American Legion Post 335 February Meeting Decisions and Plan

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 Overview

Regular February meeting of American Legion Post 335 (Norfolk). No communications, bills, or thank-you letters were read. The meeting focused on finances, approvals for annual donations, fundraising strategy (especially poker tournaments), visibility and community programs, signage, media outreach, a formal Flag Day retirement ceremony, a USS Intrepid trip proposal, poppy drive planning, and bylaw amendments. 

Finance Report  

• Overall: “Very good financial condition,” ending the month at about $13,000, entering the Memorial Day fundraising season in strong shape. 
• CD renewal: Renewing a 24-month CD at month-end with $10,000. Anticipated interest rate: ~3.75% (current 24-month CDs were at 4.25%; final rate locks on renewal). 
• Expenses (checking): Donation to KP Wrestling; commander promotional items; $567 poppy inventory (pre-Memorial Day); pizza; membership transactions; $131 donation to “Veterans in Worcester.” 
• Income: ~$1,600 in early January from poker tournament revenue and an Army-Navy squares event Teresa ran at the “Rent them” venue. 

Approved Annual Donations 

• $500 to the DARE program (drug abuse prevention for elementary school kids); Norfolk police officer presents annually. 
• $500 to the Federated Church (rent, storage, and Memorial Day staging support). Motions seconded and carried.

Organizational Background and Fundraising Focus 

• Building fund: Prior building sale left ~$40,000 in a building fund, which must remain per bylaws; earnings help run the post. 
• Fundraising shift: Emphasis on lower-effort revenue (poker tournaments) versus physically demanding poppy sales; goal is to sustain programs amid rising costs. 
• Visibility: Members wearing uniforms to increase community awareness; Post 335 is “81 years” old and aims to be seen at Flag Day, Field of Flags, and the Memorial Day Parade.

Senior Vice Commander Report (Poker Tournaments)

• Eastern Poker Tour model explained: 

1. “Bar Poker”: $25 entry, $3 meal credit, 30,000 chips, top-4 prizes, runs year-round. 
2. Charity tournaments: Require a sponsoring nonprofit; the Post serves as sponsor. 

• Recent results and partnerships: 

1. Post tournament 3–4 months ago raised close to $2,000 with minimal labor. 
2. Millis Post: Lacks active volunteers and funds; Post 335 proposed to do the work, split profits and luxury tax; paperwork to finalize with Brad. 
3. Foxboro Post: Only 6 at meeting; offered same sponsorship help. Discovery: their 501(c) status revoked since 2016 due to unpaid dues; will assist leadership to reinstate nonprofit status before proceeding. 

• Recruitment: 10 new members credited to Jim’s efforts. 
• Motion to accept the Senior Vice report passed.

Quartermaster/Logistics 

• MIA table: To be returned to the Federated Church (currently in the Lions’ shed). 
• Poppies: 1,300 purchased for $563 (~$0.40 each) for upcoming drives. 
• Admin flow: Insurance and similar offers to route through the Quartermaster. 
• Context: American Legion formed in 1919; ~19,000 posts nationwide; veteran orgs face declining participation. Norfolk has ~350 veterans; Post aims to support and connect them. 

Chaplain, Recognition, and Publicity 

• No recent deaths reported. 
• Recognitions: 

1. Al Boza: Plaque (presented at last meeting) honoring the November town veterans’ dinner he led. 
2. Jim Schweitzer: Gold Medal for recruiting in the American Legion. 

• Publicity: Nice local paper story on November dinner; photos from last meeting’s plaque presentations will be sent to the newspaper this month.

Membership and Dues 

• Dues increase: $60 for the coming year; the Post receives $5, remainder goes to State and National. 
• No unpaid members noted. 
• New members noted as introduced: “Brad Walker, Gary Ravinsky, Tom Weeks, Kathy Lang, Henry LeBanc, Harvey Stone, Luke Candola.” 

Programs and Partnerships 

• Boy Scouts engagement: Visit for veterans to speak was postponed (Super Bowl/holidays disruptions); will be rescheduled. Scouts showed strong interest in veterans’ stories. 
• “Be the One” (veteran suicide prevention) initiative: Planning to host informational content/speakers (potentially remote, shown on big screen). Handouts with supportive questions have been shared previously. 
• Meeting logistics/bylaws: Current bylaws require meeting on the second Wednesday at the Federated Church; temporarily holding two monthly meetings to satisfy bylaw change procedure. Preferred venue is the town Fire Station (more comfortable; church still used for kitchen needs). 

Town Signage for Post Visibility 

• Proposal: Erect town entry signs for American Legion Post 335, similar to Lions/Kiwanis/Rotary signs; include post number. 
• Options/pricing discussed: 

1. Initial quote: 12x12 inch signs at $300 per sign (requires vector artwork). Concern that 12x12 is too small; interest in 18–24 inch sizes. 
2. Materials/finish: Explore 3D printing, acrylic/plastic/metal, raised vs flat lettering; desire for high-quality, durable look. 

• Process and considerations: 

1. Measure existing Lions signs to size-match; check town constraints/permits. 
2. Request samples/presentation from sign vendors; issue RFP to compare local vs national (American Legion) options. Preference to keep it local if quality and price align. 
3. Budget openness to pay more for visibility and quality; ensure compliance with town requirements. 

Media Outreach: “What’s Up, Norfolk?” 

• Jay launching a monthly informational TV show on NCTV/YouTube; non-political, covering town happenings and organizations (including the Legion, Senior Center, Girl Scout cookies info, etc.). 
• Schedule: First episode being recorded Saturday; post-produced by NCTV; link and channel info to be shared. 
• Cross-promotion: Plan a Legion-focused episode (ideally April) to promote the poppy drive; Post can screen the content at meetings. 

Planned Events for the Year

• Boys State and Girls State: Sponsor one boy and one girl; civics/legislative education at a college campus (coordinated with the high school by Brad McCready). 
• Field of Flags with Lions: On Town Hill; 1,000 flags sold for $10 each; proceeds to Fisher House. 
• Flag retirement ceremony: See details below. 
• Memorial Day: Post 335 will host the Memorial Day Parade in May. 
• Community Day with Lions: Booth with military vehicle and service memorabilia. 
• Year-end party: Social event (spouses/partners welcome) under consideration. 

Flag Day Retirement Ceremony (June 14) 

• Collections: Two flag drop boxes in town—Town Hall (by elevator) and Senior Center (front door).
• Materials handling: 

1. Cotton flags: To be formally unfolded and ceremonially burned. 
2. Nylon flags: Cannot be burned (toxic); will be cut up, boxed, and buried at the flagstone. 

• Ceremony plan: 

1. Lead: Al handling ceremony; coordination ongoing. 
2. Partners: DPW and Fire Department support; likely cemetery location with a dedicated area (bench, shrubbery, plaque). 
3. Participants: Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Cub Scouts to be invited; schedule practice runs to ensure a precise formation and ceremony flow. 
4. Outreach: Present the plan at an upcoming Sunday-night Scouts parent meeting to build participation. 

Restaurant Givebacks and Socials 

• Hot Table (Franklin): 30% giveback on purchases tagged to the Legion (usable once per year); last time suffered tracking-code issues; will improve advertising (Facebook, Alliance email). 
• Other venues and rates mentioned: Texas Roadhouse (10%), Pizzeria Roma (5%), Gavel (owner welcomed hosting). 
• Cadence: General sentiment that monthly is too frequent; aim for every other month or quarterly.
• Coordinator: No volunteer identified; leadership will handle for now, with help as needed. 

Trading Cards Fundraiser 

• Partnership: A father/daughter nonprofit that sells donated sports and other trading cards at shows/eBay; proceeds benefit animal shelters and the American Legion. 
• Status: Meeting set for Monday (holiday); ~15,000 cards being provided to start. They price cards via eBay/Beckett standards; revenue will arrive gradually. 
• Call for donations: Members invited to donate unwanted cards; pickup can be arranged. 

USS Intrepid Trip Proposal (Motion Passed) 

• Date and schedule: Tuesday, May 26 (day after Memorial Day). Depart Norfolk by coach at ~7:30 AM; 4 hours at USS Intrepid (NYC); return by ~9:00 PM. 
• Costs (dependent on bus fill): 

1. 50 people: $70 per person (transport). 
2. 40 people: $87.50 per person (transport). 
3. 35 people: $100 per person (transport). 
4. Intrepid Museum admission: Free for veterans; $34 for non-veterans (reduced for students). 
5. Optional guided tour: $13; optional cafeteria lunch: $13 (or bring a bag lunch). Illustrative veteran total with tour at 50 passengers: $83 (transport + tour). 

• Fundraising offset: Federated Church (via Dan Woodman) can run a Monday dinner giveback at The Horse restaurant; prior effort raised $2,200. Targeting at least $1,000 could reduce the trip price by ~$20 per person. 
• Participation prioritization: Veterans first, then open to others (e.g., Lions, Senior Center) to fill the bus; first come, first served. Discussion noted teens could benefit; decided to keep May 26 date. 
• Financial procedure: Any fundraiser proceeds go into the Legion account; a motion would then allocate funds to offset trip costs. 
• Motion: To hold the Intrepid trip on May 26, details to follow—carried. 

Bylaws Amendments (Second Reading) 

• Article 8, Section 1 (meeting schedule/location): 

1. Change “Wednesday” to “Thursday” (second Thursday of each month, except July and August). 
2. Add “Town of Norfolk Fire Station” as a primary meeting location, with the Federated Church or other alternates as needed (with proper notice). 
3. Rationale: Based on an informal poll, Thursday increases member attendance; Fire Station offers a more comfortable room (church retained for events needing a kitchen). 

• Article 11, Section 1 (amendment process): 

1. Count “votes submitted in writing by post members” in addition to members present. 
2. Reduce readings from “next two preceding regular meetings” to the “previous regular meeting.” 
3. Require written notice by USPS at least “21” days in advance (reduced from 90 days). 
4. Rationale: Enables timely changes and allows members unable to attend to vote in writing. 

• Notices: The Post previously voted to send postcards to all members to ensure proper notice and enable voting .

Poppy Drive Planning (May) 

• Scope and goals: 

1. Five weekends in May; prior year increased from ~$2,700 to over $8,000; 2024 goal: $10,000–$12,000.
2. New/high-yield locations: Bass Pro Shops, Trader Joe’s; continue transfer station (Wednesdays/Saturdays) and Roach Brothers. 

• Staffing and scheduling: 

1. Typical shifts: 2 hours; most sites need at least 2 people; busy intersections (e.g., 1A/115) require ~5 people and coordination with police (permits may vary by town). 
2. Plan to avoid donor fatigue: Rotate locations; reduce/skip low-yield sites (both Dunkin’ Donuts to be dropped); do not repeat the same location on consecutive Saturdays where possible. 
3. Volunteers: All hands encouraged; spouses/partners welcome; set printed schedule and allow add-ons as availability changes. 

• Materials and setup: Table displays, poppy inventory (paper poppies), donation cans; present a clean, informative presence. 
• Inter-post collaboration: Where appropriate, share proceeds with partner posts (as done in Millis) and possibly Foxboro if assisting there. 

Upcoming Steps and Actions 

• Finance: 

1. Renew the $10,000 24-month CD at month-end at the best available rate. 
2. Record the approved $500 DARE and $500 Federated Church payments in the minutes. 

• Poker tournaments: 

1. Finalize Millis paperwork and tax with Brad; schedule future charity dates. 
2. Assist Foxboro in reinstating 501(c) status (with Wendy’s help) before onboarding them. 

• Logistics and admin: 

1. Return the MIA table to the Federated Church. 
2. Distribute poppy inventory to support May drives.

• Visibility and outreach:

1. Send plaque photos to the newspaper; continue Legion magazine engagement.
2. Reschedule and conduct the Scouts visit; line up veteran speakers. 
3. Advance “Be the One” by securing materials and a speaker (in-person or remote) for a Post screening. 

• Signage: 

1. Measure Lions’ sign size; check town constraints; collect vendor samples/presentations. 
2. Issue RFP, decide on size (likely 18–24 inches), finish (raised/flat), and materials; include “Post 335.” 

• Media: 

1. Jay to complete and share his first episode link; schedule a Legion segment (April) to promote the poppy drive; share NCTV/YouTube details with the Post. 

• Flag Day ceremony (June 14): 

1. Coordinate with DPW and Fire; secure cemetery site and design the dedicated area (bench/shrubbery/plaque) plan. 
2. Plan/practice formation; integrate Scouts; manage nylon vs cotton processing; Al to lead; collaborate with Kathy. 

• Restaurant givebacks/socials: 

1. Schedule next giveback night (e.g., The Horse with Federated Church partnership) to support the Intrepid trip price offset. 
2. Set cadence (every other month or quarterly); advertise widely; confirm tracking code procedures.

• Trading cards fundraiser: 

1. Complete Monday meeting; transfer ~15,000 cards; solicit additional donations; begin pricing/sales pipeline.

• USS Intrepid trip (May 26): 

1. Open sign-ups (veterans first); collect commitments and 20% deposit for the bus. 
2. Confirm bus, tour slots, and museum policies; finalize cost per seat and fundraising offsets; set guest policy and promotion to fill 50 seats.

• Poppy Drive (May): 

1. Create a master calendar across five weekends; secure permissions (police/fire/venues); assign 2-hour shifts; staff high-yield locations; prepare tables/displays. 
2. Target $10k–$12k; assess location performance vs last year and adjust. 

• Bylaws: 

1. Send USPS notices/postcards; prepare the third reading and vote next month; after March, discontinue the two-meetings-per-month workaround if amendments pass. 

• Meetings: Next month will include the second Wednesday (abbreviated) and second Thursday (Fire Station) meetings, pending bylaw changes.