American Legion members to meet in Palm Springs

American Legion members from around California will meet in Palm Springs starting Friday.

The Legion’s Department of California will hold its 95th annual convention at the Riviera hotel Friday through Sunday. The convention will include a banquet, golf tournament and an awards ceremony, and business matters such as budget, annual reports and electing officers, organizers said.

At 12:30 p.m., the Legion will honor Los Angeles Police Officer Heidi Stoecklein with its Officer of the Year Award. The award is for professionalism and dedication to public safety and the community, according to organizers.

Stoecklein joined the LAPD in 2002. Last year, she organized a shoe drive, and as a result officers distributed more than 600 pairs of new shoes to school-aged children. She also coordinated a fundraiser for an officer’s 10-year-old child who was undergoing treatment for a rare form of cancer.