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March - April 2025 Newsletter

Updated: Nov 14, 2025

Check out the Highlights or Download the Full PDF below!



Commander’s News

Commander Kulkay is still recuperating from knee replacement surgery. It is not progressing as fast as Tom would like and wants everyone to know that despite his absence from the Post, he is still the Commander. We send our prayers for his recovery and look forward to seeing him back at the Post SOON!



1st Vice Commander

Hello to our Legion Family,

As you know old man winter is reminding us of what time of the year it is. Please be safe in your travels.


There have been many subtle changes at the Post lately. Keith is fixing, changing, and replacing things here to keep it running smoothly. Thank you K.W. for taking care of our Post.


At the January membership meeting, our Chaplain/VSO Paul Denesen was presented a Certificate of Appreciation for all he does for the American Legion Post. He is a very humble servant. Thank you, Paul.


Don’t forget to volunteer as the Lenten fish fry will be starting March 7th. There will be an online sign-up through your email from Michele. You will be able to sign up for the dates you choose, Easy Peasy!! A list of volunteer events is on the wall left of the pull tab booth.


At your service,

Vaughn Smith, 1st Vice Commander


2nd Vice

Greetings Legion Members,

This is a continuation of the changes or improvements that have been going on at 525 Railroad Drive.


On September 4th, the disintegrating railroad tie retaining wall on the south side of the parking lot, was removed thanks to Glenn Haugen and his CAT skid loader. Two loads of soil were hauled away. Vaughn and I raked, planted seed and covered it all with straw. After watering, we eventually had green grass.


Also in September, we had a break-in at the Legion. The glass door going out to the patio was broken and had to be replaced. Until new glass was installed the door was blocked off with sheathing.


A new plumbing fixture was installed in the men’s bathroom.

Thanksgiving Day, I was at the Legion twice. Clayton’s Appliance Repair had to replace a part on the walk-in cooler. The temperature was up to 53 degrees and that doesn’t keep beer kegs cold.


The old drinking fountain, between the men’s and women’s bathrooms was taken off the wall at the end of January. It was no longer being used. Vaughn sustained an injury from the sharp porcelain while taking the fountain off the wall. The plumbing capped off, sheetrock filled the hole, taping was done, and painting completed the project.


Clayton’s Appliance Repair came out on February 12 for quarterly maintenance. A capacitor had to be replaced on the rooftop heating unit for the Commander’s Hall. Additionally, the squirrel cage motor needed to be replaced.


American Legion Davis-Darrow-Meyer Post 112

Elk River, Minnesota

Website: elkriverlegion112.com Phone: 763-441-3150

FB: Elk River American Legion Family Volume 41 Issue 2

Commander’s News

March - April 2025


It seems there is always something that needs to be fixed or replaced.


Respectfully, Keith Quammen, 2nd Vice Commander



Adjutant

(Having received late notification of the newsletter deadline, the Adjutant responded.)

I’m trying to write this article on my phone from Apache Junction, AZ. It is in the 70’s during the day here and schools are being closed back there due to the cold. This has been a long winter for many of us with a strange flu or cold infecting many of us. And Tom K. and Lisa are dealing with new joints.


We plan to be back for the 1st Friday fish supper and hope everyone that can will help again this year.

Greg Crow, Adjutant


Auxiliary

Hello Auxiliary,

It has been a busy month. Mid-Winter Conference in Melrose, MN was attended by Roberta Takle, Sharon Mendenhall amd myself. It is always provides information on the Auxiliary programs and is an opportunity to hear and share ideas with other units.


We had a good representation for Poppy making at the Zimmerman Post. There were 6 Auxiliary, 2 SAL and 1 Veteran who contibuted to the production of over 2000 poppies.


We had our soup and chili lunch which was a little slow but we are contributing that to the weather. And now we are preparing for the Lenten season. Hot Fudge sundaes and root beer floats are always a big hit.


I emailed everyone the “Sign-up Genius” for ease in signing up to volunteer with the times and all the dates of the fish dinners. You can still sign up at the bar or just show up too.


Thank you for your membership.

Michele Smith

Auxiliary Unit 112 President


Auxiliary Membership

Five new members joined the Auxiliary in January. Our current membership is 107 with our goal being 126 members. We Welcome:

  • Abby Lynn Schroeder

  • Wendy Brown

  • Becky Koster

  • Jeanne Pepos

  • Lynda Stromenger

Anyone thinking about joining or wanting to become part of an active group, please contact me at wtelfer491@gmail.com or 702-235-8741.

Diane Telfer

Membership Chair


Post Chaplain

The following is a 15 DEC 2024 to 17 FEB 2025 summary of Post Chaplain duties performed:

Personal Visits, Home, Assisted Living 160

Messaging, Text, Phone 69

Letters of Condolences 4

Chaplain Support AL Events, Spiritual Counseling 59

American Legion Chaplain’s Calendar: American Legion Birthday 15 MAR; Children and Youth Month and Easter and Holy Season, APR


Continuing weekly and monthly vet visits and Sunday Worship services at the Wellstead Assisted Living Centers. Also, continuing weekly and monthly vet visits to five local Guardian Angels Campuses. Nine BeeHive, Elk River Campus vets were added to monthly visitations beginning JAN, 25. Currently have 89 total vets to visit at least monthly at four different Independent Senior and Assisted Living Centers. Provided pastor care support and “Last Respects” with three veteran families during end-of-life hospice treatment. Continuing non-life-threatening hospice care with two families.


Expressions and notes of appreciation continue to be received from some of the 89 vets and families who received the Christmas Greeting and $30.00 cash provided by the Post Auxiliary and Post Legion Riders. Thank you, Auxiliary and Riders, staff and vets were “touched” by your generosity! All requested that I express their personal thanks and appreciation to Post 112.


Condolences to the family and friends at the passing of Bill Hadley, 98, WWII vet and Post 112 64-year-member, E. John Telfer, Jr., 15-year member, Kenneth Gulbraa, 72 year-member, William Murphy 30 year-member and John Eggen, 42 year-member. Please keep Doug and Joann Stillwell in your prayers for endurance and strength. Joann has been assigned to non-life-threatening hospice and Commander Tom Kulkay as he continues knee rehabilitative care.


Paul Denesen, Post 112 Chaplain



Legion Riders

Happy Winter to all the Post members,

Some of the Riders have been able to escape to the lower 48 for vacations and warm weather. The temperature is -17 degrees as I am typing this.


Obviously, we have not had any scheduled rides in the last three months. We gather for our breakfasts and meetings and have plenty of stories to keep us motivated to ride with the wind in our hair. The hair has some grey, some have thinned and some still have thick hair.


The January Riders breakfast was a joint operation with the Legion Baseball Team as a fundraiser for the semi-annual spring training trip to somewhere warm. The players had a lot of fun helping in the kitchen and delivering pancakes. They also had fun cleaning the dishes (but don’t tell the parents). The Riders will definitely continue the relationship with the team and this year we voted to give all the proceeds to the team.


Riders had a breakfast, bingo and bloody marys on February 16th with our new times. Breakfast started at 9:00 and Bingo ran from 10:00 to 12:00. Another good turnout with many patrons supporting the bar after breakfast. There were some positive comments about the slightly later start times.


The Riders will be having our November Breakfast on Sunday, November 2nd. This is not our normal third Sunday. We hope to have a hunting theme with some additional small hunting gifts for the winners.


Some of the upcoming events the Riders are looking forward to assisting with are the Lenten Fish Fry starting on March 7th, the Magnus Foundation Ride on May 10th and participating in the events on Memorial Day, May 26th. The Riders and SAL will again be hosting the second annual Rib Fest on October 4th.


See you at the Post.

Todd Jagodzinski

Riders Director



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