Members of lakeside’s two American Legion posts are dividing responsibilities and facilities as they prepare to host next week’s three-day 2015 Department of Mexico Convention.
While members of Post 9 are the official hosts of the meet, they have asked Commander Tim Stern and the crew at Chapala Post 7 to provide the facility and food service for the event.
Stern and Post 7 Adjutant Vince Britton don’t seem too concerned about hosting the nearly 40 delegates expected to attend from Mexico, South America and, of course, locally.
Stern and Britton say during their terms of office they have become well acquainted with almost all of the delegates, except those from the new post in Argentina.
According to Yvonne Jensen, head of American Legion Auxiliary Unit 7, the women are preparing to greet the delegates and their ladies with an array of appetizers at the welcome mixer on Tuesday, June 9, the evening prior to the opening of the convention. Unit 7 in Chapala is the only Auxiliary Unit in the Department of Mexico.
The American Legion is organized into 55 departments, one for each U.S. state plus others for the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, France, the Philippines and Mexico.
The Department of Mexico used to include only posts within this country. But as more retired veterans moved to other countries further south, new posts were formed – including one in Panama – and incorporated into the Department of Mexico.
Department Commandeer Ron Abbe from Puerto Vallarta Post 14 will officially welcome delegates at the Commander’s Dinner, to be served at Post 7 in Chapala on Wednesday, June 10 following the first day of business and meetings.
Abbe will give a special welcome to delegates from the Department’s newest post in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
In lieu of this, the menu is highlighted with an Argentinian touch, featuring arrachera with chimichurri sauce on polenta, fried plantains, salad, bread and desert.
There is a sliding price scale for the dinner tickets, which should be purchased in advance at Post 7. Delegates will pay 100 pesos, Legion members 130 pesos and others 150 pesos.
Post 7 is currently a flurry of activity as the facility is fixed up and reorganized prior to the convention. As part of their new regime, the Post’s kitchen is not open until 5 p.m.
Post 7 has announced that special Sunday dinners are now being served – in addition to the Sunday afternoon burger and hot dog barbecues. For example, on Sunday, June 14 the planned menu is osso bucco with garlic mashed potatoes and either turtle cheesecake or sweet potato pie. Other Sundays in June will feature an oriental chicken and coconut rice, and pecan crusted pork.
Barbecue is the Monday highlight at Post 7. Featured on the menu in coming weeks will be pork steaks, salmon planks, Caribbean jerk chicken, brisket and steak.