By Michael Ash
What? Minnesota has an American Legion College?
Yes, we do! Who would benefit the most from attending this “college”? You may have guessed it, but the answer is … you!
We not only teach you all kinds of important stuff that makes you say, “I did not know that!” but — shhh, this is a bit of a secret — we will answer every single question you have concerning absolutely anything concerning The American Legion.
Who is this college for? We have 60,000-plus American Legion members in Minnesota, and we truly believe it is for every and any of those 60,000-plus members!
If you plan to be a committee member, officer or just a regular member of The American Legion (this latter group would be those that do a lot of the work), this course is for you!
We start on a Thursday evening with a meet-and-greet kind of deal, then have the fun courses Friday and Saturday, and finish with a flourish on Sunday morning. That would be pictures, certificates and stuff like that.
All this is held at Camp Ripley, and the cost is only $200, which is usually paid by your post or district. The fee pays for your room. We’re housed in the six-packs — buildings with six rooms, a kitchen area and common area, and it covers other goodies we hand out in class.
The Camp Ripley Dining Facility (which others may know as a chow hall) is connected to the Education Center, so it is near the classroom. Plus, there are a couple of eating establishments right outside the main gate.
There’s a simple form to fill out at https://mnlegion.org/legion-college/ and that’s it. We have limited the attendance to 18 students to ensure the best possible outcomes — but we have also expanded our classes to being held in both April (Thursday, April 20, through Sunday, April 23, with registration deadline of March 1) and October (Thursday, Oct. 12, to Sunday, Oct. 15, with registration deadline of Sept. 1).
It may seem a bit early, but now is the time to check with your post or district to ask them to invest in the future of our organization! Thank you!
