A message from the commander from the American Legion website: (
visit link)
"Monsignor John F. Mc Manus Post 0262, The American Legion, welcomes you to myLegion.org. Please visit often to keep up to date with events at your American Legion Post. Our Meetings are the 2nd Tuesday of the month, except no meeting in June and July. Meetings are at 7:30 pm. All members are encouraged to attend. Please wear your Legion cap.
Commander: Wallace N Weber
Adjutant: Michael J Kratky" [end]
In 2011 a fire that destroyed the historic Czech Opera House building next door affected this Post. Search Wilson KS at (
visit link) then click on the "newsletter" link --
"11 October 2011
Dear Legion Member,
On November 6th, 2009, our Post Home suffered damage relating to the fire, which destroyed the Opera House on the East Side of our building. Our Post shares the east wall with the Opera House. Our Post building was originally built in 1905, and our Legion has owned this building since 1950, which makes this our 61th year as our Post Home.
Our Insurance Company required our Post to evacuate our premises in December of 2009, until the building was properly repaired and safe to reenter. We were allowed to reenter the premises in April of 2010. We were unable to have several fund raising events that year, which left our Post, limited on our resources. Our Insurance Policy has provided for very good coverage. They have spent $100,000 on internal repairs and cleanup, with another $33,000 on repairs to the outside wall in the future. But the utilities and Insurance premiums always have to be paid.
UPDATE: Our shared wall has been repaired. All insurance claims have been paid. Our loss and deductible has depleted our savings.
You can help your Home Post by selling, or buying, the tickets for our raffle that are included with this letter. This is our one major fundraising event that boosts our Post the most. We know some of you are out-of-state, and also our out-of town members, but this is the one most important fundraising project you can assist us with, without having to return home. Please make every effort to sell these books of tickets, and if you need more, we can provide them also, just let one us know.
On behalf of your Post officers, we THANK YOU for your financial assistance in “keeping the Post as a bright and cheerful place for our members and guests to come.”
Sincerely,
William Siefers, Commander
Michael Kratky, Adjutant
Kathy Zelenka, Finance" [end]
From the Find-A-Grave website, we find some fragmentary information about Rev. McManus, who is buried in St. Wenceslas Cemetery in Wilson KS: (
visit link)
"Rt. Rev. Msgr. John F. McManus
Born County Fermanagh, Ireland
Pastor 1928-1963
Nat. Chaplain American Legion 1943-1944"