Legion Spring Meetings underway next week

American Legion National Commander Dale Barnett and Legionnaires representing every American Legion department will convene in Indianapolis, May 2-5, for the organization's annual Spring Meetings.

The Legion's various commissions and committees will meet at the Sheraton City Centre Hotel in downtown Indianapolis to discuss updates on the Legion's youth and veterans programs, review resolutions and prepare reports, which will be delivered to the National Executive Committee (NEC). Click here for a commission and committee meeting schedule. The NEC will meet May 4-5 in the NEC Room at National Headquarters to review the reports and vote on resolutions.

The NEC also will hear from Barnett about the success departments and posts are having with Walk for Veterans events, membership updates and other Legion priorities such as members of VA's Commission on Care wanting to privatize VA health care and the Legion's opposition to it. And the 2016 Eagle Scout of the Year recipient and the Legacy Scholarship recipients also will be named during the meetings.

Emblem Sales will have a room with merchandise for sale in the Lower Lobby of the Sheraton. The room will be opened starting this Saturday from 7 a.m.-noon, 2-6 p.m. Sunday, 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Monday and 7 a.m.-noon Tuesday. All merchandise will be available to order, and in-stock orders placed Monday will be delivered to the hotel Tuesday.

A Quilts of Valor Day of Service also is scheduled for May 2 at the Sheraton in conjunction with the Legion's Spring Meetings. From 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. in the Lower Lobby, Legion family members can help sew quilts to provide healing and comfort to servicemembers touched by war. Those who don’t sew can press, or cut, or just be present to get a glimpse of the program in action.