A new American Legion Post is starting at Lake Erie College in Painesville. The post will not have a building, a bar or a hall. What it will have are members who are dedicated to helping one another and the community that they live in.
This new post will meet in a classroom on campus, where I am certain that the members are spending a lot of time studying for their new careers. The new American Legion members will be able to concentrate efforts on community projects and not on maintenance of a post home.
The fact that younger veterans are not feeling a connection at established posts is not new, it happened once before. Veterans returning from Vietnam experienced the same feelings. How do I know this? I witnessed that disconnect first-hand at a post I belonged to at the time.
The product of that general disconnect became Vietnam Veterans of America. The VVA has grown over the years and taken a place in the veteran community. The VVA helps provide a greater public awareness to issues unique to the Vietnam veterans.
Congratulations to the 25 young veterans who will be the charter members of the post.

School supply donations accepted
American Legion Auxiliary Unit 214, 4304 Center St. in Willoughby, will collect school supplies for needy students that will be delivered to the schools on Wednesday. Help a student and donate a few school supplies. For details, call 440-942-7762.

Fish dinners at Willoughby Post
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1500, 38295 Pelton Road in Willoughby, is hosting fish fry dinners the first and third Fridays of the month at the post home. For details, call 440-951-9233.

Gunslingers at Gunny’s Hall
The 2013 Northcoast National Gunslinger championships will be Saturday and Sunday at the Marine Corps League, 8720 Twinbrook Road in Mentor.
The event will be at Gunny’s Hall and include the Buckeye Rangers Fast Draw Club. This event is sanctioned by the Ohio Fast Draw Association-International. For details, call Brian “Doc” Hric at 440-478-7480 or Rich Enneper at 216-396-1586.
Contestant fee is $15, with the championships being an elimination style event.

Catholic War Veterans membership drive
Catholic War Veterans Post 1959 of Lake County will be at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 1730 Mount Carmel Drive in Wickliffe, for all Masses Sept. 7 and 8 for a membership and poppy drive. For details, call Ken Kirchner, second vice commander, at 440-257-2156 or email him at cpd2195@yahoo.com.

Willoughby post offers annual cabbage roll dinner
Palmer-Roberts American Legion Post 214, 4304 Center St. in Willoughby, will host its annual cabbage roll dinner beginning at 5 p.m. Sept. 10 at the post home. The dinner will be served as long as there is food. Tickets are $7 per person and takeout orders will be available. For details, call the post home at 440-942-7762.

Mentor VFW serving clambake
The Ladies Auxiliary of VFW Post 9295, 8682 Mentor Ave. in Mentor, will host a clambake and Chinese auction on Sept. 14. Tickets must be purchased in advance before Sept. 10. The full clambake is $21 and a chicken dinner is $12. No tickets will be sold after Sept. 10.
For tickets or more details, call 440-255-3473 between 1 and 10 p.m.

SALs host poor man’s raffle
Sons of the American Legion Squadron 678, 579 E. 328th St. in Willowick, will host a Poor Man’s Reverse Raffle at 7:45 p.m. Sept. 20 at the post home. Tickets are $10 each and only 200 tickets will be sold. The first ticket will be drawn at 7:45 p.m. Food, beverages and sideboards all will be part of the fun. Proceeds will benefit American Legion charities. Tickets are available at the canteen or from any SALs member.

Golf outing benefits Sub Zero Mission
The Second Annual Sub Zero Mission charity golf outing will be 11:30 a.m. Sept. 21 at Madison Country Club, 6131 Chapel Road in Madison. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m. and the shotgun start will be 1 p.m.
The outing will benefit Sub Zero Mission, a charity to prevent freezing and injury caused by extreme weather exposure to homeless and financially destitute Americans, with a special focus on military veterans.
For details, call Del Bethel at 440-286-1387 or 440-622-4157 or email to del@subzeromission.org.

Cornhole tournament at Marine Corps League
Col. J.M. Chambers Marine Corps League Detachment 555, 8720 Twinbrook Drive in Mentor, will host a cornhole tournament fundraiser beginning at 2 p.m. Sept. 21 at Gunny’s Hall.
The tournament is open to the public and is $10 per person to enter. ($5 fund raiser and $5 tournament) To register in advance or for details, call 440-974-9380.

To submit items for this column or the online listings, send them to: The News-Herald, Attn: Larece Galer, 7085 Mentor Ave., Willoughby, OH 44094; fax to 440-975-2293; or via email to LGaler@News-Herald.com.