History contest entries due Sept. 15

History contest entries due Sept. 15

Preparations are under way for the Legion's National Post History Contest and National Department History Contest, which will both be judged Monday, Oct. 10, the first day of Fall Meetings at National Headquarters in Indianapolis.

The National Post History Contest is the final level of competition for post historians who have put together projects, in either the One-Year Narrative or Yearbook category, chronicling the calendar year of 2010 for their posts. These were first submitted for judging at the department conventions earlier this year. Only the first-place winner from each department is eligible for the national contest. Certification forms, signed by the department historian, are due to National Headquarters no later than Sept. 15.

The National Department History Contest is an opportunity for the department historians themselves to submit entries - One-Year Narrative or Yearbook - chronicling the calendar year of 2010 for their departments. Certification forms for this contest must be signed by the department adjutant. The deadlines for forms and entries are the same as in the post contest.

The judges for both contests are made up of a committee of past and present department and national historians. Winners will receive plaques. If you did not put together an entry for the 2010 calendar year, consider starting now on 2011's. These chronicles can serve as templates for future Legionnaires at your post to continue the activities and community service that make your post special. Use the Consolidated Post Report as a checklist of events to cover. Handy guidelines, and advice on creating archives, can be found in the Post Officers Guide, beginning on page 161.