WHEREAS, The American Legion was co-founded by Theodore Roosevelt, and is the nation’s largest wartime veteran service organization and was chartered and incorporated by The United States Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization; and
WHEREAS, The American Legion is committed to mentoring youth and sponsorship of wholesome programs in our communities, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting strong national security, and continued devotion to our service members and veterans; and
WHEREAS, The American Legion’s success depends on active membership, participation and volunteerism and the organization belongs to the people it serves and the communities in which it thrives; and
WHEREAS, The American Legion Department of Minnesota owns and operates Legionville, the only camp of this kind in the nation used to educate and certify School Safety Patrol personnel; and
WHEREAS, The American Legion Department of Minnesota, in cooperation with the University of Minnesota and the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis funds a research chair for the investigation of brain disease; and
WHEREAS, The American Legion Baseball enjoys a reputation as one of the most successful and tradition-rich amateur athletic leagues and The Department of Minnesota has sponsored many players who went on to be inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame; and
WHEREAS, The American Legion Department of Minnesota has been selected to host the 2018 National Convention and thus launch the organization’s year-long Centennial Celebration; and
WHEREAS, The inaugural Convention of The American Legion was held in 1919 in Hennepin; and
WHEREAS, The American Legion has maintained its original purpose since inception; and
WHEREAS, the 2018 National Convention, meeting in Hennepin County, Minnesota, will once again make history by having the first female National Commander, Denise Rohan, presiding over the convention; therefore