Highland American Legion sets registration meeting for Feb. 12
The Highland American Legion is currently seeking 2023 youth program participants.
A registration meeting will take place from 1-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12, at the Lee Iten Post 439 home, 1130 New Trenton Road, Highland.
Baseball
Senior team
Senior team players must have been born on or after Jan. 1, 2004. The senior team will play a league schedule in District 22 and participate in weekend tournaments and exhibition games. The team will then enter the American Legion National Tournament playoffs, which ends with the World Series in Shelby, North Carolina.
Junior No. 1 team
Junior players must have been born on or after Jan. 1, 2006. The junior team will play a league schedule in District 22 and participate in weekend tournaments and exhibition games. The team will then enter the American Legion Department state playoffs, which ends in with a state tournament.
The district will hold all-star games for the junior and senior programs against players from the 10th District in St. Louis. (seniors game at Busch Stadium). There were approximately 100,000 young men participating in the National program for 2022. For more information, visit www.legion.org/baseball.
The baseball program will return to League Lineup in 2023. It will feature schedules, rosters, statistics, history, and sponsors. It will be available for viewing by the public (Most important to college and professional scouts.)
Additionally, the legion will honor the 1973 state champions as well as the 1974 state runner-up and are inviting their 58-year alumni to spend the weekend with them.
Sons of the American Legion
Individuals who have a father or grandfather who is a veteran are eligible to join the organization, which has the same ideals and programs as the American Legion and are active in serving veterans, their families and the community.
Boys state ‘A Week That Shapes a Lifetime’
Boy’s State will be from June 10-16 at Eastern Illinois University. This is one of the premier Americanism Programs the American Legion sponsors. All boys who have completed their junior year in high school and have one or more semesters in high school to complete after attending boys state are eligible. Boys state is a unique environment with scholarships available. For more information check www.illinoisBoysState.org.
Youth police program
The primary purpose of the Youth Police Program is to establish an inter-personal relationship between the youth of the state and law enforcement officers in order to create a better understanding of the problems and attitudes of both groups and to develop a rapport between youth and the police.
This goal can be better accomplished by expressing these youths to Law Enforcement with an opportunity to objectively witness the rigid training and standards set forth in law enforcement today. Interested males and females must be 14 through 16. Participants must have reached their 14th birthday, but not reached their 17th birthday by June 25, 2023.
There is not a cost to participate in these programs. If people have questions regarding any of the programs, contact:
- Wayne Wirz, Americanism chairman: 618-654-8419 or waynewirz@yahoo.com
- Nira Ballantini, Post 439 junior vice commander: 618-401-0761
- Todd Kunz, Post 439 senior manager
This story was originally published January 29, 2023 at 12:00 AM.