New Kansas post poised to become model in long-term care

Source: April 26, 2024

The ceremonial signing and presentation of a temporary charter for a new American Legion post Thursday synergized veterans, a long-term care company, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the son of Holocaust survivors and the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

The crescendo was the official dedication of American Legion Post 444 in Wichita, Kan., in an event where all stakeholders applauded two needs on the road to fulfillment – affordable long-term care for older veterans and employment opportunities for younger ones.

"This new post is more than just a building," U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., told a crowd of Legionnaires and others who gathered at the new Oxford Vista Senior Living Residences facility that is nearing complete restoration. "This new post will help veterans and military families in Wichita build community with one another and find new ways to continue serving our state and country. It's really a place where those who share similar experiences can find camaraderie and support, support they knew during their military service and make certain that future generations will never forget the sacrifices of the men and women who came before them and continue working to build a stronger America."

The former Masonic Home that was built more than 90 years ago recently welcomed its first independent-living resident as work continues to finish the skilled-nursing side and other areas in a phased opening. Once completed, it will have 53 independent living units, 64 assisted living units and 20 more in memory care.

The American Legion Department of Kansas has worked with Oxford Vista to get the new facility off to a good start, by bringing in the necessary 15 veterans to serve as charter members of Post 444.

"We're thrilled about it," American Legion Department of Kansas Commander Randy Frank said. "We have an opportunity to provide additional assistance to veterans who need medical assistance of different levels. There's a lot of them out there."

Post 444 Commander Joe Hicks said the opportunity to charter a new post inside the historic and massively modernized facility – and to make it "veteran-centric," as a founding investor puts it – has been smooth. 

"It's something different, and we're getting a lot of help from Oxford Vista to get started," Hicks said. "So, it's not going to be as difficult as otherwise starting with nothing. They're helping us a lot, and we'll help them in return, with activities for the residents and, of course, we're going to try to get members from outside of here, who live in the local area, to build our numbers in the Legion – new members and any of the elderly in our Wichita area who wish to live here."

A 7% veteran discount on rooms in a full-service facility that was modeled for affordability is one aspect of the project – in addition to the new post – that aims to improve housing availability for those who have served in uniform. Another aspect is that the investor group has been led by the son of Holocaust survivors who has been grateful to the U.S. Armed Forces all of his life and committed to veteran employment opportunities for the last several years.

Hymie Barber, co-founder of USA Care Living, LLC, presented the Oxford Vista project concept to the American Legion Employment & Education Commission at the Washington Conference in February. His interest in connecting with the nation's largest organization of wartime veterans spans back to a time before he was born.

"My folks were Holocaust survivors," he told The American Legion Magazine during the annual conference at the nation's capital. "They were both liberated by the U.S. Army. My father was always really grateful to the U.S. military."

Barber said he remembers that his parents frequently hosted U.S. military personnel at their home in Kentucky after they came to the United States. "They would come to our house, and I would have to step over them, as a little boy."

He grew up, he said, wanting to be just like them. "I wanted to be an Army man in the worst way. Life doesn't always work out the way you wanted it to, but I always wanted to give back."

During a 35-year career of financing health-care facilities across the country, Barber has seen, and acted upon, opportunities to fulfill his pledge to give back. His first commitment was to actively recruit and place veterans in jobs at health-care facilities he was helping. The next opportunity came when he realized that the high cost of long-term care rules out many veterans at a time when VA and state veterans homes cannot keep up with demand.

He kept hearing the same refrain in the industry: "We need an affordable model."

However, he added, "A lot of lips were moving, but nothing was getting done. We put our money where our mouth is."

Post 444 Commander Hicks is highly aware of the need the Oxford Vista facility is designed to fulfill. "A lot of veterans are struggling," he explained. "They don't have the extra money to live in these more elaborate, expensive retirement homes. This becomes affordable here, and they're offering the discount, also."

The investor group purchased the property, Oxford Vista successfully closed on it in January and went to work renovating it into a haven for veterans and their families, complete with its own brand-new American Legion post.

Legionnaires and the Kansas senator – son of a World War II veteran and a member of the Sons of The American Legion – believe the Oxford Vista project can be a model for other communities across the country.

"So many veterans who will need – or need care today – they want to be close to home," Sen. Moran said. "Veterans homes certainly serve a purpose, but having something that is in their home community is even better. The ability to get more money to be spent from Washington, D.C., is a challenge, on veterans housing, but if the private sector and the veterans can come together, like what's happening here, this is a model for the country."

He said legislation has been introduced to expand long-term care options for veterans and said he will share his story from Wichita with his colleagues in Washington. In the meantime, "We're going to figure out how, with this and other companies, we can try to encourage this to happen around the nation."

Thursday's event began when American Legion Family members – including a phalanx of American Legion Riders and their machines – rolled up to the historic entrance, raised the U.S. flag and saluted, awaiting their senator, and the birth of a new post where older veterans in residence will soon be joined by younger veterans employed there.

Barber describes the arrangement as "not a veteran-only campus, but a veteran-centric campus."

And, says Sen. Moran, that creates an opportunity at a perilous time for U.S. national security. "We face some of the most significant challenges in our country's history today," he told the crowd. "Our adversaries are aligned. And they are lining up together to see if they can create the circumstances in which Americans have little or no future as Americans. We need those who have served to remind those who haven't – we need those of an older generation to remind those of a younger generation of what it means to serve. We need to make certain that our country is prepared … and a new post suggests – and gives me hope – that America is prepared for what's to come. I am grateful that this post will give veterans in this community a place to serve, to be together, to demonstrate, to be role models, to make a difference.

"Here, we bring together an American Legion post and housing that is designed to care for those who served our country. No place in Kansas is housing in excess supply. And many veterans face homelessness. Yet, here we are making a difference by providing housing for those who served."

 

Next article: A ‘Hello Girl' recognized 

A ‘Hello Girl' recognized 

Source: April 26, 2024

On Friday, May 3, World War I U.S. Army Signal Corps veteran and "Hello Girl" Marie Edmee LeRoux will make history again. When buried almost 80 years ago in an unmarked grave, she and the other "Hello Girls" were not yet recognized as veterans by the U.S. government. To acknowledge this overdue recognition, several veterans organizations have collaborated to host a dedication ceremony with full military honors at Fort Lincoln Cemetery in Brentwood, Md. The ceremony is open to the public and media; parking is available.

During World War I, women volunteered to serve in the Signal Corps, giving the American Expeditionary Forces an operational advantage to share information on the battlefields throughout Europe. The unit connected over 26 million calls from March 1918 to January 1920, including during the Paris Peace Conference of 1919. But due to U.S. Title 10 laws of the time, they were not acknowledged as part of the Army at the war's end, even though they had served in uniform and mobilized overseas. Veteran status and benefits were not granted to the group until 1977.

The U.S. World War I Centennial Commission, VA, the Military Women's Memorial and the Doughboy Foundation collaborated on the headstone recognition ceremony. "It is an honor to pay our respects to Marie Edmee LeRoux," said WWI Centennial Commission Executive Director Dan Dayton. "We hope that soon there will be another honor for her as well; the commission is advocating that Congress honor all ‘Hello Girls,' America's first women soldiers, with a Congressional Gold Medal." (The American Legion also supports this initiative via Resolution 110).

"This collaboration has truly been a heartwarming experience," added National Cemetery Administration representative James Theres.

LeRoux was born in Montreal on Feb. 19, 1895. She served in the Signal Corps as a bilingual telephone operator. She sailed overseas on June 18, 1918, with Unit #4 and was honorably discharged on June 6, 1919. After the war, LeRoux stayed in Paris to continue music studies. She returned to the United States in December 1941, died on Jan. 9, 1945, and was buried at Fort Lincoln – receiving no VA headstone because she did not have veteran status.

The dedication ceremony's confirmed participants include LeRoux's granddaughter, representatives from the embassies of Canada and France who will lay a wreath at the headstone, and representatives of several military honor organizations. Speakers at the ceremony, which will begin at 11 a.m. EDT, will include Dayton; VA Chief of Staff Kimberly M. Jackson; and Anthony C. Woods, secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs. Phyllis Wilson, president of the Military Women's Memorial, will emcee.

"I am ecstatic all of these organizations are honoring my grandmother," said Catherine Bourgin. "It all happened so quickly. After her being in an unmarked grave for 79 years, I was able to work with the National Cemetery Administration to get an official marker for (her) grave."

The event program also includes a brass quintet from the Doughboy Foundation that will play World War I musical selections. The Maryland National Guard Honor Guard will provide burial honors, and a bugler will sound Taps in a replica "Hello Girls" uniform. Rev. Anne Weatherholt of Epiphany Episcopal Church, the only known World War I chapel in the United States, will give the invocation and benediction.

Next article: VA expands access to care, benefits for some former servicemembers who did not receive an honorable or general discharge

VA expands access to care, benefits for some former servicemembers who did not receive an honorable or general discharge

Source: April 25, 2024

Today, the Department of Veterans Affairs posted a final rule amending its regulations regarding character of discharge determinations, expanding access to VA care and benefits for some former service members discharged under other than honorable conditions or by special court-martial.

When former service members with other than honorable discharges and bad conduct discharges (adjudged at special court-martial) apply for VA benefits and services, we carefully review their records to determine if we can provide them the requested care and benefits. This process helps ensure that VA can provide services to deserving former service members – including certain individuals who faced discrimination, survived sexual assault or harassment, struggled with their mental or physical health, or faced other challenges while serving in the military.

VA's new regulation will expand access to care and benefits for certain former service members by:

·       Eliminating the regulatory bar for "homosexual acts involving aggravating circumstances or other factors affecting the performance of duty" as a bar to benefits. While VA had already taken steps to ensure full and fair access to benefits for former service members discharged based on homosexual conduct, gender identity, or HIV status, this move further solidifies VA's commitment to reducing disparity for these groups in the adjudication process.

·       Creating a "compelling circumstances exception" for certain former service members: For certain former service members discharged for "willful and persistent misconduct" or an "offense involving moral turpitude," VA will now consider and determine if a compelling circumstances exception will permit VA to nonetheless provide care and services. Under this exception, VA will consider the former service member's length and character of service, mental and cognitive impairment, physical health, combat-related hardship, whether the person was the survivor of sexual abuse/assault or discrimination, and more. This new exception creates a new path for VA to provide benefits and services to deserving former service members.

·       Opening the door for previously denied service members to reapply: Because of these changes, former service members previously found ineligible for VA services may now be eligible for benefits and are encouraged to re-apply.

"We encourage former service members with other than honorable discharges to apply for VA care and benefits today," said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. "Although VA cannot change your discharge status, we want to provide you with any health care or benefits we can – and we will work with you every step of the way to do exactly that."

VA has conducted extensive outreach to service members with other than honorable and bad conduct discharges adjudged at special court-martial in recent years, increasing the number who applied for VA care or benefits from approximately 1,700 in 2012 to more than 10,000 in 2023. 

The VA character of discharge determination does not change the Armed Forces' characterization of service and has no effect on the former Service member's military discharge status. VA's determination is for VA benefits and services eligibility purposes only.

Any discharge characterized as "honorable" or "general – under honorable conditions" satisfies the character of discharge requirement for basic eligibility for most VA benefits. Former service members who did not receive those discharges are not automatically disqualified from receiving VA care or benefits. However, barring a ruling of insanity, VA does not provide benefits to service members who are discharged with a "dishonorable discharge;" service members who were discharged for desertion, mutiny, going AWOL for 180 continuous days, or espionage; or service members discharged by sentence of a general court martial, discharged in lieu of trial, discharged as a "resignation by an officer for the good of the service," or discharged as a conscientious objector. VA does apply a compelling circumstances exception for AWOL when appropriate.

Learn more about former service members applying for benefits and character of discharge.

Next article: Veterans in INDYCAR: Keagan Baker

Veterans in INDYCAR: Keagan Baker

Source: April 25, 2024

Throughout the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES, American Legion Social Media Manager Steven B. Brooks will be talking with veterans who work within the INDYCAR SERIES, whether for Chip Ganassi Racing, INDYCAR itself, or other racing teams, tracks or entities involved in the series.

This week we're talking with U.S. Air Force veteran Keagan Baker, who for two months has worked as a front-end mechanic on Josh Mason's No. 21 Abel Motorsports car in the INDY NXT series.

Baker – who served in the Air Force from 2020 to 2022 as an Aircraft Fuel Systems Mechanic at Eglin Air Force Base – talks about what led him to military service, what the experience has been like working in motorsports, and how he's happy to see the veteran suicide issue receive attention throughout the INDYCAR SERIES.

Steven Brooks: What led you to joining the Air Force?

Keagan Baker: I really wanted to fly planes, but you have to go to school for a long time for that. So, the next best thing is to work on them.

Brooks: How did you go from working on planes to working on INDY NXT race cars, and what has that experience been like?

Baker: Man, I just happened to be in the right place at the right time and meeting the right people. And it's the best. It's not too much different from working on jets. It's just a lot smaller. They're about the same, though. A race car is just an upside-down jet. It's been pretty fun.

Brooks: What mindset or skill did you have to use in the Air Force that you're able to continue using in civilian life?

Baker: The teamwork aspect, definitely. It translates over pretty good. We all here together a lot and are with each other 24/7, which is pretty much how it was in the Air Force, too. That translated pretty easy.

Brooks: The American Legion, through its sponsorship deal with Chip Ganassi Racing, has been able to promote its Be the One veteran suicide prevention mission, and that promotion has been elevated by INDYCAR. As a veteran, what does it mean to you to see that issue being brought to millions of race fans?

Baker: I think it's a great thing. I have lost some friends to that, so I think it's good that it's getting out there and getting noticed, and people are really paying attention to it now.

Next article: China is ‘moving at breathtaking speed in space,' Space Force general says in Tokyo

China is ‘moving at breathtaking speed in space,' Space Force general says in Tokyo

Source: April 25, 2024

U.S. Space Command's new leader warned of China's rapidly advancing space capabilities this week following meetings with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts.

 "We're seriously focused at U.S. Space Command on our pacing challenge, which is the People's Republic of China," Space Force Gen. Stephen Whiting told reporters during an online press conference from Japan's capital Wednesday.

The Tokyo stop was part of a tour that has included visits to South Korea and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii. Beijing is "moving at breathtaking speed in space," Whiting said, noting that China is rapidly developing a range of counter-space weapons that threaten American space capabilities.

"They're also using space to make their terrestrial forces — their army, their navy, their marine corps, their air force — more precise, more lethal and more far-ranging," he said.

The general, who took charge of Space Command in January, also met Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara and top military leaders. Whiting held up Japan's new Space Operations Group, which he also visited this week, as an example during his talks in Japan and South Korea.

"Their focus on space domain awareness along with ours to keep track of those threats in space that we see — and many of those are emanating from China — has put an impetus on us developing improved space domain awareness capability," he told reporters.

Japan is preparing to field a deep-space radar that will provide better understanding of what China is doing in space, Whiting said. The U.S. is partnering with Japan to launch new satellites that will monitor space from orbit, he said, adding that he visited a Mitsubishi satellite factory during his trip. Chinese activities on the Moon are also on Space Command's radar.

"Those appear to be exploratory and scientific on the surface, but the Chinese aren't very transparent with what they do in space," he said. "So, we hope there's not a military component to that, but we would certainly welcome more transparency."

Whiting said he's interested in having space domain awareness reach lunar orbit. "We want to make sure that any activities that happen on the Moon are indeed for science purposes and exploration and that no one is going to the Moon for military purposes," he said.

Space Command operated from 1985 to 2002 and was reestablished in August 2019. It differs from the Space Force, an independent service branch established in December 2019.

Space Command guards America's space assets and protects U.S. and allied forces from potential space-enabled attacks, Whiting said. The U.S. military has been collaborating and training in the space domain with Japan and South Korea, the general added.

"We find that when we operate in a unified fashion with our allies and partners, that builds deterrence and ensures that there will never be a day without space for our militaries and for our national populations," he said.

Whiting was next headed to Kwajalein Atoll, where the Air Force recently conducted its first hypersonic missile test in the Western Pacific.

Next article: INDYCAR heading South this weekend

INDYCAR heading South this weekend

Source: April 25, 2024

Fresh off a 13th-place finish – an eight-spot improvement from the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season opener – Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) rookie Linus Lundqvist and the rest of the racing series are shifting from the West Coast to the South for this weekend's Children's of Alabama Indy Grand Prix at Barber Motorsports Park.

Lundqvist will again be behind the wheel of the No. 8 American Legion Honda promoting Be the One and is coming off a strong showing in the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, where he rose to as high as eighth during the course of the race. Through two points races, Lundqvist currently sits three points behind CGR teammate Kyffin Simpson in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year points race.

Fellow CGR driver Alex Palou, who won the Children's of Alabama Grand Prix in 2021 on his way to his first NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship, is coming off a third-place finish last weekend. He's currently in third in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES points race after this week's disqualifications announcement for Josef Newgarden, who had won the season opener in St. Petersburg but had to vacate that win because of a "Push to Pass" parameters violation.

Palou will again be behind the wheel of the No. 10 DHL Honda that also features American Legion branding.

The 90-lap, 207-mile Children's of Alabama Indy Grand Prix takes place on a 2.3-mile permanent road course with 17 flowing turns and features 80 feet of elevation change that challenge drivers and engineers. A 45-foot-wide racing ribbon also makes it imperative for patience while setting up overtaking opportunities.

This weekend's broadcast schedule (all times ET):

·       Friday, April 26 – NTT INDCYAR SERIES Practice 1, 3:40-4:55 p.m. (Peacock).

·       Saturday, April 27 – NTT INDCYAR SERIES Practice 2, 12:15-1:15 p.m.; NTT INDYCAR SERIES qualifications, 3:30-5 p.m. (all Peacock).

·       Sunday, April 28 – NTT INDCYAR SERIES warmup, 10:15-10:45 a.m. (Peacock); INDY NXT race, 11:05 a.m.-12:20 p.m. (Peacock); NTT INDYCAR SERIES race, 1-4 p.m. (NBC and Peacock).

NTT INDYCAR SERIES notes:

·       Scott Dixon became the second winner in as many NTT INDYCAR SERIES races this season as he earned his 57th career victory April 21 at Long Beach. Dixon leads Colton Herta – who has recorded back-to-back podium finishes – by two points heading into the critical Month of May, which has more than 150 points on offer over the next four weeks with races at Barber Motorsports Park, Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.

·       The Children's of Alabama Indy Grand Prix powered by AmFirst will be the 14th NTT INDYCAR SERIES event conducted at Barber Motorsports Park. Active race winners who are expected to compete are: Will Power, Josef Newgarden, Alex Palou, Pato O'Ward and Scott McLaughlin.

·       Five drivers have won the race from the pole – Will Power in 2011, Ryan Hunter-Reay in 2013, Simon Pagenaud in 2016, Josef Newgarden in 2018 and Takuma Sato in 2019.

·       Scott Dixon has finished on the podium in nine of his 13 previous starts at Barber Motorsports Park – including six runner-up finishes – but he has yet to finish on the top step of the podium at the picturesque road circuit.

·       Three drivers have competed in every NTT INDYCAR SERIES race at Barber Motorsports Park – Scott Dixon, Will Power and Graham Rahal. All are entered this weekend.

·       Team Penske has seven wins at Barber Motorsports Park (2010, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2023). Andretti Global, Chip Ganassi Racing, Ed Carpenter Racing, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and Arrow McLaren have also won at the track. Andretti Global won in 2013 and 2014 with Ryan Hunter-Reay. Ed Carpenter Racing won with Josef Newgarden in 2015, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing won in 2019 with Takuma Sato, Chip Ganassi Racing won in 2021 with Alex Palou, and Arrow McLaren won in 2022 with Pato O'Ward.

·       Twenty of the 27 drivers entered in the event have competed in NTT INDYCAR SERIES races at Barber Motorsports Park. Ten entered drivers have led laps: Will Power 215, Josef Newgarden 141, Rinus VeeKay 58, Alex Palou 60, Romain Grosjean 57, Scott Dixon 46, Pato O'Ward 52, Graham Rahal 25, Scott McLaughlin 24 and Alexander Rossi 3.

·       Five NTT INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year contenders – Tom Blomqvist, Linus Lundqvist, Théo Pourchaire, Christian Rasmussen and Kyffin Simpson - are entered and will race an NTT INDYCAR SERIES car at Barber Motorsports Park for the first time alongside veteran driver Pietro Fittipaldi, also making his first Barber start.

·       Milestones: Romain Grosjean will attempt to make his 50th NTT INDYCAR SERIES start … Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 324th consecutive start, the second-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history.

 

Next article: Registration live for 2024 Legacy Run

Registration live for 2024 Legacy Run

Source: April 24, 2024

Registration for the 2024 American Legion Legacy Run is now live. Click here to register as a participant or a supporter.

This year's Legacy Run will kick off in Independence, Mo., on Aug. 18 and travel 1,100 miles through Missouri, Arkansas, and Mississippi, trekking the final leg across Lake Pontchartrain Causeway into the New Orleans area. American Legion Jefferson Post 267 in New Orleans is the final stop.

Along the route, riders will experience the scenery of the American Mid-South, which includes Scenic Hwy 23 (the Pig Trail,) Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, escorting the Vietnam Wall, visiting a veteran's home and veterans cemetery, and a huge surprise that will be kept under wraps until check-in. Prior to and along the route, Riders will raise money for The American Legion Veterans & Children Foundation (VCF), which is in its first year of being the fundraising project of the Legacy Run.

The foundation feeds and houses children of military personnel and veterans facing urgent, unexpected hardships through Temporary Financial Assistance grants. These grants prevent eviction, keep the power on and fulfill basic needs to hold a family together through difficult times.

The VCF also covers rigorous training and accreditation costs for American Legion claims experts who provide free representation for veterans and families applying for disability benefits, survivor assistance, GI Bill opportunities and more.

Last fall, American Legion Riders National Chairman Mark Clark talked about the importance of the VCF, calling it "the foundation of hope. "The American Legion Riders have always embraced doing something for the kids. This foundation does just that."

Those who complete registration to participate in the ride will receive a copy of their medical and release forms in a confirmation email. If you do not see a confirmation email, check your spam folder.

All riders must check in at Post 21 on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Upon check-in, you will receive your check-in packet containing your Legacy Run items and information. Later that day, a mandatory all-riders meeting will occur at 4:30 pm, covering day-to-day riding and safety points. Unless otherwise notified, Riders will be responsible for booking and paying for their own lodging at each overnight stop. Riders are expected to start each day with a full tank of gas at their expense. From kick stands up until the next overnight point is reached, registration fees will cover fuel and a meal, and other charges that occur at scheduled event stops.

Those who want to register to support the Legacy Run will receive a full check-in packet by mail; the same packet riders receive upon check-in. You will receive your packet after the national convention.   

For the purpose of personal safety and the safety of others, all riders must register for the Legacy Run for one or multiple days to participate. Non-registered Riders will not be allowed to join in or ride with the main body of the Legacy Run.

For more information, including safety requirements and a hotel list, click here. If you have any questions, you can email legacyrun@legion.org.  Registration will close on August 9, 2023.

Next article: Name change for pre-ALWS festival

Name change for pre-ALWS festival

Source: April 24, 2024

The 7th Inning Stretch Festival, the annual event held the weekend before the American Legion World Series in Shelby, N.C., as a thank-you to the community for its support, is getting a name change.

The redubbed American Legion World Series Festival will take place Aug. 10, with the Department of North Carolina continuing as presenting sponsor.

"This is the 10th year for the festival so it's an ideal time to pull out all the stops," said ALWS committee chairman Eddie Holbrook.

Organizers said it will be larger, longer and louder than previous festivals. The festival area will cover more space in Uptown Shelby; the event will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and there are more music acts booked than in years past.

"We have four music performances scheduled for the North Point Custom Builders' Hometown Stage, beginning at 1 p.m.," Holbrook said. "We are showcasing local and regional talent on that stage as well as the Little Miss American Legion World Series pageant at 10 a.m.

"On the Main Stage, we have three artists that we know are crowd pleasers. We will announce the Main Stage musical entertainment at a future date."

Hometown Stage performers will include Shelby native Mason Cole; the band Falling Forty-Two, founded by Shelby sisters Emily and Kate Strickland; The Bailey Marie Band, featuring Charlotte-based singer-songwriter and actor Bailey Marie; and Tangerine Trees, a Beatles tribute band from Gastonia, N.C.

This year's festival will add a classic car show, and Cleveland Community College's sports teams will take part in YetiVille. There will also be a larger kid zone, and the new ALWS mascot, AL, will be signing autographs and mingling with the crowd.

Members of the U.S. Army's parachute team, the Golden Knights, will interact with the crowd.

"We are tying the festival directly to the ALWS," Holbrook said. "It has always been an ALWS kickoff event and this year we are asking the vendors to create a baseball theme for their booths. We are adding baseball-themed games and entertainment to emphasize the connection. The Golden Knights will perform twice during the baseball tournament, and people at the festival will get a chance to meet some of the parachutists.

"Add in our increased music performances and we are expecting a tremendous turnout for our 10th year."

For more information, visit alwsfestival.us.

The 97th American Legion World Series will take place Aug. 15-20 at Veterans Field at Keeter Stadium in Shelby, the permanent home of the ALWS.

 

Next article: Maryland project aims to get kids interested in gardening

Maryland project aims to get kids interested in gardening

Source: April 24, 2024

There's a new fixture outside American Legion John B. Latimer Post 217 in College Park, Md.: a pizza garden, planted in part by children from the post's Legion Family and the community.

This is the first year for the post's youth garden program, prompted by an idea from Squadron 217 Second Vice Commander Sean Phelan.

"Last year, I worked with the city to build a pollinator garden at our post on the strip of land between us and our neighbor," Phelan said. "This year, while maintaining that, I wanted to build a vegetable garden to provide some fresh food for our members."

Detachment of Maryland Commander Joe Lohman and Southern Maryland Region District 5 Commander Melvin Graves inspired Phelan to turn it into a youth project.

"Melvin brought up the idea of involving the youth like I do city volunteers for my Good Neighbor Day pollinator garden," Phelan said. "So then I was talking to Joe about it, and the idea grew and blossomed into this great event with his input, insight and suggestions."

On April 10, seven children ranging in age from 5 to 13 were taken to the nearby University of Maryland's Community Learning Garden. There they learned about the gardening process, sampling snap peas, discovering edible flowers, preparing the garden bed and planting radish seeds. They also learned about bees and sampled freshly picked herbs.

Back at Post 217, the kids planted their own vegetable garden, shaped and "sliced" like a pizza, with spots for tomatoes, spinach, garlic, spring onions, peppers, basil, oregano, eggplant and zucchini.

In June, the group will visit a Smithsonian garden in Washington, D.C., Phelan said.

The program "is not just about gardening — it's about nurturing curiosity, fostering connections with nature, and creating lasting memories."

"I enjoy gardening. It's my hobby. I thought it would be a fun event, and maybe the youth will get interested in it. After all, it's the perfect hobby for family bonding away from technology," said Phelan, who credited his grandfather who "ignited my passion for gardening by introducing me to the world of potted plants and the thrill of entering shows.

"… There's nothing quite like getting your hands dirty and watching something beautiful grow."

While primarily an SAL program, Phelan was thankful for support from the post officers as well as College Park council members for helping with resources and manpower to build the garden area.

"This so far has been a rewarding experience for the youth and for the post," Phelan said. "I just need to find a way to find more youth so I can grow it. … I also hope our garden can serve as a proof of concept for other posts to maybe adopt."

Next article: SAL spring meetings May 1-5 in Indianapolis