Free concert brings big band swing, bebop, Latin, popular tunes, and more to Bellevue

The U.S. Army Jazz Ambassadors will play a free concert Tuesday, April 5 at 7 p.m. in the Courter Family Athletic Pavilion on the Bellevue College (BC) campus.

The Jazz Ambassadors is the official touring big band of the United States Army. The 19-member ensemble has received great acclaim both at home and abroad performing big band swing, bebop, Latin, contemporary jazz, standards, popular tunes, Dixieland, vocals, and patriotic selections.

“This band is truly amazing. We are thrilled to host them on our campus,” said professor and Jazz Band Director Jim Sisko. “Bringing musicians of this caliber to Bellevue College is immeasurably beneficial for our current and future students and really points to the Eastside as a home for the arts.”

The band has appeared in all fifty states, Canada, Mexico, Japan, India, and throughout Europe. Notable performances include concerts at international jazz festivals in Montreux, Switzerland; Newport, Rhode Island; Toronto, Canada; Brussels, Belgium; and the North Sea Jazz Festival in the Netherlands. In 1995, the Jazz Ambassadors performed in England, Wales, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Czech Republic in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the end of World War II. The band has also been featured in unique joint concerts with major orchestras, including the Detroit and Baltimore symphonies.

WHAT: Jazz Ambassadors of the U.S. Army Field Band performing big band swing and more. An exciting evening of fun for the whole family. Band members will also be available for an audience meet-and-greet after the performance.

WHEN: Tuesday, April 5, from 7 – 8:30 p.m.

WHERE: Bellevue College- Courter Family Athletic Pavilion, Building G

PARKING AT BC: Free evening parking and Metro Transit route 271 stops on the Bellevue College campus

TICKETS: The concert is free, but reservations are required through Brown Paper tickets:
​
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2511318

The Library of Congress' program to preserve veterans' wartime memories has archived its 100,000 collection.
The Veterans History Project collects veterans’ first-person narratives from World War I through the more recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
​
Officials are highlighting the 100,000 milestone while renewing the call for volunteers to help veterans tell their personal stories, so that future generations can better understand troops’ experiences in war. The congressionally mandated project is in its 16th year.

About 20,000 of the collections are available online at the Veterans History Project (http://www.loc.gov/vets/)
A simple search of the website shows that more than half of the veterans’ collections — nearly 58,000 — come from those who served in World War II. The next highest — 18,432 — come from the Vietnam War. There are 2,252 collections from Iraq veterans and 1,029 from Afghanistan veterans.

“There are more than 22 million veterans still living in the United States, and it is our hope that even more volunteers will come forward to interview the veterans in their lives and communities and also submit original photographs, letters and other correspondence to be preserved for researchers now and to inspire future generations,” said Veterans History Project director Robert Patrick in a statement.

Project officials point to the online VHP field kit (http://www.loc.gov/vets/kit.html), which provides instructions, a list of interview questions and required forms. They encourage individuals, businesses, high schools, colleges and universities, congressional offices, houses of worship and other organizations to participate.

The website also offers a how-to video.
SOURCE:  Military Times article at http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/benefits/veterans/2016/02/25/veterans-history-project-reaches-100000-milestone/80805994/

Take care of your feet!

The guest speaker for the March meeting will be Summer from Tina's Hair Salon who will give a presentation on the importance of foot care. Don't miss this opportunity to learn helpful tips and ask questions.

​Here are the details for the 2nd District Spring Conference on April 16th at Post #163 Friday Harbor.

Morning ferries from Anacortes, the morning of April 16th: 
Departs: 08:30,  Arrives: 09:55
Departs: 09:30,  Arrives: 10:35

Social Hour Starts: 10:00

Memorial Service: 11:00

Joint Meeting: 12:00

Lunch: 13:00 - $10 for a pulled pork sandwich, choice of coleslaw or potato salad, and dessert. 

Meeting: 14:00

RSVP: No need to pre-pay for meal but please contact and give number of people coming. 360-378-3052 or email: [email protected]

Hotel Information: 
Discovery INN - 1016 Guard Street, Friday Harbor, WA. 98250 - Phone: 360-378-2000
Deluxe Queen - $111.20, Double Queen - $127.20

Friday Harbor Suites
680 Spring Street West, Friday Harbor, WA 98250
$115 (may have to mention The American Legion Conference for price)

Respectfully,
Jerry Hughes
2nd District Commander

The District Round Table this month will be held at Post #91 in Burlington at 13:00 on Sunday, the 20th of March. Those who are interested are also invited to come a little early as the Burlington Post will also be serving Breakfast that day from 08:00 to Noon.

For those who don't already know, our District Service Officer is Shannon Plummer from Post #163 in Friday Harbor. Mr. Plummer is trying to establish communications with all service officers within the 2nd District and would also like them to attend the Spring Conference in April. If your Post has active service officers who are taking claims, please have them contact him at his email: [email protected] 

In preparation for our Spring Conference on April 16th at Friday Harbor (Details to be sent out soon), I am requesting that all Posts who wish to have the names of their deceased members read at the Memorial Service please submit those names to me as soon as possible so that I can add them to the list. Again, these are members who have passed since April of last year.   

If any Post has an upcoming event that they would like me to send out to the rest of the District, please feel free to email it to me and I'll send it out.

Respectfully,
Jerry Hughes
2nd District Commander