Read Hank Elder's Thank You Note to Post 283 American Legion Family
Dear Post 283 Ronald Reagan Palisades Post American Legion Family,
Here are the names of “active” volunteers versus the wonderful ones, including the 50 sailors for sure, that showed up the day of the first ever Memorial Day Honor Walk, Memorial Day Ceremony@ Veterans Gardens and Community Memorial BBQ in the Park. Hopefully to be shortened to a soon to a designation, did someone say contest for name, for the entire day of the events
Ad Hoc Inaugural Memorial Day Committee: Jay McCann, Jim Cragg (Your vision over the last 4 years drove it all), ST Williams, Joe Ramirez, Ruth Kahn (crucial getting of food for the sailors), Jared, Scott Wagenseller (crucial in providing before, during and after security assurance crew)
SONS: Greg Frost (crucial organizing the 13 flags making ready for the Honor Walk), Larry Kirvin (crucial before programs, during and after cleanup crew), Colin McCannel (crucial day before and day of helper), Grant Ivey,(crucial before, during after navel attaché and served on the after cleanup crew) Jim Yocum (crucial day before crew), Rich Lombari (crucial day before and day of volunteer), Jeremy Wells ( a photographer not afraid to get his hands dirty) helping plant flags and taking crucial panic attack pictures before event started, Art Douglas (crucial after cleanup crew). All the SONS that carried flags in the honor march
Auxiliary: Ruth and her Aux crew putting in place, and pulling it up at end, all the bunting in time for the event. Daphne crucial to helping to guide the street closure process
Legionnaires: Dave Borgeson and Commander Cragg supporting the concept and the ExCom members that voted unanimously to move ahead with this in the March meeting. The Legion funding all needed when needed especially providing Jose who single handedly put in the ground the first 37 flags by 9:00am the day of the event. Thank you, Jose, Finally, must give a shout out to So appreciated Richard Chavez his enthusiasm carrying one of the 13 in the honor march pulled us all along
Councilwoman Traci Parks – you are always there for the veterans. Thank you for your support and attendance
Pepperdine: Sam, Brandon, Eric and Pepperdine PR guru who edited the Memorial Day Editorial
UCLA NROTC Color Guard
Bagpiper: William Walker. Huge shout out for leading the honor march and for learning TAPs in time for the event
Singer Extraordinaire Diane Elder – National Anthem and God Bless America
Young Recitation Expert of Gettysburg Address: 4th grader William Gabor who memorized the poem and, with a minor prod from mentor Jay, recited it flawlessly,
Joe Ramirez for providing (including setting up and taking down) the sound system
Jim Cragg running the ceremony with panache
S.T. Williams, Jr for the highest level of blessings and prayers from the day of the concept to the day of the march and ceremony assuring every moment that God was with us.
Jimmy Dunn an incredible speech from the heart
A deep appreciation to Jay McCann who came up with the concept two years ago and was integral to moving things ahead, including suggesting the Gettysburg address portion, when all seemed lost.
Also, a HUGE shout out to Adjutant Jared Morgan whose unwavering support (while managing the other biggest veteran event in the history of Post 283) made sure that the lack of a budget for the Memorial Day event did not interfere with our ability to pull this extraordinary Memorial Day event off flawlessly. At a minimal actual cost, I might add
If I missed anyone, please know that you are unerringly appreciated and if you meet me at the Legion bar remind me and drinks are on me.
In closing, I again remind all that we pulled off two of the biggest veterans’ events in the entire history of Post 283. Included in this is the amazing fact that we did all this in the same week, of the same year!
All beginnings are fraught with the knowledge that "we do not know what we do not know" and many times that stops others in their tracks.
The Legion Family of Palisades Post 283 has shown the community of veterans, active service members and Palisades community members that we are fearless in supporting our ideals and the ceremonies that must be a part of those ideals.
We now know what we did not know and next year, we must all commit to this, will be even better!
Finally, thank you Mom for being the spiritual wind in my sail that powered my flailing ship forward with miraculous power the day of event when all seemed lost. I will miss you.
For God & Country we do these things,
Hank Elder
Ad hoc Chairman
Ad Hoc Inaugural Memorial Day organizing committee 2024