NEW LEGION DOCUMENTARY

‘This could be a 10-hour miniseries’
By Laura Edwards - October 10, 2010

Jason Heit (left) and Stephen Grudenic of Blackhorse Productions

discuss the DVD during the 2010 American Legion 

 Spring Meetings. Photo by James V. Carroll

A new documentary tells the story of The American Legion, from its founding in 1919 to today. Filmed by California’s Blackhorse Productions, “History of The American Legion: A National Legacy” is available on DVD from Emblem Sales for $19.95. A portion of the proceeds goes to Legion programs.

There's a great 4+ minute preview of this documentary on youtube... click here.

LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP

Legacy Scholarship tries again for grant
Vote daily for $250,000 in Pepsi Refresh Everything Project

For the second consecutive month, The American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund is competing for a $250,000 grant to be awarded by the Pepsi Beverage Co. as part of its Refresh Everything Project.

While Pepsi did not announce just where the Legacy Scholarship Fund finished in its May voting competition, the top two charities win the grants and the remaining top 100 are “rolled over” to participate in the next month’s competition. During the evening of May 31, The Legacy Scholarship was ranked 49th of 1,341 participating charities.

The American Legion’s Operation Comfort Warriors finished in first place during February’s voting and has already been awarded the top grant of $250,000.
“While I am disappointed that The American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund did not win a grant, I am not surprised that we apparently finished in the top tier,” National Commander Clarence E. Hill said. “If The American Legion family and all of our friends support this great cause, we can do better in June.

“Operation Comfort Warriors finished first in February. This is not about the same organization winning twice. It’s about assisting an entirely different group of deserving people: those whose parents paid the ultimate price and sacrificed their lives while serving in our military during the war on terrorism. The American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund ensures that the children of these fallen heroes will be able to attend college and not have to worry about the rising cost of higher education. We can support the children of these heroes simply by voting every day throughout the month of June. The process will cost you nothing, but the reward can truly make a difference.”

Visitors can cast their votes online or by clicking on the “Vote Daily” Pepsi panel at www.legion.org.

Hill also recommended that Legionnaires, Legion family members, friends and supporters of The American Legion spread the message to vote for The American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund.

“Individual voting alone will not win this competition,” Hill said. “We need people to post it on their Web sites, Facebook and Twitter accounts. They should use all social-media methods at their disposal. Operation Comfort Warriors was able to win because American Legion posts, Auxiliary units, Sons of the American Legion squadrons and American Legion Riders chapters all came together and worked toward a common goal. Spreading the word in newsletters and the mainstream media can also help us replicate our earlier success.”

PEPSI REFRESH PROJECT

The National Commander … and all of us, I’m sure … would like to receive another $250,000 from Pepsi so The American Legion could award several full-ride scholarships to the deserving children of men and women who lost their lives doing their duty since 9/11.  To do this, we need to each vote every day (www.legion.org) for The American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund.  Please do it now, and encourage your friends and associates to vote also.  There are many worthy charities in the competition, but certainly none more worthy than the Legacy Fund.  “It’s not what we do; it’s who we are!”

LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP

 The American Legion Legacy Scholarship fund is competing for a $250,000 grant to be awarded by the Pepsi Beverage Company as part of its Refresh Everything Project this month. The winning charities are determined by the amount of votes received on the Refresh Everything Web site. The American Legion's Operation Comfort Warriors finished in first place during February's voting and has already been awarded the top grant of $250,000.

"I was very proud of those who supported us in February and enabled us to fund a program that directly supports our wounded heroes," National Commander Clarence Hill said. "Now it's time to come to the aid of another group of deserving people: those whose parents paid the ultimate price and sacrificed their lives while serving in our military during the war on terrorism. The American Legion Legacy Scholarship fund ensures that the children of these fallen heroes will be able to attend college and not have to worry about the rising cost of higher education. We can support the children of these heroes simply by voting every day throughout the month of May. The process will cost you nothing, but the reward can truly make a difference."

About The American Legion Legacy Scholarship

Goals - To provide scholarships to students whose parent died in the service

The American Legion is the largest not-for-profit wartime veterans service organization, federally chartered by congress in 1919. Through its various charitable programs, the main focus of The Legion is to Improve the quality of life for our veterans, active duty personnel, and their families.

Overview

The American Legion Legacy Scholarship benefits college-bound students whose mom or dad lost their lives serving in the U.S. Armed Forces since 9/11. As college tuition and expenses continue to increase it becomes increasingly difficult for a single parent to afford. The American Legion Legacy Scholarship provides assistance with the cost of tuition, fees, and room and board.

Estimates are that over 10,000 children have lost a parent in the US Military since 9/11. This number will continue to rise as more children graduate from high school. Funds from the Pepsi Refresh Everything Project will allow The American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund to help meet this increasing need by providing assistance to deserving students. The American Legion and The American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund will be there to help fulfill President Lincoln’s promise “…to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan…”

To vote for the American Legion Legacy scholarship program, click here.

How will the 250K be Used?

$ 110,000 scholarships awarded for the Fall 2010 semester

$ 110,000 scholarships to be awarded for the Spring 2011 semester

$ 30,000 will be used to promote the availability of additional scholarships

Budget Notes: The American Legion will cover the administrative costs so that all the money will go for scholarships.