February 2012 • First Call 1

Chris Urban, Commander February 2012 Jack LaPaglia, Membership

First Call!The American Legion Utica Post 229

Utica Post 229 • 409 Herkimer Rd., Utica, NY 13502 • 315.793.9377 • www.uticapost229.org

Post Meetings are first Thursday of the month at 7:30 p.m. (optional dinner at 6:15)

Take a BiteFor the Home Team

Jim George and Jim Haggerty will be frying fish, bak-ing potatoes, grilling burgers and cooking up a fish specialty for the Friday dinners during Lent. You can enjoy the cuisine from 4 to 7 each week at the post, starting Feb. 24. SEE PAGE 3.

InsideCommander’s Call 2Membership Report 2Valentine’s Dinner Dance 2 Fish Fry Menu 3Chaplain’s Corner 3 Report on Post Meeting 4Patriot Riders Legacy Run 5 Bingo Report 6Dept. Commander 6Auxiliary 7Help Stuff Poppies 7

February

1 Bloodmobile, noon-52 Monthly Dinner, 6:15 Post Meeting, 7:30 pm Auxiliary, 7:30 pm7 Bingo, 6:30 pm13 Vietnam Vets of Am., 114 Bingo, 6:30 pm15 Bloodmobile, noon-518 DAV, noon Valentine’s Dinner Dance, 620 County Mtg/Post 229, 7:3021 Bingo, 6:30 pm24 Friday Fish Fry28 Bingo, 6:30 pm

World War II Army combat veteran Phil Capraro praises the staff of Frankfort-Schuyler El-ementary School for its Veterans Day activities, and sparks a burst of laughter as he pokes fun at fellow World War II buddies. SEE PAGE 4.

POST HAILS FRANKFORT-SCHUYLER SCHOOL

JIM-DANDY FISH FRYCOMING THIS MONTH

March

1 Monthly Dinner, 6:15 Post Meeting, 7:30 pm Auxiliary, 7:30 pm6 Bingo, 6:30 pm7 Bloodmobile, noon-58 Baseball Pasta Fundraiser12 Vietnam Vets of Am., 113 Bingo, 6:30 pm17 DAV, noon20 Bingo, 6:30 pm21 Bloodmobile, noon-527 Bingo, 6:30 pm

Legionnaires like baseball and they like to eat.

So what could be better than to chow down for the Post 229 Baseball Team!

Bring your appetite to the post on Thurs-day, March 8, and sup-port the team’s pasta dinner fundraiser.

First Call • February 20122

Commander’s Call

Chris Urban

through monthly game nights, we might be able to re-establish a pitch league and/or start other game leagues. I hope to see lots of players on the 22nd.

SURVEY FEEDBACK Last month I asked

everyone who had access to the Internet to take a short survey about Utica Post 229. We have more than 750 members (Le-gionnaires, Auxiliary, and SAL), but only 5 people responded to the survey.

We really need more input to help us learn what our members want so that we can make changes and improvements to Utica Post 229.

We would like to do additional surveys in

Jack LaPagliaPost Membership Chair

GAME NIGHT FEB. 22Past Post 229 Com-

mander Tony Palladino had a great idea: Let’s have a monthly game night at the Post. I selected Wednesday, February 22 as the day to kick off this event.

Post 229 members (Le-gionnaires, Auxiliary mem-bers, Sons of the American Legion) and your spouses: Please come to the Post on February 22 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. and play your games of choice (pitch, pinochle, backgammon, cribbage, acey-deucey, board games, etc.).

The Post will provide coffee and soft drinks and I will personally provide beer for this kick-off event. If we get enough interest

Quota: 659Paid to date: 508 Percentage: 77

the future as a means to increase communication and feedback from ALL of our members. Thank you for taking a few minutes to participate in the survey. You can access the survey from the post website: uticapost229.org.

SURVEY INCENTIVE Anyone who takes the

Web survey before Febru-ary 10 and leaves his/her e-mail address (question 5 provides the option to leave your e-mail address) will be enrolled in a draw-ing for a $25 Gift Certifi-cate to Babe’s Macaroni Grill in North Utica.

We will select a winner on February 11 in the Post lounge.

For God and Country...

Dues for 2012 are now past due.

If you hadn’t renewed your membership by January, National considers you delinguent and your 2011 card has expired. However, if you hurry and pay your 2012 dues before the end of February, you won’t be suspended and lose your privileges of using the post lounge. Please do not let this happen to you.

We are only 151 members away from reaching quota and it sure would be nice to hit that 100 percent mark. Commander Chris is getting a bit jittery, but I told him I have faith that we can do it.

So everyone enjoy the new year, and remember to send in your membership dues now.

Membership Report

Feb. MeetingAt the February meet-

ing, seven members will be elected to serve on a nomi-nating committee to propose candidates for office for the 2012-2013 legion year.

Take your sweetheart out for dinner and dancing at the post’s Valentine’s Dinner Dance on Saturday, Feb. 18.

Social hour starts at 6 with open bar. Dinner is at 7, featuring an Italian

buffet. Dancing is from 8 to midnight, with

the band, Mystique. Tickets are $22. Contact Dinner Dance Chair Rose

Coniglio at 735-9091, or stop in at the post.

Bring SweetheartTo Valentine’s Dinner Dance

February 2012 • First Call 3

Free Valentine’s Dinner For Veterans on Feb. 14

West Side Senior Center is hosting a Veterans Valentine’s Dinner at a noon Tuesday, Feb. 14.

The dinner is free for veterans; cost for spouse is $5.00.

Make reservations by calling West Side Center at 735-0735 or Barbara at 733-8810.

I said a prayer for you today and know God must have heard,

I felt the answer in my heart although He spoke no word.

I didn’t ask for wealth or fame: I knew you wouldn’t mind.

I asked him to send treasures of a far more lasting kind.

I asked that He’d be near you at the start of each new day:

To grant you health and blessings and friends

to share your way. I asked for happiness for you in all things great and small.

But it was for his lovingcare I prayed for most of all.

REST IN PEACECharles H. Stevens

FEBRUARY NOTABLESIt’s National Health Month & National Friendship Month.

Feb. 3 is day the music died; Buddy Holly, Richie Valens & J. P. “the big bopper” Richardson died in a plane crash.

Feb. 14 is Valentine’s Day.

Feb. 17 is Act of Kindness Day.

Feb. 20 is Family Day.

Chaplain’scorner

Paul Wojcik

POST MEETINGS

EXECUTIVE BOARD

May 3June 7

Feb. 2March 1April 5

Feb. 16March 15April 19

May 17June 21

Post 229 to HostCounty Meeting

Utica Post 229 will host the American Legion County meeting on Monday, February 20.

The meeting gets underway at 7:30 p.m., followed by din-ner.

UTICA POST LENTEN FISH FRY MENUOPEN: 4 to 7 p.m. Fridays from Feb. 24 to April 6.

FRIED or PLAIN BAKED HADDOCK served with choice of potato (French fries or baked), slaw, roll, and butter.................. $9.00

JIM’S SPECIAL BAKED HADDOCK haddock baked with wine, herbs, and grated cheese and served with choice of potato (French fries or baked), slaw, roll, and butter.................................... $10.50

FRIED or PLAIN BAKED HADDOCK SANDWICH served with choice of potato (French fries or baked) and slaw......................................$6.50

HAMBURGER ON A ROLL served with French fries and slaw................................................................................. $6.00

CHICKEN TENDERS served with French fries and slaw................................................................................. $5.50

FRENCH FRIES OR BAKED POTATO................................................................ $2.00

DRINKS (endless cup of coffee/tea or a single serving of soda).................................. $1.00

2 post officers serving as chefs

LENTEN FISH FRY STARTS FEB. 24

Jim George, left, and Jim Haggerty are the chefs for the weekly Lenten fish dinners.

Utica Post 229 will hold weekly Lenten fish fry dinners from 4 to 7 p.m., staring Friday, Feb. 24, and ending Friday, April 6.

Dinners will be offered from 4 to 7 p.m.

The cooks will be Utica Post Treasurer Jim Hag-gerty and Vice Command-er Jim George.

First Call • February 20124

POST HONORS FRANKFORT-SCHULYER SCHOOLVets Day Event Teaches Kids to Appreciate Veterans

The January post meeting, which was a joint gathering with the aux-iliary unit, featured the presentation of a Red White and Blue Award to Frankfort-Schulyer Elementary School (formerly called West Frankfort) for its annual Veterans Day observance.

Post Member and World War II Army veteran Phil Capraro, who helped pres-ent the award with Post Commander Chris Urban, said he couldn’t say enough about how well the school treats veterans, noting that the staff has organized the annual observance for 20 years. Principal Frank Saraceno, who accepted the award along with five members of his staff, explained that

raro (who landed in Normandy on D-Day and was wounded twice, including in the Battle of the Bulge), there were:

• Albert Circelli, Navy veteran who was on the USS Mis-souri battleship when the Japanese came on board to formally surrender.

• Frank Zami-ello, Navy veteran who manned 5-inch guns aboard the USS Pasadena light cruiser, shelling enemy posi-tions on Iwo Jima at night. The navy bom-bardment “lit up the island like daylight.”

• Pat Capraro (Phil’s brother), a

Marine veteran who saw action on Iwo

the observance teaches children about “patriotism and the big sacrifice veterans made for them.” The observance begins with breakfast, followed by a program of patriotic music and talks by guest speak-ers, including Congressman Richard Hanna, State Sen. James Seward, State Assemblyman Marc Butler, and military representatives. It concludes with lunch and then the opportunity for veterans to visit with children in their classrooms. More than 100 veterans participated.

The pupils, Saraceno said, come to “re-ally know what Veterans Day is all about when they get that day off from school.”

Other school staff there were Donna Barberio, library and tech person; Amy Roepnack, art teacher; Mike Rodriguez, senior custodian; Linda Unser, reme-dial reading teacher, and Susan Cruze, teacher assistant.

URBAN RECOGNIZED several World War II veterans who attended to show their appreciation for Frankfort-Schuyler school. In addition to Cap-

Frankfort-Schuyler School staff pose with Red White and Blue Award, flanked by Commander Chris Urban and World War II member Phil Capraro. The staff, from left, are Donna Barberio, library & tech person; Amy Roepnack, art teacher; Mike Rodri-guez, senior custodian; Linda Unser, remedial reading teacher; Frank Saraceno, principal, and Susan Cruze, teacher assistant.

Frank Saraceno

Albert Circelli

Frank Zamiello

Phil Capraro

Pat Capraro

February 2012 • First Call 5

LEGION RIDERS LEGACY RUN STARTS IN UPSTATE NY

Commander Chris Urban presented County Legion bowling awards to bowling team captain Wayne Dapre.

Jima and Saipan, and who was among the first U.S. troops to enter Nagasaki after the bomb-ing.

When Circelli mentioned he was 87 dur-ing the pre-meeting dinner, Zamiello, at 85, quipped, “I’m a young guy,” and Pat Capraro, 85, added: “We like to entertain you old guys!”

FOLLOWING several reports by post and auxiliary officers, Urban noted that the post treated veterans at The Pines nursing home to a Christmas Party, which included a visit by Santa Claus.

Then he presented County Legion awards to Wayne Dapre, captain of the post bowling team. The team was named the 2011 County American Legion Traveling Bowling chanps and also received the Team High 10 plaque.

BEFORE THE meeting came to a close:• Members approved a motion to endorse

post Chaplain Paul Wojcik for the position of 5th District chaplain.

• Urban said a nominating committee would be formed in February to nominate candidates for office for 2011-2012.

• Urban announced that the Lenten Friday Fish Fry would return, starting Feb. 24, with post Treasurer Jim Haggerty and post Vice Commander Jim George serving as cooks.

American Legion Riders Legacy Run will start in upstate New York near Buf-falo/Niagara Falls Aug. 21 and end in In-dianapolis three days later for the Legion Riders Expo, just prior to the start of the National Convention there. This run will also serve as the National Commander’s Ride, with Legion Riders escorting National Commander Fang Wong of the New York Department along an 850-mile route that will traverse Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan and Indiana.

The three-day ride transitions to a three-day expo, and culminates with the Riders leading off the annual national convention parade on Aug. 26.

The American Legion Riders Expo will run Aug. 23-25, featuring events such as range and classroom training, Rider program development courses,

skills training and Motorcycle Safety Foundation exhibitions -- at Stout Army Air Field.

Registration for the 2012 event is now available online at https://www.legion.org/riders/registration. Expo registration is free to all Commander’s Ride partici-pants. Riders who choose not to par-

ticipate in the Ride but wish to attend the American Legion Rider Expo may register separately.

The 2011 Legacy Run raised $668,738.39 for the Legacy Fund, which provides college scholarships for the children of U.S. servicemembers killed on active duty on or after Sept. 11, 2001.

First Call • February 20126

Bingo ReportDate Income Prizes Expenses 3% Profit

12/06/11 $2639.00 $1963.00 $0.00 $20.28 $655.72

12/13/11 2447.00 1930.00 504.65 0.37 11.98

12/20/11 2619.00 2283.00 287.50 1.45 47.05

12/27/11 2601.00 1969.00 25.00 18.21 588.79

Bingo Workers

DECEMBER DONATIONS: Office Supplies $183.40, Top Firemen $120, First Call $522.09, Christmas Party $357.83

DECEMBER EXPENSES: Clemente - $504.65, 1st Quarter License Fee $262.50.

• Albert Alteri.• Stu Bailey.• Steve Campese.• Phil Capraro.• Frank Cassella.• Chuck Dailey.• Wayne DaPre.• Pat Dodge.• Jim George.

• Jim Haggerty.• Frank Jakubowski.• Al and Peggy Kohler.

• Jack LaPaglia.• Rich Maloon.• Dave Manore.• Jim McGuire.• Tom O’Toole.

• Tony Palladino.• Dan and Virginia Pieloch.

• Scott Sebastian.• Bob Stratton.• Chris Urban.• Paul Wojcik.• Jerry/Grace Welpe.• Vin Zaleski.

EXTRA VOLUNTEERS ARE ALWAYS NEEDED!

and plaques honor Veter-ans from WWII to today’s “War on Terror.”

Non-conflict Veterans can get VetSignias that show Vet and their branch of service.

All VetSignias can be viewed on the internet at www.vetsignia.org.

For information, phone Bob Kline, a WWII vet who takes orders, at (610) 277-1171, or e-mail him at bobk.ww2usmc@vetsignia.org.

VETS CAN SHOW HOW THEY SERVEDThe VetSignia group,

a small group of retired veterans, makes 36 special metalized film window stickers and magnetic ve-hicle plaques that provide a neat, attractive way for U.S. Veterans to show their service.

They are called VetSig-nias and feature black print on bright silver metallic with a stars and stripes background.

The VetSignia stickers

BOWEN TALKS SERVICE WHEN RECRUITING MEMBERSThrough January of 2012,

Department of New York Commander Mike Bowen had brought 51 members to The American Legion, spanning several states and nearly 20 posts. Two years ago, Bowen signed up nearly 70 members.

Bowen’s membership strategy is as basic as it gets, but it works. He identifies the veteran and then finds out what he or she needs. More often than not, The American Legion can fill that need.

The 43-year member of Warner-Van Riper Post 435 in Waterloo, N.Y., also makes it easy to join. Bowen’s depart-ment commander business cards have a Legion applica-

tion printed on the back. Bowen, a member of the National Membership & Post Activi-ties Commit-tee, talked about his approach to membership.

“One of the main things – especially with the younger generation of veterans right now – is their need for veterans benefits. I probably promote the Post-9/11 GI Bill and the benefits it has for themselves and their families... I’ve had them thank

me for that. I’ve also just signed up an Iraq veteran, 26 years old, and he was enrolled in the VA system at the hospital and had never been

asked to join The American Legion. I spoke with him, told him about the benefits and the fact the VA system and the GI Bill were both supported and developed by The American Legion. He joined up immediately...”

“They want to know ‘what’s in it for me?’ - what we can do for them. I go by the four pillars all the way around, everything that we do...

“One of the biggest points that I tell them is that being the largest advocate for veter-ans’ rights, when you turn that into votes for the politicians – the Senate, the House – they listen to us when we ask for things for the veterans. And numbers count. That’s prob-ably the No. 2 reason they join. They believe if they join, the greater number we have within the Legion, the more benefits and more services we’ll get for the veterans and their families.”

NY Dept. Commander Mike Bowen

February 2012 • First Call 7

AuxiliaryTheresa Jensen, president

President’s MessageTheresa Jensen

Dear Auxiliary Members,

Valentines Day will be here soon. Ladies, let’s remem-ber a veteran with a card, candy or a kiss!

Our January meeting was held jointly with our legion-naires. We enjoyed being together and hearing their re-ports. Thanks to Commander Chris Urban.

Our February meeting is an important one. A nomi-nating committee will be elected to select a slate of of-ficers for 2011-2012. If you are interested in serving on this committee, or running for office, please come to this meeting.

Please bring a non-perishable item or items to our February 2 meeting. Items will be given to The Veterans Outreach Center in Utica.

In closing, please remember a veteran on Valentine’s Day. Sending a card to a veteran in a hospital or nursing home or to those serving overseas will truly brighten his or her day.

Yours in service...

By Rose A. Coniglio

We have 167 paid members; of these, seven are new members.

With our quota for 2012 at 219, we are at 76.21 percent of goal. We need 52 new members/renewals to make 100 percent.

Please send your $15 dues for 2012 to:

Rose A. Coniglio607 Jay St., Apt. C2Utica, NY 13501If you have not renewed

for 2011 yet, please send those dues, too, so I can accept your 2012 dues.

Some have said they paid their 2011 dues where our records show they haven’t. Please check your membership card for the year printed on it.

I would like to make 100 percent by March.

Thank you!

Welcome New Member!• Marilyn J. Urban

MembershipAt 76.21%

The Auxiliary is looking for volunteers to help address and stuff envelopes April 16 for the annual poppy fundraiser mailing, reports Eleanor King.

The “Poppy Night” begins at 6 p.m. Monday, April 16, at the post.

Connecting the visual image of the poppy with the sacrifice of service made by veterans has been an important goal of the American Legion Auxiliary Poppy Program since its inception in 1921. Around Memorial Day, millions of red crepe paper poppies — all handmade by veterans as part of their thera-peutic rehabilitation — are distributed across this country in exchange for donations that go directly to assist disabled and hospitalized veterans in local communities.

75 ChildrenGet Gifts, Meet Santa

The Children’s Christ-mas Party in December treated 75 children to gifts, refreshments and the “ho ho ho” of Santa Claus, reported Chairman Jim Haggerty.

He said he “would like to thank everyone who as-sisted,” especially the Aux-iliary. “A special thank-you goes to our friends at Burger King; they al-ways give us donations, so please support them.” The auxiliary offered a big thankyou to Bargain Grocers for providing cupcakes for the party.

LEND A HAND ON POPPY NIGHT

Give BloodAmerican Red Cross

bloodmobile is at Utica Post 229 every first and third Wednesday from noon to 5.

First Call • February 20128

Utica Post #229The American Legion

409 Herkimer Rd.Utica, NY 13502

First Call is a monthly publication of Utica Post 229 American Legion,

409 Herkimer Rd., Utica, NY 13502, whose mission is to serve veterans, members and local communities.

Yearly membership includes First Call, published 10 times a year.

Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

-PAID-Utica, NY

Permit No. 566

Since its founding in Paris in 1919, The American Legion has been an advocate for America’s veterans, a friend of the U.S. military, a sponsor of community-based programs for young people and a spokesman for patriotic values.

Editor: Robert Stronach. Send news, announcements and photos to FirstCall@uticapost229.org.

WORLD WAR II VETERANS HELP THANK SCHOOLWorld War II veterans came to the January post meeting to help thank Frankfort-Schuyler Elementary School for 20 years of Veterans Day activities. From left: Navy veteran Albert Circelli (who was on the USS Missouri where the Jap-anese formally surrendered), Navy veteran Frank Zamiello (who manned 5-inch guns during the naval bombardment of Iwo Jima), Marine veteran Pat Capraro (who saw action on Saipan and Iwo Jima) and Army veteran Phil Capraro (who landed in Normandy on D-Day and also fought in the Battle of the Bulge).