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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, During World War I, a group of 20 officers that
3served in the American Expeditionary Forces were asked to
4suggest ideas on how to improve troop morale; an officer, Lt.
5Col. Theodore Roosevelt Jr., proposed an organization for
6veterans; and
 
7    WHEREAS, From March 15 to 17, 1919, members of the American
8Expeditionary Force convened in Paris for the first American
9Legion caucus; during the St. Louis Caucus from May 8 to 10,
101919, "The American Legion" was adopted as the organization's
11official name; a draft preamble and constitution were approved,
12and on June 9, 1919, the National Executive Committee adopted
13the American Legion emblem; and
 
14    WHEREAS, The American Legion was chartered on September 16,
151919 by the United States Congress as a patriotic veteran's
16organization, focusing on service to veterans, service
17members, and communities; and
 
18    WHEREAS, From November 10 to 12, 1919, the first American
19Legion convention was convened in Minneapolis where the
20constitution and preamble were adopted and the delegates voted
21to locate the national headquarters in Indianapolis instead of
22Washington, D.C.; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, The American Legion evolved from a group of
2war-weary veterans from World War I into one of the most
3influential nonprofit groups in the United States; its
4membership swiftly grew to over 1 million, and local posts
5sprang up across the country, including the chartering of
6Stanley McCollum Post 280 in Benton on August 1, 1920; and
 
7    WHEREAS, The American Legion Auxiliary at the Stanley
8McCollum Post 280 received their charter August 4, 1922 with 20
9ladies signing the application; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Today, American Legion membership stands at over
11two million in more than 13,000 posts worldwide, organized into
1255 departments, one each for the 50 states, along with the
13District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, France, Mexico, and the
14Philippines; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Over the years, the American Legion has influenced
16considerable social change in America, obtained hundreds of
17benefits for veterans, and produced many important programs for
18children and youth; and
 
19    WHEREAS, American Legion Auxiliary President Freda
20Broadway and American Legion Commander John Metzger are hosting
21the kick-off dinner for the American Legion Centennial

 

 

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1Celebration on November 11, 2018 at Stanley McCollum Post #280,
2which also serves as the home for the Veterans of Foreign Wars
3Post #2671; therefore, be it
 
4    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
5HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
6recognize the American Legion for 100 years of devotion to
7service members, veterans and local communities, and we wish
8them, and especially the Stanley McCollum Post #280, a
9successful Centennial Celebration kick-off dinner for the
10American Legion 1919-2019; and be it further
 
11    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
12presented to Stanley McCollum Post #280 and to Denise Rohan,
13National Commander of The American Legion in Indianapolis,
14Indiana.