Legion Dinners Are Back; Help Replace the Roof

(The Old Mission Legion has a new post commander! Read on for Rudy Rudolph’s comments about the twice-monthly community meals and how you can help build a new roof and make other upcoming repairs to the Legion Hall. – jb)

The meal on May 3rd was beef stroganoff, served family style with noodles, green beans and a salad. Followed by chocolate cake or brownies with cherry sauce and ice cream. The occasion was the American Legion Dinner on the first Tuesday of May. Chef Raj (Asava) outdid himself, as usual, and the meal was great. It was especially good as it was the first Legion dinner since November 2021, when the Legion Hall had to close due to the Covid outbreak.

As the newly installed Post Commander, I want to thank everyone for coming out in support of the Legion last week. It was most gratifying to see, by my count, 55 of our community friends and neighbors sharing fellowship and a good meal in our community hall.

And in truth, though it is the meeting hall of American Legion Post 399 in Old Mission, it is also a community asset. Not only is it a community meeting facility that can be used for special events by members of the community through scheduling ahead, it also hosts the local U.S. Post Office branch, which we are lucky to still have in Old Mission.

The hall itself is now around 35 years old and is showing needs for maintenance. Over the past few years, we have found it necessary to invest in new windows, HVAC and doors. Now we are faced with the need to replace the existing roof. The estimates we have received so far indicate that this repair will cost around $30,000. We also anticipate the need to make extensive repairs to the entrance deck and ramp over the next few years. To accomplish these building improvements, we are preparing grant requests and reaching out to our many friends in the Old Mission community.

If you are able to help, please send a check to “Garland-Tompkins Post 399,” P.O. Box 39, Old Mission, MI 49673. Please make sure to put “roof donation” on the memo line of the check so that we get it into the correct account. A receipt will be sent to you for tax deductions, if you so choose. Thank you so much for your continued generous contributions.

And please come to the next Legion dinner. It will be “cook’s choice,” and the cook always comes up with something good. The dinners are the first and third Tuesday of each month, doors open to the public at 6 p.m., and the meal commences at 6:30. Check it out on the Garland-Tompkins Post Facebook page. Bring a friend or two, as well, and mingle with other members of our wonderful Old Mission Community.

(Update from the Legion’s Facebook page: “The menu for the Old Mission American Legion Post 399 for Tuesday, May 17, 2022 is meat loaf with smashed potatoes, corn and salad. A vegetable tray and dessert are included. Take outs are available – call (231) 223-4443 between 4 – 5 p.m. to order take-out. Cost is $15.00 per person. – jb)

Rudy Rudolph
Post Commander

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