Post 178 Oratorical Winner Wins 4th District Contest

Post 178 Oratorical Winner Wins 4th District Contest

(L – R) Emma Ko, Pranav Kalkunte, and Jedaiah Ward at the 4th District Oratorical Contest in Royce City, TX. Photo by Ed Reed.

Emma Ko, a senior, home school, was selected the winner of the American Legion 4th District Oratorical Contest in Royse City, TX on Saturday, January 8, 2022.  Previously, she was selected a winner in the American Legion Post 178 contest in Frisco on December 11, 2021.  For winning the two contests, she received $250 and $500 college scholarships, respectively.

Other Post 178 contest winners also placed in the district contest. Pranav Kalkunte, a junior, Independence High School, finished in second place and Jedaiah Ward, sophomore, home school, finished in third place,

Each of the contestants delivered two orations, a prepared oration and a randomly assigned constitutional topic oration. Ms. Ko impressed the judges with her prepared topic oration, “The Humble Article”, and assigned topic oration, Amendment XXV, Section 4, concerning presidential disability and succession.

Ms. Ko will now advance to the American Legion 1st Division Oratorical Contest on Saturday, February 5, 2022, which will be held in the old County Courthouse in Denton, Texas.

Happy New Year 2022

Happy New Year 2022

New Year’s Day, also called simply New Year’s or New Year, is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar.

Civilizations around the world have been celebrating the start of each new year for at least four millennia. Today, most New Year’s festivities begin on December 31 (New Year’s Eve), the last day of the and continue into the early hours of January 1 (New Year’s Day).

Common traditions include attending parties, eating special New Year’s foods, sporting events, making resolutions for the new year, church services, parades, and watching fireworks displays.

New Year’s Eve

New Year’s Eve

Civilizations around the world have been celebrating the start of each new year for at least four millennia. Today, most New Year’s festivities begin on December 31 (New Year’s Eve), the last day of the and continue into the early hours of January 1 (New Year’s Day). Common traditions include attending parties, eating special New Year’s foods, making resolutions for the new year, and watching fireworks displays.

National Wreaths Across America Day

National Wreaths Across America Day

Each December on National Wreaths Across America Day, the mission to Remember the Fallen, Honor those who Serve, and Teach our children the value of Freedom, is conducted by coordinating Remembrance wreath-laying ceremonies at more than 2,100 locations , including the DFW National Cemetery, in all 50 U.S. states, at sea and abroad.

Today, a Wreaths Across America ceremony will be held at DFW National Cemetery to Remember and Honor our veterans through the laying of Remembrance wreaths on the graves of our country’s fallen heroes.

REMEMBER our veterans that served and are serving America, HONOR the fallen veterans, and TEACH our youth about the service and sacrifice of our veterans and families.

National Guard Birthday

National Guard Birthday

Dec. 13 is the birthday of the National Guard. On this date in 1636, the first militia regiments in North America organized in Massachusetts. Based upon an order of the Massachusetts Bay Colony’s General Court, the colony’s militia was organized into three permanent regiments to defend the colony better. Today, the descendants of these first regiments – the 181st infantry, the 182nd infantry, the101st Field Artillery, and 101st Engineer Battalion of the Massachusetts Army National Guard – share the distinction of being the oldest units in the U.S. military. Dec. 13, 1636, thus marks the beginning of the organized militia, and the birth of the National Guard’s oldest organized units is symbolic of the founding of all the state, territory and District of Columbia militias that collectively make up today’s National Guard.

Even though it’s not a federal holiday, the birthday of the U.S. National Guard is an important event to note. The National Guard is the oldest military organization in America. Its members serve during times of war and emergency. Take time to honor those who have protected our country for centuries.

National Wreaths Across America Day

National Wreaths Across America Day

Each December on National Wreaths Across America Day, the mission to Remember, Honor and Teach is conducted by coordinating remembrance wreath-laying ceremonies at more than 2,100 locations in all 50 U.S. states, at sea and abroad.

The American Legion Post 178 will again actively participate in this year’s Wreaths Across America Ceremony and assist with the placement of 48,000 wreaths at the DFW National Cemetery on December 18. In addition to this event, post members will assist with wreath truck unloading on December 17 and wreath removal on January 15, 2022. Post 178 has participated in the national program since it was chartered in 2014.

In many homes, there is an empty seat for one who is serving or one who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Our service members sacrifice their time and safety every day of the year to preserve our freedoms.

REMEMBER our veterans that served and are serving America, HONOR the fallen veterans, and TEACH our youth about the service and sacrifice of our veterans and families.