Valentines Day 2015

American Legion Post 186 in Greenville celebrated Valentines Day with a dinner and fine entertainment at post headquarters. The after dinner program was delightful with Carolyn and Bill Barnes and Jack Couch singing and playing guitars to familiar love songs that had the room joining in. Proving the veterans are still light on their feet the dance floor was open and quickly filled.

Babs Gordon, Suzanne Tigner, Miriam Holliday, and Anne Threadgill thoroughly enjoyed the meal, music, and Valentine skit that entertained the crowd at the legion. Couples told their favorite valentine story: Bill and Gail Coffee were in California and appeared on the Newlywed Game where they won the grand prize-a boat-but had to turn it down as they didn’t have the money to pay the taxes on it! Caroline and Bill Barnes met at Callaway Gardens as she was part of the FSU Flying Circus that came to perform in the summer. Honeymoons spent fishing and squeezed in during the war years highlighted the tales.

 

Middle Age court jesters (standing wearing caps) Toots Hobson and Jane Morrison wove a medieval tale about the Princess Regina “Pat” and her knightly guard Prince Henry and their love story which unfolded beginning when they met at the swimming pool at Roosevelt many an age long since. In truth it was a Valentine story of a 72 year old romance with the tale finishing with Pat and Henry Barnes being honored and crowned as the eldest sweethearts at the American Legion Ball.

What’s a party without a door prize or two? The American Legion Valentine Night ended with Linda Wilburn drawing the lucky number and winning the crystal cake stand and, shown here, Lelia Freeman winning the money tree that added up to $50 in bills.

 

 

Christmas 2014

American Legion Post 186 in Greenville held its annual Christmas dinner and party on Saturday, December 13, 2014.  The Legion was decorated beautifully for the event by Toots Hobson and Jane Morrison.  Post Commander Daniel Morgan checks out the patriotic tree decorated by Morrison who is showing it to her great niece Ansley Harper.

Merry Christmas

American Legion Post 186 Christmas will be holding its annual 2014 Christmas Celebration.   American Legion Post 186 located on the Gay Highway in Greenville will celebrate the holiday season by having a Christmas Party/Dinner on Saturday13 December 2014 starting at 5 pm. The cost is $5.00 per person. Widows of former Post members attend free of charge.   There will be a Christmas gift exchange for those who wish to participate. Women should bring a $5.00 to $10.00 gift for a woman and men bring a $5.00 to $10.00 gift for a man.    Tickets can be purchased at the door.

Veterans Day 2014

Honoring our veterans: Hawg Heaven BBQ was the site of the third annual service recognizing our local veterans. Scotty Jones welcomed the group. Twenty six quilts of valor made by the Hummingbird Quilt Guild and the Thursday night sewing group were given to veterans. Ted and Pat Williams at Hawg Heaven served a buffet breakfast and Randall Hodge, pastor of the Church of God in Hogansville led the service. Sandy Whitlock announced the veterans. Eural Cash was the military representative currently in active service; Henry Barnes was the eldest attended and served in World War II while all others served in Korea or Vietnam. Gary Jones displayed his float.

 

Veterans honored: Henry Barnes, Joe Dollar, Alexander Kapaona, Dan Morgan, Thomas Winkles, Vernon Phillips, Ed Hobson, Doug Jewell, Charles Hinton, Willie Wood, Steve Whitlock, Larry Whitlock, Chet Hunt, Tony Johnson, Harold Corbett, Ton Tigner, Charlie McCamey, Larry Dunaway, Claude Harman, John Norris, Robert Boddie, William Barber, William Christie, Nathaniel Benitz, Colanda Cox and Eural Cash.

 

Retiring Olde Glory

The Franklin D. Roosevelt-Cecil Perkerson American Legion Post 186 in Greenville hosted a flag retirement ceremony and Olde Glory presentation assisted by Greenville Boy Scout Troop 104 on Monday 12 May, 2014 at the legion’s post.

The solemn and impressive ceremony enumerated the many battles the flag had flown in over our country’s 200+ years. The legionnaires, Scouts, and their families sang the National Anthem and “You’re a Grand Old Flag” by Cohan during the service.

Scoutmaster Jim Mabon highlighted the accomplishments of Scouting since its founding in 1910. Patrol Leader Caleb London led the Folding the Flag ceremony as each of the twelve folds is a tribute or represents an important tenet or symbol of American beliefs.

The crowd adjourned outside for the flag burning. The first flag was symbolically torn with the blue field of stars burned first then each red and white strip individually torn and burned.  The Scouts saluted the flag as it was added to the flames with the words, “Rest in Peace.” A full table of worn, faded, and tattered flags was retired.

Post Commander Daniel Morgan led the group inside for a grilled summer meal. In other business, the legion accepted the nominations committee’s choice and voted in officers: Commander Daniel Morgan, Adjutant Larry Dunaway, Senior Vice Commander Harold Daniel, Jr. Vice Service Officer Danny Williams, Jr. Vice Activities Officer Robert McCutcheon, Jr. Vice Grounds and Building Officer Wayne McCutcheon, Finance Officer Pete Johnson, Historian Ed Hobson, Chaplain Tom Winkles, and Sargent at Arms Dan Branch.

 

 

 

Location, Location, Location

Prime real estate: The American Legion Post 186 in Greenville would like to offer the post as a "yard sale" location on  Cotton Pickin' Fair weekend.   If you would like to reserve a space for your items for sale, call 706 601 3077.  The spaces will be on a first come basis.

Franklin D. Roosevelt-Cecil Perkerson American Legion Post 186 Change of Command Ceremony

Greenville’s American Legion Post 186 unveiled its new name, Franklin D. Roosevelt-Cecil Perkerson American Legion Post 186, on Monday, March 10, 2014, as well as recognizing World War II veterans for their service and honoring Post Commander Alfred “Buster” McCoy for his years of leadership.

 

New Post Commander Dan Morgan called McCoy to the podium to do the honors that began Veterans Day 2013. Bill Rook and Grady Dukes were added to the World War II veterans honored and receiving letters of commendation for their service.

 

Bill Rook from Gay was present as McCoy read the story of his military career. Born in and calling Missouri his boyhood home, Rook, underage, drove a truck for the local grocery store until he was a high school senior and could enlist at 17.  Because two brothers served, he had to include permission from his parents to join the Navy.  Rook eventually became a radioman because of his talents with Morse Code learned in Scouting. He was on a ship on the radio the night Truman’s secret tactics were planned.

 

McCoy also honored Vernon Phillips for his sixty years of outstanding loyalty and service to the American Legion.

 

The special event of the evening was the Change of Command Ceremony.  Buster McCoy has served as Post Commander from 2004 to 2014 and his leadership is evident.  McCoy said he took pride in the accomplishments of the post because the talent was there, he said, and he felt like he just channeled it in the right directions.  The grounds and building improvements are being enjoyed by the current large membership of legionnaires. McCoy added that the state meetings he attended were a resource of inspiration and ideas that he brought back and implemented.  He encouraged members to give their support to new Post Commander Daniel Morgan as he had been supported and encouraged.

 

McCoy carried the Legion flag and handed it over to Morgan and the Change of Command ceremony was complete.  Several legionnaires,-Dan Branch, Harold Daniel, Daniel Morgan-each had plaques, messages of commendation, or letters of appreciation to award to McCoy.

 

Members of McCoy’s family were present to see him honored: his wife Theresa, daughters Melanie London and Amy Dees and his grandchildren Caleb and Josh London, and Abby, Austin, and Ansley Dees.  Not present due to school commitments but sending their best wishes were grandchildren Allison Dees and Hannah London.

 

Before dismissing for supper which included a large congratulatory cake for McCoy, Commander Morgan thanked members for procuring a display case for the several wool uniforms worn by different branches of the military; Morgan announced that Greenville’s Boy Scout Troop will help the veterans with the Flag Retirement Ceremonies to be held May 12^th; and Morgan concluded by thanking Toots and Ed Hobson for the decorations for the  evenings event which included a colorful flyover  scene commending Buster McCoy for his leadership of the post.