Rusty Strait | Senior Reporter

American Legion Post 53 in Hemet’s monthly meetings:

February 12 at 2:00 PM Super Bowl Sunday. Potluck – open bar. Big Screen TV.

Dinner every Friday Night from 5 to 7 PM. All are welcome.

Boys State

The American Legion Post 53 has been in recruitment mode for our Boys State. Robert Farris, our Second Vice Commander, has been in contact with our local schools recruiting both boys and girls.

American Legion Boys State is among the most respected and selective educational programs of government instruction for U. S. High School Students. A participatory program in which students become part of the operation of local, county and state governments, Boys State was founded in 1935 to counter the socialism-inspired Young Pioneer Camps. The program was the idea of two Illinois Legionnaires, Hayes Kennedy and Harold Card, who organized the first Boys State at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield.

In 2022 new legislation for Boys State came down from National to include girls into Boys State, so now it is also open to girls.

Increased Number of Suicides Among Deployed Soldiers

Studies indicate that combat-deployed soldiers who were bullied or hazed are more likely to have thoughts of suicide or suffer from mental health problems.

A survey of more than 1400 soldiers, according to JAMA Psychiatry, found that one in eight soldiers reported that they were bullied or hazed during their deployments. Official sources report that few previous studies have examined such harassment among military personnel. Bullying and hazing, unlike other stressful combat experiences, can be minimized by commanders and non-commissioned officers.

“Unit cohesion appears to mitigate the effects of deployment stressors; however this may be compromised for soldiers who are targets of malicious behavior perpetrated by fellow unit members,” one study shows.

Respondents who reported bullying or hazing during deployment were younger, (a higher rate among females)), and more likely to have reported previous PTSD and suicidal ideation….and also more likely to have reported several other deployment and non-deployment stressors.”

All too often, the problems of combat veterans are overlooked by the civilian population as they praise the military heroics of our veterans but neglect to consider the emotional stresses that a combat veteran suffers. Just sayin’

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Her name is Bonnie Kilroe, and she’s back!! The world-renowned Queen of Country imitators returns to Hemet on Saturday Night at the American Legion Post 53 in downtown Hemet. She’s been here before. She is loved by everyone, and she puts on one hellova show that you will not see anywhere else this side of Las Vegas.

When she steps up to the mike and sings Jolene – close your eyes – Dolly Parton emerges. She does them all: Cher, Reba McIntyre, Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline – you name them she’s got ‘em.

Bonnie began her professional career as an award-winning entertainer more than 15 years ago, the last ten in which she has dedicated to her one-woman act – Celebrity Imposters. She has sang and strutted her stuff across local, national and international states, entertaining thousands along the way. Her venues vary: Theatres, convention centers, casinos, cruise ships and yes even in Hemet, thanks to the astute bookings by those wise ones at our local Legion Post.

She combines fabulous medleys of music, video and physical comedy. Her productions come from experience with professional values, combined with surprising twists, which bring laughter, delight and often some tears when she gets down into the depths of the soul of country.

She has been nominated and won many entertainment awards, as follows:

AWARDS WON:

Celebrity Impersonators Reel Awards

* Won – Best Comedy Act: Bonnie Kilroe as One-Woman Show

FINALIST:

* Bea Fogelman Lifetime Achievement Award

* Artist You’d Most Like to Work With

Sunburst Celebrity Impersonators and Tribute Artists Convention

AWARDS WON:

* Most Unique Act: Bonnie Kilroe as One-Woman Show

* Best Costume Female

These are only a few of her many tributes and awards.

If you’ve seen her before, you will want to see her again. If you have never seen her perform, you are in for a real down-home country evening. For more details, contact the American Legion Post 53 at 124 Ramona St, Hemet, CA 92543.

Remember folks – this isn’t just a commercial venture – it benefits the many veterans we have in our valley, so come on out and bring your kinfolk. Y’all hear? Just saying

rustystrait@gmail.com

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Dinners will be served with Turkey and all the side dishes enough to give even Santa a puffy stomach. The Post’s Santa (Terry Lamed) will be on hand to hand out dozens of toys to the younger set. Also, there will be free gifts for all veterans, kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews, bicycles, scooters and loads of other gifts will be there for the taking as they are every year.

Joe Males, commander of the Post, is once again a city councilman, having recently been elected to the seat he was ousted from because of a disgruntled opposition. He will be in charge both as head honcho at the Post and representing the city as councilman.

Last year’s Christmas Party was awesome. If all turns out as planned, it will be beyond spectacular this year. Address: 124 N. Ramona Street, Hemet CA 92543

For additional information: 951-658-2436

Just sayin’ with a Merry Christmas to one and all. rustystrait@gmail.com

Rusty Strait | Senior Reporter

Find your latest news here at the Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle

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When you find a good thing, don’t change it for something not tried and proven. The Hemet American Legion Post 53 has jumped onto the tried and proven way to make money without begging for donations from its community. Tributes. In September, they joined up with Hearts Home Gardens in Hemet to present a tribute to Linda Ronstadt and The Eagles. It was a howling success, attracting more than 200 guests.

Caught up in the family fun, yet romantic atmosphere under the stars with thousands of lights, couples danced to the music and enjoyed every moment as if drifting back to their sock hop high school days. Recapturing memories of our youth is priceless and we all know it.

All at only $60 a plate. Folks, that’s not monopoly money; that’s the real deal. In fact, it was so successful it is being repeated.

On Friday, October 15th, they will be hosting a tribute to Stevie Nicks & Fleetwood Mac in a dual performance. Reservations are urged because 300 places can go fast when you provide something an audience wants. Even though we do not publish until Thursday before, when our stories hit the internet, you can make reservations right up until the last seat is sold. So be aware.

The menu prepared by their chef is as follows:

Roasted Tri-Tip or Chicken Riesling, Garlic Mashed Potatoes,

Honey & Herb Baby Carrots, Tossed Salad & Dressings

3 Alcoholic drinks or sodas & unlimited Coffee, Tea & Lemonade

Entertainment by Julian “Big Daddy” Perez for your dancing pleasure.

Three 50/50 raffles & dance floor with 35,000 lights.

On November 13th, they will be presenting, as a fundraiser, Bonnie Kilroe and The Country Queens; Bonnie is a favorite in the Valley and has performed at the Legion Hall numerous times. This time she will also be at Hearts Home Gardens, located just west of Hemet at 32643 Highway 74. For all tickets, go to: info@alpost53.com or call (951) 658-2436.

It seems every time I write about some upcoming or routine entertainment event in the Valley; somebody says, “I didn’t know that place exists.” Well, folks, the Hemet/San Jacinto area is loaded with venues that feature grade-A entertainment and other avenues of amusement, historical and social interest. Surrounding areas have nothing on our Valley. $60 a person that gives you entertainment plus dinner and drinks is a far better bargain than The Fox in Riverside, where I recently paid $100 for a balcony seat from which I could barely see the stage. The Historical Hemet Theater, which recently celebrated its 100th year anniversary and the Derby Bar and Grille are just two of the local venues that have something going on a weekly basis that will easily fit into your entertainment budget.

It is not my aim to merely hype any specific place, but to boost our community and inform you as to what there is to do around here. The Science Center by Diamond Valley Lake is worth a couple of hours of amazing discovery that will not only entertain but inform you. I’ll bet if you ask a visitor, they will know more about what goes on around our town than most of us will because they take the time to check us out. Just sayin’

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The latest innovation is a joint venture with Hearts Home Gardens. It has a long history of social and entertainment events over the years, so this is a totally new venture for their organization.

Males explains, “The Eagles and Linda Ronstadt experience is going to take place on Sunday, September 12th, starting at 5 o’clock and should end around nine or whenever everyone decides to leave. A sumptuous meal will be served with either tri-tip or chicken riesling as entrees, with garlic mashed potatoes, honey & herb baby carrots and tossed salad & dressing. It will be like dining out at an elegant restaurant for dinner.”

The whole purpose is to raise money for veterans, including college scholarships.

The commander continues, “Coming out of service, many of them need to pick up where their education was interrupted, as it was during World War II with the advent of the G.I. Bill of rights that educated a generation of vets.”

What is the cost of such a spread?

“$60.00 a plate. That may seem a bit high, but included are a lot of extras, including three drinks of your choice – either alcoholic or sodas. Coffee, iced tea and lemonade drinks will be unlimited throughout the evening.”

What is the seating capacity?

“There will be seating for 300 outdoors in a garden atmosphere which is ideal for this time of year. Especially for what has been going on in our society during the past year. We will have 3500 lights in the garden with dancing and socializing. It will be a welcome event for people who have been pretty much cooped up during the past year due to COVID and the lock-downs; an opportunity for folks to get out and enjoy themselves in an open atmosphere.”

The American Legion Post 53 of Hemet is co-hosting the event with Hearts Home Gardens with the profits being shared between the two organizations.

Is this a single event?

“Oh, no. On October 15th, we will have the Stevie Nicks Illusions/Fleetwood Mac tribute, and on November 7th comes the Bonnie Kilroe Country Queens show. Folks in Hemet will remember Bonnie because she has appeared at the Legion Hall in downtown Hemet several times, always appearing to sell-out crowds.”

Bonnie Kilroe is an amazing woman with more mimics than Lon Chaney had faces. “If all goes well, next year the events might event end up monthly. In any event, there will be more than one if these are successful.”

As long as there is a profit providing funds for veteran causes, you can bet they will continue. So shake the dust and moths out of your party duds, kick up your heels and get with it.

Hearts Home Gardens is located at 32643 Highway 74, Hemet, CA. The site can be viewed at:

www.heartshome.com. For additional information and tickets, go to: info@alpost53.com or call (951) 6a58-2436. The new Post bar will have a grand opening on September 25th and it has the atmosphere of a cozy nightspot – a place to get away from it all Just sayin’. rustystrait@gmail.com

Rusty Strait | Senior Reporter

Find your latest news here at the Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle

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Founded in March 1954, The Rotary Club of Hemet is known for its bench advertisement program around the city, the Festival of Frights Halloween party and raising money for programs locally and globally.

Their mission is to provide service to others, promote integrity and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through our fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic restrictions, the club is currently meeting via Zoom. Check out their Facebook page @Hemet Rotary or visit HemetRotary.org to see who is speaking and learn about upcoming community projects. They meet every Wednesday night at 5:30 p.m.

Dan Cortese, Hemet Rotary President

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American Legion Post 53 to present a Patsy Cline Christmas tribute

Bet you thought that the American Legion Post in Hemet was only a place where old soldiers went to spiel off stories about “their days when they were in the military”? If that’s what you think, you just ain’t been keeping up with the real deal.

The Legion has a lot more going on than that, and they mean to prove it to the community with a Country Christmas party on December 14^th.  Doors open at 6:30 a.m., breakfast (pancakes, eggs and sausage) will be served from 7:00a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

At noon comes the Army-Navy annual televised football brawl. But wai!  That’s only the teaser.

The piece-de-resistance begins at 5:30 P.M. when the doors swing wide for the main event.  Dinner at 6PM, followed by Bonnie Kilroe and her Country Christmas Tribute to Patsy Cline.

Before you start thinking that some girl is lip-synching to some old scratchy 78 Patsy Cline records, just stop before you get started.

Bonnie Kilroe is one of, if not the best, tribute singer in the country. She can emulate half a dozen headliners with perfect pitch to perfection.

“We were quite lucky to book her,”says Larry Blair, First Vice-Commander of the post.  “She is on tour and we caught her just at the right time between gigs.”

If you have never heard her you are definitely in for a treat. Everybody likes a nostalgic trip down memory lane, back to the times when times were not going at such a rapid pace. Bonnie will give you that trip. Bonnie knows her stuff, having performed world wide to record-setting crowds.

She’ll be warbling songs that never die; Crazy, I Fall to Pieces, Walk on Down, I love you so much it hurts, The Wayward Wind, Why Can’t He Be You, So Wrong, San Antonio, Bill Bailey, Turn the Cards Slowly and many more. She’s got something for everybody.

I’m probably a bit biased since I come from hillbilly country and grew up with artists like Patsy Cline. However, I’ve been to clubs featuring the Cline type of music and heard young guys say, “I never heard that kind of music before. I kind of like it.”

This event is open to the public and for those who are not into soda pop, there is a bar where you old warriors and ilk can find refreshment.

So hitch up your giddy-up and join us!  Just sayin’.

Details are as follows:                                                                                              AMERICAN LEGION POST 53                                                                                       124 N. RAMONA STREET, HEMET CA

DINNER AND SHOW $25                                                                                               SHOW ONLY $20                                                                                                         (951)658-2436

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This is the time of the year when Santa Claus pops up on every street corner, advertisement and fundraiser. Hemet’s American Legion Post 53, in order to fit right in, has plans for the entire month of December. Beginning on December 7^th all veterans, their spouses, children and grand children of Veterans, grandparents who have served in the Armed Forces are welcomed to join the Legion’s very own Santa Claus on “Pearl Harbor Day” to celebrate an early Christmas activity and to enjoy all the goodies awaiting them.

In coordination with The Lords of Ministry, let the festivities begin. Santa is personally calling all Veterans’ kids to come down to 124 Ramona Street in the heart of downtown Hemet for a free Christmas dinner and gifts.

There will be two meal servings, one at 12 noon and the second at 4:00PM. Veterans may present a DD-214card, DOD card, or VA card. Current members of the Armed Forces and their families are also welcomed to join the event.

You may preregister, if you choose, at www.alpostaa53.com.

These family-oriented get-togethers are fun for everyone. The food is superb and if last year was any example, the toys and gifts are outstanding.

At a time when the dark shadows of hate and mistrust hover over the world like black, storm-laden thunder clouds the Legion Post will be a beacon light to us all. That is especially true to those who are without family or homeless or both. It is a sad event that so many veterans who have put it all on the line so that we as a community can safely celebrate the Christmas Holidays should find themselves alone or on the streets with little hope for a future.

American Legion Post 53 culminates the year, every year, by reaching out to all veterans and their families, just as they do throughout the year.

If you are a local veteran and not familiar with the local Post, this might be just the chance for you to become familiar with all the services they offer. You might also rekindle some of that comradeship that you once developed on some far flung shore or dark jungle at a time when having a comrade often made the difference between life and death. You just never know for sure, do you? Just sayin’

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Gerald Chase and his Cloverlane Foundation have once again invested its time and finances in the Hemet/San Jacinto American Legion and veterans of the valley.  This past week he funded a dinner at the post to celebrate and honor 100 years of dedicated service the post has dedicated itself to the veteran community of this valley and surrounding areas.  Mr. Chase is a devout supporter of veterans, their families and needs. 

Although his CLOVERLANE Foundation is not located in this area nor is he a resident here, he is one of those unusual men who seeks out veterans who have needs and takes care of them.  As an officer at the local post stated, “He is a blessing to us and we appreciate everything he does for us.”  That is echoed by hundreds of appreciative vets and the community at large.

The Harold W. Hyland American Legion Post is as old at the Legion itself since it was founded in the very first year as the parent organization – 1919.

Post 53 stages can boast many celebrities have trod it’s boards, including Bob Hope and his USO troops. . The post is open for breakfast for community members from 7:30 to 10 a.m. on the second Saturday of each month for an all you can eat feast for $7 each.

Additionally, Commander Joe Males says, “We are open to the public for bingo every Tuesday.  Doors open at 3:30 P.M.   Games are from 6 to 9 P.M.  Participants usually run between 65 and 80, sometimes more.  “

The facility is staffed from Monday to Thursday from 8 a.m. to 2P.M. for walk-ins or folks with questions or needed resources.
What many in the community might not know., the Post is not just for Legionaries, they also have other groups: Riders, Sons, the auxiliary, scouts and others.  It is a busy post.

American Legion Riders volunteer every first Friday of the month to cook a Southern Fried Chicken dinner with mashed potatoes and gravy with green beans, ham hock, roll and drink.  Not unlike those home cooked meals that veterans from the wars used to come home and in some places still do.

On the third Friday of the month the Auxiliary volunteers cook up a tasty Mexican dish consisting of 2 tacos, beans and rice and a can of soda.  The post will soon be opening up a Cantina where more potent beverages will be available, something that always attracts the younger members.

American Legion Sons Volunteer on the 4th Friday of every month for a spaghetti dinner that includes Garlic bread, salad and a drink.  All dinner meals are 8.00 per meal.

Currently Post 53 has 400 dues paying members.  Commander Males is proud to welcome, “veterans from all military branches.?

Post 53 is located at :124 N. Ramona street, just North of Florida Avenue in Hemet.
For further information: 951-658-2436 You might be wishing for just a place to hang out sometime.  Why not try it?  Come out to a dinner.  Bingo and dinners help support the Post and its many services to the community.

I’m a regular – look forward to seeing you there.  Just sayin’
rustystrait@gmail.com

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We are the American Legion Post 53, and we work hard for our Veterans. Chartered in 1919 (the same year Congress granted the National Charter to the American Legion), the Legion met at Hemet Elementary School. The existing building was erected in 1947 and has been in continuous operation since construction.

We have in our Legion two Silver Star recipients from the Vietnam War, Don Simpson and Ronnie Imel, both Army Veterans.

Don Simpson was awarded for his actions during Vietnam

Service: Army Rank: First Sergeant Division: 9th Infantry Division.

Ronnie Imel was awarded for his actions during Vietnam

Service: Army Rank: Staff Sergeant Division: 1st Infantry Division

Ronnie Imel was also inducted into the 75th Ranger Regiment Hall of Fame in 2017.

The Silver Star is awarded for gallantry in action and is the third-highest military combat decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States military.

We have over 400 Legionnaires, and all have been an essential asset to our Legion. Our Legion is broken down into four groups: the Legionnaires, Riders, Sons, and the Auxiliary. To be able to function and keep our doors open on a day-to-day basis, we have our Friday Night dinners served between 5-7 pm, where each of the groups serve the best meals in town.

American Legion Riders volunteer at the Legion on the 1st Friday of each month to cook a Southern Fried Chicken dinner with mashed potatoes and gravy with green beans, ham hock, and Roll.

American Legion Legionnaires volunteer on the 2nd Friday to cook and their meal consists of a Cheese Burger, potato salad or coleslaw and a drink.

American Legion Auxiliary volunteer on the 3rd Friday and they cook a tasty Mexican dish consisting of 2 Tacos, Beans and Rice, and a can of Soda.

American Legion Sons Volunteer on the 4th Friday of every month. They cook Spaghetti, Garlic Bread, Salad, and a drink. All dinner meals cost $8.00 per meal.

Don’t forget! On the 2nd Saturday of the month, the Legion serves breakfast from 7-10 am. Our delicious breakfast consists of 2 Eggs, 2 Pancakes, 2 Sausages, and a glass of Orange Juice and Coffee $7.00.

Bingo is played every Tuesday evening at the American Legion. Games start at $10.00 per package. We have 16 Bingo games with large payouts between $80.00 to $250.00. Doors open at 3 pm. Early Bird Bingo starts at 5:30 pm. Regular Bingo begins at 6 pm. Wait! We also have a bus that picks you up and drops you off. Say it ain’t so!

We just want you, the reader, to know that we are here and to join us for our activities where all proceeds go to helping our Veterans. Keep an eye out for our other activities on www.alpost53.com and we’re also on Facebook.

The American Legion Post 53 organization exists with the sole mission to aide and support our local Veterans living within the Riverside County area. In order to continue serving them, we desperately need financial assistance. If you or your organization would like to make a tax-deductible donation of any amount, we would be most appreciative. For further information, please contact Joe Males Acting Post Commander at the American Legion Post 53 Hemet, CA at (951) 658-2436. Thank you in advance for your support. Tax ID number and 501 (c) (19) numbers available upon request.

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