Now” highlights: South Dakota American Legion Golf Tournament is Sept 12^th at the Hartford Golf Course. Two teams from Garretson are currently registered to participate.

Commander presented correspondence received: Thank You (Garretson Scholarship)

The raffle drawing was held by Beth Welch and Tara Hough. Winners this month were Gordy Engebretson, Julie Zweep, Mandi Warren, and Steve Larson. They will each receive $150.

The meeting was closed by the usual closing ceremony at 7:43 PM.

August 6, 2020

By: Mark Wiesner

The Henry G. Fix Post 23 meeting was held on August 6th with 22 members present. The meeting was opened by Commander Rob Meyer. It was held in doors due to the heat with social distancing in place. Cody Linneweber attended as a guest / coach. The minutes of the previous meeting were presented and approved. Bills were approved for payment. Jon Schmidt, the Service Officer reported no news to report. Membership report given by Nancy Grady reported that the membership is currently at 221. Our goal for the next year is 210 members. Go-getters have turned in 32 renewals and 1 new member (Ben Koneche) so far.

Americanism Officer Bob Bennett stated that he has assigned topics for the Oratory Contest and those have been sent out. Commander Meyer indicated that the new deadline for the Oratory Contest is January 10 th . There was no Legislative Report. Cody Linneweber reported that the 15 & 16 year olds won the regional competition and placed 6 th at the State Tournament. It had been a challenging year with everything related to Covid-19. Jeff Koneche reported also on the difficulty in conducting baseball this year. The teams have played in the VFW league that was set up this year. A motion was passed to pay the coaches for working with the teams Andy Lyngen reported that the fireworks attendance and donations were down some from past years. Insurance and future hosting of fireworks was discussed. The Garretson Schools are in the process of buying the baseball field. The same individuals will be in charge of operations, so there should be very few changes. This will give more flexibility for use with situations such as Covid in the future. The Post Constitution and By-laws are being reviewed by Commander Rob Meyer.

Jesse James Days has now been officially cancelled, so our activities related are also cancelled. The Legion breakfasts for the future are on hold. Our next Post meeting will be September 3red at 7 pm. No meal will be served. Jim Kurtz discussed the status of keys for the Post safety deposit box. He has had an additional key made and that key given to Bob Bennett as he is on the signature card. Jim Kurtz has the other key.

The South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs is hosting a Funeral Honors meeting at the new State Military Cemetery on September 15 th . Paul Evenson has more information for those interested in attending. The next district meeting will be held on September 26 th in Dell Rapids at 2 pm with a meal and social time prior. Post 23 received thank you cards from the Garretson Swimming Pool, and Alton Rogen. The meeting was closed by the usual closing ceremony at 8:03 pm.

The raffle drawing was held by Beth Welch and Tara Hough. Winners this month are Richard Johnson, Tom Godbey, Angie Olson, and Dwight Nedved. They will each receive $150.

March 5, 2020

By: Mark Wiesner

The Henry G. Fix Post 23 meeting was held on March 5^th with 29 members present. The meeting was opened by Commander Brian Siemonsma. Special guests included several members of the Jesse James Players. They asked if the Legion Post would work with them on rent for use of the facility for an upcoming play. A motion was presented and approved to lower their rent from $800 to $200. The minutes of the previous meeting were presented and approved. The routine reports were presented and approved. Bills were approved for payment.

Jon Schmidt, the Service Officer reported that a card was sent to the family of Steven Austin as he recently passed away. Tony Grady reported that the membership goal is the same as last year at 220. We now have 220 paid memberships, putting us as the only Post in the county over 90%! Congratulations to our members and Go-Getter staff for reaching this goal so quickly this year! Some Go-Getters have indicated that they might want to transition different members into their position for the future.

Americanism Officer Bob Bennett reported that six high school juniors have applied for Boy State this year. This is great news since last year we did not send any boys to Boys State. A group listened to Noah’s senior project about Veteran’s and felt that he did a great job. We have received no applications for the Troopers Academy program at this time. Jayden Clarke presented her oratory speech at state and did extremely well. In the future we plan to present the Fireman’s awards at the August corn feed instead of at the school. Paul Evenson gave the Legislative Report. There are 12 bills going in front of the legislature this year concerning the American Legion. One bill would do away with the SD Veterans Commission. A new council would take over the responsibilities and would represent several organizations: American Legion, VFW, Purple Heart, DAV included. Secretary Wilke recently held a press conference in Hot Springs and it now appears that the VA hospital in Hot Springs will not be closing. For the Baseball Report Mark Williamson reported that Chandler Austin will coach the 17-18 year old team. Cody Linneweber will move up to coach the 15-16 year team.

We still have 100th Anniversary books available for sale at the Treasure Chest or by contacting Owen Wiese or Marty Luebke. 132 Legion Raffle tickets remain available to be sold. A facebook announcement and newspaper posting have been made. We need this completed by April meeting for the first drawing. Please help support our major fundraiser by buying one or several raffle tickets! We appreciate your donation. Paul Evenson gave an update on the Blue Dragon Academy project. We decided not to use Lens Awning since the full awning would cost between $10,000 to $15,000. Instead the Academy purchased three portable awnings at a cost of $3750. A motion passed to donate $2000 from the Legion to help with this project.

The Commander reported that several members attended the Mid-Winter Conference in Oacoma on Feb 21-23. Members attending: Paul Evenson, Jim Kurtz, Gary Lyngen, Andy Lyngen, Robert Meyer, Tony Grandy, Nancy Grandy, Several of those attending returned early to conduct Honor Guard services for Steven Austin. The State Cemetery in Minnehaha County will open in spring of 2021. 171 veterans and 142 spouses are already pre-registered. The Blue Dragon Academy will have a fund raiser at the Post on Saturday, March 21^st. Tara Hough, Gary Lyngen, Andy Lyngen, Tony Grandy, and Nancy Grandy volunteered to assist. Greg Uhlich will present his senior project to the Post during April meeting. The Post approved buying a book of tickets for the Shrine Circus.

Next post meeting will be April 2^nd, with the meeting at 8 pm. This will be our steak night and all new members will eat for free. The meal will start at 6:30 pm. The next Legion breakfast is April 5^th from 9 am to 1 pm serving french toast with biscuits and gravy. The District meeting will be held April 3^rd in Dell Rapids. Andy Lyngen requested money to certify members for fireworks handling. A motion approved 4 members for that training.

A thank you and donation was received from family of Steve Austin, Dean Lerdal, and Nils Benson. We received a thank you for our donation of $5000 to the SD Legion Foundation. Charlie Agnew was given his pin for being a member of the Honor Guard. Dean Engebretsen was given a certificate for 75 years continuous membership in our Post!!!! Congratulations Dean!

The raffle drawing was held. Winners this month for $150 are: Steven Frerk, MOPH, Garry Insurance, and Dan/Lisa Willems. The meeting was closed by the usual closing ceremony at 8:14 pm. After the meeting the Post Historian read the annual post history and recognition was given to past Commanders.

February 6, 2020

By: Mark Wiesner

The Henry G. Fix Post 23 meeting was held on February 6^th with 24 members present. The meeting was opened by Commander Brian Siemonsma. Special guests were Jim Frerk, Jayden Clark, Tana Clark, Ruth Sarar, and Carrie Moritz . The minutes of the previous meeting were presented and approved. The routine reports were presented and approved. Bills were approved for payment.

Jayden Clark presented her District winning oratorical contest speech. The speech was on the Constitution and the freedoms and privileges granted, and also about the obligations we have as citizens. Jayden will compete at the State level on February 23^rd. Jayden’s mother Tana and her former teacher Ruth Sarar also listened in on the speech. Carrie Moritz spoke on the Garretson City Park Bench Project. 28 benches have been sponsored. Legion members discussed where one of these bench’s would be place on our dugout grounds.

Jon Schmidt, the Service Officer reported a card was sent to the families of Norm Benson and Nels Benson both of whom recently passed away. A get well card was sent to Harlow Sundem and Ronald Lyngen. Nancy Grady reported that the membership goal is the same as last year at 220. We now have 220 paid memberships, putting us at 100% of our goal. Congratulations to our members and Go-Getter staff for reaching this goal so quickly this year!

Americanism Officer Bob Bennett reported that seven high school juniors have expressed interest in Boy State this year. This is great news since last year we did not send any boys to Boys State. Paul Evenson gave the Legislative Report. Legion Legislative Day will be February 10^th. The Boy’s and Girl’s State Governors will attend and meet with the Governor and Senate and House Chambers. For the Baseball Report Mark Williamson reported that Cody Linneweber will move up to coach the 15 to 16 year old team.

We still have 100th Anniversary books available for sale at the Treasure Chest or by contacting Owen Wiese or Marty Luebke. Raffle tickets are out and need to be turned back in no later than the March meeting.

Next post meeting will be March 5th, with the meeting at 7 pm. This is our Past Commander / Post History night. I light meal will be served after the history and comments. The next Legion breakfast is April 5^th from 9 am to 1 pm serving French toast with biscuits and gravy. The next county meeting will be February 25rd in Hartford. The next District meeting will be April 3^rd in Baltic. The 2020 State Mid-Winter Conference is February 21-23 at Ocoma, SD. The Garretson High School will have Military Appreciation night on February 18^th during the double header game. The Color Guard will present the Colors around 6:15 pm prior to the Girls Varsity game. The Honor Guard welcomes new member Charlie Agnew. The Commander presented Honor Guard pins to all members. Post 23 received a thank you note from the Blue Dragon Academy for the 2019 donation of $2,000. The Post received a thank you note from the Garretson Food Pantry for last months $1500 donation. Our post is proud to support the local community. The daycare will be hosting a fund raiser at the Legion on Saturday, March 21^st and will be serving sausages and pancakes. Legion volunteers are needed. Tara Hough, Gary Lyngen, Andy Lyngen, Tony Grandy, and Nancy Grandy volunteered. Rave Uhlich will be presenting his senior project to the Legion membership during the April meeting. Rave is doing his project related to raising money for Veterans.

The raffle drawing was held. Winners this month for $150 were: Ryan Danforth, Lance Gibson, Lyle Van Hoven, and Ward Denning. The meeting was closed by the usual closing ceremony at 8:57 pm.

January 2, 2020

By: Mark Wiesner

The Henry G. Fix Post 23 meeting was held on January 2nd with 25 members present. The meeting was opened by Commander Brian Siemonsma. The minutes of the previous meeting were presented and approved. The routine reports were presented and approved. Bills were approved for payment.

Jon Schmidt, the Service Officer reported a card was sent to the family of Laurie Tidemann, who recently passed away. A get well card was sent to Jim Kurtz for shoulder/elbow surgery and Mary Ann Swenson for her knee surgery. Jon Schmidt is also recovering from a recent knee surgery. A get well card was sent to Neal Albers who is continuing to recover. Tony Grady reported that the membership goal is the same as last year at 220. We now have 215 paid memberships, putting us at 97% of our goal. The Go-Getter certification will be complete before the January 15^th deadline. We have been trying to contact Duane McKee who moved somewhere in Iowa. Tony would appreciate any information available to track down this valued member.

Americanism Officer Bob Bennett reported that the registration for Boy’s and Girl’s State starts in January. Bob Bennett, Brian Siemonsma, and Cheryl Lyngen will coordinate to meet with the Junior High School students about this upcoming event. There is one confirmed student, Jayden Clark, for the Post Oratory Contest. District competition will be held on January 12th at 7pm in Humboldt.

Paul Evenson gave the Legislative Report. Legion Legislative Day will be February 10^th. The Boy’s and Girl’s State Governors will attend and meet with the Governor and Senate and House Chambers. For the Baseball Report Mark Williamson asked the post about what to do with the older uniforms he has in storage.

We still have 100th Anniversary books available for sale at the Treasure Chest or by contacting Owen Wiese or Marty Luebke. Raffle tickets are out and need to be turned back in no later than the March meeting. The Flag Retirement Ceremony was primarily attended by the Boy Scouts and their parents. Andy Lyngen, Tony Grandy, and Nancy Grandy held the ceremony during the Hometown Christmas. It was noted the Boy Scouts were very respectful and well behaved during the event. Our Legion members appreciated working with the Scouts.

Next post meeting will be February 6^th, with the meal at 7 pm and the meeting at 8 pm. The next Legion breakfast is February 2nd from 9 am to 1 pm serving scrambled eggs, ham, and biscuits and gravy. The next county meeting will be February 23rd in Hartford. The 2020 Mid-Winter Conference is February 21-23 at Ocoma, SD. The Executive Committee Paul Evenson met with Kris Frerk from the Blue Dragon Academy to prioritize needs. The awning project is a big need and our post is working to get quote information from Len’s Awning for this need. The Teacher of the Year will be announced in February. The Fireman of the Year will be announced in late January. The nomination for our post Legionnaire of the Year was announced with Andy Lyngen as our Post Legionnaire of the Year! Andy has been intimately involved with Post activities to include: 100^th Anniversary Committee, Fireworks Committee, lawn and snow care for the post, Color Guard, Flag Retirement Ceremony, Go-Getter, and was past Post Commander.

Ray Uhlich, a student from Garretson High School has contacted the Post Commander about doing a Senior Project related to raising money for Veterans. The Commander asked for him to put together a presentation for the Post meeting in March. Dean Engebretson was given an award for 75 years as a member in the Legion! Many congratulations to Dean for his involvement with our Post for these past years! Bob Bennett asked for gift certificates for the Oratory Contest judges. A motion was made and passed for each judge to receive a $25 gift certificate. The Post received a thank you card from the family of Dean Lerdal. A thank you card was read from Francis O’Neal’s Family.

The raffle drawing was held. Winners this month for $150 were: Will Hangman, Tim Ockenga, Joe Vandersnick, John Bly, and Trudy Deutsch. The meeting was closed by the usual closing ceremony at 8:54 pm.

December 5, 2019

By: Mark Wiesner

The Henry G. Fix Post 23 meeting was held on December 5th with 28 members present. The meeting was opened by Commander Brian Siemonsma. Guest Dan Steen was present to speak on the Honor Flight. The minutes of the previous meeting were presented and approved. The routine financial reports from the Finance Officer and from the Social Chairman were presented and approved. Bills were approved for payment. There was an motion approved to donate $100 to the Garretson Fire Department.

Dennis Hoven is now in a hospice program. John Schmidt has accepted the position as Service Officer. Members reported that Dean Lerdal, Jim Leister, Francis (Skeeter) O'Neal, and Gene Froseth have passed away. We will be sending a card to Neal Albers who was in the hospital, but is now out. Tony Grady reported that the membership goal is the same as last year at 220. We now have 167 paid memberships, and 21 paid up for life memberships, putting us at 92% of our goal. We now have the highest percentage of paid memberships in the county! The Honor Guard has a new member for the team - Rob Meyer.

Americanism Officer Bob Bennett reported that the school's Veterans Day program went very well. The school encouraged our Post Commander to come speak every year. They will also reserve an area for Veteran seating in future years. There are now 3 students interested in the Legion District Oratory Contest. The competition will be held on January 12th at 7pm in Humboldt. We are excited to have these 3 potential students for this event!

The flag retirement ceremony will continue with Legion members and Boy Scouts helping out. The second ceremony will take place on December 14th during the Garretson Old Fashioned Christmas. We still have 100th Anniversary books available for sale at the Treasure Chest or by contacting Owen Wiese or Marty Luebke. Legion members Andy Lyngen, Tara Hough, Mark Wiesner, Tony Grandy, Nancy Grandy will help out with the Garretson Hometown Breakfast on December 14th. The Color Guard will be in the parade that day. The Post Commander has sent out the schedule for individuals placing Main Street flags during the holidays for the next year. Our Veterans Day Program at the Legion was well attended with over 80 people at the event.

Next post meeting will be January 2nd with the meal at 7 pm and the meeting at 8 pm. Steve Warren will prepare chili and Brian Siemonsma will prepare oyster stew. The next Legion breakfast is February 2nd from 9 am to 1 pm serving scrambled eggs, ham, and biscuits and gravy. The next county meeting will be February 23rd in Hartford.in February. The 2020 Mid-Winter Conference is February 21-23 at Ocoma, SD. The post has looked into helping two organizations. The Executive Committee met with Kris Frerk from the Food Panty and Heidi Fink from the Blue Dragon Academy to find out their needs. The Food Panty has operating needs of around $1500 per month to buy food. The Post passed a motion to contribute $1500 to the Garretson Food Pantry. The Blue Dragon Academy has a need for awnings on the south side of the building. Paul Evenson is checking on bids for the awning and possible volunteer labor to get it installed. No motion was made on awning until all information is received.

Post Commander Siemonsma passed out award for: Charlie Warren - 10 years membership, Ed VanEmmeric - 5 years membership, and Daniel Steen - 5 years membership. The Sioux Falls VA requested donations for the VA Christmas Party for Veterans. The post passed a motion for a donation of $100 to the party fund, and $50 to the popcorn fund. The Garretson School send a thank you card for our participation in the Veterans Day Celebration. We received a thank you card for participation in Dean Lerdahl's funeral. Bonnie Hanson gave a donation of $100 to the Post.

Dan Steen gave a recap of his Honor Flight trip. He found it to be a wonderful experience and recommends it to other Veterans. He was impressed and honored to be a part of it and to see the memorials from his tour to Vietnam. Beth Welch our Raffle Officer has tickets for sale! The raffle drawing was held. Winners this month for $150 are: Risty Grandkids, Mathew Kurtz, Terry Hanson, and Norm Nussbaum. The $500 bonus drawing winners are: Heidi Fink and Mary Ann Swenson. The meeting was closed by the usual closing ceremony at 9:10 pm.

November 7, 2019

By: Mark Wiesner

The Henry G. Fix Post 23 meeting was held on November 7th with 21 members present. The meeting was opened by Acting Commander Andy Lyngen. No special guests were present. The minutes of the previous meeting were presented and approved. The routine financial reports from the Finance Officer and from the Social Chairman were presented and approved. Bills were approved for payment.

The Service Officer was not present. Members reported that Dean Lerdal had passed away. Funeral services will be at 2 pm on Wednesday, November 13th at First Lutheran Church in Sherman. Mary Ann Swenson recently had knee surgery. Vicki Kooistra Arndt, daughter of Clarence Kooistra passed away on October 28th. Cody Linnweber lost his infant son on November 1st. Tony Grady reported that the membership goal is the same as last year at 220. We now have 168 paid memberships putting us at 76% of our goal and well on track! We are well on our way to meet our January goal of 80%! We should be able to hit the 220 total by March, but when calculated out, need 3 new Legion members.

Americanism Officer Bob Bennett reported that the school is inviting Veterans to eat with students the week of November 11th through the 15th. The school Veterans Day Program will be on Monday, November 11th at 2:15 pm. The Legion District Oratory Contest for our District is January 12th at 7pm in Humboldt. We are excited to have 3 potential students for this event!

The flag retirement ceremony went very well with Legion members and Boy Scouts helping out. They will continue this ceremony with a second ceremony on December 14th during the Garretson Old Fashioned Christmas. Andy Lyngen reported that the south side sidewalk is fixed. A special thank you to Joe Vandersnick for removing the old concrete. Crete Pros put in the new concrete. We still have 100th Anniversary books available for sale at the Treasure Chest or by contacting Owen Wiese or Marty Luebke.

Next post meeting will be December 5th with the meal at 7 pm and the meeting at 8 pm. The next Legion breakfast is December 1st from 9 am to 1 pm. We will be serving pancakes and biscuits and gravy. The next county meeting will be in February. The 2020 Mid-Winter Conference is February 21-23 at Ocoma, SD. The Post approved $3000 to purchase fireworks for the Fourth of July. This is the same amount as last year. By buying before the end of the year we will get 20% more product. The Veterans Day program is all set! We will meet at the Post on Monday, November 11th, with a social beginning at 5 pm and dinner at 6 pm. Featured speaker will be Captain Ross Rollinger from the South Dakota Air Guard 114th MXG.

Paul Evenson reported on the Color Guard. They have been very busy and helped Sioux Falls Post 15 with three committals. The Sioux Falls Post has done 110 committals this year and has asked our Post for help on several occasions. Dave Sorenson, Randy Megard, Josie Scholl, Marty Luebke, Jim Kurtz, Andy Lyngen, Gary Lyngen, and Paul Evenson have helped with these ceremonies. They will also participate in the Veterans Day program at the school and Dean Lerdal's funeral. The Post was given a $40 check from the Moe family as a thank you. Acting Commander Lyngen mentioned that post officers require additional training for their duties. The post will make plans to accomplish this training.

Owen Wiese started a discussion about our commitment to the local community and our Post wanting to help with the Garretson Food Pantry and Day Care Center. The Executive Committee will meet with those organizations and find our how we can best assist. Their recommendation will be brought before the post. A thank you note was received from the museum for the use of our facility and our bingo equipment. We also received a thank you note from the South Dakota American Legion Foundation for our recent $5000 donation. Our brand new Raffle Officer is Beth Welch, taking over from Don Dorsman. She has tickets for sale! The raffle drawing was held. Winners this month are: Tom Godbey, Lyle VanHove, Risty Grandkids, Vonnie Hanson and Dwayne Jacobson. The meeting was closed by the usual closing ceremony at 9:15 pm.

October 3, 2019

By: Mark Wiesner

The Henry G. Fix Post 23 meeting was held on October 3rd with 29 members present. The meeting was opened by Commander Brian Siemonsma. Special guests this evening were Mr. Dewey Hessaa from Canton and our own Post 23 15-16 year old baseball team. The minutes of the previous meeting were presented and approved. The members or the baseball team spoke about their season and thanked the Post for the opportunity to play baseball. This team placed 1st at regional tournament, and 3rd at the state tournament. Routine financial reports from the Finance Officer and from the Social Chairman were presented and approved. Bills were approved for payment.

The Service Officer had no recent activities to report. Get well cards were requested for three legion members. Tony Grady reported that the membership goal is the same as last year at 220. We now have 155 paid memberships putting us at 70% of our goal and well on track! New members joining our post are: Ronald Lyngen (Post-Vietnam Era) - Army and Trevor Fales (Present Era) - Army.

Americanism Officer Bob Bennett reported that Boy State students will start registering on January 1, 2020. Material has been received and distributed to the school for the oratory contest. We are looking for students to compete as in the past! Bob has developed a "Flags For Sale" flyer to promote legion flag sales. The annual Veterans Day program will be held at the school. The week of November 11-15th the school will invite Veterans to eat lunch with the students. More details to come at next meeting.

Andy Lyngen is leading up a team of legion members to fix the south side sidewalk. They will be working the project within the Post and will incorporate the needed drain tile for proper drainage. The Post flag retirement ceremony is now scheduled for December 14th. The local Boy Scouts first meeting will be at the legion on Tuesday, October 8th with legion members demonstrating the separation of flags to the Scouts. We still have 100th Anniversary books available for sale at the Treasure Chest or by contacting Owen Wiese or Marty Luebke.

Mr. Dewey Hessaa, who serves as State Adjutant for the Son's of the American Legion presented on his organization. He provided an overview of the Son's of American Legion program and it's origin, history, and purpose. The group is growing as would like a presence in Garretson. Post members asked several questions and discussed this as a future possibility.

The Veterans Day program is all set! We will meet at the Post on Monday, November 11th, with a social beginning at 5 pm and dinner at 6 pm. Featured speaker will be Captain Ross Rollinger from the South Dakota Air Guard 114th MXG.

Paul Evenson and Jim Kurtz provided information on the South Dakota American Legion Foundation. This program is an endowment fund designed to help Veterans and children. The endowment is currently funded at $189,000 with a goal of 1 million in the next five years. Members had a significant discussion on how our post could participate. Members approved a donation of $5000 in 2019 and an additional $5000 in 2020. This shows Post 23's continued commitment to local and state Legion causes.

The next Legion breakfast will be October 6th, serving omelettes, scrambled eggs, and ham from 9 am to 1 pm. Our next post meeting is Thursday, November 7th with the meal at 7 pm and meeting at 8 pm. Next county meeting is October 29th in Garretson with meal at 7:30 pm and meeting at 8 pm. The state Mid-Winter Conference will be held February 21-23 23, 2020 in Chamberlain.

The raffle drawing was held. Winners this month are: Sara Hegge, Brad Ferrell, Sam Williamson, Colleen Pesicka, and Ward Denning. The meeting was closed by the usual closing ceremony at 9:28 pm.

September 5, 2019

By: Mark Wiesner

The Henry G. Fix Post 23 meeting was held on September 5th with 28 members present. The meeting was opened by Commander Brian Siemonsma. There were two special guests: Noah Reed - a local high school student and Tara Hough - a new member to the post. The minutes of the previous meeting were presented and approved. Routine financial reports from the Finance Officer and from the Social Chairman were presented and approved. Bills were approved for payment.

The Service Officer reported that Orval Gene Knock has passed away and that our Post Colorguard attended the funeral in Lennox. Get well cards were sent to Mark Rosenbum and Mary Ann Swenson. New memberships goal is the same as last year at 220. We now have 117 paid memberships putting us at 53% of our goal and achieves the goal of 50% by September 11th! New members joining our post are: David Williamson (Vietnam Era) - Army, Matthew Hulscher (Present Era) - Army National, and Tara Hough (Vietnam Era) - Air Force, Transferring in members are: Jason Zeisler from Watertown, SD and Michael Jacobson from Elk River, MN.

Americanism Officer Bob Bennett reported that Boy State students will start registering on January 1, 2020. Material has been received on oratory contest and will be provided to the school. We are looking for students to compete as in the past! Noah Reed spoke of his experiences at the Academy School in Texas. He has also been helping a Post 23 member - Steve Austin as part of his senior project. The Legislative report was given by the Post Commander. Bill Oxford of Iowa has been selected as the National Commander.

Athletic Officer Jeff Konechne reported that the 15-16 year olds placed at State Tournament this year. The tournament was held in Garretson and many folks from all around the area commented on our great facilities and people in the community.

The original contractors hired to fix the south side sidewalk have failed to perform. We will be working the project within the Post and will incorporate the needed drain tile for proper drainage. We still have 100th Anniversary books available for sale at the Treasure Chest or by contacting Owen Wiese or Marty Luebke.

The next Legion breakfast will be October 6th, serving omelettes, scrambled eggs, and ham from 9 am to 1 pm. Our next post meeting is Thursday, October 3rd with the meal at 7 pm and meeting at 8 pm. Next county meeting is October 29th in Garretson. We will put together a meal and supporting volunteers to help. The groundbreaking ceremony for the new Veterans Cemetery will be Monday, September 9th at 9 am. The location is 1 mile east of Renner, then 2 miles south, then ½ mile to the east. All are invited and encouraged to attend. The Legion Golf Tournament will be held September 21st and 22nd in Hartford.

The raffle drawing was held. Winners this month are: Julie Zweep, Brad Frerk, Tim Stark, and Paul Koch. The meeting was closed by the usual closing ceremony at 8:50 pm.

August 1, 2019

By: Mark Wiesner

The Henry G. Fix Post 23 meeting was held on August 1st with 41 members present. The meeting was opened by Commander Brian Siemonsma. We had two special guests - the Department Vice Commander Harry Boner and District 7 Commander Rod Smith. Harry mentioned the District meeting in Madison on September 15^th and had several positive comments about the post home and its members. He re-emphasized the importance of mentorship and integrating new members into post activities. Rod spoke on the passage of the American Legion Act which grants membership ability to ALL WHO SERVED 1 DAY OF ACTIVE DUTY SINCE DECEMBER 1, 1941. This is a game changer for membership and allows up to 6 million new veterans. We welcomed John Flanagan and Ben Newsted as new members to the post. The minutes of the previous meeting were presented and approved. Routine financial reports from the Finance Officer and from the Social Chairman were presented and approved. Bills were approved for payment.

The Service Officer reported cards sent to Hagemeyer family and Scheurs family. A card was sent to Mark Roenbum due to back surgery. Mary Ann Swenson will have surgery the second week of August. Membership Chairman Rob Meyer reported that the new memberships goal is the same as last year at 220. We started the first month with 36 memberships and added 10 more paid, putting us at 46 now. This is 21% of our goal with first goal of 50% by September 11^th. We are well on our way!

Athletic Officer Jeff Konechne introduced Cody Linweber the coach for 13 and 14 year olds. Cody spoke of his 7^th years of coaching, great kids, and thanked the community support. This team ended up in 3^rd place at the state championship. Jeff informed that the 15 and 16 year olds are playing on August 2^nd and made it to state championship which will be held in Garretson August 9^th at noon. The 17 and 18 year olds ended up in 3^rd place at regional competition and did not move on to the state level. Our post color guard presented the colors at the regent tournament and will present again on August 9^th and August 11^th. Special recognition to: David Sorenson, Frank Koens, Gary Lyngen, Andy Lyngen, and Paul Evenson for making it happen!

The new kitchen refrigerator is here and looking marvelous. We are looking for that special person to lead the charge for the future raffles and for maintenance supervisor. Interested parties to contact the Post Commander.

The post celebration of the 100^th anniversary went extremely well on July 6^th. We have post history books available from Owen Wiese (100 post history) and from Marty Lubke (For God and Country). Thank you cards have been sent for those providing memorabilia for the event. The posting of flags schedule for Main Street was discussed and updated for the next year.

The next Legion breakfast will be on Sunday, August 11th from 9 am to 1 pm. We will be serving French toast, sausage and biscuits. Please stop in and bring a neighbor. Our next post meeting is Thursday, September 5th with the meal at 7 pm and meeting at 8 pm. Next county meeting is August 27^th in Dell Rapids with a meal at 7:30 pm and meeting at 8:00 pm. The groundbreaking ceremony for the new Veterans Cemetery will be Monday, September 9^th at 9 am. The location is 1 mile east of Renner, then 2 miles south, then ½ mile to the east. All are invited and encouraged to attend. August 7^th is National Purple Heart Day. The South Dakota American Legion Golf Tournament will be held September 21^st and 22^nd in Hartford. Midwest Honor Flight sent a thank you note for our posts contribution for $500.

The raffle drawing was held. Winners this month are: Paul Leister, Lynne Gilmore, Ron Rekstad, Seinna Klein, and Mark Willems. The meeting was closed by the usual closing ceremony at 8:30 pm.

June 6, 2019

By: Mark Wiesner

The Henry G. Fix Post 23 meeting was held on June 6th with 24 members present. The meeting was opened by Commander Brian Siemonsma. No special guests were present. Commander Siemonsma read an article on D-Day and followed with 30 seconds of silence. The minutes of the previous meeting were presented and approved. Routine financial reports from the Finance Officer and from the Social Chairman were presented and approved. Bills were approved for payment.

It was noted that there was a very large turn out for the Legion breakfast with over 150 people served. Thank you the community for coming to the dugout for breakfast and fellowship. We appreciate your support! Membership Chairman Rob Meyer reported that the paid memberships were at 220 with our goal for this year at 220. Noah Reid is currently at High School Boot Camp and is continuing to look for a Veteran focused plan for his senior project. American Legion Girls State was successful with several attending from Garretson. The girls will be invited to the August corn feed to give a recap of their time there.

Athletic Officer Jeff Konechne informed that the baseball season is now in full swing. July 23rd there will be a regional baseball tournament in Garretson will many teams coming to town. There will be a second event on July 28th or 29th with the State Teeners Tournament coming to town!

The post voted to buy a new refrigerator for the kitchen to replace the currently broken one. Don Dorsman reported that all raffle tickets are accounted for. He will be giving up the his position of leading the charge for the future raffles. We are looking for volunteers to assist with this for next year. The lucky winners drawn that night were: Kyle Evenson, Alan Nedvid, Tim Ockenga, and Jim Hanson.

Andy Lyngen reported that he has a flag tote set up for worn flags at the Legion. He is working with the Boy Scouts to retire the flags sometime in October. We are still looking to fill the Maintenance Supervisor position for our post home.

We continue plans to celebrate the American Legion’s 100th anniversary in South Dakota. We plan to have many activities on Saturday, July 6th. American Legion coins are now on sale with a limited quantity available. The events are listed below:

Celebration of Henry G. Fix Post #23 100th Anniversary Saturday July 6, 2019

Location: Garretson Legion

Doors open at 1:00pm with KIA Display Post Member Memorabilia on Display, Inflatable for kids, Post History Books available at $5 each. The Legion Pillar Display will be on site.

At 4:00 pm Commander Siemonsma will give the welcome and introduce guest speaker Fred Nelson and the Singing Legionnaires

From 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm the Post will serve FREE burgers as a thank you to the community. Burgers/Chips/Lemonade and cash bar available. A 20x40ft tent outside for overflow. Recruiters with National Guard will bring equipment to display.

At 6:30 pm the Legion Baseball team will play at the ballfield.

At Dusk the annual FIREWORKS Display will take place at the Garretson School Football Complex. We want to encourage the public to tell friends that the fireworks will be on July 6th this year, not July 4th!

The Memorial Day program was very well received. We received many comments about the lawn set up outside. A special thank to Andy, Gary, and Sheryl Lyngen for setting this up! The American Legion State Convention will be held in Sioux Falls this year June 6th through June 9th. Our Post will send six delegates.

The next Legion breakfast will be on Sunday, August 4th from 9 am to 1 pm. Please come down and bring a neighbor. Our next post meeting is Thursday, July 11th with the meal at 7 pm and meeting at 8 pm. Our post is providing the funds for the fireworks on July 6th. We will have volunteers collecting donations at the entrance to the event. Please come to the display at dusk. Your donations are appreciated.

The members went through names for upcoming days to set up flags on the Main Street. The post will have a color guard at Jesse James Day and a convertible with a Legion representative. The South Dakota Legion Golf Tournament will be held in Hartford on September 21st and 22nd. Our next County meeting will be in Colton on June 25th at 8 pm. It was noted that any Veteran with 10% or higher service related disability can receive a lifetime pass to U.S. National Parks for a $10 handling fee.

The Commander presented an award to Don Dorsman for his many years of service with lawn care, beverage tax, and raffle coordinator. An award was given to Owen Wiese for his 50 years as Post Historian. Our color guard is participating in a local competition on June 7th, if they win they will compete at the State Convention. The meeting was closed by the usual closing ceremony at 9:10 pm.

May 2, 2019

By: Mark Wiesner

Thirty Legion members were present for the Henry G. Fix Post 23 meeting on May 2, 2019. The meeting was opened by Commander Brian Siemonsma. A special guest Noah Reid was present. Commander Siemonsma thanked the team preparing the food. The minutes of the previous meeting were presented and approved. Routine financial reports from the Finance Officer and from the Social Chairman were presented and approved. Bills were approved for payment.

Membership Chairman Rob Meyer reported that the paid memberships were at 220 with our goal for this year at 220. This is a huge accomplishment and allows our Post to be a 100% Post. Bob Bennett the Americanism Officer reported that he attended the awards night at the school and handed out educator, citizenship, and fireman of the year awards. Special guest Noah Reid spoke that he is looking for plans for his senior project. Noah plans to do his project related to the American Legion and military service.

Athletic Officer Jeff Konechne informed that the baseball season is now in full swing. The 13 and 14 year olds first game is May 13th. The 15 and 16 year olds first game is May 20^th. The 17 and 18 year olds first game is May 27^th. We ask the community to continue their support of your team! The boys are good players, show good sportsmanship and represent Garretson in a positive way.

Don Dorsman reported that all raffle tickets are accounted for. The first two drawing are tonight for a total of 8 winners. Each winner will receive $150. The lucky winners drawn were: Greg Beaner, Justina Tonkinson, Wayne Liester, Kathy Ramsdell, Pat Carnicle, Ed Strenger, and Tony Grandy.

Andy Lyngen reported that he has been in touch with Mike Stoterau the local Boy Scout Leader and they will postpone the flag retirement ceremony to Labor Day and Veterans Day. The Scouts and Legion will collect tattered flags for these events. Andy will set up a flag collection tote.

We continue plans to celebrate the American Legion’s 100^th anniversary in South Dakota. We plan to have many activities on Saturday, July 6^th. American Legion coins are now on sale with a limited quantity available. The events are listed below:

Celebration of Henry G. Fix Post #23 100th Anniversary Saturday July 6, 2019

Location: Garretson Legion

Doors open at 1:00pm with KIA Display Post Member Memorabilia on Display, Inflatable for kids, Post History Books available at $5 each. The Legion Pillar Display will be on site.

At 4:00 pm Commander Siemonsma will give the welcome and introduce guest speaker Fred Nelson and the Singing Legionnaires

From 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm the Post will serve FREE burgers as a thank you to the community. Burgers/Chips/Lemonade and cash bar available. A 20x40ft tent outside for overflow. Recruiters with National Guard will bring equipment to display.

At 6:30 pm the Legion Baseball team will play at the ballfield.

At Dusk the annual FIREWORKS Display will take place at the Garretson School Football Complex. We want to encourage the public to tell friends that the fireworks will be on July 6^th this year, not July 4^th!

The American Legion State Convention will be held in Sioux Falls this year June 6th through June 9^th. Our Post will send six delegates.

The next Legion breakfast will be on Sunday, June 2^nd. We will serve scrambled eggs, ham, sausage and biscuits with gravy. We will be open from 9 am to 1 pm. Please come down and bring a neighbor. Our next post meeting is Thursday, June 6^th with the meal at 7 pm and meeting at 8 pm. Memorial Day event is set for Monday, May 27^th. Guest Speaker Wing Command Chief Master Sergeant Zona Hornstra will speak. The program will start at :00 pm. The wood bench donated to Grow Garretson will have “In honor of all veterans / Henry G. Fix Post 23 Legion” engraved. Kris Frerk donated a large 55 inch flat screen TV to the Legion Post. The Veterans Golf Tournament will take place at Hidden Valley Golf Course on May 11^th. Post 23 will have a color guard in the Jesse James Day parade. These are busy active times for Post 23 and it’s members.

April 4, 2019

By: Mark Wiesner

Fourty three Legion members were present for the Henry G. Fix Post 23 meeting on April 4, 2019. Each year we invite State and District American Legion representatives to our April meeting for steaks and the swearing in of the new Post Officers.

The meeting was opened by Commander Andy Lyngen. He thanked the team preparing the steaks and special guests for their attendance. Special guests included Department Commander Denny Brendon, State Vice Commander Ed Stringer, National Executive Committee Member Jul Huls, and newly elected County Commander Gary Lyngen (one of our own!). The minutes of the previous meeting were presented and approved. Routine financial reports from the Finance Officer and from the Social Chairman were presented and approved. Bills were approved for payment.

Membership Chairman Rob Meyer reported that the paid memberships were at 219 with our goal for this year at 220. We are actively seeking out that additional person to make the Post a 100% Post. Alysha Kientopf was selected as the district winner for Educator of the Year and will continue to the State competition in June.

Athletic Officer Jeff Konechne informed that there are now 17 youth in the 13-14 year old group, 10 in the 15-16 year group, and 10 in the 17-18 group. We would like to see more kids in the groups currently sitting with 10 participants. The coaches are in place to lead those teams. Scott Schleuter will coach the 17-18 year olds, Chandler Austin the 15-16 year olds, and Cody Linneweber the 13-14 year olds. Dauby’s Sports will supply the new catchers gear the Legion is purchasing for these teams. The coaches are organizing baseball hats so that each player has identical headgear. If there are any boys who cannot afford to pay the $50 registration fee the Legion will cover their registration. Konechne said that all the boys will be issued new athletic shirts with the Garretson logo. Those shirts have been purchased at a cost of $1192.80. We ask the community to continue their support of your team! The boys are good players, show good sportsmanship and represent Garretson in a positive way.

Don Dorsman reported that all raffle tickets are now sold! The first drawing will be held during the May meeting. In May we will hold both the April and May drawings, so there will be 8 winners of $150 each! Frank Koenes recently accomplished a monumental task! He found the missing picture for the Past Commanders board at the Legion.

Commander Lyngen mentioned that the post is still looking for the right person to hold the Maintenance Supervisor role. We reviewed the notes from the District 7 meeting held in Canton. Andy Lyngen is organizing a flag retirement ceremony with the local Boy Scouts and will set a date in the next month. Our post agreed to sponsor a park bench near the waterfall in the City Park for $500.

We continue plans to celebrate the American Legion’s 100^th anniversary in South Dakota. We plan to have many activities on Saturday, July 6^th. American Legion coins are now on sale with a limited quantity available. The Commander presented Go-Getter awards for membership and 100% placard and pins for 2018 membership.

New officers were installed for the next year. Elected Officers are: Commander – Brian Siemonsma, 1^st Vice Commander Tony Grandy, 2nd Vice Commander Nancy Grandy, Adjutant Rob Meyer, Finance Officer Jim Kurtz, Chaplain Beth Welch, Historian Mark Wiesner, Service Officer Dennis Hoven, Sergeant at Arms Ed VanEmmerick. Appointed Officers are: Americanism Bob Bennett, Legislative Officer Paul Evenson, Athletic Officer Jeff Konechne, and Social Chairman Andy Lyngen.

National Executive Committee Member Huls reported on the progress of congressional resolution to change eligibility dates for membership in the American Legion. This bill expands eligibility to honorably discharged veterans that have served on federal orders in times from World War II to present.

Owen Wiese was thanked for his 50 years of service as the Post Historian. Owen encouraged the post to take on more fun activities to involve Legion members and the community. Owen has been instrumental over the past years in keeping and maintaining an accurate history for our Legion Post.

The next Legion breakfast will be on Sunday, April 7^th with pancakes and Biscuits with Gravy from 9 am to 1 pm. The public is invited and encouraged to come by. The next county meeting is April 30^th in Brandon, with lunch at 7 pm and meeting at 8 pm. Our next post meeting is Thursday, May 2^nd with the meal at 7 pm and meeting at 8 pm. The meeting was closed by the new Commander Brian Siemonsma at 9:10 pm.

March 7, 2019

By: Owen Wiese

Twenty five members of Henry G. Fix Post 23 met at 7:30 PM March 7, 2019.

The business meeting was opened by Commander Lyngen with the prescribed protocol. Commander Lyngen reminded the members that there was the business which would encompass two meetings because the February meeting was not held because of inclement weather.

The minutes of the previous meeting (January) were presented and approved. Routine financial reports from the Finance Officer and from the Social Chairman were presented and approved. Bills to be paid were approved for payment.

Membership Chairman Meyer reported that the paid memberships were 216. The quota is 220. Four more members are needed. An effort needs to be made to enroll them by March 23 which is the date of the District 7 Spring Meeting in Canton. The Commander could turn them in at that time which would make the Post a 100% Post.

Americanism Officer Bennett reported that there will be no boys from the Garretson School attending Boys State. There were no boys who indicated an interest despite the efforts of Bennett and Mr. Long, the Principal. The Auxiliary will sponsor eight girls to Girls State and it was voted that the Legion would support them finically to whatever level needed. Bennett also said that the School needs new flags. It was approved that the Post donate the flags in the number needed.

Athletic Officer Konechne said that “baseball season in right around the corner”. Three teams will play and coaches are in place to lead those teams. Scott Schleuter will coach the 17-18 year olds, Chandler Austin the 15-16 year olds, and Cody Linneweber the 13-14 year olds. Each of the boys playing (or their families) will be asked to pay $50 to play for the season. If there are any boys or families who cannot afford to pay the $ 50, they will be able to play anyway. Everyone who wants play will be welcome! Konechne said that all the boys will be issued new athletic shirts with the Garretson logo. Those shirts have been purchased at a cost of $1192.80 for which payment was approved. There is good equipment on hand from last year which will be used and new will be bought as needed. Support your team! The boys are good players, show good sportsmanship and represent Garretson.

Paul Evenson recently attended a conference in Washington, DC at which the Legislative Agenda of the American Legion was presented to the SD Congress persons. The US has been in an almost continuous state of conflict ever since December 7, 1941. There are now periods of time in which a person served which are not included as one which qualifies him to be eligible to join the American Legion. One of the leading items in the Legislative Agenda is an effort to get Congress to Redefine “wartime service” period. What that means is that during some of those periods individuals have been wounded of otherwise injured. An example of that is from Governor Bill Janklow who was in a situation where he was wounded, but that did not qualify for him to join the American Legion. The intent of the National American Legion is to have Congress declare those periods as “wartime service” periods.

A donation of $2000 was made to the Blue Dragon Foundation for continued work on the Child Care Center and a donation of $1000 to the Garretson Community Scholarship Foundation for scholarships for Garretson High School students.

Steve Warren was selected as the Post Legionnaire of the Year in recognition for his outstanding service while a member of this Post. His name will be forward to the District 7 to be considered for District Legionnaire of the Year at the District meeting March 23.

Lottery Chairman said before drawing the name for lottery winners “sell more tickets. sales end April 1” Names were drawn for two month for the $150 prizes. The winners were: Coleen Pesicka, Ben Johnson, Andy Lyngen, Dale Schmiesing, Amy Bohl, Bill Henjum, Will Hangman, and Brad Stensland.

Future activities for the Post include: Legion Sunday Breakfast April 7 and the Post meeting April 4 which will be the popular steak dinner night and also the election of new officers to lead the Post for the next year. Commander Lyngen closed the business meeting with proper protocol. After that the Historian read the unique “Preface to the Last Mans History” which has been presented since 1934 and is a very interesting reading unique to this Post. That was followed by the reading of the History of 2018 and signing by the officers. Those Past Commanders present were called upon for brief remarks and the meeting was closed with the serving of the traditional meal.

January 3, 2019

By: Owen Wiese

Twenty one Post members and guests enjoyed the traditional January meal of oyster stew or chilly. It was prepared and served by a very able kitchen crew who were thanked by Commander Lyngen at the start of the meeting.

Guests who were introduced included Adam Scholl and Kennedy Houghton, husband and daughter of Josey Scholl who recently joined this Post. Also introduced and welcomed was new member Joe Vandersnick.

Commander Lyngen opened the meeting with the prescribed protocol. Routine financial reports were heard and approved. Bills to be paid were presented and approved for payment. A donation of $200 was made to the Garretson Fire Department in appreciation for their service to the community. A thank you note was received from the Garretson Food Pantry for the $500 donation the Post made to it last month.

The donation was a large help for the Food Pantry to serve persons in Garretson who are needy. Steve Frerk who won $500 in the December monthly drawing, sent a thank you for it and said that he would provide a cleaning and service inspection on the Dugout Furnaces at no charge.

Jacob Schmidt will shovel the walks at the Dugout and mow the lawn during the summer. He will be paid $20.00 per hour and will be reimbursed for the salt he uses on the sidewalks.

National Legion Commander Brett Reisted visited Sioux Falls in the summer and met with Legion members and officials from around the state. Post Legislative Officer Paul met with him and the Post donated $200 for the charitable cause he sponsors. He responded with a letter of appreciation and an official picture of himself.

There will be no contestants from the Garretson School this year in the Legion Oratory Contest. It was an opportunity for some students to win some very substantial scholarships. The Contest will be offered again next year.

Legislative Officer Paul Evenson reported that the Department held a Roundtable in Sioux Falls for Legislators who will be at the Session in Pierre starting next week. There were about 12 Legislators who came to the Roundtable and they were receptive to information delivered pertaining to veterans. The one issue being considered is for certain tax exemptions for veterans. There will probably be more issues as the Session progresses.

A Military Appreciation night will be held at the Garretson School on January 18. Veterans will be recognized before the double header basket ball games between the two Garretson teams and teams from Vermillion. T-shirts in either Garretson blue or Vermillion red can be bought for $8.00.

The Garretson Old Fashioned Christmas parade was a success and featured the Post Color Guard and a Legion float showing the Four Pillars of the Legion program. The float is used throughout the State and is currently stored in Commander Lyngens garage. The next Post that wants to use it will come and get it. There is a $20.00 charge from each Post to be paid to the Department for the use of the float.

Plans are being made for the 100th Birthday of the American Legion. Committee Chairman Steve Warren said the day of observance will Saturday, July 6. The schedule of activities is not complete, but more will be published as plans progress. Current activities do include a community meal at the Dugout which will be free. The fireworks display will be on the evening of the 6th instead of the 4th of July.

The election of new officers of the Post happens in April, but Commander Lyngen urges present office holders to help recruit and train new officers.

Future activities of the Post include the Legion Breakfast February 3 featuring omelets and scrambled eggs, and the Post meeting February 7. Commander Lyngen will be attending the Legion Mid-Winter Conference in Spearfish February 7-10.

Raffle Chairman Don Dorsman said that there are still Raffle tickets left and he urges all members to take more books and make sure that everyone has a chance to win. It’a great deal!

The winners of the $150 drawing were: Sid Williamson, Lisa Stensland, Jamie Zweep, Ed Stringer, Scott Johnson.

December 6, 2018

By Owen Wiese

At the start of the meeting Commander Lyngen thanked those who served the very excellent meal to the Post members, Auxiliary and guests. The Commander then called for a few moments of silence to honor Past President George H. W. Bush for whom very impressive services had been completed.

A recent new member, Heidi Fink was introduced and welcomed. She has already expressed interest in taking part in Post activities.

Routine financial reports and approval to pay bills for both the Post and for the Social fund was completed. Service Officer Hoven reported that Post members Don Dorsman, Mark Westover, and Richard Johnson are recovering from injuries and illnesses. Hoven has sent them get well cards.

The Legion Breakfast was held December 3 with good attendance of community members. Thank you to everyone who came to the good social activity.

Membership for 2019 is at about 75% and some membership cards were turned in at the meeting. The Commander urged the Go-Getters to complete sign ups as soon as possible. Americanism Officer Bennett said that there has not yet been any contestants definitely committed to participation in the Legion Oratory Contest, but Principal Long and the speech teacher are working with some potential participants. The Contest takes a very strong effort from the students, but the rewards are very substantial. Bennett was also commended for the excellent job he did when organizing the Veterans Day program at the school. The students showed enthusiasm and gave a very impressive program. It is a very important way of learning about Americanism.

A thank you note was received from Jim and Linda Hoefert who were recently married, expressing their appreciation for the very good cooperation and treatment they received from the Post when they had their reception in the Dugout.

Commander Lyngen was commended for the very excellent Veterans Day Program on November 11 in the Dugout. It featured Randy Megard in a reenactment of a World War I soldier speaking about his experiences and hopes for the future. There was a very good attendance by community members which is appreciated very much by the Post.

The Color Guard led the parade for the Garretson Old Fashioned Christmas on December 8th and the Legion was also represented by a Legion float featuring the four pillars of the Legion Program. The float is made available to all Posts in the District. Each Post will assemble it and store it and pass it on to the next user. Despite a chilly night, there were several units in the parade and a good crowd watching it.

There are some maintenance items considered, the first being the Building Superintendent. Steve Kirton had taken the job on a temporary basis but will be gone for several months. Gary Lyngen agreed to do the job on a temporary basis, but there will be a permanent Building Superintendent selected as soon as possible. Jacob Schmidt, who recently appeared at a Post meeting too talk about his activities as a Boy Scout, has agreed to shovel the sidewalks at the Dugout and to mow the lawn in the summer. A motorized scooter has been donated to the Post by the Jasper Bank. It can be used by members who need it. Contact Mark Williamson to make arrangements.

The Honor Guard is a very important component for Post activities when called upon. Recently the Color Guard rendered services for Bruce Boehrns who was interred in the Lutheran Cemetery in Garretson. Bruce was a member of the Hall Thompson Legion Post in Irene, SD, but he was the son-in-law of Ray and Gerry Butrum who are interred in the Lutheran Cemetery and were long time members of Post 23. Bruce was married to Renee Butrum. Bruce was a Marine in 1968-70 and had a long career in the U.S Border Patrol. The Border Patrol dispatched a contingent to fold the flag after the Post 23 Honor Guard had rendered Honors for which the family was extremely grateful. The important lesson which is learned from this occasion is that a veteran doesn’t have to belong to this Post and doesn’t even have to belong to the Legion to be accorded the honors which are due.

The Honor Guard of Post 23 is very well trained and is very active, but could use some more members as some of the members are older and would like to be relieved of their duties. Any Post members who are interested in being a part of a very important and rewarding activity please contact the Commander of Honor Guard Randy Megard or Post Commander Andy Lyngen.

A committee led by Steve Warren is making plans for the observance of the 100th Birthday of the Legion on June 6-7, 2019. The committee met before the start of the Post meeting and discussed some possible activities which could be included in the observance. They will meet before every Post meeting to make decisions and plans. If any Post members have ideas about the observance please attend a committee meeting

When the Post underwent the most recent remodeling and rebuilding, one of the primary selling points was that the Dugout is a venue for the whole community and that is certainly being borne out as the Dugout has had almost continues use for several weeks and we are very pleased. To the whole community; It’s your venue, Use it.

Future Post activities are the Post meeting January 3, and the Legion Breakfast February 3 (featuring omelets and scrambled eggs by Chefs Jim Kurtz and Rob Meyer)

Ticket books for the 2019 $150 Weekly Raffle were distributed at the meeting. Do your Christmas shopping the easy way by buying the tickets which can give all year. A great deal at only $50 per ticket !

The winners of the weekly $150 drawing were: Randy Tollefsen, Tom Larson, Paul Shellum, Jody Neugebauer. The winners of the $500 Christmas prizes were: Steve Frerk and Alan Nedved.

November 1, 2018

After a very excellent meal featuring meat loaf, baked potatoes and salad prepared and served by Don and Mary Dorsman assisted by Jim and Ethel Kurtz, Commander Lyngen opened the meeting. Routine financial reports were presented and bills to be paid were approved. Membership Chairman Rob Meyer reported that about 70% of the quota has been reached. He urged Go-Getters to complete the membership drive as soon as possible. There were no reports from the Service Officer or the Athletic Officer.

Next Sunday, November 11 marks the observance of Veterans Day, a very important day for the American Legion and indeed the whole Nation. It marks the day that the Armistice was signed ending World War I on November 11, 1918 and because of the many wars that the U.S. has been involved in since that date, all the veterans of those wars are to be remembered and honored. The activities associated with Veterans Day begin with Lunch with the students at the Garretson School. Those veterans who sign up will have lunch with various age groups of classes on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday of next week. It is an activity that is fun and interesting for the veterans and for the students. The Students are interested in hearing of some of the experiences of the veterans. Because of the possibility that the School might be playing in the Football Championship, the School Veterans Day program will take place on Monday, November 12. A program is planned to which all veterans in the community are invited.

The Veterans Day program sponsored by Post 23 will take place on November 11 at the Dugout. Commander Lyngen is still working on some of the details because some of the people who were to be involved decided to not be there. Commander Lyngen has arranged for Post member Randy Megard, who will be dressed in a World War I uniform, to present a program about World War I using a video and a speaking part. Randy is an enthusiactive historian and enactor. The program will be very interesting and entertaining.

There will be a social hour beginning at 5:00 PM and followed by an excellent meal catered by the Garretson Food Center and follow by the program. Everyone is invited to the activities honoring and remembering the veterans of all our wars.

In other business considered at the meeting, there will now not be any repairs to the sidewalk on the south side of the Dugout. The repairs were to be made in conjunction with the on-going street project. Because of weather delays that project is behind schedule and will be completed next year. The sidewalk will be repaired at that time. Also, the Post has been invited to take part in the Garretson Christmas activities with possibly marching in the parade. Steve Warren will coordinate this.

The Garretson Food Bank is a very important entity in the community which serves people in need. There are probably more of these persons than is commonly known. The Food Bank is currently in need of help to serve the community so the Post approved a donation of $500 to the Food Bank. Individuals are also urged to support with donations of money. The Food Bank also gladly accepts food donations.

There was discussion about ways to publish news on the many ways the American Legion and the Post serve the community. With the widespread use of the social media there are many methods of conveying the news about the Post which probably are not being used now. Post Adjutant Siemonsma will coordinated the activity and formulate and inform the Post of ways to improve.

National Commander Brett P. Reistad was elected to his post at 100th Convention of the American Legion in Minneapolis in August. He is making a visit to SD on November 5 and will have a breakfast meeting at Post 15 in Sioux Falls. All National Commanders sponsor a special Foundation. Since 1921the Foundation was called Soldiers and Veterans , but Commander Reistad is changing the designation to Children and Veterans and hopes to raise several millions of dollars, 40% of which will go children’s programs and 60% to training of veterans. This Post authorized a donation of $200 which Paul Evenson will present at the breakfast in Sioux Falls. Commander Reistad will be in SD for a week and has a very full schedule of visits in the state.

Paul was Department Commander in 1992 and was given a cap from the 50th Anniversary of Boys State which was that same year. Paul will place the cap in the Post Display case.

The next Legion Sunday Breakfast will be December 2 and the next regular Post Meeting will December 6 with supper at 7:00 PM and meeting at 8:00 PM

The drawing for the $150 weekly prizes was held: winners were;Jeff Benson, Gene Murphy, Dean Roeman, Steve Moberg, Sid Pederson. In November one $500 prize is awarded. The winner of that was Troy Schnetter

October 4, 2018

By: Owen Wiese

Twenty Eight Legion members, Auxiliary members and guests enjoyed a very good dinner at 7:00 PM. Dinner was prepared and served by Sid Williamson, Ron Rekstad, Jim Hoefert and others. Thank you very much to that group.

A special guest at the meeting was Jacob Schmidt who was accompanied by his parents, Jon and Denise Schmidt and his sister Elizabeth. Jacob achieved the Boy Scout Award of Eagle Scout which is a very prestigious award received after a long period of study and work. An Eagle Scout Certificate had been sent to Commander Lyngen who had the honor of awarding it to Jacob. Jacob followed with a talk about his history in scouting, the many very interesting camps he attended and what it took to achieve the Eagle Scout Award.

Jake began his Scouting career as a member of the Cub Scout Pack in Garretson for five years. After that time there was no Boy Scout Troop in Garretson, so he joined a Boy Scout Troop in Sioux Falls sponsored by the Zion Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls. He has been in that Troop for five years and has reached the Eagle Scout rating with much dedicated effort and has had many interesting experiences and achievements. He earned 31 Merit Badges covering a wide variety of subjects, all of which required much work and study. The 31 Merit Badges are attached to the sash which is worn as a part of the Scout uniform.

Jake is a Junior at Garretson High School where he has also been involved in FHA and other school activities. During the past construction season he had a part time job with Haarsma Construction Co. which is doing the street reconstruction in Garretson.

Commander Lyngen opened the Post business meeting with the prescribed protocol followed by routine reports and approval to pay bills. Social Chairman Steve Warren said that the Dugout has recently been used for several receptions and meetings. He requested that more people volunteer to help with the bar as there some more receptions and meetings are scheduled.

A thank you was received from the Paralyzed Veterans for the donation received from this Post. They used it to sponsor a shoot for veterans which was very successful.

Three new Post members were introduced, Francis Ruml, Jon Schmidt, and Charles Agnew. They were welcomed and encouraged to become active members.

Service Officer Dennis Hoven announced that Barbara Erickson, wife of Past Post Commander Larry Erickson, has died. Services for her will October 13 at the Palisades Funeral Home.

Americanism Officer Bennett has been meeting with School Staff, Principal Long, and teachers to encourage participation in Legion programs, particularly the Oratory Competition. The school will be observing Veterans Day with a program on Nov. 12, the Monday after Veterans Day. There will be Meals for Veterans with the students on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before Veterans Day. Forms were distributed to Post members so that they can choose the day and time and student group with whom they want to have a meal. Sign up! It is a fun experience and the students really like it. Bennett also said that this year some awards will be given to older members of the community to recognize their service to the community.

Legislative Officer Paul Evenson said that South Dakota is number one in line to have a new Veterans Cemetery established which will be northeast of the junction of I-90 and I-229. The City of Sioux Falls will donate the land, with construction to begin 2019. Evenson also urged everyone to vote in the up-coming election. It is everyones privilege and obligation to vote.

Athletic Officer Konechne said that plans are underway for the 2019 season. The 15-16 year olds will need all new equipment and there is an unanswered decision as to what type of bats will be used by the 13-14 year olds. If equipment is bought now there will be a 50% discount.

At the District 7 Fall Meeting in Hudson September 30 information was received that a Legion float will be available for use by Posts. It could be used in this Posts 100th Year Observance in July. One other item to be considered with the Observance is to combine it with the 4th of July Observance. With that in mind, a motion was approved to increase the fireworks purchase to $3000.

Building Superintendent Dean Roeman has moved from Garretson. Steve Kirton has volunteered to take those duties, at least on a temporary basis.

Frank Koens was on the recent Honor flight to Washington, DC and he spoke about some of the happenings on the Flight. He said it was wonderful and unforgettable. There are Flights being planned for the future and Frank urged that anyone interested should get their name on the list to go because there is a big demand. Contact Frank for particulars.

Post member Jim Hoefert and Linda Johnson were married last week and had their reception in the Dugout. Because of the street construction, there was a premium on parking places. Jim contacted City Maintenance Officer Craig Nussbaum and he made sure that there places blocked off for families and other invited guests to park. Jim and Linda were very appreciative.

Commander Lyngen spoke about the necessity for those members who are in charge of a committee or activity to have someone trained or willing to take over the job. That is great idea and there are lots of members who will help if they are asked. Also, there are some officers who have been in an office for a long period of time. The elected officers are not supposed to be in those jobs forever.

Sunday, November 11 is Veterans Day. The Post will have an observance on that day. Commander Lyngen has a program planned which will not have a speaker, but will have a group of people who will make a presentation. It will be very interesting and entertaining and all community members are invited to attend. Do something different on your Sunday! Come to the Dugout and honor the veterans!

At the conclusion of the meeting the drawing for the $150 weekly prizes was held. The winners were: Rose Nedved, Art Jones, Steve Howe, Missy Lyngen.

September 6, 2018

By: Owen Wiese

The September meeting of Henry G. Fix Post 23 was preceded by a very excellent pot luck dinner served by the Auxiliary. Served was a selection of hot dishes, salads, breads and desserts. The excellent meal was enjoyed by the Auxiliary, twenty seven Legion members and guests. Thank you very much to the ladies for the meal.

Commander Lyngen called the meeting to order at 8:00 PM. He introduced Charlie Agnew who lives in Brandon and was attending the meeting with the thought of joining the Legion. It is hoped that he will do that.

The Commander then welcomed Kris Frerk who was representing the Blue Dragon Foundation which is in planning to build a Day Care Center for Garretson. There is a great need for a new day care center. There have been instances when people have considered moving to Garretson, but have not done so because of the lack of adequate day care facilities. At present there are two day care centers operating in town, both of which are filled to capacity of forty children in each one. The Dragon Land Daycare west of the School has been in operation for several years. The building is in very poor condition and is beyond repair, but will have to be used until a new day care can be built. The other operating day care is in the old Methodist Church on Main Street and it too is filled to capacity of forty children. Both facilities are managed by Heidi Fink.

The Blue Dragon Foundation plans to use the area on Center street previously occupied by the School bus barn and owned by the School. The plan is to trade that property owned by the school for the area occupied by the Dragon Land day care which would be torn down and the space would be used for School purposes. The Blue Dragon Foundation Board of Directors plans to build a day care facility with the capacity of 102 children and with room for expansion if needed. Fund raising efforts have been on-going for some time. A ten year $300,000 no interest loan will be secured from Alliance Communication to begin construction. There have been several very generous donations from community members and Kevin and Robin Baum have offered to provide a zero interest loan if more funds are needed after construction is underway. Fund raising efforts are still underway and donations are still needed for this very vital community facility.

The Blue Dragon Foundation Board of Directors met on September 7 to meet with the contractor and make a final decision on starting construction. The hope is to break ground soon and have the Day Care finished in the spring.

After discussion by Post members, a decision was made to donate $2000 to the very important community asset.

Commander Lyngen opened the business portion of the meeting and routine reports were given and approval for paying bills given. The membership drive or 2019 is underway and Membership Chairman Rob Meyer urged Go Getters to sign up members as soon as possible and before the District 7 Fall Meeting in Hudson September 30.

Americanism Officer Bob Bennett has been meeting with Principal Long and speech teacher Chelse Bucholz about getting more and earlier participation in the Legion Oratory Contest. There have been participants past years, but they had a tendency to start to prepare their orations too late and not have time to be adequately prepared and become discouraged and quit the contest. The Contest requires study of the Constitution and strong effort to prepare an oration and to practice giving it. The Contest does require more study and work than some programs, but the rewards can be substantial. There is a prize given to winner of the local contest and if the contestant advances to the District Contest and wins there a larger prize is awarded. If the contestant then wins the regional contest and goes to the State Contest there is larger prize in the form of a scholarship. The winner of the National Contest is awarded a $16,000 scholarship with lesser scholarships to the second and third place winners. Any student can enter the contest as a freshman and can enter every year after that as they become more experienced and proficient. If they don’t win the experience is still very valuable because public speaking is used many times in later jobs. To give some incentive to enter the Contest every student who does enter will be given a stipend of $20 for their effort. Bennett and the School Administration will be introducing the Contest early in the school year and helping each student to reach a successful goal.

The Firing Squad rifles are in need of a cleaning and a date and time will set for some Legion volunteers to take care of the cleaning. Tom Willems has been in charge of the flags and grave markers as well as sale of flags. Gale Larson has assumed that job, so if anyone needs a grave marker or flag for a grave or for home display please contact Gale.

The Post maintains a safe deposit box at the Bank. Persons who have been authorized signers were Jim Kurtz, Reid Christopherson, and Jerome Johnson. Jim requested that Bob Bennett be placed on that list. That request was approved.

Future Post activities include the Region 7 Fall Meeting in Hudson on September 30, the Post monthly meeting October 4 and the Legion Sunday Breakfast October 7.

The winners of the drawing for the weekly $150 prizes were; Michael Coburn, Michelle Jacobson, Arden Sorenson and Kris Frerk

June 7, 2018 Meeting:

By: Owen Wiese

Twenty-five members enjoyed a light supper before the Post meeting at 8:00 PM. Commander Lyngen was unable to be at the meeting so Past Commander Warren was in charge. The meeting was opened with the prescribed protocol and was followed by the reading of the minutes of the previous meeting. The financial reports were given and bills to be paid were presented and approved. Service Officer Hoven reported that Post members Norm Benson and Darwin Sievert are recovering at home from their health problems. Hoven has been sending greetings from the Post to inform the recuperating members that they are not forgotten. Hoven also spoke about Richard L. Nelson who was a veteran and was a member of the Garretson community. Richard was not a member a member of this Post but was remembered for his service in the Army. Word has been received that Post member John Steffen who lives in Rapid City has cancer and is receiving treatment.

The Legion Sunday Breakfast, June 3 was successful and netted a profit of $372. The Post appreciates very much having so many people attend the Breakfast and enjoy a good meal and a pleasant social morning. Later in the meeting some suggestions were made for some more methods of advertising the Breakfast that haven't been used before.

Building Manager Roeman discussed the need for some more drainage on the east side of the Dugout. Improvements will be made when the City replaces the sidewalks on the south side of the Dugout. Roeman also said that there is a need for a new dehumidifier and some kitchen equipment. He was given approval to buy the items that are needed.

The Memorial Day program on May 28 featured a talk by retired Army Col. Nancy Gandy who is a native of Garretson. She gave an excellent presentation about her service and the honor it had been to serve the country. Veterans graves in the several community cemeteries had been decorated with American flags. At the conclusion of the program in the Dugout a program of remembrance was conducted on the lawn honoring veterans from all wars. The Post appreciates the attendance by so many community members.

Future activities for the Post is for the Color Guard to lead the parade at the start of the Jesse James Days activities. Also Commander Lyngen has completed plans for Fireworks Display July 4. additional product was ordered and the Display will afford great viewing for the community. The Department Convention is being held in Spearfish June 15-17 and a group of Post members will be attending and report at the next Post meeting.

A program which the Post sponsored in the past, but not for a period of years, is the bicyle safety checkup. There is some interest from the community in having it again and an effort may be be made to have it again. Steve Kirton was in charge of it in the past.

Post member Norb Ponto recently died and a donation in his memory of $75 was received to be given to the GCSF for scholarships.

At the conclusion of the meeting names were drawn for the $150 weekly prizes. The winners were: Linda Johnson, Ron Eitreim, Military Order of the Purple Heart, and Todd Fink.

May 3 , 2018 Meeting:

By: Owen Wiese

The May 3 Legion Meeting was opened with prescribed protocol by Commander Lyngen following a light supper enjoyed by the twenty-five members present. Routine financial reports were heard and bills to be paid were approved. Final membership for 2018 is 221.

Service Officer Dennis Hoven had a lengthy report. Post member Ron Bly is at the Good Samaritan Nursing home on Minnesota Ave, Perry Ellefson is at the Good Samaritan Home on 49th St, Willard Moe is in assisted living at the Dow Rummel Village, Norm Benson and Darwin Sievert are recovering at their homes. Past Commander Doris Nedved is recovering at her home from a very serious brain injury received in Wichita, KS. She had been transferred to the VA Hospital in Sioux Falls and then to her home. Her recovery from a very serious injury borders on the miraculous. The Post lost three members who have died. Merle Lamp died in North Dakota and services were held at St. Rose Church on April 23. Merle was a long time Post member and Past Commander. He also commanded the Honor Guard for many years. He was a World War II veteran and recipient of the Purple Heart. Services were held April 29 for World War II veteran and Purple Heart recipient Ordell Winterton. Services for Korean War veteran Norb Ponto were held in Worthington, MN on May 5. Norb was the Post Chaplain for several years and was active in the Garretson Senior Citizens.

For those veterans who die, the Post Honor Guard renders Honors at their services and does so in an exemplary manner. The Post and community are extremely fortunate such a well trained Honor Guard which performs an important duty. The Honor Guard is led by Randy Megard. They are always in need of additional members so any Legion members who are so inclined should join the Squad.

American Officer Officer Bob Bennett said that there will be four boys from the Garretson School who will be going to Boys State in June. Their orientation is soon for this very important Legion sponsored activity. The recipients of the Legion Citizenship Awards have not yet been named.

Since 1992 Bob and Liz Bennett have guided a group of students, chaperons, and other interested people on a trip to places of historical and educational importance. In previous years they gone to Washington DC, Boston, New York City, Williamsburg,and Philadelphia. This year they are making a return trip to Washing DC. The trips are not specifically sponsored by the School or the Legion, although Bob who is the Post Americanism Officer says that the trips help to fulfill the Legions obligation to teach Americanism. The Bennetts’ work with a travel agency that helps to make arrangements for lodging, food, entertainment, tour guides and transportation to places of interest. Visits to places such as the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Arlington Cemetery and other functions such as the White House and Capital tours have to be made by Bob.

This years trip to Washington by group of forty five people will include a visit to Arlington National Cemetery where four students will have the honor of placing a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Those four students are; Malia Johnson, Aliah Lymon, Justin Stoterau, and Peyton Hove. In addition to that Aliah will sing the National Anthem at Tobys Dinner Theater where the group will have a dinner theater experience.

The 2019 trip will include Williamsburg, Yorktown, Jamestown, Monticello, a plantation, a battlefield, and other historical sites in the area.

The Bennetts are to be commended and thanked for organizing such interesting and educational trips that will always be remembered and treasured by those who go on them.

Athletic Officer Jeff Konechke reported that all teams now have coaches. The 13-14 year olds are coached by Cody Linneweber and Jesse Brockhouse, the 15-16 year olds by Scott Abraham and Craig Fitzgerald, the 17-18 year olds by Scott and Brady Schleuter. Jeff is commended for assembling a full slate of coaches. The 13-14 year old team begins its season May 13 and the 15-16 olds May 20.

There was an exciting bit of baseball news last week. Lucas Fitzgerald pitched a perfect game against Sioux Falls Christian. Eighty six pitches, 21 up, 21 out. According to Konechke there is no record this ever happening before in a Legion ball game in South Dakota.

Commander Lyngen announced that the 50th Anniversary of the FFA in Garretson banquet was to be held May 8th at 7 PM at the School. Jerome Johnson was the first President of the FFA Chapter when it was begun in Garretson.

At the recent County Meeting County Commander Hunter said that every veteran can and should get a VA Card by applying at the VA Center. It is not necessary to be receiving any VA services to get a card. He also said that it is very important that everyone have their DD 214 and it is correct. The DD214 is a very key to have in order to receive any kinds of benefit, including a flag for your casket.

The Post received a thank you from the Garretson Community Scholarship Foundation (GCSF) for sponsoring a $1500 scholarship with money received after the death of Jerome Johnson. It is a very worthy cause.

Post member AF 5 Sean McPadden has returned from a six month deployment to Qatar. He is currently stationed in Charleston SC. He is the son of Mike and Jean McPadden of Garretson.

Future activities for the Post include the regular Post meeting June 1 with a light supper at 7:00 PM and the meeting at 8:00, the Sunday Breakfast on June 3 with omelets and scrambled prepared and served by Chef Jim Kurtz and his crew. The Department Convention is in Spearfish June 14-16 for which delegates will be named soon. Commander Lyngen said that plans for the Memorial Day Observance May 28 are not yet complete. Plans for the Legion participation in the Jesse James Days also are not complete.

At the close of the meeting Raffle Chairman Don Doorman conducted the drawing for two months prizes, nine $150 prizes in all. The winners were: Ruth Hoiland, Kathy Evenson, Paula Nussbaum, Alliance Comm., Post 23, Alliance Comm, Baby girl Petersek, Sharon Warren, Ben Johnson. A word of explanation for the winner Baby girl Petersek. A ticket for her was sold early in the campaign when her sex was known but she was not yet born. On the night of the drawing her number was drawn and two hours later Raya Leigh Petersek was born. Her parents are Reed and Erin Petersek of Kennebec, SD. Grandparents are Mike and Jean McPadden of Garretson and Great grandparents are Owen and Lois Wiese. It is almost a guarantee that Raya is the youngest person to win in the eight year history of the Raffle

The $150 Weekly Raffle has been the primary fund raising program for the Post for eight years. It has been run very efficiently for all those years by Don Dorsman with help from his wife Mary. Of course, Super Salesman Mark Williamson has led the sales for all those years. A great thank you to Don and Mary and thank you to all who sold tickets and to all who bought them. All of you who had a part in the success made it possible for Henry G. Fix Post 23 to fulfill its obligations to the Community, State and Nation.

April 5, 2018 Meeting:

By: Owen Wiese

Approximately forty five Post Members, members of the Auxillary, and guests were present to enjoy the annual steak dinner. The dinner was ably prepared by Dave Sorenson, Jim Hoefert, Tom Larson, and Gale Larson. Appreciation was expressed to all of them for the excellent meal. The steaks were furnished by the Garretson Food Center and were the excellent quality always provided by the Food Center.

Commander Warren introduced the several dignitaries present. They were, Department Commander Hugh Holmes, Dept. NEC Jim Huls, Dept. Vice Commander Dennis Brenden, and Dept. Historian Fred Lee. Also introduced were new members of the Post who were present as guests. The were, new member Randall Rueland and his wife Deb, new member Robert Rueland and his wife Stacy and new member Josie Houghton and her daughter Kennedy. Also mentioned was new member John Houg who signed up when he was home on leave from the

USAF recently. He serves at Dover AF Base in Maryland. We all welcome these Legion new members and hope that they will be active members of Henry G. Fix Post.

Routine financial reports and account payable read and approved.

Adjutant Siemonsma recently mailed a survey to all Post members asking questions about their thoughts about the Legion and Post and about their interest in taking part in Post activities. Many members have not returned the survey and are asked to do so. The survey is something that has not been done before and took a lot of work and effort on Brians’ part. He was thanked for doing the work.

Service Officer Dennis Hoven reported that Post members Norm Benson and Darwin Sievert are recovering at home. Post member Willard Moe is at Prince of Peace receiving therapy after a long hospitalization and is hoped that he will be able be to moved to Dow Rummel for assisted living. On the day of the meeting word was received that Past Post Commander Doris Nedved had received serious head injuries in a fall while in Wichita, KS. Further information about her condition has not been received at this writing. In a related matter Roger Moe, brother of Willard Moe recently died in Esterville, IA. Roger grew up in Garretson, was a Marine veteran and known by many in Garretson. Condolences are extended to his family.

Current membership is at 221 which exceeds the quota. The Post Go Getter Plaque was received and will be hung with all the previous ones on the wall.

On April 11 a performance of the program about World War I soldier Martin Haugse will be given at the Garretson School. It is intended to be a learning experience for the students about an incident from the very earliest days of Henry G. Fix Post. Post members and others will give the performance.

Awards Night at the School will be April 30 at which the American Legion Citizenship Awards will be awarded and the selections for Educator of the Year and Firefighter of the Year will be announced. The names of the boys who will attend Boys State will also be read.

Commander Warren presented the Go Getter Awards to those who worked on the membership drive and the award pin to those who signed up new members. Dept. Historian Fred Lee was present and intended to present the District Legionnaire of the Year Certificate to Gary Lyngen who could not be present. The award to Gary was made at the Legion Breakfast April 8 by then Past Commander Warren.

Athletic Officer Jeff Konechke said that the start of the Legion baseball season will be May 13. Jeff is also searching for one coach and working to make other arrangements for a successful season.

Legislative Officer Paul Evenson spoke about the bill which recently was passed by the SD Legislature authorizing the building of a Veterans Cemetery in Eastern South Dakota. Paul said that it is the first time ever that a bill has passed unanimously in both committees of the House and Senate, passed unanimously by the full House and full Senate and was signed by the Governor. That has never happened before! No opposition! Paul credits the full support of all the veterans organizations in South Dakota and the hard lobbying by many individual veterans.

Each year the Post distributes flags and Post members place them on veterans graves throughout the community. In previous years Jerome Johnson took responsibility that task. Just one example of the many things Jerome did for the Legion and one example of the need for someone to assume those duties. At the meeting Tom Willems volunteered to do the job this year, but since he is a very senior Post member, he asks that a younger member take the job in the future.

The Post has received substantial donations from the Veterans Appreciation Night at the School and in memory of Jerome Johnson. The Executive Committee met before the meeting to discuss ways of using that money for specific and meaningful purposes. Several ideas were discussed and before any decisions are made the ideas will be presented to the membership for approval. Also discussed were the means to get more participation in the Legion Oratory Contest which is an extremely important and rewarding program, but takes hard work and dedication for a student to be successful. Americanism Officer Bob Bennett will work with the school and Post members to find ways to increase participation. Dept. Historian Fred Lee, who was present at the meeting, offered some thoughts about how the Contest has been promoted and rewarded at West Central School which has been very successful.

Sanford Hospital at 10:00 AM on April 8 opened a US Veterans Club and Lounge at the Hospital. It is for veterans who are patients and for their families.

USAF Staff Sgt. Meg McPadden, who is a member of this Post, recently completed the training at the Airmans Leadership School at Ellsworth AFB. She was the top graduate from the training which develops airman to be qualified to be successful front line supervisors. For her success she was awarded the John Levitor Award. The award is named after Airman John Levitor who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War. Staff Sgt. McPadden is the daughter of Mike and Jean McPadden of rural Garretson.

The nominating committee selected the following persons to lead the Post during 2018-19. Cmd: Andy Lyngen: 1st Vice Cmd, Rob Meyer; 2nd Vice Cmd, vacant: Adjutant, Brian Siemonsma; Finance Officer, Jim Kurtz; Service Off. Dennis Hoven; Chaplain, Ed Van Emmerick; Historian, Owen Wiese; Sgt at Arms, Mark Williamson. The selection was approved by the membership. Department Commander Hugh Holmes installed them in their offices with the admonishment to carry out the tenets of the American Legion. Commander Andy Lyngen took charge of the meeting and now Past Commander Steve Warren was thanked for his innovative and active term as Commander.

Raffle Chairman Don Dorsman announced that there would not be a raffle drawing because not all tickets had been turned in. There will be a drawing at the May meeting for two months of prizes.

At the close of the meeting Dept. Commander Holmes asked “is there anyone under the age of 21 at the meeting” knowing full well that Kennedy Houghton, daughter of new member Josie Houghton was 14. Commander Holmes called her forward and presented her with a Commanders Award pin and thanked her for attending a Legion meeting.

March 1, 2018 Meeting:

By: Owen Wiese

Post Commander Steve Warren opened the March 1 meeting of Henry G. Fix Post 23 with the prescribed protocol followed with introduction of guests Department Historian Fred Lee and District Commander Ed Stringer. The finance reports and bills to be paid were presented and approved by the membership. The service officers report disclosed that Post member Norm Benson is having a slow recovery from back surgery in the hospital, Willard Moe is in Palisades Manor, and Darwin Sievert is recovering from cancer treatment at home. Rose Tyrrell donated a book which has the names of all the South Dakota people who served in the Korean War. The book may be referenced at the Dugout.

Membership Chairman Dean Roeman said that with memberships just turned in the goal of 220 has been exceeded with the total memberships are 223. A 100% Post!

Americanism Officer Bob Bennett said that four boys have applied to go to Boys State with the deadline for application being April 1. The Educator of the Year selection is Kelsy Buchotz and the Firefighter of the year is Jake Tyrrell. The recipients of the Citizenship Awards have not been selected yet.

Legislative Officer Paul Evenson and Mark Williamson both attended Legislative committee meetings in Pierre where the proposed Veterans Cemetery for Eastern South Dakota were discussed. The proposal passed in the Appropriations Committee 17-0 and passed in the Senate and must pass in he House. Governor Daugard has indicated that he will sign the bill so everything looks favorable that the long sought after goal will be reached.

The trophy case which was built by Ron Nelson and the one which he repaired are finished. Ron did a very outstanding job on both of them and some items have been placed in them. The Post has trophies which have accumulated for many years and there is not room to display all of them. If there is anyone who has an interest in any sport trophy for any year he may have them. To get them contact Building Superintendent Dean Roeman.

Two months ago Adjutant Brian Siemonsma sent out surveys to all Legion members asking for opinions about the Post, what they would like to have the Post do and their willingness to take part in Post activities. The results of that survey will be reported on at the April meeting. Along the same line, the Nominating Committee to choose candidates for Post officers has met and filled all offices except for Second Vice Commander. If there is anyone who would be willing to take that office, please contact Marty Luebke or Commander Warren.

After the death of Post member Jerome Johnson several donations were made to the Post and a donation of $500 was received from the School after the basketball Military Recognition Game. The Post wants use these donations for special and significant purposes, but has not yet chosen any. The Post each year does make a donation of $500 to the Garretson Community Scholarship Foundation, (GCSF). That donation was approved at the meeting.

Jim Kurtz announced the Museum Board will use the Dugout on March 18 for the performance of the program remembering World War I veteran Martin Haugse. The program was first given on Veterans Day November 11and there has been enough interest in it that they will present it again. The Museum will also have its Annual Meeting April 15 in the Dugout. Further publicity about both these events will be furnished by the Museum.

One student from the Garretson School has expressed an interest in taking part in the South Dakota Highway Patrol Academy. The Legion has some role in this and this is a first time happening for the Post. Americanism Officer Bennett will be the coordinator for it.

Gary Lyngen was selected to be the Post Legionnaire of the Year in recognition of his many responsibilities and active participation in Post activities. It is a very appropriate selection . He will represent the Post at the District 7 Spring Meeting March 17 in Sioux Falls.

The American Legion was formed in 1919 and there will be year long observance and celebration of that very important happening. The Legion is the number one veterans organization and served the community, state and nation for almost 100 years. Commander Warren will be in charge of planning events and activities that celebrate the 100 Years of the American Legion.

Before having the $150 Weekly Raffle, Raffle Chairman Doorman said that sales of the tickets for 2018 have been a little slow and he urged all members sell as many tickets as possible before April 1. The winners of the drawing at the meeting were: Gary Lyngen, Jana Jacobson, Jen Zweep, Karl Liester, and Post 23.

Commander Warren closed the business portion of the meeting with the standard protocol. After which the Historian presented the Past Commanders and History Observance. It has been presented on Past Commanders and History Night every year since 1934. The Preface to the Last Mans History was read. It was written by L. C. (Zipp) Schafer, a World War I veteran. It is written as an analogy between a bucolic country setting and the reality and horrors of a terrible war. After the war ends it results in the formation of the American Legion. After the Preface was read, the History of 2017 was read. Henry G.Fix Post 23 had a very successful and productive year serving the Community, State and Nation in 2017 and every member should be proud of the accomplishments and their part in them. Those Past Commanders who were present were called upon to give short recollections and thoughts about their year as Commander and the importance of the American Legion to them. Department Historian Fred Lee who was present said that no other Post in South Dakota has anything like it

February 1, 2018 Meeting:

By: Owen Wiese

On February 1,twenty three Post members enjoyed a good meal served by Paul and Kathy Evenson and Jim Liester which was followed by the meeting at 8:00 PM. Past Commander Chad Harris conducted the meeting in the absence of Commander Warren. The meeting was opened with the prescribed protocol and followed with routine financial reports and approval of payment of bills. Commander Harris reported that $1170 in donations had been received in memory of Jerome Johnson. Those very welcome funds will be used for some special purpose. The death of Jerome Johnson marked the loss of a real leader who was involved in many activities of the Post and the community. He will be greatly missed. Every Post member is important and another one who died in the past month was longtime member Duane Rogness from the Crooks area who died after a long battle with cancer. Duane graduated from Garretson H.S. in 1947, served in the Army and was a very successful farmer and very active in his community and a leader of farm organizations. The Post Honor Guard rendered Honors at services for both these men. The performance of the Honor Guard is very professional and is appreciated very much by the families. The communities is very fortunate to have such a vital group serving the veterans. Service Officer Dennis Hoven also said that Post members Norm Benson, Willard Moe, Darwin Sievert and Mark Westover are receiving treatment. Westover was very seriously injured in a fall and faces a long recuperation. Benson is in the hospital recovering from a back operation. Moe is recovering in Palisades Manor after being hospitalized for a respiratory problem and Sievert is recovering at home from cancer treatment.

Post membership is very close to reaching the goal 219 and Adjutant Siemonsma expects it to be reached soon.

Americanism Officer Bennett said that only Emily Molsom participated in the Legion Oratory Contest and did not advance. She was given a $50 stipend in appreciation for her work. Bennett is going to work with the School administration and speech teachers to generate more interest and participation in the Oratory Contest. It is an activity that requires much study and effort, but the rewards are great with scholarships and prizes awarded at the various levels of participation. Students can enter when they are freshmen in High School and can enter each year of school as they become more proficient. Bennett also said that selections for Boys State will be made soon. Last year a record ten boys attended. The Post will sponsor as many boys as want go if they are sincere and want to follow the precepts of Americanism and recognize its importance. Bennett and Jeff Konechke were tasked with making the selections for Boys State.

There are plans to establish a Veterans Cemetery in Eastern South Dakota. Mark Williamson representing the Military Order of the Purple Heart and representatives from all other veterans organizations in South Dakota met in Pierre with the five members of the Veterans Council. Two of the members were in favor of the Cemetery, two were not and one was neutral. Several people who support the Cemetery appeared unannounced at the meeting, including members of the Joint Appropriations Committee of the Legislature. Their attendance convinced the Vets Council to pursue the establishment of the Cemetery. The City of Sioux Falls has offered to donate the land. If the Legislature will appropriate $600,000 to get it started and a $300,000 endowment can be founded for perpetual maintenance, the Cemetery can be built. It is estimated that the total cost will be $6,000,000 which the Federal Government will pay and reimburse the State for the $600,000 which it contributed for startup funds. Statistics show that there will be 237 burials per year at an individual cost of $750 per burial which will make the Cemetery self sustaining.

Several other items of business were discussed at the meeting the accounts of which follow. The Fire Department recently had their annual dance and party in the Dugout which was very successful and produced good sales at the bar. They also had a raffle and the Legion won $50 which was presented by Jeff Konechke. For 26 years Don Doorman has been tasked with the job of determining how much sales tax has to be paid on beer sales. Don wishes to be relieved from the job so Commander Warren will appoint someone to take Dons place. Also a donation of $100 has been received from the Eitreim family to show appreciation for the many things the Post has done for the family. For many years there have been members of the Eitreim family who were Post members and contributed to its success. Finally, in other news, Paul Evenson will be attending a Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. where the National Legion will confer with Congress persons to inform them of the Legion viewpoints.

Adjutant Siemonsma has sent to each Post member a very important survey which will have an influence on the activities of the Post now and in the future as the Post begins it service to the community for the next 100 years of its presence. There are questions about the members willingness to attend meetings, help with activities, and your ideas to improve the Post. Please do not ignore the survey, give it thorough thought and return it in the envelope provided. The Post has been very successful for 100 and wants to be for another 100 years. Every Post members’ thoughts and feelings are important! Complete the survey!

Each year the Post selects a member who has very active in Legion activities, helped the Post accomplish it goals and serve the community. This year Gary Lyngen has been selected to be Post Legionnaire of the Year and will represent the Post at the District 7 Spring Meeting.

On February 8 the basketball game between Garretson and Beresford has been designated as Military Day and members of the Legion and of the Military who are present will be recognized. Heidi Fink is the contact person for the event and she will have some T-shirts available that recognize the veterans.

The next regular Post meeting will be March1. It will be the Past Commanders and History Night at which the traditional Preface to the Last Mans History will be read followed by the History for 2017. Past Commanders present will make brief remarks and the traditional meal will be served. The Post business meeting will convene at 7:30 PM and the History will follow.

At the conclusion of the meeting the drawing for the Weekly $150 Raffle was conducted. The winners were: Paul Shellum, Lois Myre, Fay Jandreu, Mike Ebbing. Be sure to buy your tickets for the 2018 raffle which are on sale now! Only $50 each! A great buy! Only on sale until April 1.

January 4, 2018

By: Owen Wiese

Before the Meeting of Post 23 twenty members enjoyed a supper of oyster stew and chili prepared and served by Brian Siemonsma and Sharon Warren. Commander Warren opened the meeting at 8:00 PM with prescribed protocol and followed by routine reports and approval of payment of bills. The report of by the Service Officer was quite lengthy. Post member Lionel Froseth had died. He was long time very successful educator in Harrisburg, S.D. and in Ponca, Nebraska and was always interested in education efforts in Garretson. Henrietta Fix Brebner died. She was a niece of Henry G. Fix for whom this Post is named. Former member Walt Bauman from Jasper died. He was the long time proprietor of Walts Place (now the Sports Cabin) and was well known in Garretson. He had maintained his Legion membership in Jasper. Post member Don Dorsman had knee replacement surgery, and Norb Ponto and Norm Benson have not been well. At the time of this writing Post member Jerome Johnson is in Hospice Care in Luverne.

Membership Chairman Dean Roeman reported that membership is 206 out of a goal of 219. He asked that dues collection be completed by the end of January. Americanism Officer Bob Bennett said that there are two participants in the Legion Oratory and they will present their orations before the local judges soon and the District contest will be January 15.

Paul Evenson said that the Legion reception for State Legislators will by January 7 at the Legion Post in Pierre followed by a banquet in their honor. They will be presented with information about Legislative items of interested to the Legion and all veterans. At the December Post meeting there was a discussion about the establishment of a Veterans Cemetery in Eastern South Dakota. A recent article published in the Argus Leader about the cemetery was not completely accurate and some of the funding needs for the cemetery have not been settled. A little known fact is that there are three National Cemeteries for Native Americans in South Dakota. The National Cemetery in the Black Hills recently received a 200 acre addition from the Bureau of Land Management which will give it capacity for graves for a very long time.

The American Legion is planning an Observance of its 100th Year Of Service with a year long program of activities. There are some questions about when the observance should start and other questions. Hopefully all the questions will be answered with guidance received at the Mid Winter Conference in February. Commander Warren has made some preliminary plans and more will be forthcoming.

The Old Fashioned Christmas Breakfast sponsored by the Commercial Club was successful (they ran out of food). Gary and Cheryl Lyngen and Richard Erickson from the Post helped the service. The member survey sent out by Adjutant Siemonsma has received some responses. More people are urged to respond and make suggestions and also come to meetings. You will not be given a job just because you are there. Your opinions and thoughts are needed.

Warren Aas who has been a full time employee at Legion Headquarters for 14 years is retiring. A decision has not been made whether another full time employee will be hired because the Department Headquarter is trying to cut expenses. The Legion paper is no longer published each month and most information is dispensed by electronic means.

Jim Kurtz is the Chairman of the Legion Foundation Board of Directors. The Foundation is sponsoring a fund raising effort by selling raffle tickets for a beautifully engraved .45 Caliber Pistol which will be awarded at the Department Convention in June. A very limited number of these pistols were made and only 600 tickets will be sold. Kurtz has tickets available for $20 each.

A donation of $100 to the Fire Department was approved and Post receiveds from the school the projector which was used at the Veterans Day Program which had b

The Garretson Historical Society will have its Annual Meeting at the Museum January 22. They plan to present a reenactment of the program featuring World War I casualty Martin Haugse which was presented at the Legion Veterans Day program. More information about the program will be published.

Future Post activities include the regular monthly meeting February 1 with dinner at 7:00 PM and the meeting at 8:00, Legion Breakfast February 4 with serving from 9:00AM to 1:00PM, and the District 7 Spring Meeting March 5 in Sioux Falls. The Department Mid Winter Conference will be February 15-16 in Chamberlain.

The drawing for the $150 Weekly prizes had the following winners; Ashley Harris, Steve Tobin, Shirley Flanagan, Harlow Sundem. Be sure to get your tickets for the 2018 Raffle. Sales continue until April 1. Only $50 per ticket. A great buy!