December 2024 Newsletter
- Minnesota Sixth District
- Dec 3, 2024
- 3 min read
The American Legion Department of Minnesota Sixth District
View the Commander's update below or Download the PDF
Greetings BIG 6th District –
First, I’d like to send out THANK YOU to all the Posts that have invited me to attend their Post events. I feel it is a privilege to represent you as your Commander. Your hospitality and kindness are overwhelming. I enjoy talking to the Post leadership, and more importantly, to our Legionnaires.
As I write this, we are in the middle of deer hunting season. I hope all my fellow hunters are having a safe, successful hunt. Sitting in my stand revitalizes my spirit and reminds me of the glory in nature. It also reminds me why I decided to take the oath to defend this great country of ours. Veterans always have, and in my eyes always will, protect our rights to enjoy freedom and all its benefits. This includes the right to sit in the woods, or walk the fields, or sit in a duck blind, or sit in a boat, or icehouse, with a rod and reel.
Many so called “free” countries don’t allow their citizens to enjoy these things that we take for granted.
In my travels around our BIG 6th District, I have been asked by some of my fellow Legionnaires why I do the things I do. Why did I decide to step up to be 6th District Commander? And that answer always comes easy for me. . . I decided to step up to this position because I wanted to serve you, my fellow veterans. Wherever I can, I speak on how we need to continue to care for our veterans. We need to make sure we are doing everything we can to STOP VETERAN SUICIDE! How we all need to BE THE ONE! The ONE to reach out to our friends and comrades.
The ONE to ask the hard question when we think something is “just off”. The ONE to not be afraid to ask “Are you thinking of committing suicide? Are you having thoughts of doing fatal harm to yourself or someone else?” In other words, BE THE ONE to step up and be a true friend. Show someone you really do care and are willing to be there for them.
We here in the BIG 6th District are doing well in the membership department. While we still have some Posts that are lagging, the majority are out there working hard to renew our current members, and to recruit new members. As of this writing, we are in FIRST place in the Department of Minnesota. That is a direct testament to your hard work, and the work of our District Membership Team. Another huge THANK YOU to one and all for your efforts. With that said, I still haven’t had any applications for my membership challenge. I can’t hand out awards if I don’t have anyone to hand them out to. If you are doing the work, I would love to be able to reward you for it.
By the time this newsletter is published and received in your homes, Thanksgiving will be over, and we will be on the way to celebrate the end of the year holiday season. While I know we all celebrate differently, in my house we celebrate Christmas. From everyone in the Grittner house, to everyone in our BIG 6th District, we hope that everyone has a Safe, Blessed, Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with all of the very best.
Frank Grittner
Commander
TAL MN 6th District
TOGETHER WE CAN
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