August 2025 Newsletter
- 10th District
- Aug 3
- 5 min read
Do you hear the Jaws theme? What an honor to be able to serve as your 10th District Commander for another year. I am truly humbled and very proud to stand with you side by side as we serve our veterans and their families. I look forward to your support this year and seeing you at our Post, District and Department events. We have a lot of work ahead of us and so many fun-filled events for your family and your legion family.
You should soon be receiving your post and district newsletters. They are loaded with all sorts of news, events and interesting things that we are doing in our local communities and our Mighty Tenth District. Sure, I will wait go head go get your Post, District newsletters, the current issue of the legionnaire your school and sports schedules and your work schedule. Oh, and don’t forget your calendar, either paper or electronic. Do you have them and your favorite beverage? Great, so we are ready to get started.
First let’s make sure we have all the dates we want to set aside for our deity, wife, husband, significant other and our family. Next lets make sure we have marked off our work time. Wow, it looks like there is some space left between the date nights, recitals, games, birthdays and reunions to make memories with your family and the legion family. Now write in all the events, meetings, conferences, conventions and even rallies you will be attending with your family. You and your family can also become members of the American Legion the largest veterans organization in the county. Family members can become members of the Auxiliary, the Sons of the American Legion, Juniors Auxiliary and the American Legion Riders.
Want to know how that easy just email me at wgordon5665@aol.com, or text me at 320-491-5665. I will get you the information you need for your local community or have someone reach out to you in your local area. District Vice Commanders, Post Adjutants and or Commanders. To please email me or text me at 320-491-5665, you can even call and leave a voice mail for me at 1-763-515-3686, let me know the date, time and location {address} of your meeting so I can schedule it. District Vice Commanders if you can visit your posts with me that would be awesome.
I will be looking forward to meeting and visiting everyone to hear all about what YOU and YOUR Post are doing in your communities, the Mighty Tenth District and our Awesome State of Minnesota. What suggestions and recommendations do you have that will make our organization stronger. "Everyone wants to be interesting. The Vitalizing thing is to be interested. Its what you learn, after you know it all that counts." John W. Gardner.
Bill Gordon
10th District Commander
Membership
Hello, Mighty Tenth District It’s the start of a new membership year for your post, the Tenth District and the Department of Minnesota. The Department has set the membership goal for the Tenth district at 6846 that might seem like a lot, but I know we can do it if we RETAIN our current members and RECRUTE new ones.
The District Vice Commanders have delivered your membership packets, and we are off to a good start although we didn’t quite get off of the Goose Egg of 35% by July 30. We did give an impressive showing with 2292 memberships turned in resulting in 34 plus % of our District goal of 6846. Thank you for great start to the 26-membership year keep up the great work.
We were given a list by Department of the members in your respective zip codes of the Department at large 1982 membership list. We will get them out to your individual post as soon as we can try to transfer these members into your respective Post it will help you with your goal.
Post Commanders, Adjutants and Membership Teams remember your District officers are always here to help you with questions and to help you succeed with your Post goals and if we don’t have the answers, we will get them for you WE ARE HERE TO HELP.
KEEP THE FAITH
Jim Copher
10th District Membership Director
612-396-9730
Chaplain
Oh God
As we begin our terms as the newly elected District Officers, we seek your counsel and guidance. Inspire us with your wisdom.
Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us.
Amen
We are well into summer, can you believe the State Fair is less than a month away! Where does the time go?
Tom Merino
District Chaplain
SAL Commander
Hello Fellow SAL Members and Legion Family.
Once again, I am your SAL Commander for 25-26, it was a great first year. Met a lot of squadrons and some great people. We had 13 Squadrons meet goal and then some. Thanks for all your hard work! There are a couple of Squadrons that need some help reaching their goal, if you need anything please reach out to me.
My project last year was Soldiers 6, I was very pleased with the response I received. I raised $30,000 for Soldiers 6, I also had friends that did a volleyball tournament on July 19th. They raised over $20,000 that day with all the proceeds going to Soldiers 6. It was amazing what they did that day.
My project this year is the MN Veterans Pantry, they supply food to Veterans in need of food, no Veteran so go to bed hungry. They are a 501(c) 3 organization. Please help us raise funds for our Veterans that need help at the end of the month.
I will be coming out to more Legions this year, as I am retiring in September so I will have more time to attend any events that you may have. I will have a new email for you. It will be at the end of this letter.
The new leadership for the 10th is as follows.
Bill Gordon- Legion Commander- St Michael
Brandi Christenson- Aux President- Delano
Tom Olson- SAL Commander-Osseo
Matt Berens- ALR Director-Hopkins
Thank you for everything you do!
Tom Olson
10th District SAL Commander
God Bless our Troops and their Families
Rider Director
Summer salutations from the men and women of the American Legion Riders. The big news as of this writing is the conclusion of what we call The Fund 85 Run. This ride benefits the Minnesota Veterans Assistance Fund, which in Legion lingo is labeled Fund 85. We started the Ride in Forest Lake Thursday morning, and ended on a toasty Saturday afternoon in Paynesville, MN. All told, as of this writing, we have raised over $58,800 for needy veterans in the state of Minnesota. Great job Riders!
Its also time for our first-ever Tenth District Suicide Prevention Ride. That will take place on Saturday, August 2nd. Kickstands up will be at 11am at the Lino Lakes Legion. Stops include the Isanti VFW, North Branch Legion, St Francis Legion and back to Lino Lakes. Dinner will be provided by the Post 566 Auxiliary.
We are also doing a benefit ride for Steve Sullivan on October 18th starting qat the Hopkins American Legion. Bring lots of goodies and baked goods, because the Hopkins Auxiliary is doing both a bake sale and a silent auction.
Well, that's all I got for this month. If you're a biker, keep the rubber side down, and the shiny side up!
Matt Berens
10th District ALR Director
Personify 360 issues or comments, please contact Adjutant Paul Orson, paulorson@comcast.net, 612-325-2899.
Comments