Phone (605) 886-3604 • Fax (605) 886-2870 • eMail sdlegion@dailypost.com

Enclosed for all Post Adjutants, Executive Committee members and Administrative Committee members is a copy of the Convention Proceedings for The South Dakota American Legion 82^nd Annual Convention which was held in Watertown, SD, June 8-11, 2000.

Also enclosed to those same individuals is a copy of the form for certifying Post members for the National Commander Cap Pin Award. The National Commander's Cap Pin is an individual award which must be earned through efforts to renew members, transfer and renew Headquarters Post members into the local Posts, or enroll new members. Credit for each of these membership transactions are:

Renewal of previous year member 1/2 Point

Transfer and renew

HQ Post member to local 2 Points

Sign new member 3 Points

To achieve the award and receive a National Commander's Cap Pin, an individual membership recruiter must earn 12 points in any combination of the membership transactions.

Post Adjutants must certify recipients to the Department. The final certification must be sent no later than March 17, 2001. One or more certifications can be sent before the March 17 deadline. Certifications should be mailed to: State American Legion Headquarters, PO Box 67, Watertown, SD 57201-0067.

National Commander Ray Smith of North Carolina has appointed the South Dakota American Legion Service Officer Dave Soma of Tea as a member of the Executive Session of the Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Commission. The appointment extends through the end of the annual Fall Meetings, Oct. 10, 2002.

Since 1998, many posts have generously and unselfishly contributed a minimum of $400.00 to the fund-raising project of the National WWII Memorial.

The National Organization has issued hundreds of the 24 x 30 inch The American Legion Post Certificates of Honor, printed on parchment style paper; suitable for framing. Each certificate, signed by The American Legion and the American Battle Monuments Commission, is meant to honor the living and deceased WWII veterans of the Post.

The fund-raising campaign is winding down and a deadline for submitting the proper paperwork to receive one of these attractive certificates is being established. This deadline date will be March 1, 2001.

The following individuals have announced their candidacy for various offices in The South Dakota American Legion and have been endorsed by their home Posts:

• Greer Post 11 in Wagner has endorsed Vernon Sip for the office of State Commander of The South Dakota American Legion in 2001-2002.
• Clay Kiser Post 92 in Redfield has endorsed Larry Price as a candidate for the office of Alternate National Executive Committeeman.
• Kortan-Hatwan Post 183 in Tabor has endorsed Richard Hovorka as a candidate for the office of Alternate National Executive Committeeman.
• Hunt-Newell Post 213 of Kennebec/Reliance has endorsed Wayne E. Vetter for the office of State Vice Commander in Districts 2, 5 and 6.
• Battle Mountain Post 71 in Hot Springs has endorsed R. E. Long for the office of State Vice Commander in Districts 8, 9 and 13.
• Sioux Falls Post 15 has endorsed G. D. "Hoot" Gibson for the office of Department Master-At-Arms.

Forms for nominating Scouts for The American Legion Eagle Scout of the Year award were recently forwarded to all Posts known to sponsor scouting programs. The deadline for submitting nomination forms to State Headquarters in Watertown is March 1, 2001.

Any Post that needs a nomination form and did not receive one can obtain the form by contacting State Headquarters at PO Box 67, Watertown, SD 57201; or by calling 605-886-3604 or email your request to sdlegion@dailypost.com.

State Headquarters has been informed that the site for the District 7 Oratorical Contest has been changed. The contest will now be held at the Yankton Middle School, 2000 Mulberry St., Yankton, SD.

The date and time of the competition remains unchanged. The contest will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 7^th.

The South Dakota Legislature will convene in less than three weeks, on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2001.

All Up To Now recipients should watch the bi-weekly reports "From Pierre" by legislative representative Ron Boyd. He will continue to serve as the Department's Legislative Lobbyist and has been registered for the 2001 legislative session.

The main part of the 40-day session will end Saturday, March 3. Legislators will return for the final day on Wednesday, March 21, to consider any vetoes by the governor plus any unfinished business.

The Legion's annual Legislative Reception will be at 5:00 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 24 at the Pierre Post #8 Log Cabin.

Four County Commanders have earned an award for 2001 membership achieved by December 7. The winners had the highest percentage of assigned membership in each of four goal-size groups by the observance of Pearl Harbor Day.

The winners are:

• 15 to 199 member goal-size group - Ralph Ripley of Onida, Sully County, 120 members vs. 122 goal, 98.36 percent.
• 200 to 349 goal-size group - Ray Scherschligt of Alpena, Jerauld County, 262 members vs. 266 goal, 98.50 percent.
• 350-549 member goal-size group - Dennis Lund of Castlewood, Hamlin County, 403 members vs. 438 goal, 92.01 percent.
• 550 and larger member goal-size group - Darrell Gilligan of De Smet, Kingsbury County, 670 members vs. 716 goal, 93.58 percent.

Most of the winners significantly outdistanced their competition. The second and third places in each category were as follows:

Buffalo County was in second place in the 15-199 member goal-size group with 91.30 percent and Lyman County was in third place with 90.26 percent.

In the 200-349 member goal-size group Marshall County was in second place with 91.56 percent and Yankton County was in third place with 88.05 percent.

In the 350-549 member goal-size group Hutchinson County was in second place with 89.57 percent and Turner County was in third place with 88.58 percent.

Brookings County was in second place in the 550 and larger member goal-size group with 90.14 percent and Minnehaha County was in third place with 84.91 percent.

The awards will be presented February, 10, 2001 during the annual Midwinter Conference in Oacoma.

State headquarters will close for the Christmas holiday at 5:00 p.m. Thursday, December 21, and will reopen at 8:00 a.m., Tuesday, December 26.

The following week, likewise, State Headquarters will close at 5:00 p.m. Thursday, December 28, and will reopen at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 2, 2001.

Membership for 2001 stands at 22,871 or 82.77 percent of goal. South Dakota is currently in 3rd place in membership in the nation and second place in our region. The Department of Wisconsin is currently leading in membership in our region.

Today’s membership total is 846 members behind where the Department was on this date during the 2000 membership year.

The next national membership target date is January 10th. The target for that date is for the Department to be at 85%. WE CAN USE YOUR HELP NOW!!!