Newsletter # 65
December 3, 2002
THE AMERICAN LEGION
Master Sergeant Mario Enrique Gonzales Acker
Guatemala Post # 2
Antigua Guatemala
Founded July 19, 1997

Meetings 1st Tuesday of the Month
Mail: Codigo A-178
Restaurant "Personajes" 1:00 P.M.
P.O. Box 669004
6 Avenida Norte # 6
Miami Springs Fl. 33266
Antigua Guatemala
E-mail: american_legion2@conexion.com.gt
Telephone 011-502-832-1018
Cellular 011-502-494-1560


THE START OF HONDURAS POSTS # 1 and # 2
A delegation of Guatemala Post # 2 members including William Shetz , Jerry Williams and Jim McLennan took the 15 hour bus trip to La Ceiba Honduras for the purpose of recruiting enough members in La Ceiba that they may have their own post. After spending a day in La Ceiba we ventured on to Comayagua Honduras where we met with veterans living in that area of Honduras near the Sotto Cano A.F.B. We met Mr. Tom Graham Jr. Vice Commander of the V.F.W. department of Latin America and Caribean. Tom and I have agreed to work together to assist veterans all over Latin America. We have members of our post in Colombia and Brazil. Could South America be Next ????

Membership
We have 122 members (103% of 2002) who have paid their 2003 dues (92% of our goal of 132) including 23 new members. Please welcome to the post Roberto Urbina a U.S. Army Vietnam era veteran of San Salvador El Salvador, Roberto B. Zaveleta a U.S. Air Force Korea war Veteran from San Salvador, El Salvador, William C. Paddock a U.S.Marine Corp WW ll Veteran and long term resident of Antigua Guatemala and Ken Elder a Retired U.S.A.F World War ll Veteran from La Ceiba Honduras. How about making my job a little easier by sending in your dues now? (Regular Annual dues checks should be made payable to "The American Legion").

Dr. George H. Boyce Memorial Scholarship Program
Jerry Lightel and I have been rather busy this week enrolling all the students in their individual schools. The scholarship program has flourished due to the generosity of our members and friends. We accumulate individual donations until we have sufficient funds to enter a child for 8 years of education. 12 children have so far receive this benefit and as contributions continue to come in more children will be added. Our most advanced student in now entering the 4th grade and our newest is REPEATING the 1st grade. Donations to this fund go a long way in helping a child move from a future of menial labor to that of self -sufficiency and higher education.

The Stephen Skelton Memorial Library
Of The American Legion, Guatemala Post # 2
The library continues to prosper. Milo Vukovich our vice-commander has been named as Chairman of the Library committee and will report to the post membership on a regular basis.Anyone wishing to volunteer time or donate books should contact Julio at 490-9559 or come to the library in person. The Library is located at 4th Avenida Sur betweeen 8th and 9th Calle just past the entrance to the Hotel San Jorge. Milo Vukovich the post chaplain has agreed to volunteer for Sundays giving us one more day of accesability by the general public. The Library is open to the general public on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00a.m. till 3:00P.M.

Nido Jesus Nino Orphanage
The Post this month has provided 125lbs of powdered whole milk to the orphanage. The two Nuns have informed me that they now have a usage rate of 25lbs. every 15 days. When translated into annual figures it means that we need to purchase 26, 25lb. Cans at Q 330.00 or at the current exchange rate of Q7.70 per $1.00 or $43.00 per can the total annual cost is $1118.00. For those of you who contribute to this worthwhile cause Thank You Very Much. The post maintains a separate fund solely for the needs of the orphanage and anyone wishing to contribute may send a check to "The American Legion" in the remarks section of your check please write orphanage. The orphanage has a web page and is on line at: mailto:nidojesusnino@conexion.com.gt and their web page is http://www.casadeangeles.org/ As the Sisters are from Spain their English is lacking so unfortunately communication can only be in Spanish.We appreciate very much the generous offer of a donation from Toni Wilson of the American Embassy in Guatemala City for the orphanage and We also wish to thank the Wednesday Night gang of Port Marion Pennsylvania American Legion Post 499 including; George Torbich, Bob Abraham, Gary Reynolds, Terry O'Neil, and Barry Zinn for their generous donation this month. They should get out of the cold and come down for a visit.

Publicity and Public Relations
We now send the newsletter to over 1200 e-mail address throughput the world including the following; Afghanistan, Australia, Belgium, Belize, Brazil, Canada, Columbia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Denmark, El Salvador, England, France, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Kosivo, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Yugoslavia, The Azores, The Bahaman Islands, The Marshall Islands, The Philippine Islands, The U.S. Virgin Islands and 42 of the United States including; Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington D.C., West Virginia, Wisconsin Via e-mail, Fax, handouts and regular mail delivery. If you are interested in receiving our post newsletter just contact us at: mailto:american_legion2@conexion.com.gt

VETERANS AFFAIRS
We are, of course, primarily a Veterans Organization and we try to give the most accurate up to date information we can. If you are active duty or retired military and want a quality but inexpensive vacation go to http://www.afvclub.com/ and check out the vacations specials. Federal Retirement Information and federal job openings can be found at http://www.fedweek.com/


Post Officers
Commander
William J. Shetz
   832-1018 / 494-1560    mailto:american_legion2@conexion.com.gt
Vice-Commander
Julio Ericastilla
   490-9559
Service Officer
Owen Gallogly
   831-0374
Judge Advocate
Jerry Williams
   832-3555    mailto:hjwnofun@conexion.com.gt
Sergeant at Arms
Jerry Lightel
      mailto:Jilgua@yahoo.com
Historian
Harlan Nels Foss
   832-1927
Chaplain
Milo Vukovich
   831-0609 cell 211-7198   mailto:mvuko68@aol.com


Entertainment and Activities
Our Socials are open to anyone who wishes to attend so bring a friend to our bi-weekly dinners. This months dinners are as follows.
Wednesday January 15, 2003 we will meet 6:00 P.M. at "REDS" 1a Calle Poniente # 3 across from Merced.
Wednesday January 29, 2003 we will meet 6:00 P.M. at "Bejing" 5th Calle Poniente , opposite the Bodigona.

William J. Shetz
Commander/Editor