Sons of The American Legion
COMMANDER’S MESSAGE…by Peter J. DeAngelis, Jr.
Commanders Message
ConvenƟon 2024
GreeƟngs Fellow Members,
First things first I want to thank
you all for elecƟng me and supporƟng me thru out this year, It
has been quite an experience, visiƟng all the counƟes of our great
State of New York and meeƟng all
of you. My vice commanders, district commanders, and county
commanders, did a great job being
be by my side on the day or days I
was in your county. You all did an
outstanding job in membership.
I asked you in the beginning of
the year to let’s break another record and push membership and
you did exactly that. The donaƟons that you made to me were
above and beyond, and were very
hearƞelt. Our Walk A Thon also
did beƩer than we did last year
and I want to thank you for that. I
spoke to this year‘s graduates at
American Legion College, and if
you have not experienced the college, I suggest you do so at the
next class. The knowledge you will
gain will help you run your squadron more efficiently and become a
great mentor.
All our commiƩees have been
doing a great job and I’ve will be
looking forward to hearing the reports at our 50th convenƟon in
Niagara Falls. I am also looking forward to seeing you all at the convenƟon and thanking you in person for everything you did for me
and our organizaƟon this past
year. Hope you all are having a
good Ɵme this spring and the beginning of this summer and again I
am looking forward to seeing you
soon
Peter DeAngelis
Detachment of NY Commander
2023-2024
Detachment of New York Troy, NY 12180
(518) 463-2215
Convention 2024 Edition
1304 Park Blvd.
D E T A C H M E N T O F N E W Y O R K N E W S L E T T E R PAGE 2
FROM THE ADJUTANT’S DESK…by Robert Avery
GreeƟngs fellow members,
Welcome all delegates and guests to Niagara Falls for our 50th Annual Detachment ConvenƟon! We have several
guests in aƩendance this year including the Northeast Region NaƟonal Vice Commander John Cook (NH), Leading
NaƟonal Commander Candidate Joseph R. Navarrete (NM), and PNC Joseph Mayne (MN) who will be the keynote
speaker at our 50th Anniversary Luncheon and Officer InducƟon.
As for membership, the June 27th NaƟonal report has us in 25th place with 31,341 members. We exceeded our
100% goal and now stand at 102.21%. We are in 8th place out of the 14 Detachments in the Northeast region. Within
the Detachment, 6 of our 10 Districts, 36 of our 60 CounƟes and 225 of our 381 Squadrons reached 100% or beyond.
Thank you to all who worked membership over the past year making us exceed 31,000 members. We are now less
than 640 members behind the Detachment of Ohio.
The 2025 Membership cards are now being mailed out, and most Squadrons should receive them by ConvenƟon.
Please remember that your Squadron is required to submit its annual Officer CerƟficaƟon. Also, don’t forget that
members can use the QUICK renew online at Legion.org/SAL-Renew .
All Squadrons need to remember to complete the following forms EVERY year:
· Officer Report Form
· Squadron Data Report (SDR)
· Consolidated Squadron Report
We now track compliance with these 3 reports so that contact can be made with the Squadrons that we have not
heard from. We only had 17% of our Squadrons submit a CSR this year. This needs to be a top priority next year!
I congratulate Detachment Commander Peter DeAngelis on a terrific year leading the great Detachment of New
York. You brought us to new heights in membership and donaƟons and your dedicaƟon to the organizaƟon has been
outstanding! I know you will conƟnue your work, always trying to improve and propel the SONS forward! I also want
to thank ALL the Detachment and District Officers, along with ALL the CommiƩee and Commission members who
have worked so hard this year!
It is great to be here celebraƟng our 50th ConvenƟon. Over the years, this Detachment has grown both in size and
service to our veterans. We are truly one of the most acƟve and dedicated Detachments in the NaƟon. AŌer serving
in the Detachment Adjutant’s office for 26 years, this is my last NewsleƩer arƟcle as the Adjutant and I want to
thank everyone for all of their support over the years. I remember issuing volume 1, Issue 1 of our Detachment
NewsleƩer back in the fall of 1998 when it was not even called the “Liberty”. It has improved greatly over the years,
and has gone on to achieve NaƟonal awards.
In closing, I want to thank the rank and file “blue cap” NY members who are out there across our state working
with the rest of The American Legion Family to beƩer the lives of our veterans. Thank you for being a part of this organizaƟon!
Robert J. Avery
Detachment Adjutant
D E T A C H M E N T O F N E W Y O R K N E W S L E T T E R PAGE 3
NEC Report…by Dennis George, NEC
Fellow Sons,
This has been a busy year for the Detachment of New York representaƟves on the NaƟonal
level. Our footprint is substanƟal, with room to grow.
Our members:
· Bill Clancy III – Trailing Candidate for NaƟonal Commander
· Chris Cerullo, Greg “Doc” Gibbs, Joe PaviglianƟ – Past NaƟonal Commanders
· Dennis George – NEC, Liaison with Member Training & Development CommiƩee
· David Lee – ANEC, LegislaƟve Commission
· Robert Avery – Assistant Adjutant
· Greg Falco, Tim Brower – Assistant Sgt at Arms
· Daryl VerStreate – Chair of Membership CommiƩee
· Jim Coates – Chair of VE&E
· Joe Guidice, Peter Booth, Tim Brower – ConvenƟon CommiƩee
· Ray Jarvis – Scribe for the Member Training &Development CommiƩee
Highlights:
· Commander Peter DeAngelis and Leading Candidate Gaither Espey completed NMI 3,
they graduated from the program.
· Trailing Candidate Joe Guidice completed the Pilot Program of SAL U.
· Membership has exceeded 100% + with Daryl VerStreate at the helm. Greg “Doc” Gibbs
served as the “Dean” and Instructor of the Pilot of SAL U.
We are excited to celebrate our 50th Detachment ConvenƟon at Niagara Falls with our NaƟonal Guests, Leading Candidate for NaƟonal Commander Joe Navarrete, Northeast Vice
Commander John Cook, and Past NaƟonal Commander Joe Mayne, who will be our Keynote
Speaker.
I am proud to be your NaƟonal RepresentaƟve and will keep moving our Detachment forward.
For God & Country,
Dennis George
NEC
D E T A C H M E N T O F N E W Y O R K N E W S L E T T E R PAGE 4
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!,
Your 2024 walkathon has come to an end!
The Detachment of New York Sons of The American Legion and Department of New York American Legion
Auxiliary have walked these boots this year from Buffalo all the way down to Suffolk County and across our
great state. As my first Ɵme serving as the state chairman of the Walk A Thon, along with Auxiliary chairman
Maria Santacroce I am very proud to say we have raised a total $66,481.37.
This tremendous amount tops last year’s total by $9,457.37! As I said at the Mid-Winter Conference to
my fellow Sons, we’ve had some outrageous years with this Walk A Thon, but my goal this year was to put a
story in a picture on every donaƟon that was made. I hope to conƟnue that next year if I am reappointed to
this post, and the news of this year’s success will spread I’m sure. If you’re on my Facebook page you’re
probably a liƩle Ɵred of me, but let me tell you it worked!!. We all should be very proud!! ALA Chairman
and myself would also like to thank the Department office staff for all their hard work this year helping to
make this campaign a success. Thank you!!
Christopher R. Cerullo, PNC
Walk A Thon Chairman
Walk A Thon 2024…by Christopher R. Cerullo, PNC -Walk A Thon Chairman
D E T A C H M E N T O F N E W Y O R K N E W S L E T T E R PAGE 5
Climbing the Trail to National Commander…by William Clancy
Dear Friends,
Since August of 23’ when my name was announced as a Candidate for NaƟonal Commander, I’ve met so many new people and had so many people ask me quesƟons about
the posiƟon and the organizaƟon.
People I meet who are outside of the American Legion Family oŌen ask me “What The
Sons of The American Legion is about? It’s an easy answer “The SAL is nearly 400,000 guys
doing GREAT things across the United States. Helping Veterans, helping Children, and helping the American Legion carry on with all of its patrioƟc programs
The 2nd most common quesƟon I’m asked is what is my moƟvaƟon to be NaƟonal Commander? That’s also an
easy answer “A Strong SAL and a Strong American Legion Family will help ensure a bright future for the United
States, a future my children and your children will live in, long aŌer we’re passed on”
I believe CONCRETELY that Our Country needs The SAL, and needs The American Legion Family, MORE than
ever before. Our veterans need us TO BE THE ONE to stop veterans’ suicide. They need us to make every veteran
feel appreciated and loved and to know that if they ever need help, they have friends in the SAL.
Beyond our veterans, The SAL can inspire EVERY AMERICAN to live with an obligaƟon to Community, State and
NaƟon and to live with a DevoƟon to Mutual Helpfulness, and ABOVE ALL our NaƟons Kids need The SAL to help
teach them to be good ciƟzens, both in principal and in pracƟcal example
Whenever I explain that to people, I’m quick to follow up with the fact that this is not just some loŌy goal or
statement, but rather it is factually happening right now. The SAL is a rock solid group operaƟng in every State and
US Territory, about to break 400,000 members across almost 6,000 Squadrons. We just passed the $10 million
raised for the American legion CWF, and we have hundreds of thousands of hours of volunteerism, with only a
Ɵny porƟon of our base, even reporƟng their accomplishments. We are a PatrioƟc Service Oriented POWERHOUSE!
This is the message I have shared as I go on my travels. So far, I’ve had a few amazing trips. I’ve visited The Detachment of South Dakota, for their Midwinter conference in Deadwood. I felt like a cowboy out there. SD is one
of the fastest growing Detachments in the country and their energy was palpable from the moment I was picked
up at the airport, they were all excited about everything they were doing and how fast they were growing. I was
able to join the Northeastern Unofficial gathering in New Hampshire this past winter for NVC John Cook’s Homecoming. The gathering was a terrific event with very high energy. We held our spring NEC meeƟng in Indianapolis
and we raised the bar very high on ‘How to do a hospitality event’ with a “Night at the Indianapolis War Museum”. Over 200 Legion Family Members gathered in the great hall for some camaraderie an inspiraƟon from our
surroundings of that amazing museum. I’ve aƩended many local SAL and Legion family meeƟngs around my home
area of NYC. I most recently went on a trip to the Detachment of Maryland. MD is one of the most well organized
Detachments in the Country, with more Past NaƟonal Commanders than any other Detachment. I learned a few
things down there as they set a great example. They also taught me how to eat crabs, which are a local delicacy.
Next week I’m off to Illinois for their Summer ConvenƟon, and then Niagara Falls, where the best scenery with be
all of the smiles of my many Friends in the Empire State , The Detachment of New York!
Safe Travels to Niagara as we Carry on For God & Country,
Bill Clancy
D E T A C H M E N T O F N E W Y O R K N E W S L E T T E R PAGE 6
William Clancy for SAL National Commander
D E T A C H M E N T O F N E W Y O R K N E W S L E T T E R PAGE 7
Public Relations…by Joe Guidice
Fellow Sons,
Welcome to your ConvenƟon 2024 issue of The Liberty! I hope you enjoy it and will share with the members of your Post Family. This ediƟon is available in print at the ConvenƟon and online at our website
hƩps://sonsoŌhelegionny.com/tag/liberty-newsleƩer/.
Our website is up and running and new features and improvements are being made. Feel free to email
me or our webmaster any suggesƟons you might have for the website.
We are currently working on providing detachment email addresses for our DEC members and past detachment commanders, as well as for our various commiƩees and commissions. This will provide a professional looking email address for use when conducƟng detachment business. There are some other plans in
the works for this fall that include a helpful new feature for our website that I think everyone will benefit
from. Stay Tuned!!
For God and Country,
Joe Guidice
Public RelaƟons Chairman
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V O L U M E 1 3 I S S U E 5 D E T A C H M E N T O F N E W Y O R K N E W S L E T T E R PAGE 8
Members of Seeley B. Parish Squadron 457 gave a Flag
Education and Etiquette program for 130 Midlakes 5th
grade students by Seeley B. Parish Squadron Flag Day
June 14th. Squadron members are Scott Hubbard, Gary
Mosher, Tom Linden, and Bruce Ruthven provided a history of the US Flag, flag etiquette, the meaning of the
Pledge of Allegiance, the folding of the flag and a question
and answer session. As the students they were each presented with a small flag, a program, and a comic book
Oneida Squadron #169 in conjunction with the Sons of the
Durhamville Vet’s Club A.N.M. hosted their 12th and final Armed
Forces Day Golf Outing
at Old Erie Golf Course
in Durhamville. This
has raised over $35,000
for these projects. A special raffle was held for a
new project in affiliation with Madison
County V.S.A. and
Wanderers Rest. The
Pets for Vets program
has been launched allowing Veterans who
couldn’t otherwise afford to become owners of dogs or cats by covering medical and spay
and neutering services at no cost. . $2670 was presented at a ceremony at the V.S.A. Pictured from l to r: Mad. Co. V.S.A. Dir. Ron
Raymer, #169 Unit Pres. Penni Conley, Mad. Co. S.A.L. Com. Tim
Fidler, Wanderers Rest Dir. Sarah Murdie, # 169 Unit Adj. Susan
Fidler, 6th Dist. & Mad. Co. V.S.O. Don Smith, Squadron #169
Treas. Jim Snyder and Com. Sean Miller and participant Nitro.
Have some news or event you’d like to Share??
We want to hear from you!!
Squadron Commanders, County and District Commanders, ALL members of the Sons, ple
