Corvallis
Post #91, The American Legion
July 2021 – Newsletter 2020-2021, Issue 7
P.O. Box 205, Corvallis, Montana
Active Duty Reconnect – 17-21 Feb
The post hosted 8 active duty Army and Air Force personnel and their dependents for four days of skiing and relaxation during our winter Active Duty Reconnect program. Travel, meals and lodging were provided by generous donors and the post. The post received lots of good press and many members helped support the program. Stay tuned for our Summer program now in the planning stages.
Memorial Day Parade – 31 May
This year’s parade was Corvallis’s 101st! It started off with post members sky diving over the parade route carrying Old Glory. There were over 100 entries and between 3500 and 4000 people watching the parade.
Photo - Kiana Fecteau
Post Member “Army John” shows the Colors over the Parade route
23-year member Frank Mason was the Grand Marshall, proudly carried by our Post Jeep. Other post activities were the reading of the interred Veteran’s names at Corvallis Cemetery and the throwing of a wreath into the Bitterroot River to honor those who served at sea.
Photo -Kiana Fecteau
Parade Grand Marshall Frank Mason and his wife Connie
Kudos to the Parade Committee lead by Jack Berman for a great event. Contact Jack if you would like to be involved in next year’s parade.
American Legion Oratorical Contest
Our candidate, Skylar Tibbs, made it to the state level competition. Chairman George Deaderick reported that Skylar placed sixth in the field and learned a lot on her first time in the contest. We hope she will continue again next year. She received awards from the post and district for her participation this year.
American Legion Boys State
This was the first time in two years that Boys State was held in Montana. With Chairman Chris Hoffman’s help the post sent two candidates to Helena to attend the four day program. Candidates Brinson Wyche and Matthew Yakawich will be sharing their experiences with us at a future post meeting.
Monthly $500 Pot of Gold Drawing
The Executive Committee has re-established the Pot of Gold drawing at the monthly membership meeting. The prize is a $500 gift certificate to Frontier Guns and Ammo in Hamilton. You must be present and a current dues paid member to win. “Come on down!”
“Jack’s Place” – Post 91’s New Office
The post’s new office, named Jack’s Place after long time member Jack Pfau is in the process of being finished out. There is now a 100’ radio antenna that was given to the post by a Kalispell donor. The office will serve as a meeting place for the Executive Committee, Radio Club and other post groups as well as, a place to keep records and supplies.
KG7SPL Post Amateur Radio Club
In December 2020, a group of American Legion Family members and members of the public with an interest in Amateur Radio came together to discuss starting an American Legion Radio Club.
Corvallis Post 91 had already secured the club’s callsign, KG7SPL. The Post’s bylaws were amended to establish an amateur radio club within the post. Articles of Organization were approved by the Post’s Executive Committee and KG7SPL was born.
The post secured amateur radio training subscriptions and soon people were training to take the amateur radio examination. These people joined the American Legion, the American Legion Auxiliary, and the Sons of the American Legion. The goal of the new club was met, “get new members.”
However, if you are going to do all this studying to become an amateur radio operator, you want to be able to use your new skill. One of the goals of KG7SPL is training. Enter Winter Field Day.
Winter Field Day 2021 took place for the club on top of
Chief Joseph Pass. The crew spent two nights and three days setting up the station, using the station and tearing down the station. It was a great training exercise.
Staying Warm on Winter Field Day
Soon after Winter Field Day, the club start its monthly testing service. The Saturday after the monthly meeting we conduct an Amateur Radio testing session where people can get the license or old hams can upgrade their existing license. It is free, and we have people from all over the country coming into test.
Another goal of KG7SPL is to have a training exercise each quarter. In the 4th quarter of 2021 KG7SPL conducted Summer Field Day. This exercise was conducted near Jack’s Place in Corvallis.
The radio club is the driving force to complete Jack’s Place. Once completed there will be a HF and a VHF radio station inside. If needed Jack’s Place could be used as an Emergency Operation Center. Another service to the community.
Our New Antenna
Radio Club Photos by Doug Mason
Yes, it is a year of firsts. Sadly, KG7SPL had its first silent key in 2021. Allen Bjergo was a long time Post 91-member, Post Officer, and amateur radio operator KG7NAV. He will be missed.
If you are interested in becoming a amateur radio operator and joining KG7SPL. Contact the club president Doug Mason (W7MRC) at 406-546-4244.
Chaplain’s Corner – Brian Wrede
This morning (June 23, 2021) I read an article entitled “The Bodies of Dead Climbers on Everest Are Serving as Guideposts.” It explained that Mount Everest constitutes the world’s largest open-air graveyard, with more than 300 corpses littering its “death zone” – that area from 26,000 feet above sea level to the summit at 29,031 feet.
Why has no one recovered these dead bodies? Conditions are simply too extreme on the world’s highest mountain. Air pressure is only one third of that at sea level and temperatures hover at minus 50 degrees (F). Therefore, recovering dead bodies is discouraged. Two climbers died in an attempt to recover the body of German female climber, Hannelore Schmatz. On Mount Everest a climber can only devote himself to two tasks: summiting and self-preservation.
Now, based on the title of this article, you might expect to hear how these fallen mountaineers didn’t die in vain or that their corpses help “point the way” to the summit. You might hope to hear how those bodies of the dead help inspire future climbers.
But the very opposite is true. Of the 300-plus corpses in the death zone, only a few of these bodies serve as “markers” – and only to let climbers know how much further it is to the summit. All the other corpses only serve to warn climbers of the grave risks of their endeavor – if they hadn’t figured it out already. Those corpses remind climbers of the price they could pay for the boast of reaching the “roof of the world.”
Is that the purpose we hope our lives – and deaths - will serve? To be a warning of what not to do with one’s life? To be an example of a fool? To be like one of the members of the so-called “27-Club” – musicians who died of drug overdoses at the age of 27 (e.g. Ricky Pride, Rudy Lewis, Jimmi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Alan Wilson, Jim Morrison, Gary Thain, Amy Winehouse, etc.)? Imagine all the wonderful contributions these people might have made to society if they had lived out all the days God ordained for them!
And think about it. Just who would have benefitted if all those deceased mountaineers had reached the summit? Success would have only benefitted them – if you can call it a benefit. I suppose by climbing Mount Everest they’d have felt their existence was “justified.” But at what cost? On average, it costs a prospective climber over $75,000 to join an Everest expedition. And this price does not include costly clothing and equipment or, the investment of time and effort to physically condition oneself for the ordeal – all devoted to one self-serving enterprise.
And even if the climber summits, what benefit have they gained? That it makes them feel better about themselves? But what if it makes them arrogant and contemptuous of people too weak and feeble to do what they’ve done? Where’s the benefit in that?
Wouldn’t contributing to humanity do far more to justify one’s existence? Wouldn’t serving others bring about a greater benefit and serve a more valid purpose?
Actually, our lives already have validity, because God Himself has authored them. It was God who put us upon this planet. None of us muscled our way into life. None of us had any choice in the matter.
It’s true that our parents played a part in the decision. But our parents didn’t design the physical apparatus of reproduction nor did they direct our development in the womb. It was God who chose our gender, color, size, body configuration, voice, talents, abilities, and all the components of our personality. As King David wrote in Psalm 139:13, God “knit us together in our mother’s womb.” From eternity, God ordained and planned every day of our lives, before one of them came to be (Psalm 139:16).
So, don’t waste your life in a foolish and self-serving quest to “prove yourself” or to “justify your existence.” Instead, seek God’s will for your life. Offer yourself to God as a living sacrifice, so that He may use you for the very purpose He created you.
Heed the words of the apostle Paul. “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:1-2).
PRAYER: Dear Father in heaven, You alone know me, my true value, and what makes me tick. You alone know the purpose for which You created me. Therefore, I surrender my life to You and ask You to refine, perfect, and use me for Your glorious purpose. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
More Parade Pictures (Photos – Kiana Fecteau)
Post 91 Honor Guard Leads the Parade
More Radio Club Pictures (Photos- Doug Mason)
Removing Antenna from Kalispell Location
New Location at Jack’s Place
Upcoming Events:
Wednesday Jul 21 – Post Annual Picnic- Victor Park, Activities start at 1600, dinner at 1800.
Saturday July 31 – Pistol Training for Women – Contact Scott Turner for details (406-218-9980
Monday Aug 2 – Amateur Radio Club Monthly Meeting, BJ’s, 1800.
Tuesday Aug 3 – Legion Riders Monthly Meeting, BJ’s, 1830.
Wednesday Aug 18 – Monthly Membership Meeting, Corvallis Fire Department, 1900.
Monday Sep 6 – Amateur Radio Club Monthly Meeting, BJ’s, 1800.
Tuesday Sep 7 – Legion Riders Monthly Meeting, BJ’s, 1830.
Wednesday Sep 15 – Monthly Membership Meeting, Corvallis Fire Department, 1900
Post Officers and Executive Committee
Commander – Scott Turner – 406-218-9980 (scott@jdeng.org)
1st Vice Commander – Tim Williams – 406-223-1399 (timw658@gmail.com)
2nd Vice Commander – Don Helmbrecht – 406-381-6661 (donhelmbrecht@yahoo.com)
Adjutant – Pat Clover - 406-381-1171 (fourleafpat1@me.com)
Historian – Doug Mason – 406-546-4244 (mtmotorstables@gmail.com)
Finance Officer – Cory Johnson - 406-370-8832 (johnsonptd@gmail.com)
Sergeant-At-Arms – Bob Koellermeier – 406-777-1052 (threefiddles@netzero.net)
Service Officer – Dan Griffin – 406-544-5257 (griffinsfc@gmail.com)
Chaplain – Brian Wrede – 406-369-5813 (Brian.Wrede@asamnet.de)
Executive Committee Members – Ike Slaughter, Don Bratsch,
Past Junior Commander – Edna Nasca
Committees
Americanism – Chairman Doug Mason
Oratorical Contest – George Deaderick
McGruff Kits – George Deaderick
School Survey – George Deaderick
Boys State – Chris Hoffman
Ceremonials – Chairman Bob Koellermeir
Honor Guard – Martyn Reiss
Funerals – 24 to date
Children and Youth – Chairman Corey Johnson
Scholarships – Marc Sabin
Temporary Financial Assistance
Economic – Chairman Don Bratsch
Job Opportunity / Career Day – Pat Clover
Finance – Chairman Corey Johnson
Graves Registration and Memorial –
Chairman Doug Mason
Fatality Markers – Don Helmbrecht
House and Entertainment –
Chairman Don Helmbrecht
Legislative – Chairman Ike Slaughter
Membership – Chairman Tim Williams
2022 Goal – 181
Public Relations – Chris Kerinec
http://corvallispost91.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/corvallispost91
https://centennial.legion.org/montana/post91Social Media – Jim McHugh
Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation –
Chairman Dan Griffin
National Security – Chairman Ike Slaughter
Law Enforcement Officer of the Year –
Randy Baird
Firefighter of the Year – Don Bratch
Active Duty Reconnect – Ike Slaughter
