Volume 2, Issue 2 – April 2015

The American Legion

Black Hills Chapter 164

Newsleather Find Us www.ALRBlackHills.org

www.facebook.com/ALRBlackHills

Email Us Riders@ALRBlackHills.org

A Message from our Chapter Director

Hello Fellow Riders,

Spring has sprung and we are starting to get busy with Funeral

Escorts, POW/MIA Ceremonies and American Flag recognitions.

The dedication of our members is apparent in the community. The

Home Show again privileged us with the ‘People’s Choice’ Award.

This is the second year in a row that the community has seen

Veterans serving Veterans as well as promoting Patriotism in the

area.

This year we have already participated in 6 Funeral Escorts or Flag

Lines in 2015. We also participated in a Veterans Appreciation

Night at a BHSU basketball game. The Honor Guard was ROTC

and we stood a flag line prior to their entrance and followed them

out in formation. It was impressive to those in attendance and was

very much appreciated by BHSU coaches and players.

On a personal note, I have never been so PROUD of a group of

people in my life as for ALL of you that stood a flag line for my

family at mom’s funeral. My family is still talking about how

impressive it was. We have many veterans in our family and they

appreciated it tremendously. Mom was the wife of a Korean War

Army Vet, mother of an Air Force Vet, niece of a WWII Vet and

mother-in-law to an Army Vet.

The image we show in public is seen and remembered by young and

old. We proudly represent the military and our “Oath of Enlistment”.

Thank you All for your dedication, commitment and Courage.

Brian Hambek, AKA Bone

Chapter Director

It’s Spring…… Let’s Ride

The Rule of One Action

In the rain, you need to be a very

simple person.

Specifically, you should think about

your tires and the rule of “One

Action.”

In normal conditions, we put our tires

through many different stresses or

actions:

-We accelerate while turning (two

actions).

-We down shift while coming in to a

turn (two actions).

-Shifting weight while turning and

accelerating. (three actions).

In the rain you should focus on putting

your tires through only one action at a

time.

In other words, accelerate (one

action), after you make a turn (one

action). Downshift (one action),

before you start to turn (one action).

Less tension on your tires in the rain is

going to result in better traction.

Ride Safe.

Fred Nelson, Road Captain

Volume 2, Issue 2 – April 2015

List of Officers:

Brian Hambek, Director

Jim Dittes, Asst Dir/Membership

Jim Childers, Treasurer

Micheline Nelson, Secretary

Fred Nelson, Road Capt/Web Page

To be voted on, Chaplain

David Riedlinger, Sgt at Arms

Mike Kain, Honor Guard Captain

Poem submitted by Brian Hambek

COURAGE

It is not the critic who counts,

not the man who points out how the strong

man stumbled nor where the doer of deeds

could have done them better.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually

in the arena; whose face is marred by dust

and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly,

who errs and comes up short again and again;

who knows the great enthusiasms, the great

devotions, and spends himself in a worthy

cause; who knows in the end the triumph of

high achievements; and who at the worst, if he

fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that

his place shall never be with those cold and

timid souls who know neither

defeat nor victory.

Theodore Roosevelt, April 10, 1899

Winter Events January

It was an honor for those who stood the flag line at the funeral of Gay

Hambek, mother of our chapter director, Brian Hambek.

On January 31, the Riders participated in the events at BHSU Military

Appreciation Night. A table with information about the American Legion

Family was set up and our members helped with flag raising ceremonies.

Military members and veterans were given free admission to the games that

were held that evening.

Our members showed up in force to honor our military and our veterans.

February

The ALR stood a flag line on February 2nd honoring U.S. Army Veteran

Harold Gallagher at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.

Volume 2, Issue 2 – April 2015

In February, some of our members attended the Mid Winter Conference

of the American Legion in Watertown, South Dakota.

Mike Kain, Fred Nelson and Duane Riedlinger performed the POW/MIA

ceremony.

On February 10, the ALR Riders visited Fort Meade VA Medical Center to

celebrate Valentine’s Day with the veterans and to distribute socks,

Valentine’s goodies and Valentine’s cards made by local elementary

school children.

March

This year, as in years past, the ALR Riders participated in the annual

Optimist Club’s “Home Show” at BHSU. The American Legion family

was well represented with a display table for the ALR as well as the

American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary. We had an

excellent turn out of members helping as well as stopping by for a visit.

New members were recruited for the Riders, the Legion and the Auxiliary.

AND for a second year in a row, the ALR won the “People’s Choice

Award” for best display. Great job!! Way to go!!

Fred Nelson, Duane Riedlinger and Mike Kain

honoring the POW/MIAs.

Meetings & Calendar of Events

ALR Executive Board Meetings

are held the 1st Monday of the

month from 6:00-7:30pm at

Spearfish Ambulance Service.

The American Legion Post 164

Meetings are held the 1st Wednesday

of the month at the VFW in Spearfish

from 6:00-8:00pm.

ALR Chapter 164 Meetings are held

the 2nd Wednesday of the month at

Spearfish Ambulance Service from

6:00-8:00pm.

Sons of American Legion Squadron

164 meet the 3rd Saturday of the

month at Spearfish

Ambulance Service at 3:30pm.

American Legion Auxiliary Meetings

are held the 3rd Saturday of the month

at 10:00am at Dorsett Care Facility.

April

1st April Fool’s Day

3rd Good Friday

5th Easter Sunday

15th Federal Taxes Due

May

10th Mother’s Day

16th Armed Forces Day

25th Memorial Day

June

6th D-Day (1944)

14th Flag Day

21st Father’s Day

first day of summer

Volume 2, Issue 2 – April 2015

Members hard at work and having fun at the Home Show.

During the week of March 16, National ALA President Janet Jefford,

visited the Black Hills. Members of the ALR and ladies from the

Auxiliary hosted, and accompanied President Jefford to the National

Cemetery in Sturgis as well as various attractions throughout the Black

Hills.

Members with ALA President Janet Jefford laying a wreath at B.H. National Cemetery

Funerals, Flag Lines and Escorts. The last week of March, on the

23rd, 24th, 26th, and 27th, the ALR participated in 4 flag lines and

funeral escorts.

.

Upcoming Birthdays

JR Raysor April 12

Mike Kain April 15

Fred Nelson May 8

Matt Hardin May 19

Dick Rutherford May 21

Patrick Lewellen June 1

Priscilla Romkema June 7

Jon Larsen June 18

Duane Riedlinger June 29

Happy Birthday to all our members.

Please note: I get birthdays from our

ALR calendar. If your birthday is not

listed, it’s because it’s not on the

calendar.

This is the 3rd issue of the ALR

“Newsleather.” The Newsleather will

be published quarterly in January,

April, July and October.

Please contact me at jessejane1@msn.com or

605-722-9868 for comments, suggestions or

if you would like ALR related photos or

articles placed in the Newsleather.

Thank you, Jane Rutherford