Elroy American Legion Post 115 is available for Parties of all types, to book an event please call, Sarah  Rick @ 608-462-5013

 Post 115 Meet every 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7:00 PM

Commander: Pete Gnirk Phone: (608) 462-5632

Adjutant: Orlando Stone Phone: (608) 462-5297

"Benefit For Dave"

On Saturday, Feb. 25, there was a "Benefit For Dave" at the Elroy Legion Hall.  Dave Reynolds was a supervisor at Walkers Stainless Steel and Heritage Manor employs Pam, his wife. They both enjoyed raising horses and riding them.  Area residents, friends, and family showed their support for this couple at a benefit at the Elroy American Legion on Saturday, February 25_th.  Saturday night was something to behold.  The Legion Hall was bursting at the seams.  People were everywhere.  If someone says this part of the state does not care.  Well they are just plain wrong.  Fundraising was excellent during the event, but it is going to take many dollars and lots of time in therapy to help Dave and his family maintain a decent quality of life.  We urge all Legion members to support the Reynolds family anyway they can.  Monetary donations can be sent to the Royal Bank, Elroy. 

By Eileen Nale (published in the February 23rd Messenger of Juneau County)

 Oh, how we take things for granted.  In the blink of the eye how fast our world can change, some times for the better and sometimes for the worse.  What happened to Dave Reynolds while he was driving a car on January 5, en route to the Madison Airport, with only three blocks to go was for the worse.  Dave was hit head-on by an oncoming car, causing him to be paralyzed from the shoulders down.  Dave was put on a ventilator and remains on it to this day.  Dave’s injures include fractures to the cervical 3 and 4 vertebrae, along with a severely stretched spinal cord.

It all started when Dave’s brother, Kevin was moving to Texas and had asked Dave to help him.  Kevin was driving the U Haul and Dave was following behind in a car.  The plan was to ride with his brother in the U Haul to Texas after he left the vehicle at the airport.  This way after he got his brother settled in Texas he would fly back to the Madison Airport and drive the vehicle back home.

I recently sat down with Dave’s wife, Pam to see how things are progressing.  Pam said when she kissed her husband good-bye that morning she had that strange feeling that she has never felt before that made her worry about his safety.  She told David that to be sure and take good care of himself and he reassured her that he would be alright.  Pam said, "When Kevin called telling me what had happened to David I was in shock.  He told me that David’s parents were coming over to pick me up so we could all go to Madison. It seemed like it took forever to get there.  I spend all week with Dave at the hospital and am learning how to care for him when he comes home, hopefully soon.  We are all thinking positively.  It is so hard to see the one you love struggle so much.  We are learning much about life support equipment and procedures to keep Dave’s strength up as he is working hard to recover.  He can speak and eat when the ventilator balloon is deflated that is in his windpipe. When he does this it literally drains him, with a sentence taking maybe 2 or 3 tries.  I am so thankful for the people in the community, our neighbors, friends and family for their support to us all.

Wisconsin Veterans Museum

The Veterans Museum encourages people of all age groups and backgrounds to visit our award winning facility. We serve the public in four unique areas. The Veterans Museum offers instructive exhibits that highlight important events in Wisconsin military history from the Civil War to the present. The museum has received national recognition for its displays. Secondly, the Veterans Museum develops educational programs often focusing on specific themes such as World War II or Korea. Thirdly, the Museum also operates a Research Center where books, photographic materials, oral histories, and archival collections can be accessed. In addition, the Research Center provides on line reference assistance. Finally, the Museum cares for and safeguards a large collection of artifacts associated with Wisconsin’s military history.

The Wisconsin Veterans Museum is an active member of the area community. The museum hosts school tours, veterans group meetings, commemorative events, special programs and participates in activities sponsored by its governing agency, the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs. The message of the Veterans Museum is one of affirmation. The Museum recognizes, acknowledges and affirms the role of state veterans in America’s military past. We believe that our educational programs, exhibits, and services contribute to the quality of life Wisconsin citizens enjoy.

Since opening in 1993 at it's Capitol Square location adjacent to the State Historical Museum and the Madison Children’s Museum, the museum, has provided tours and educational activities to hundreds of tour groups of all ages. We continue to encourage educators and students to visit the museum and to use it as an educational resource. We also welcome suggestions.

The museum is open 9:00 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Saturday, and noon to 4 pm Sundays (April through September). Admission is free.

History of Elroy

Thomas Brown and Thomas Riddle made the first claim and settlement just north of the present City of Elroy in March 1851. Two months later three Fowler brothers and a nephew that also made claims settled in this same area. When winter came, the community had grown to eight families, and the next spring a school was organized with Miss Emily Fowler as the first teacher.

The settlement grew and the need for closer communication with the outside world was required so an official post office was established. This office, which was named Fowler's Prairie, opened on July 16, 1857 in the home of Reuben A. Fowler, the first postmaster. It was just east of the present Elroy-Sparta Trail and about one-half mile west of the present city limits.

In 1855 James Hutchinson bought from the U.S. Government much of the land that would later make up what is now the City of Elroy. The next year, James Brintnall came to the area, bought land from Mr. Hutchinson and set up a sawmill. In 1858, Mr. Brintnall along with a J.M. Bennet of Hillsboro Township surveyed and plotted the first section of Elroy. Streets and alleys were designated as the law required.

In 1859 John Hutchinson came to the area and along with his brother James, bought Brintnall's saw mill so they could build a gristmill. This mill stood where the last bridge as you come into Elroy from the south on Hwy. 80 & 82 is now located. Remnants of the dam which was built may still be seen under the railroad bridge which is now on the "400" Trail. This location was at the narrowest point of the Baraboo River so less material would be needed. After the completion of the mill the farmers did not have to spend a day or two going to the Lemonweir Mills south of Mauston.

 Because of the mill other places of business sprang up and the infant community was doing well and now it needed a name.   The post office had been brought down from Fowler's Prairie but that name did not fit the new area. The office was located in the home of Mr. James Brintnall, which is still standing as the first home on Lincoln Street. The name LeRoy was suggested and all twenty-five residents concurred, but a letter came back from the Post Office Department with the information that there already was a LeRoy in Wisconsin so Mr. Brintnall's daughter suggested turning the first two letters around and the OK came back for Elroy. Jonathon Carter came to town with a stock of goods and built a store just north of the mill. The Bickford blacksmith shop opened, as did Hagerth's wagon shop, a livery stable and an inn.

The community prospered but it took the news that the railroad was coming that really caused the boom! By August 5, 1872, when the first train appeared, Elroy had doubled in size and as the railroad went on west and north Elroy became ready to incorporate. The community became a village on December 13, 1879, and on April 7, 1885 Elroy was a city and continued to grow until in 1905 the population was over 2,000.

Five years later a more direct line between Milwaukee and the Twin Cities through Adams, which was much flatter, was built and much of the railroad business was lost. Railroading continued to decline and in 1964 the entire service west was discontinued and the rails were removed. The land was sold to what became the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and it was developed into the first hiking and biking trail of its kind in the world and became the "Granddaddy of all Trails". The thirty-two mile trail with three tunnels goes on through Kendall, Wilton and Norwalk to Sparta. In the 1980's all railroad operations ceased between Reedsburg and Camp Douglas. The portion between Elroy and Camp Douglas was sold to Juneau County and the "Omaha" Trail, which is twelve and a half miles long, began operating in 1992. Two years later the twenty-two mile "400" State Trail was developed. It begins in Elroy and runs through the communities of Union Center, Wonewoc and LaValle and ends in Reedsburg.

The three trails meet at the Elroy Commons in downtown Elroy that is operated by the Tourism Committee of the City and has several employees. Trail passes are sold, bikes rented, T-shirts and other souvenirs as well as refreshments are sold and information given freely. Questions on places to stay or where to eat, what is going on in the nearby communities, names of shuttle drivers are often asked. It might be well to call the Commons Trail Shop at 1-888-606-BIKE (2453) before getting too far on your trip to Elroy. Incidentally, Wisconsin Dells, with a more exciting adventure is only thirty miles from Elroy.

The City of Elroy bought the old railroad depot and converted and remodeled it into Elroy's fire station. The land on which the twenty-stall roundhouse stood since 1900 as well as most of the railroad yards in the City was also purchased and is now the location of several industrial buildings.

For many years the economy of Elroy would hang on every move the railroad made even though agriculture was also very important for the community. With several companies employing more people things are looking good for the Elroy economy. With 800 good paying jobs within twelve miles of Elroy to be added within two or three years the future looks very good. Housing could become a problem but recently several large tracts of land have been added to Elroy for housing developments. Nineteen apartments have recently been completed and twenty-four are in the planning stage. One addition to Elroy is for construction of new homes and that may get started in 2000.

 History of the Pledge of Allegiance

 The original Pledge of Allegiance was written by Francis Bellamy. It was first given wide publicity through the official program of the National Public Schools Celebration of Columbus Day which was printed in The Youth's Companion of September 8, 1892, and at the same time sent out in leaflet form to schools throughout the country. School children first recited the Pledge of Allegiance this way:

"I pledge allegiance to my Flag and to the Republic for which it stands one Nation indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all."

"The flag of the United States" replaced the words "my Flag" in 1923 because some foreign-born people might have in mind the flag of the country of their birth instead of the United States flag. A year later, "of America" was added after "United States."

No form of the Pledge received official recognition by Congress until June 22, 1942, when the Pledge was formally included in the U.S. Flag Code. The official name of The Pledge of Allegiance was adopted in 1945. The last change in language came on Flag Day 1954, when Congress passed a law, which added the words "under God" after "one nation."

Originally, the pledge was said with the right hand in the so-called "Bellamy Salute," with the right hand resting first outward from the chest, then the arm extending out from the body. Once Hitler came to power in Europe, some Americans were concerned that this position of the arm and hand resembled the Nazi or Fascist salute. In 1942 Congress also established the current practice of rendering the pledge with the right hand over the heart.
 

The Flag Code specifies that any future changes to the pledge would have to be with the consent of the President.

It was a dark, stormy, night.  Bruce Taylor was on his first assignment, and it was guard duty.  A General stepped out taking his dog for a walk. The nervous young Bruce leaped to attention, made a perfect salute, and snapped out "Sir, Good Evening, Sir!"

 Evening soldier, nice night, isn't it?"  Well it wasn't a nice night, but Bruce wasn't going to disagree with the General, so he saluted again and replied "Sir, Yes Sir!”

The General continued, "You know there's something about a stormy night that I find soothing, it's really relaxing.  Don't you agree?"  Bruce didn't agree, but then being just a private, he responded "Sir, Yes Sir!"

The General, pointing at the dog, "This is a Golden Retriever, the best type of dog to train."  Bruce glanced at the dog, saluted yet again and said "Sir, Yes Sir!"
 

The General continued "I got this dog for my wife."  Bruce simply said, "Good trade Sir!"  Note: Bruce served the remainder of his tour of duty on KP!

 Legion Calendar

March

   1 Bingo; Pete Brandt (eat at noon)

  4 Church Group 12-4

  6 Lions

  7 Retired Teachers (eat at noon)

  8 Bingo

  9 Gideons

14 Auxiliary Meeting 7 PM

15 Bingo – Senior Citizens

20 Lions

22 Bingo

27 Dick Steffen – meeting

28 Dick Steffen – meeting

29 Bingo

30 Dick Steffen – meeting (tentative)

31 Pete Brandt – Farm Education     

     meeting – 8 PM

April

   2 Fair Board – meeting

  3 Lions

  4 Feeding God’s People 12 Noon

  5 Bingo

  8 Harriet Fortune Party

11 Auxiliary Meeting 7 PM

12 Bingo; Royal Bank Stockholders

   – meeting

13 Guideons

15 E. E. A. C.

17 Lions

19 Bingo – Senior Citizens

25 Handicapped Kids (eat 11:30)

26 Bingo

!!! Don’t Forget!!!

May 13 Sportsman’s Night Out

!!!Don’t Forget!!!

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