HR1136 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1136 LRB100 22187 MST 40699 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, During World War I, a group of 20 officers that served in the American Expeditionary Forces were asked to suggest ideas on how to improve troop morale; an officer, Lt. Col. Theodore Roosevelt Jr., proposed an organization for veterans; and

WHEREAS, From March 15 to 17, 1919, members of the American Expeditionary Force convened in Paris for the first American Legion caucus; during the St. Louis Caucus from May 8 to 10, 1919, "The American Legion" was adopted as the organization's official name; a draft preamble and constitution were approved, and on June 9, 1919, the National Executive Committee adopted the American Legion emblem; and

WHEREAS, The American Legion was chartered on September 16, 1919 by the United States Congress as a patriotic veteran's organization, focusing on service to veterans, service members, and communities; and

WHEREAS, From November 10 to 12, 1919, the first American Legion convention was convened in Minneapolis where the constitution and preamble were adopted and the delegates voted to locate the national headquarters in Indianapolis instead of Washington, D.C.; and

WHEREAS, The American Legion evolved from a group of war-weary veterans from World War I into one of the most influential nonprofit groups in the United States; its membership swiftly grew to over 1 million, and local posts sprang up across the country, including the chartering of Stanley McCollum Post 280 in Benton on August 1, 1920; and

WHEREAS, The American Legion Auxiliary at the Stanley McCollum Post 280 received their charter August 4, 1922 with 20 ladies signing the application; and

WHEREAS, Today, American Legion membership stands at over two million in more than 13,000 posts worldwide, organized into 55 departments, one each for the 50 states, along with the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, France, Mexico, and the Philippines; and

WHEREAS, Over the years, the American Legion has influenced considerable social change in America, obtained hundreds of benefits for veterans, and produced many important programs for children and youth; and

WHEREAS, American Legion Auxiliary President Freda Broadway and American Legion Commander John Metzger are hosting the kick-off dinner for the American Legion Centennial Celebration on November 11, 2018 at Stanley McCollum Post #280, which also serves as the home for the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #2671; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize the American Legion for 100 years of devotion to service members, veterans and local communities, and we wish them, and especially the Stanley McCollum Post #280, a successful Centennial Celebration kick-off dinner for the American Legion 1919-2019; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to Stanley McCollum Post #280 and to Denise Rohan, National Commander of The American Legion in Indianapolis, Indiana.