Post Meeting Minutes (April 2026)

COMPILED/SUBMITTED BY:  ADJUTANT Bruno Padovani  

REGULAR MEETING MINUTES – Date: 14 April 2026

Reviewed, Approved By: COMMANDER Terry Ward, POST 281, Tyler Cates, Dept of TN      

CONVENED:  _ 1802___   ADJOURNED: __1928___  

MEMBERS PRESENT: _27_   VISITORS: _1_   POST OFFICERS: _8_  TOTAL: _36_

ASSEMBLED

At 1730 hrs., the doors of the Charlie Daniels Community Center were opened for food and fellowship.  The Sergeant-at Arms, Mike Adams, provided pizza and soft drinks for members and guests.

OPENING CEREMONY

At 1802 CMDR Ward called the Post to order and Chaplain David Hale offered prayer, followed by placement of the POW/MIA Flag at the designated memorial table by the Sgt-at-Arms, Mike Adams.  This was followed by The Pledge of Allegiance and the Preamble of the Constitution of The American Legion.

Past Commanders and Distinguished Guests

Lew Hightower & Pat Unger

NEW (OR POTENTIALLY NEW) MEMBERS WELCOMED

None

GUESTS AND SPEAKERS

Post member Bob Snuck briefed the post on his trip to Vietnam with Tours Of Duty to aid in the recovery of American MIA remains.  Edmund Hubbard was a guest of Bob’s and accompanied him to Vietnam with Tours of Duty team that went to several known locations in what was North Vietnam during the war.   NO actual remains were discovered, but community ties were established and the Tour of Duty team felt a sense of appreciation and cooperation within the villages they visited.  Bob has 20 minutes worth of slides and details about their visit and thanked the post for their financial support of $500.00 towards the cost of his participation in the trip.  Bob indicated that he intended to return with the Tour of Duty team in the future. 

READING OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING

A motion to wave the reading and accept as written last month’s general meeting minutes that were posted on the post’s website was made by CDR Terry Ward, seconded and then approved by a general vote of those present.

OFFICERS REPORT

• COMMANDER – Terry Ward
  • Commander Ward urged members and their families to join SAL to replenish that organization’s dwindling membership. We need a minimum of 10 members to keep it viable.
  • The post is in the process of interviewing 12 young men at MJHS & GHHS for spots at the 2026 Tennessee Boys State
  • Commander Ward attended the Am Legion Family Day On The Hill in Nashville where the Legion lobbied our state representatives to support veterans’ causes.
  • The Auxiliary tree sale is scheduled for 4/18 at MJ 1^st Baptist Church. The post will provide traffic control starting at 0730.
  • CDR Ward opened the floor for nominations for the new Legion Year, starting with the election being held at the next regularly scheduled meeting, 12 May 2026 and with the oath of office being administered at the end of the meeting.  Current nominations are listed below in committee reports. 

• 1^ST VICE – Jeff Mattingly
  • Nothing to report.

• 2^ND VICE – Brandon Adderholt
  • Honoring America’s Flag, in partnership with the MJ Exchange Club will take place from 21-25 May. Volunteers are needed at Nancy’s house on 14 May at 0900 to assist with prep. There will be a sign up last to stand “guard” over the flags during the day from 21 -25 May. Also, volunteers will be needed to set up and take down the flags which occurs on 21 May @ 0900, at the Mt. Juliet Veterans memorial and clock tower.

• ADJUTANT – Bruno Padovani
  • 220 members on rolls. 199 paid through 2026, with the remaining 21 paid up only through 2025. Multiple members who were paid up only through 2024 were taken off of the national rolls. If you are in that 2025 or 2024 group please update your membership, which can be done by check, online or via Venmo or Square.

• FINANCE OFFICER – Steve Iles (Absent (new grandchild))
  • Finances remain healthy with $22K in CDs. The post recently contributed a $500 contribution to help pay for Bob Snuck’s Tours of Duty trip to Vietnam. Will write the $1000 for Boys State check in May.
  • Post received a $425 contribution from the Del Webb Veterans Association to help pay for Boys State.
  • The new budget will take effect in June, and the post will vote on it in May.

• SERVICE OFFICER – Patti Whitmore
  • Efforts are being made to improve Delta Dental coverage through the VA.

• CHAPLAIN – David Hale
  • Max Wix will finish chemotherapy next month and Gloria just had an endoscopy.
  • Paul Cline had a heart ablation.
  • George Barnes is recovering well.
  • Lew Hightower’s wife has just been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer.
  • Don Barnes is at home with pneumonia

• SERGEANT-AT-ARMS – Mike Adams
  • Nothing to report

COMMITTEE REPORTS

• Honor Guard – Capt. Steve Wren
  • The honor guard completed its 539^th event (at Cumberland University).

• Oratorical (Bruno Padovani)
  • Many thanks to all of those who volunteered. We only had 1 contestant this year because the Oratorical date conflicted with Spring Break.

• NEW OFFICERS.

The following candidates for new leadership were forwarded and seconded:

• Commander: Mike Faoro
• Adjutant: Jeff Mattingly
• 1^st Vice: Brandon Adderholt
• 2^nd Vice: Bridget Passatore
• Chaplain: David Hale
• Finance Officer: Steve Iles
• Service Officer: Patti Whitmore
• Sergeant at Arms: Mike Adams

                We could use volunteers for Historian & Judge Advocate.

                 The post will vote on these new officers at May post meeting and they will be  

                Administered the “Oath of Office, during at the End of the May meeting.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

None

NEW BUSINESS

None

FOR THE GOOD OF THE AMERICAN LEGION

• None

MEETING ADJOURNMENT

With no further business to attend , the closing ceremony was conducted, with closing prayer offered.  The POW/MIA Flag was retrieved for storage.  This was followed by honors to our flag and the meeting was adjourned at 1928 hrs. 

Post Meeting Minutes (March 2026)

COMPILED/SUBMITTED BY:  ADJUTANT Bruno Padovani / CDR Terry Ward 

REGULAR MEETING MINUTES – Date: 10 March 2026

Reviewed, Approved By: COMMANDER Terry Ward, POST 281, Tyler Cates, Dept of TN   

CONVENED:  _ 1800___   ADJOURNED: __1922___  

MEMBERS PRESENT: _20_   VISITORS: _0_   POST OFFICERS: _6_  TOTAL: _26_

ASSEMBED

At 1730 hrs., the doors of the Charlie Daniels Community Center were opened for food and fellowship.  The Sergeant-at Arms, Mike Adams, provided pizza and soft drinks for members and guests.

OPENING CEREMONY

At 1800 CMDR Ward called the Post to order Don Barns to offered prayer, followed by placement of the POW/MIA Flag at the designated memorial table by the Sgt-at-Arms, Mike Adams.  This was followed by The Pledge of Allegiance and the Preamble of the Constitution of The American Legion.

Past Commanders and Distinguished Guests

Lew Hightower

NEW (OR POTENTIALLY NEW) MEMBERS WELCOMED.

Ted Anderson (USN Seabees) who visited in February returned as a signed up AmLegion & post member and received a post ballcap.

GUESTS AND SPEAKERS

Post member Bob Snuck briefed the post on his upcoming trip to Vietnam with Tours Of Duty to aid in the recovery of American MIA remains. As of early 2026, approximately 1,570 to 1,582 American personnel remain unaccounted for (Missing in Action) from the Vietnam War.

Post member Valissa Saindon who is the Mount Juliet Senior Activity Center director and briefed the post on the SAC’s move to their new home and on the center’s reverse raffle fundraiser.  She sold tickets to those interested. 

The post auxiliary briefed the post on their $10 Needham’s Nursery coupon fundraiser. Coupons cost $10, the buyer receives a $10 discount and the Auxiliary receives $3.

READING OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING

A motion to wave the reading and accept as written last month’s general meeting minutes that were posted on the post’s website was made by CDR Terry Ward, seconded and then approved by a general vote of those present.

OFFICERS REPORT

• COMMANDER – Terry Ward
  • Commander Ward confirmed that, per last month’ vote, the post will fund 12 students for Boys State at 50%.
  • Follow-up from February’s meeting: The EC has decided NOT to take up VVA’s kind offer to give us their food truck. We lack the infrastructure to make it viable.

• 1^ST VICE – Jeff Mattingly
  • Members are encouraged to take Am Legion basic training, which can be accessed through the post website.
  • The post website has been updated to include emergency preparedness links. Go to “Resources>Preparedness”.

• 2^ND VICE – Brandon Adderholt
  • You can order trees from the post’s Auxiliary on their website. The post will assist with the tree sale on 18 April, at 1^st Baptist Church where we shall provide traffic control. Volunteers are needed.
  • Help the Auxiliary by purchasing their Needham’s Nursery $10 discount coupon.
  • Our annual Honoring America’s Flag event will take place from 21-25 May.
  • The Mount Juliet High School awards banquet will be held on 9 April.

• ADJUTANT – Bruno Padovani
  • 10 people have renewed their memberships since the February meeting. 25 members have been taken off of the national rolls because they were only paid up through 2024.

• FINANCE OFFICER – Steve Iles (Absent (new grandchild))
  • Commander Ward circulated & reviewed the proposed 2026/7 budget with attendees.   There was no discussion among those present regarding the purposed budget

• SERVICE OFFICER – Patti Whitmore
  • Patti urged members to lock their doors in Nashville when getting out. There has been a spate of break-ins / robberies.

• CHAPLAIN – Don Barnes filled in for David Hale (who just had cataract surgery)
  • Max Wix just completed a year of chemotherapy and is experiencing low bone density and vertigo.
  • Gloria Wix has diverticulitis and is beginning to lose her memory.
  • Scott Cryer’s daughter & her family were in a bad car wreck but are OK.

• SERGEANT-AT-ARMS – Mike Adams
  • Nothing to report

COMMITTEE REPORTS

• Honor Guard – Capt. Steve Wren
  • Nothing to report

• Oratorical
  • Post 281 will be hosting the District 5 Oratorical at 0900 on 14 March at St. Stephens RC Church in Old Hickory.
  • We NEED volunteers (timers, tabulators, monitors & escorts).
  • A volunteer sign-up list was made circulated at the February post meeting, but NOBODY signed up, which puts us in a bind. If you can help, please contact Bruno Padovani at bspadovanipost281@gmail.com
  • The Division (Central TN) competition will be held on 28 March at Post 82 in Inglewood.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

None

NEW BUSINESS

CDR Ward disused the upcoming elections for post officers and the sequence of how the events will flow.    Anyone interested in running for a position on the Executive Committee should make their desires none.  Also, CDR Ward again emphasized his intention to step down from a direct post leadership role with the upcoming Legion year and so he will not be continuing as the commander.    Nomination will open at the next regular meeting and elections of the 2026/2027 Post 281 occurs at May’s regular post meeting and the next commander taking charge at the close of the regular meeting. 

FOR THE GOOD OF THE AMERICAN LEGION

• For your lawn, landscaping, gardening & nursery needs consider using Needham’s nursery on Lebanon Rd. They have a coupon program in which some of the proceeds will go to our post.

MEETING ADJOURNMENT

With no further business to attend , the closing ceremony was conducted, with closing prayer offered.  The POW/MIA Flag was retrieved for storage.  This was followed by honors to our flag, and the meeting was adjourned at 1922 hrs.