August has been a rather hot humid and quiet month in our area. Unfortunately, I’m writing this from a distance as my mom had to have hip replacement surgery. And I have been the dog, dad and house sitter.
The meetings at the Legion hall have been held each Wednesday and the second Thursday of each month. This time of year a lot of folks are traveling, and meeting numbers are down.
We are still preparing and building up for MIA/POW Remembrance Day, which is Sept. 15. There are still 100s of service members who are lost to their families. Although on average one or two a year are repatriated and laid to rest in their home cities. This past year two have been brought back to Missouri. Both were Korean War vets.
On Sept. 15, the Legion hall will be opened to everyone to stop in and visit. We Papuan to have the grill fired up at lunch cooking hot dogs and maybe hamburgers. Also, representatives of the VA administration may be on site to answer questions about enrollment and perhaps do a presentation. Also, the big item for the day will be the drawing of the raffle prize, the Husky 372 XP chain saw! One on the visitors that day will get to draw the winning raffle ticket! There is still time to get tickets. Members will be selling tickets Saturday, Aug. 26, at Walmart. They can be purchased at NAPA Auto Parts in Houston.
One of the programs the raffle proceeds promotes is the Boys State program. This is an excellent educational opportunity for young people. I understand even Gov. Greitens attended as a teenager. It certainly appears that Gov. Greitens, as a veteran and as governor, is leading Missouri to a better future.
The membership looks forward to seeing as many people as possible come out on the Sept. 15. But to remember those lost service members and support future attendees of Boys State. In the mean while take caution with the heat.
Have a good month.
Houston resident Keith Ford is a retired infantryman and an amateur writer whose work has appeared in publications around the world. Email kf4tap@yahoo.com.
