GT-02 Newsletter Number 74 -- Sept 2003

Newsletter # 74

September 2, 2003

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 Department of Mexico 86th Annual Convention 2004
We have started to distribute information packets to all of the post in the Department. These packets provide cultural information for the whole of Guatemala. Any individual wishing one of these packets need simply to write us and we will get one to you as soon as possible. We will have side trips for members and guests starting as early as the Saturday before the Convention. While the convention meetings are going on there will be interesting activities for those not attending. In Antigua you can get a great steak for $15.00 and lunches are as low as $2.00 and that includes coffee or tea. Our members will be available to guide you to the restaurant that best fits your individual pocketbook. Draught beer sells for about $4.50 cents for a five glass pitcher. Our town is about 9 square blocks by 9 square blocks and the taxis charge $2.50 to get anywhere in that area. Internet cost $1.00 per hour and use can be purchased for a minimum of 15 minutes.

Membership
We currently have 90 members paid up for 2004 including 9 new members. Please welcome to the post, Juan E. Martinez a U.S. Army Vietnam Veteran from Guatemala City. That makes us 57% or our goal for 2004. Please make out all dues checks for 2004 in the amount of $20.00 (we keep as low as possible so that we may serve as many veterans as possible) and mail to “The American Legion”, Codigo A-178, P.O. Box 669004, Miami Springs Fl. 33266. Please write in the remarks section of your check “dues 2004”.

The American Legion Moves South
Mr. Mark Walker, Department of Mexico Commander and myself have had many conversations in regards to the number of Veterans living in Latin America. There are 43 countries in Latin America and the following statistics are considered minimums by the department of State (possibly as low as 20% of the actual numbers) and are rather interesting.

Country U.S. residents	Country U.S. residents	Country U.S. Residents
Argentina------------27,600	Bahamas------------7,050	Belize--------------------2,700
Barbados-------------12,000	Bolivia--------------3,000	Brazil-------------------40,640
Bermuda--------------4,300	Chile---------------11,790	Colombia---------------30,680
Costa Rica-----------19,800	Cuba-----------------2,000	Dominican Republic--82,000
Ecuador--------------13,824	El Salvador--------10,000	Grenada------------------2,000
Guatemala-----------10,000	Guyana--------------1,500	Haiti---------------------11,000
Honduras-------------10,500	Jamaica--------------7,500	Mexico------------- 1,036,000
Netherlands Antilles-6,075	Nicaragua-----------5,000	Panama-----------------19,700
Paraguay--------------2,368	Peru----------------14,143	Suriname------------------425
Trinidad & Tobago--3,200	Uruguay------------3,500	Venezuela--------------25,000

This list does not include active duty military personnel assigned to embassies nor does it include the veterans who served only one or two enlistments and then went on to the private sector and then returned to their country of birth to retire. These are not the undocumented aliens that are trying to enter the U.S., these are Latin Americans who hold dual citizenship and fought for the United States and are proud of that fact. I have seen dd-214’s framed and hanging on walls, are you that proud? (Are you aware that there are in excess of 2000 military personnel of Latin American countries currently working along side our military in Iraq and Afghanistan)?? The figures add up to about 1,500,000 U.S. Citizens living south of the Rio Grande and using the standard estimate in the U.S., 13% of them are veterans. THAT IS, 195,000 POTENTIAL NEW MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN LEGION.
I am collecting all the blank applications I can get my hands on. Guatemala Post # 2 at this time has members in Belize, Honduras and Colombia three countries that at this time have no American Legion post’s and as we develop more members we will do all we can to help them form their own post. HOW ABOUT YOU? Do you have a contact somewhere in Latin America?? Why not forward them a copy of this newsletter?? Or even better have them get in touch with us. Our e-mail address is American_legion2@conexion.com.gt or write;

The American Legion
Guatemala Post # 2
Codigo A-178
P.O. Box 669004
Miami Springs Fl. 33266
(This is an overnight currier delivery service to Antigua)

Dr. George H. Boyce Memorial Scholarship Program
Thanks to the generosity of our members and friends we have sufficient funds to enter another child in our 8 years scholarship program. Selecting the child is the easy part turning other applicants away is the most difficult. For this program we collect donations over the year and when we reach the magic number of $2400.00 U.S. we then have enough funds for 8 years of education. We have been able to enter 12 children in the past 6 years and hopefully through generous benefactors we will continue to place children who otherwise would be field hands in this coffee growing country. The price of coffee has fallen through the floor and many people are unemployed in Guatemala. Anyone wishing to donate to this project please make your check out to “The American Legion” and in the remarks section write “scholarship program”.

The Stephen Skelton Memorial Library
Of
The American Legion, Guatemala Post # 2
Today we celebrate the first anniversary of the library and my how we have grown. We started out three years ago with a little over 100 hundred books in Steve and Pamela’s home and now we have over 6000 titles with 1000 being in Spanish. We are located on 4a Avenida Sur # 21 just past the entrance to the hotel San Jorge and are open 7 days a week from 11:00 A.M. till 3:00 P.M. (we will soon be extending our Saturday hours to 5:00 P.M.) Check out this months review page 38 for an article about the library by our Friday volunteer, Jaime Egon Ludowese. Milo Vukovich our library chairman is always on the lookout for volunteers and book donations, give him a call or stop in and sign up. Individual membership is $10.00 (Q80.00) annual and family membership is $15.00 (Q120.00).

Nido Jesus Nino Orphanage
We have provided the funds for planting 50 citrus trees including Tangerines, Oranges, Grapefruits, Limes, Lemons and pineapple plants. The six students from Kansas State University who provided the muscle, Andrew Wright, Joan Redmond, Michael Ashley, Katherine Keller, Javier Crespan and Tommy Reynolds will always be in our thought as the children enjoy the fruits of their labor. We also wish to express our gratitude to Godwin Orkeh MD. of Nigeria for his input and oversight of this project. The average cost per plant is estimated to be $10.00 U.S. or Q80.00 Guatemalan. Anyone wishing to help purchase these and the future plants may send a check to “The American Legion” in the remarks section of your check please write “Orphanage”. Many people have offered to ship clothing and other items to Guatemala for the 23 children currently housed at the orphanage. The cost of receiving such packages is truly prohibitive and the trip to Guatemala City is just as problematic. The post maintains a separate fund solely for the needs of the orphanage that may not be used for any other purpose. The orphanage has a web site at http://www.casadeangeles.org . e-mail may be sent to nidojesusnino@conexion.com.gt the sisters only speak Spanish.

Post Officers

Commander	William J. Shetz	832-1018 / 494-1560	mailto:american_legion2@conexion.com.gt
Vice-Commander	Jerry Lightel		mailto:Jjlgua@yahoo.com
Vice-Commander	Milo Vukovich	831-0609 / 211-7198	mailto:mvuko68@aol.com
Service Officer	Owen Gallogly	831-0374
Judge Advocate	Jerry Williams	832-3555	mailto:hjwnofun@conexion.com.gt
Sergeant at Arms	Milo Vukovich	831-0609 / 211-7198	mailto:mvuko68@aol.com
Historian	Jim Gibbs	215-9006
Chaplain	James Ludowese

Caribbean Coast property for Sale
1-1/2 story, 1100 sq. ft. house of the scenic Rio Dulce on Guatemala’s Caribbean coast, ½ mile from Livingston. Boat dock with 8-foot depth. 0.42 acre-270 foot water frontage. U.S. style bath and kitchen, patio & veranda. Great view, $75,000.00, also 28” fiberglass sloop, $16,000 U.S. and Ural sidecar Motorcycle (copy of a 1939 BMW), $6,000.00 Call Murph (In Guatemala) at 490-8931 or 201-5361 murfbill@hotmail.com

House for Sale
Between Antigua and San Pedro Panorama. Quiet cozy and secure. 180sq. meters. Living room/Dining room with fireplace, fully equipped kitchen; 3 bedrooms, 3 full baths, 2 phone lines, washer dryer, refrigerator, stove. 2 patios surrounded by gardens. Low utility costs. $125,000.00 Contact Sue Patterson 011-502-832-8020 / 011-502-219-0500 spatters@conexion.com.gt

Entertainment and Activities
Our socials are open to anyone who wish to attend so bring a friend to our twice-monthly dinners. This months dinners are as follows.
Wednesday 6:00 P.M. September 10, 2003 at the restaurant “Steak House Escobar” 6a Avenida Norte between 3rd and 4th Calle.
Wednesday 6:00 P.M. September 24,2003 at the “ La Fonda de la Calle Real” 3rd calle Poniente between 5th and 6th Avenidas,

William J. Shetz
Commander / Editor