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Author: Jeff Mattingly

VVA Food Trailer Signup #2 #4

The county/state fair is Nearly Here!

Our dear friends with the VVA & AVVA Chapter 1004 need our help. There’s a lot of open slots! Get one that works for you!

Please make time to help out and at the same time put some money in the post coffers.

There’s something you can do. Positions in the trailer are Air Conditioned! Setting the whole operation up is not on the sign up but handy types are welcome to contact Mike and lend a hand.

In the words of Mike Myer, President of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter #1004:

AMERICAN LEGION POST 281

Vietnam Veterans Chapter 1004 operates a concessions trailer at various events at the fairgrounds.

WE are looking for volunteers to help us operate efficiently.

The VVA is offering a donation to your organization of $15.00 per person hour worked.

Each shift is usually 5 hours, which is flexible.

This is a good opportunity to help raise funds for your organization.

Mike Myer

President, VVA 1004

615 289 5572

Additionally, you will be given two T-Shirts, one Red and one Blue. Give your shirt size on the sign up.

The Red shirt is for Fridays of course – Remember Everyone Deployed.

Let’s help make this operation the best the fair has to offer! Here’s the link: CLICK HERE!

URGENT – MEETING PLACE CHANGE

Our meeting location has been changed due to a surprise notification from the CDCC.

They rented room A out from under us.

We will be meeting at the new meeting space tomorrow. A bit sooner than we’d planned.

The new Mt. Juliet 55+ Senior Activity Center has agreed to welcome us on short notice.

Thank You So Much!

In the screenshot below you see the building in the background with the flags flying. That’s it!

The address is: 1021 Charlie Daniels Pkwy, contrary to the screen shot. The shot doesn’t show the new Police Department that’s been built to the left.

Here’s a link to the 55+ web page: Click Here

Tomorrow, 8/11/26 @ 5:30 pm

General Mtg AI summary 7/14/26

The following is the Plaud AI summary of the general membership meeting. The post titled “General Meeting Minutes 7/14/26” was created by Claude AI and a little human editing by me to fit into the typical template we use for meeting minutes. This is being presented for your information only. The traditional format is what we’re used to of course. Do you think this automated ‘format’ might be acceptable?

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Agenda for 8-11-26 General Membership Meeting

Agenda for August 11, 2026 Regular Post meeting, CDP/ Community Center RM A

4:45 TO 5:30 pm, SONS of the AMERICAN LEGION meeting, to be held in the small conference room.   5:30 PM Social time of food and camaraderie

6:00 PM/Opening meeting protocol – Welcome all members and guests and all visitors present. 

Recognize former Commanders present, guests and new members or visitors.

Review the posting of the minutes from the last meeting being published on August 7, 2026 across the Website to members. Recommendation for approval? 

Recognize SAL members present, discussion of status of the Post 281 SA need for members..  

CDR’s comments and updates:

At our August 4, EC meeting we went over:

District 5 Meeting at Post 82 on July 17 – Attended by Commander Faoro, First Vice Adderholt, and Adjutant Mattingly.

The State Commander went over her priorities with her staff.  Pat Under and Terry Ward were awarded certificates for their service at the state Level.  Post 281 Honor Guard received a certificate for their Presentation and Posting of the colors on short notice for the state Convention.  Commander Faoro will present those certificates tonight.

Boys state attendees will provide feedback on their experience at Boys State

HAF Update – Nancy Britt to present check to Post

Post moving to a new Facility for October Post Meeting. We will be back with Mt. Juliet 55+ Activity Center beginning with the October Post Meeting.  The EC will meet there also for October.  Our financial arrangement will be to pay a $25 per month donation to the facility.  We will also purchase an American Flag to be flown on the flag pole in front of the facility of which the cost will go against future donations and a plaque will be placed there indicating that the flag was presented by American Legion Post 281.  Valissa Saindon will be our guest speaker and she will provide a tour of the facility to members. We are still working on some storage solutions.  We still need to get keys for the facility.

Our September Post meeting will be hosted by MJPD in their new facility.  Chief Tyler Chandler has offered to host the meeting and will be our guest speaker.  He and his staff will also explain policing programs and drone usage as well as provide a tour of this great new facility for Mt. Juliet.   It is a state of the art police headquarters.  We will return to the meeting room at the PD after the tour for our closing protocol.

We need to decide if the post wants to sponsor a fund raising activity in 2027.  Second Vice Smith will offer discussion of that in his report.

John Herko will present the findings of our annual financial audit.

We need to post ratify the $400 donation that was made to Phil Laprad last fiscal year and reevaluate increasing donation and/or discretionary limits in the next budget.

We need to restart our veterans home/hospital visits. We want to involve Chaplain Hale and coordinate such visits with SAL and our auxiliary and set up a schedule to do so.  This is important to support our veterans.

Upcoming Events:

County Fair Coverage August 13-22.  Our Post is supporting the VVA Food Trailer.  Signups are on the app.  (suggest we show the sign up app on screen)  Pass a clipboard around for anyone that wants to help out but doesn’t want to mess with the app.  We are also supporting the inside table in the Veterans Building by placing business cards for our post

National Convention in Louisville, KY August 26-31

Tennessee Legion College September 26-27 Department Headquarters, Nashville

Post Picnic, October 10. 12p – 4p CDCC pavilion #2

Halloween in the Park October 24.

Christmas Dinner, December 8

Christmas Parade, December 12.

Officer’s reports:  1st V  / 2nd V /  Adj / FO / SO / CHAP-sick call /  HG / ALR /  SAL / Aux (New Officers?) 

Old unfinished business:

We originally received a request from Mt Juliet HS JROTC for flags and posts for their use for some $1900.  They have revised their request to $935. (five two-piece wood poles $365, five floor stands $300 and five Army spear tips $270). He EC plans to use the $200 budget allocated to help them and to increase the budget via EC recommendation by $400 to reach a total of $600.  Motion by Adj Jeff Mattingly to donate the $600 total passed. The remaining shortfall of $335 may be covered by donations.  We can pass the hat and ask for donations.  To remain in an equity position with our budget, we are keeping the $200 allocation for Green Hill HS ROTC in the budget to support any request they may have.

 Business/Correspondence/Business for the good of the American Legion

September 11, Patriots Day – to remember those who were injured or died during the terrorists attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001

American Legion Auxiliary Dept. of TN is holding a 2026 Poppy Ball at Post 11 on Campbell Ave.  5:30 – 11:00 PM. Brochures are at the Head table for anyone interested in attending.  Tickets are $50, per person (Includes Dinner)

The Tennessee American Sports Foundation is organizing a statewide Walmart Spark Good Tootsie Pop Fundraiser on Saturday October 10, 2026 to support American Legion Baseball programs in Tennessee.  If you want to volunteer for a shift from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM please let me know and I will pass on the information for the Walmart store location in Mt. Juliet.  Each store would have two solicitors.  

Closing Protocol

General Meeting Minutes 7/14/26

COMPILED/SUBMITTED BY: ADJUTANT Jeff Mattingly, Plaud & Claude AI

REGULAR MEETING MINUTES — Date: 14 July 2026

Reviewed By: COMMANDER Mike Faoro, POST 281, Tyler Cates, Dept of TN

CONVENED: [18:01] ADJOURNED: [19:30]

MEMBERS PRESENT: 26 VISITORS: 12 POST OFFICERS: 5 TOTAL: 38

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VVA Food Trailer Signup #2 #3

The county/state fair is Almost Here!

Our dear friends with the VVA & AVVA Chapter 1004 need our help. There’s a lot of open slots! Get one that works for you!

Please make time to help out and at the same time put some money in the post coffers.

There’s something you can do. Positions in the trailer are Air Conditioned! Setting the whole operation up is not on the sign up but handy types are welcome to contact Mike and lend a hand.

In the words of Mike Myer, President of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter #1004:

AMERICAN LEGION POST 281

Vietnam Veterans Chapter 1004 operates a concessions trailer at various events at the fairgrounds.

WE are looking for volunteers to help us operate efficiently.

The VVA is offering a donation to your organization of $15.00 per person hour worked.

Each shift is usually 5 hours, which is flexible.

This is a good opportunity to help raise funds for your organization.

Mike Myer

President, VVA 1004

615 289 5572

Additionally, you will be given two T-Shirts, one Red and one Blue. Give your shirt size on the sign up.

The Red shirt is for Fridays of course – Remember Everyone Deployed.

Let’s help make this operation the best the fair has to offer! Here’s the link: CLICK HERE!

VVA Food Trailer Signup #2 #2

The county/state fair is right around the corner!

Our dear friends with the VVA & AVVA Chapter 1004 need our help. There’s a lot of open slots! Get one that works for you!

Please make time to help out and at the same time put some money in the post coffers.

There’s something you can do. Positions in the trailer are Air Conditioned! Setting the whole operation up is not on the sign up but handy types are welcome to contact Mike and lend a hand.

In the words of Mike Myer, President of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter #1004:

AMERICAN LEGION POST 281

Vietnam Veterans Chapter 1004 operates a concessions trailer at various events at the fairgrounds.

WE are looking for volunteers to help us operate efficiently.

The VVA is offering a donation to your organization of $15.00 per person hour worked.

Each shift is usually 5 hours, which is flexible.

This is a good opportunity to help raise funds for your organization.

Mike Myer

President, VVA 1004

615 289 5572

Additionally, you will be given two T-Shirts, one Red and one Blue. Give your shirt size on the sign up.

The Red shirt is for Fridays of course – Remember Everyone Deployed.

Let’s help make this operation the best the fair has to offer! Here’s the link: CLICK HERE!

Military Ticket Program presented by Chipotle

Thank you to Zabrina Seay our Wilson County Veteran Service Officer and our Commander Mike Faoro for passing this along.

Hi Everyone,

Some of you might have already heard about this awesome deal, but I wanted to make sure everyone was aware. You have the opportunity to receive complimentary tickets to the Tour Championship in Atlanta on August 26th. Refer to the information and link listed below for more details.

Complimentary tickets are available for active duty, retired, reserve and National Guard members (verified through GOVX) and one dependent for Wednesday, August 26, as well as one competition day from Thursday, August 27 – Sunday, August 30, while supplies last.

Use the link below for more information.

https://tour.spinzo.com/?group=military-b7v7&viewcode=f822vt8


Be sure to check it out!

VVA Food Trailer Signup #2

The county/state fair is right around the corner!

Our dear friends with the VVA & AVVA Chapter 1004 need our help. There’s a lot of open slots! Get one that works for you!

Please make time to help out and at the same time put some money in the post coffers.

There’s something you can do. Positions in the trailer are Air Conditioned! Setting the whole operation up is not on the sign up but handy types are welcome to contact Mike and lend a hand.

In the words of Mike Myer, President of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter #1004:

AMERICAN LEGION POST 281

Vietnam Veterans Chapter 1004 operates a concessions trailer at various events at the fairgrounds.

WE are looking for volunteers to help us operate efficiently.

The VVA is offering a donation to your organization of $15.00 per person hour worked.

Each shift is usually 5 hours, which is flexible.

This is a good opportunity to help raise funds for your organization.

Mike Myer

President, VVA 1004

615 289 5572

Additionally, you will be given two T-Shirts, one Red and one Blue. Give your shirt size on the sign up.

The Red shirt is for Fridays of course – Remember Everyone Deployed.

Let’s help make this operation the best the fair has to offer! Here’s the link: CLICK HERE!