Malta American Legion honored by their peers

Once a year, without fail, a few of the members of the Malta's American Legion Post #57 make the trek to the Annual District II VFW Meeting. It is not every year, however, that they come home with a prestigious award from their peers.

On Saturday, April 9 members of the American Legion Post #57 attending the meeting in Chester, Mont., to meet with the other dozen or so posts in the region along with the American Legion Department of Montana for a day full of meetings. It was during the meeting that Post #57 received a 100-Percent Honor Ribbon – golden in color and emblazed with blue lettering and the American Legion logo – recognizing the Malta post for having 100-percent of membership (the Malta American Legion has 86 members.)

"We are the only post in District II to receive the ribbon and I don't think there are many in the state of Montana to get one," said Ken Wiederrick.

Another award Post #57 received, this one even more prestigious than the 100-Ribbon, was the Special Children and Youth Citation presented to Malta from the American Legion Committee on Children and Youth. The award – a certificate – was presented to Post #57 in recognition of outstanding service rendered to children, as certified by an accurate and comprehensive report on the groups activities over 2015. Post Commander Vince Schmoeckel said the award follows a year in which Post #57 volunteered time and money to such Phillips County entities as Shooting Sports, the Angel Program, CloseUP and many others.

"Anything for the kids," beamed Commander Schmoeckel.

"The award was a complete surprise," added Wiederrick. "I couldn't believe it. We didn't apply for it, we didn't do anything above and beyond what we normally do."

Jim Sintler, Jay Southwick and Wiederrick were at the meeting and accepted the award for Post #57. Commander Schmoeckel said that the District American Legion headquarters looked at Post #57's data reports, hours spent volunteering at children's events and money donated to determine which posts will receive the prestigious award.

"It sure is nice," said Commander Schmoeckel.

"We don't want any special pat on the back for what we do," added Wiederrick. "We just want people to know what we do and our oginization is out there for them."

"Whether that be for kids or anyone else in our community," Commander Schmoeckel concluded.