Happy New Year Post 7 Family!!!

 The new year has just begun and so much has already happened! 2026 is definitely off to a great start.
The Bellingham American Legion New Year’s Eve celebration was an amazing success. Great food, awesome music and a large group of New Year’s Eve revelers made that evening special. A big thank you to our musical guests The Motown Cruisers. That band put on a great show.

 The first Saturday night of 2026 at the Bellingham Legion went well. While folks feasted on Swedish meatballs, mash potatoes and homemade dill bread, these happy diners watched the Seahawks beat the 49ers and clinch the NFC West championship. This SAL Saturday dinner was the sixth installment of the Historian Series meal event. As such, 100% of the tips collected that evening will go towards Albert J Hamilton Post 7 American Legion historical preservation.

 The first Albert J Hamilton Post 7 American Legion Eboard & General Membership meeting of the year was scheduled for January 5th. Unfortunately, not enough Legion members attended so an official meeting could not be held. However, during that discussion period, the new Albert J Hamilton Post 7 American Legion Constitution was presented for consideration. Thank you, Constitution Committee, for your hard work. Physical copies are now displayed at the Post for viewing. In the near future, our new constitution will also be available on our website at BellinghamLegion.com

 Speaking of our website, in February Rob Meyers will be taking on the responsibility of managing and updating the BellinghamLegion.com webpage. Rob currently manages the Albert J Hamilton Post 7 Facebook page. Rob has also been appointed to the position of Second Vice Commander. Both of these duties were formerly held by Chad Larsen who recently resigned from the Second Vice Commander position. We thank Chad for his long-time service and commitment to Post 7.

 As we venture forth into the second quarter of this new millennium, the Bellingham American Legion will face new challenges and exciting opportunities. Taxes, government regulations, food & alcohol prices, and overall operational costs have increased. Also, our Post 7 building, which was commissioned in 1977, is in constant need of repair. These various issues may seem daunting however new opportunities are presenting themselves.

 In recent years, Legion membership growth has been a struggle. Today, Post 7 is steadily signing up new members while retaining our current members. The Sons of the American Legion Detachment 7 membership numbers are strong and growing. Great job SAL! Let’s maintain focus and keep this positive membership momentum growing.

 Volunteerism is key to a successful American Legion Post. The tasty meals, entertaining evenings, holiday events, and Veteran ceremonies are only possible because of the time donated by our generous volunteers. Building maintenance and grounds keeping are other ways folks can help. Volunteering your time at Post 7 is a wonderful way to support Veterans, their families and our community. Raise your hand and get involved. You’ll be glad you did.

 For over One Hundred years the Albert J Hamilton Post 7 Bellingham American Legion has been dedicated to Whatcom County Veterans, their families and our community. The members of Post 7 know the meaning of service and realizes the importance that our Post brings to our community. The second quarter of the new millennium has arrived. Let’s make 2026 a year to remember.

Robert W Meyers
Albert J Hamilton American Legion Post 7 Historian
January 9, 2026