This year’s Department Conference in Independence, Ohio from July 12th through July 14th, 2024, was a success. Post Adjutant / Past Commander Steve Lieurance and myself represented our post. A lot of effort had been put forth by our post to submit a notebook binder demonstrating, cataloging, and providing evidence to the Department of Ohio that we were the right choice for this year’s Father Duffy Award. It was my honor to accept the award on behalf of Post Chaplain, Rob Klein, which consisted of a beautiful post plaque and cross representing our faith in Jesus Christ, our Lord, here at the Doug Dunaway American Legion Post 790.
For those unfamiliar with the award, it is presented to the Post Chaplain or representative, as in our case, during the Department of Ohio’s awards ceremony. A post chaplain must be intimately familiar with the “The Chaplain’s Manual”, “Chaplain’s Handbook–Service to God and Country”, “Americanism Manual”, and the “Description of Chaplain Duties and Ceremonies” in the current Officer’s Manual. In addition, a post chaplain must document as many 32 point-based items that reflect his or her “Service to God and Country” during a post chaplain’s year in office. The requirements and details regarding the Father John Duffy Post Award can be found here.
Being one post in the American Legion family of posts that specifically emphasizes our commitment to God and focuses on the spiritual needs of our members, it gives me great pleasure and satisfaction to know that our efforts to glorify and praise God at each and every monthly meeting doesn’t go unrecognized.
And a special thanks to Chaplain Rob Klein’s praise and worship efforts during 2024, and Assistant Chaplain Marty Klayman for his special spiritual message and teachings at each monthly meeting which are so Biblically engaging. We would be remiss if I didn’t thank our very own Post Adjutant, Steve Lieurance that contributed substantially to the administrative efforts required to submit our post’s packet to Department this year. And lastly, a thanks go out to the Department of Ohio for recognizing this post efforts in glorifying God and recognizing our veterans who helped build this country we call the good old USA.