American Legion Post 853 • Desert Breeze
February 2025
FROM THE LEGION
This desert is a special place. The community of Borrego Springs and members of Post 853 are shaped by this place. Our bond carries through in our events during the year. The fire relief steak night is one such event. Help for our fellow Californians is being provided through many avenues. The Post 853 Officers chose monetary support as our most effective way of helping. Day-to-day decisions like events, annual goals, and long range planning are determined by our Officers and presented for your input or vote at the general meetings. It’s now the time of year to consider our leadership for the coming Legion Year 2025 - 2026. Per our Post Bylaws, Article V Section 2 - notice is to be given to membership of upcoming elections. Nominations will begin in March with elections in May. You must be a member in good standing to vote and to hold an officer position. You can find our bylaws on the Post 853 website. If you have any questions about duties please reach out to ChrisAnn Wells for Auxiliary, Chris Pedersen for Sons, and to me for Legionnaire positions. The Post needs Officers to function. Their collective life experience and knowledge guide the Post decisions. By accepting a nomination for an Officer or Executive Board member, you enrich our wholly volunteer leadership team.
As you know, the Post depends on volunteers. It ceases to function, as we know it, without volunteers. A small but keystone group of volunteers is our bartenders who report to our Bar Manager, Jim Keith. When they are on duty, they are the Person In Charge and have full authority to serve or not serve alcohol and to eject patrons from the Post who are not abiding by the Post 853 House Rules, which can be found on our website. Recently, and in times past, members have questioned the authority of our bartenders or treated them less than respectfully. When they are on duty, the bartender is in charge - no exceptions. Treat them as the Officer on Duty. If there is an issue elevate it through proper channels, primarily the Bar Manager, for resolution. Let’s work to respect our bartenders and all volunteers who make our Post a pleasant place to gather.
Yours in Service,
Dale Jones
Commander, Post 853
The American Legion, Department of California
FROM OUR ALA PRESIDENT
ALA Ladies and Legion family,
The New Year has started off to be challenging. We as a Legion family need to come together and show what we really stand for, Service to our Veterans and Community. We can help by donating to our friends and neighbors who have been affected by the wildfires. We can support our community during the SDG&E power outages. We have two events coming up for that very purpose. Starting with Super Bowl Sunday February 9. The bar opens at 11:00pm. ALA/SAL are hosting the party. We will be serving loaded nachos, corn dogs, chili and fried chicken wings for $10.00. Opportunity drawings each quarter. Basket raffle also. Donations will be raised for Pasadena Humane Society who rescued many Legion members’ pets from the recent fires.
The entire Legion family will be hosting Steak night on February 15, 5-7pm.
Entertainment starting at 4. Steak, baked potatoes, Caesar salad, veggies, roll and dessert for $30.00. We have master grillers who will cook your steaks. This event is a Fire relief fund raiser. If you can’t attend, you can still donate at the bar or Bargain Barn.
We will need many VOLUNTEERS for this event. Please speak to Myself, Dennis, Chris or any officer to find out how you can help.
As a reminder to members who have not paid your ALA dues for 2025 you are delinquent.
Our next General meeting is February 10 at 5:00 pm, Eboard meeting at 4:30pm. Potluck afterwards, bring a dish to share. I would like to thank the dedication of the Bake sale team. Those who brought goodies to sell and those who sold goodies. Unfortunately, due to lack of Legion Family support and the continued need of ALA volunteers we will no longer be hosting the weekly bake sale. Very sad to see this event disappear.
Please support the upcoming events and our weekly Bingo and Burger nights. Shop or donate to the Bargain Barn. Have a cold one at the bar. Without Legion family participation in our events we will fail in our endeavors to support our Veterans and our Community. Hope to see you around the Post.
In service to our Veterans and Community,
ChrisAnn Wells
Unit 853
Auxiliary President
FROM ALA MEMBERSHIP/LEGION FINANCE
Hear me whine.
It seems like I just went to sleep, and that pesky alarm clock is telling me to get up. Really? It’s still o’dark thirty and chilly. Brr.
Yup, it’s Sunday, Pancake Breakfast Day. Lost track how many I’ve attended over the years, but it is a warm fuzzy feeling by the end of the breakfast. Some Sundays are slow participation wise and some are super-duper! The 8th Grade Science Class Field Trip to Catalina raised over $2700. Over 250 breakfasts were cranked out between 8am-11am. Hats off to our cook team, the Motley Crew! The Girl Scouts ran out of cookies and a mad dash was made to go and get more boxes. All in all, a busy, but productive day!
Hamburger Night. Holy Toledo. I think half of Borrego Springs showed up.
Bingo Night. Jackpot is up to $310. Another big crowd.
When all is said and done, with all of the participants coming to our post, a huge thank you to all of you. You, I mean you, who have helped our purpose here to support our veterans and community. With every meal or beverage and Bargain Barn purchase, it enables us, the Legionnaires, to send donations to our schools and civic organizations in Borrego Springs and also send funds to Veteran based organizations in the San Diego area. We like to keep our donations to organizations in San Diego County if possible. Last year we sent out well over $30,000. This year we hope to be able to send out $40,000+. And don’t forget the Sons of American Legion & the American Legion Auxiliary. With the monies they collect, donations are sent to additional charities of their choice.
I want to thank all that have renewed their membership. This shows your trust in our Post. I also want to thank those members that are stepping up and volunteering. If you really want to help, please come to a meeting. This is the best way to find out what is happening at our post and as a bonus, you will get to meet other members. There are many things that we need help with that won’t take much time or effort. Contrary to popular belief, I do have a life, not just the Legion/Auxiliary, but I am an avid quilter and belong to a quilt guild in Brawley & am their newsletter editor. So those of you that golf, hike or dabble in the arts, can you find an hour to come to a Legionnaire meeting? Meet your fellow members. We’d love to hear your input on ideas that are presented at the General Meeting. The next Legionnaire General Meeting is February 20th – 5pm – at the Post.
Have a wonderful day!
Heide White
ALA Treasurer / Membership
FROM OUR SALS
Welcome to our new members!
Jeffery Sloan
Frank Padilla
Douglas Munson
Christopher Hay
Dennis Michaels
Chad Foreman
Carl Taber
Luke Macy-Hunter.
Currently we are at 80 percent membership. Thank you to the new members and those who have renewed!
Mark Dedes
Finance and Membership
BAR & RV OPERATIONS
Bar Regular Hours:
Mon - Fri 1500 - 1900
Sat 1100 - 1900
Sun 1100 - 1700
Special Dates:
02/23 - Pancake Breakfast: 0800 - 1700
Jim Keith
Bar/RV Manager
American Legion Post 853
4515 Borrego Springs Rd.
Borrego Springs, CA 92004
(972) 330-9076
FROM THE HOUSE COMMITTEE
The House Committee Meeting Scheduled for 09 February is cancelled due to the Super Bowl Party. The next House Committee Meeting is scheduled for 09 March 2025 at 1:00 PM and is open to all members.
Editor in Chief, House Committee
BARGAIN BARN
Hours:
Friday and Saturday: 9am to 2pm for sales
Tuesday and Thursday: 9am to noon for donations only
BINGO $10.00!
Doors open and bingo packets may be purchased beginning at 5 pm. The games start promptly at 5:30 pm in the new dining room. If you prefer, you can also play outside. We do have heaters on the new deck that keep everyone toasty. Wherever you choose to be, there is at least one winner for every game!
We always request that you bring a snack to share. If you cannot, please consider leaving a donation. We also welcome new or gently used gifts for door prizes.
Thank you for supporting this fundraising program of The American Legion Post 853. Your support allows the Post to help veterans, our community, and youth.
If you are interested in volunteering for Bingo, please contact Gina Moran at 209-327- 1803 or maxchibby1987@gmail.com.