LAWRENCE SYBESMA MEMORIAL AMVETS POST 23 98 52 ND STREET SE, KENTWOOD, MI 49548 616-531-5438 JANUARY 2019 AMVETS MEETING: January 7th at 7:00 pm sharp your attendance is welcome! AMVET News: Commander Barry Abshire (BarryLeeAb@yahoo.com) 2018 2019 Officers Commander: Barry Abshire 1 st Vice Commander: Jim Walters 2 nd Vice Commander: George Watterson 3 rd Vice Commander: Ken Skonecki Adjutant: Vacant Finance Officer: Mel Rhoads Judge Advocate: John Stawkowski Provost Marshall: Ken Smith Trustee: Harold Mast Trustee: John Felui Trustee: Jeff Norman From myself and my Post Officer s we hope you all had a Blessed Christmas and a Joyous New Year. As we start a new year, we would like to thank everyone who made 2018 a huge success. Looking forward to 2019 we plan are planning a very good year helping our Veterans, Community and yes, our Post Membership. We are planning a lot of new and exciting events this upcoming year and my hope is that all of you to get out and support them. From all of us we hope the new year brings joy to all of you and your families. From 1 st Vice Commander Another year has passed, and we all got a year older. Now is the time to give thoughts to looking for young new Veterans to join our Post. We accept both men and women, so please ask around. We need more boots on the ground to help us grow and be a bigger pillar within our Post and Community.
Thank you ~Jim Walters (j.walters0777@gmail.com) From 2nd Vice Commander From the Officers and staff of the Lawrence Sybesma AMVETS Post 23, we hope everyone had a blessed and most joyful holiday season. We also would like to thank Scott and Denise McKeller for chairing the Tree of Lights. They would like to thank all who helped by donating to this tradition at Post 23 allowing some families to enjoy a better Christmas. I would like to thank Lee Mowry for his effort in tracking down the information about our name sake Lawrence Sybesma. It was most interesting to read about his last days as an Army Air Corp pilot. Nice job Lee. If any of you old timers of Post 23 have any information about when the Post was started, by who and how it became Lawrence Sybesma Memorial AMVETS Post 23 (this is the correct name for our post) I'm sure Lee would like to hear from you about it. About bands at Post 23. We will have the Faded Blue and Chapter Four bands back in January. Faded Blue has been here about 8 months ago and are a nice band to listen to. Chapter Four returns and I m thankful they donated time on Labor Day. Now that the busy holiday season is over, we will get back to our normal entertainment schedule. I hope that everyone will continue to support the Post whenever they can. Without your support, we cannot continue. Karaoke will continue Wednesday and Saturdays in January. The new karaoke group (Grown Folk Music) continues and I hope you can support her for the winter months as long as it is profitable for the Post. Plus, Impressions will pick up a few Saturdays from time to time. The time will stay 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. as per singer s request. Impressions will continue doing all Wednesdays. Now for what s happening at the Post since last time. PLEASE! If you are planning to have an event at Post 23, no matter how small or big you need to clear it with the 2nd Vice first, NOT anyone else. The 2nd Vice has the master schedule of events and we don t need two groups showing up on the same day at the same time. The group who check in with the 2nd Vice and on his schedule will be the group using the meeting room and or kitchens. So please check first. Also; you MUST HAVE a member in good standing present during the entire event. Don t forget the Euchre night on Tuesdays starting at 6:00 p.m. The winter pool league is still going on Thursdays until March 28th. Now that the holidays are over, the fish fry will return in January on the 18th and continue until the last one April 19th. The shuffleboard league will start up on Sunday February 3rd for ten (10) weeks. If you re interested, you need to sign up by January 25th. The New Year s Eve party was again sold out and it was a nice evening to say good bye to 2018 and hello to 2019.
The 6 Month calendar meeting has been completed and will be approved at the next AMVETS monthly meeting. If you had an event for the first half of 2019 you still have time to put it on the January 1st thru June 30th, 2019 master calendar before the January 7th meeting. History: ON the 17th the Persian Gulf War Began (1991). The Signing of the Vietnam Peace Accord was on the 27th (1973). On the 31st the Panama Campaign Ended (1990). If you have flags, fly them on January 1st and the 15th, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Good bye 2018 and hello 2019, Peace ~George Watterson, AMVETS 2nd Vice From 3 rd Vice Commander I am asking all to assist me in improving information in our newsletter. Those of you that have an interesting article or special happening within our Post or Community please send me an email outlining such events. We need to publish our good works to all our members to include the Sons, Riders and Ladies, so kindly help me to get this information out. God Bless, ~Ken Skonecki SOA News: Commander Kevin Fox (ripster_32@hotmail.com / 616-284-9400)
Riders Report: - No Report Ladies Auxiliary Report: President Lee Williamson (williamsonleora@att.net) The Ladies Auxiliary to Post 23 sends a Happy New Year wish to all who are reading this newsletter. I would like to call attention to the Auxiliary Standing Rules #22 which states "All Auxiliary members who wish to host a fund raiser shall come to the Auxiliary (attend a meeting) and present their plans for prior approval." Once approval has been given by the Auxiliary, the AMVETS must be contacted to schedule use of the meeting room or club room. When a member passes away, and the family requests a luncheon, please contact me, personally. No post employee can commit the Auxiliary to provide this service. Thanks for your cooperation. Lee Williamson, President ~ Lee Williamson, Ladies Auxiliary President Club Management Committee It has been brought to the committee s attention that on occasions members and guest have wanted to donate money to the Post for various causes. When this happens sometimes that donation is absorbed into the general funds because the reason is not mentioned. If you wish to donate to things such as the Tree of Lights, Employee Christmas Party, July 4th Celebration, Post Picnic or any Benefit, etc. please put it in a sealed envelope with where you would like it to go and give it to the bartender who will turn it in with her end of shift bag. That way it won't get lost in the daily or nightly club business. Thank you. CMC
Upcoming Events / Points of Interest / On-Going: Monday: Happy Hour All Day! Tuesday: Tacos / Burritos Wednesday: * Burgers and Fries -Served after 5pm on Karaoke Wed's * Thursday: Chef's Choice (Menu will vary) Don't forget karaoke Wednesdays are regular drinks prices. The menu on Thursday will change weekly.. Fish Fry Friday January 18, 2019 5:00pm Ladies Auxiliary also has a bake sale going on during the Fish Fry. Please visit them and help with this fund raising event. Memorial to our Fallen Brothers and Sisters: If you know any brother or sister that has passed away, please email names to me.
New Year s Day Party Club Room opens at 10:00 am with Bloody Mary Specials College Football Bowl Games at Noon (Bring a dish to pass) Iowa Hawkeye s vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs at 12 p.m. Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Kentucky Wildcats at 1 p.m. Central Florida Knights vs. Louisiana State Tigers at 1 p.m. Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Washington at 5 p.m. Georgia Bulldogs vs. Texas Longhorns at 8:45 p.m.
Amvets Family You are invited to our Joint Testimonial Dinner 16 February 2019 Crowne Plaza Grand Rapids MI Cocktails at 5:00 PM dinner at 6:00 PM Tickets 35.00 RSVP by 15 Jan 2019 Points of contacts Sons Linda Torr 586-899-1842 Auxiliary Betty Petitjean 906-297-6433 Amvets Carol Hebert 989-821-1552 Riders Dawn Rallo 586-634-4378 Choice of Meal Salmon w Dill Sauce OR Herb Roasted Sliced Sirloin
2019 JANUARY SUNDAY CALENDAR YEAR CALENDAR MONTH FIRST DAY OF WEEK Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 30 31 01 02 03 04 05 Post Opens at 12:00pm Impressions Karaoke Riders Meeting Faded Bue Band 7:30pm Grown Folk Music Karaoke 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 AMVETS Meeting 7:00 Euchre 6:00 pm Impressions Karaoke Chapter Four Band 7:30pm Footloose Karaoke 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Son's Meeting 12:00 Ladies Auxilary Meeting 6:30 pm Euchre 6:00 pm Newsletter Due Impressions Karaoke Fish Fry 5:00 pm Big Dogs 7:30pm Sons Pool Tournament 12:00pm sign-up Grown Folk Music Karaoke 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Marting Luther King Jr Day Blue Star Mothers Impressions Karaoke Meeting 6:30 pm Euchre 6:00 pm Last Day to Sign Up for Shuffleboard League Frank Eimer Band 7:30 pm Footloose Karaoke 27 28 29 30 31 01 02 CMC Meeting 6:30 pm Euchre Impressions Karaoke