2017 - Year in Review

• The Chapter participated in 64 projects and events donating over 2,000 hours collectively. 
• They were requested to provide 23 funeral missions: 33 flag lines and 9 escorts.
• The Chapter attended the four Unaccompanied Veterans Memorial Services at Black Hills National Cemetery and the Vietnam Veterans Honoring Ceremony in April at BHNC.
  
• By December 2017, the Chapter had 49 members.
  

Summary of projects and events from January through December:

1. The Chapter Christmas/New Year Party at the Lodge at Deadwood
2. Attended the District 1 oratorical scholarship contest
3. Participated in the National Salute to Veterans Patients at the Ft. Meade VA – visited patients and gave them gifts
4. Participated in the Legion Family membership drive at the Spearfish Optimist Club Home Show
5. Attended the Spring and Fall District 1 Meetings
6. Attended and MC the 2^nd Annual Spearfish Legion Ball
7. Provided First Aid/CPR training with an emphasis on motorcycle safety
8. Gave 10 CD players and country music for the recreational room at the Ft. Meade VA
9. Donated a $300 memorial for Charter member Debbie Turner towards the renovations of the Senior Center kitchen – Participated in the Dedication of the new kitchen
10. Participated in young veteran, single mother of two, Amanda Voisin fundraiser at Crow Peak Brewery to help with expenses for her treatment in Omaha, NE.
11. Flag etiquette in Black Hawk
12. Flag etiquette for 200 first graders at West Elementary, Spearfish with the collaboration of the Spearfish Honor Guard
13. Set-up flags for the Avenue of Flags at the Black Hills National Cemetery before Memorial Day
14. Decorated 250+ veterans graves at the Spearfish Rose Hill Cemetery
15. Participated in four local Memorial Day ceremonies, MC, and flag line
16. Attended the BHNC Memorial Day Ceremony
17. Participated in the Arlington, WV, Patriot Ride with Post 177
18. Participated in the Laying of the Wreath to the Unknown Soldier at the Arlington National Cemetery
19. Participated in the XXXth Rolling Thunder remembering all POW/MIA, Washington, D.C.
20. Participated in the Memorial Day ceremony in Cumberland, MD
21. Provided the POW/MIA Ceremony of the White Table at the State Convention
22. Provide the Honor Guard on Flag Day for the Baseball Post 164 Military Appreciation night
23. Attended the Pvt. Peter Thompson history talk at the High Palins Western Heritage Center, Spearfish
24. Co-planned, flag raising and opening ceremony, led the Realtors for Kids (RFK) Poker Run to help children in the local areas
25. Donated lip Baum, mouthwash and hygene items to the Ft. Meade VA
26. Paid half of the display for the Congressional Medal of Honor for Pvt. Peter Thompson at the High Plains Western Heritage Center, Spearfish
27. Prepared an Independence Day Baby Basket – no babies were born on July 4^th. The basket will be given for the first baby born on or close to July 4^th 2018
28. Participated in the Independence Day Parade in Spearfish
29. Chapter independence Day BBQ at Nelson’s
30. Organized and worked the Spearfish Festival in the Park
31. Raised flags at the Buffalo Chip for the rally
32. Participated in the Bishop Ride
33. Participated in the DAV Poker Run
34. “Flags for Fallen Vets” at Black Hills National Cemetery
35. Provided food and snacks for the first responders at the Spearfish Ambulance Services during the Sturgis Rally
36. Participated in the opening ceremony of the Sturgis Rally
37. Participated in the 6^th Annual Poker Run for the Kenadi Weis Foundation and The Spearfish Monument
38. Participated in the Freedom Ride raising money for the Legacy Scholarship, Hot Springs
39. Planned and participated in the BHSU Jacket Ride to raise money for veteran scholarship
40. Participated in Jacket Ride Scholarship award to a young BHSU veteran, active duty, father of three young children
41. Provided National Anthem proper etiquette for the BHSU football team with other veteran organizations
42. Attended the Remember 9/11 First Responders at the Spearfish Fire Station
43. Participated in the BHSU Swarm Day parade
44. Welcome the BHSU football team on Swarm Day weekend and line up for the National Anthem
45. Organized the 3^rd Annual Borbely Memorial Breakfast and Ride to benefit the education of the Borbely’s children and a swing set for the young children of late Amanda Voisin
46. Organized and participated in the Patriot Day Trapshoot, fundraiser for the Spearfish Post 164
47. Provided the POW/MIA Ceremony for the National Day of Remembrance, the third Friday of September for 600+ students, grades 3-5, at the Spearfish Creekside Elementary School
48. Participated in the flag line and guest speaker (Mike Kain) for the “Hero Appreciation” All Military, Law Enforcement, Firefighter, and EMS personnel, at the October 14^th BHSU Football Game
49. Prepared and participated at the Northern Hills Training Center Community Chili Feed to help raise funds for activities benefiting disabled adults in residence
50. Helped with the Flag raising and Flag etiquette at the Piedmont Valley Elementary School
51. Participated in the Ft. Meade VA Oktoberfest
52. Escorted Sgt. Iyotte, Korean War MIA-POW returning to SD after 66 years, from Rapid City, through the reservations, to his final destination in White River. 450 miles, 16 hours
53. Posted Colors at the opening ceremony of the State EMS Convention
54. Led the first day of the USS-South Dakota Submarine Flag Relay from Sturgis to Pierre
55. Participated in the Safe Halloween with the Spearfish Legion Family
56. Donated 300+ emergency blankets for the Rapid City Stand Down, helping 283 veterans
57. Provided the Posting of colors, Service Flags presentation and retiring of the Colors at the Spearfish Middle School Veterans Day Program
58. Attended the Creekside Third Grade Poems and Songs for Veterans Day
59. Provide the Flag Line for the Veterans Day program at the High Plains Western Heritage Center
60. Did the POW/MIA ceremony for the Spearfish Veterans Day dinner
61. Organized and provided flag line and pinning of service emblems for 15 veterans at the Massa Nursing Wing of the Sturgis Regional Hospital
62. Helped take the flags down after Veterans Day for safe storage, at the BHNC
63. Prepared and presented the “Who, What, and Why” of the Black Hills Chapter of the American Legion Riders to the Spearfish Rotary Club
64. Attended the Legislative Roundtable in Rapid City 

2016 - Year in Review

Yearly review was missed and we're trying to build the list.   

2015 - Year in Review

1. Donated 1080 hours of collective service to veterans and community
2. Participated in 34 projects/events
3. Provided 15 flag lines/escorts for funerals in the local area
4. Visited long-term care residents for Valentine’s Day at Ft. Meade VA, Sturgis to give socks, bags of fruits and cards
5. Participated at the Christmas Program at Ft. Meade VA, Sturgis
6. Provided an ice cream social at Ft. Meade VA, Sturgis
7. Recruited new members when participating at the Spearfish Optimist Home Show; won the People’s Choice Award for the booth
8. Provided a flag etiquette program to 190 first graders at West elementary in Spearfish including a folding ceremony with the collaboration of the Honor Guard
9. Provided a flag etiquette to 45 preschoolers in Sturgis with a flag folding ceremony to launch their study of the Pledge of Allegiance
10. Provided a flag folding and flag raising at the Piedmont Valley Elementary School
11. Conducted the initial flag raising ceremony at the new Sturgis Indian Motorcycle building in Sturgis, SD
12. Conducted the flag raising ceremony for 500 students at Creekside Elementary to start their Safety Day
13. Helped replace a 60’ x 80’ (very large) flag at Camping World in Summerset, SD
14. Decorated 250 plus veterans’ graves with an American flag for Memorial Day
15. Participated in Memorial Day ceremonies at four area cemeteries
16. Raised the Flags at the Black Hills National Cemetery on Memorial Day
17. Helped take down the flags at the Black Hills National Cemetery after Veterans Day
18. Organized a poker run to benefit the American Legion Legacy Scholarship Trust Fund
19. Performed Honor Guard duties for the South Dakota Emergency Medical Services Association
20. Performed Honor Guard duties for the "Relay for Life" event in Spearfish, SD  
21. Conducted the POW/MIA Ceremony of Remembrance for the South Dakota American Legion  Department Convention
22. Conducted the POW/MIA Ceremony of Remembrance for the American Legion District 1 Spring meeting
23. Conducted the POW/MIA Ceremony of Remembrance for the Deadwood Business Salute to our Veterans’ Day
24. Provided the display of the POW/MIA Ceremony of Remembrance for 500 students grades 3 – 5 for the POW/MIA National Remembrance Day
25. Conducted the POW/MIA Ceremony of Remembrance for the Spearfish Veterans Dinner
26. Participated in the Black Hills Roundup Parade in Belle Fourche on July 4th
27. Participated in the Black Hills State University Jacket Ride helping to raise funds for veterans scholarships at the University
28. Organized a BBQ for veterans and riders during the Sturgis Rally
29. Participated in the Black Hills State University Swarm Day Parade and Homecoming
30. Coordinated a breakfast fundraiser with game of golf and ride for one of our riders; Robert “Borb” Borbely killed in a motorcycle accident leaving behind his wife and 3 children. A check for $1,100 was given to the family and $1,000 to a fellow rider diagnosed with cancer
31. Participated in a chili cook-off to support the Northern Hills Training Center
32. Attended the unveiling ceremony for the inauguration of the first wall at the Spearfish Veterans Monument
33. Participated in the Spearfish Middle School Veterans Program for Veterans’ Day providing a flag line of service flags
34. Participated in the Belle Fourche Middle School Veterans Day program – presentation of the service flags
35. Participated in the Piedmont Valley Elementary School