Enclosed to Post Adjutants is the annual Post Americanism Report form, which must be completed and submitted during the Spring District Convention. It can also be returned to State Headquarters.

The same form may be found in the 2000-2001 Post Adjutants Administrative and Awards Manual between pages 8 and 9.

High school students from across South Dakota arrived at Cedar Shore Resort in Oacoma on Friday and Saturday, January 26 and 27 to participate in the South Dakota American Legion 2001 High School Oratorical Contest Semi-Finals. The event kicked off Friday evening with a short reception at the resort for the participants, their parents and Legionnaires and their spouses from across South Dakota.

Saturday’s contest had contestants from ten of the Legion’s fourteen Districts. The purpose of the Semi-Finals was to narrow the field of contestants down to the four finalists who will participate for the grand prize and a chance to represent South Dakota in The American Legion National High School Oratorical Contest later this year in Indianapolis.

The contestants in Saturday’s competition were:

• District 1 – Creighton Fraker, of Brandon, a senior at Brandon-Valley High School
• District 2 – Jing Jin of Brookings, a junior at Brookings High School
• District 3 – Elizabeth Gallenberg of Bruce, a junior at Estelline High School
• District 5 – Amber Hanks of Wessington, a junior at Wessington High School
• District 6 – Andrea Mayrose of Salem, a junior at Salem High School
• District 7 – Bobbi Van Genderan of Corsica, a junior at Corsica High School
• District 8 – Abby Turnquist of Colome, a senior at Colome High School
• District 10 – Kimberly Harer of Hoven, a senior at Gettysburg High School
• District 12 – Meg Kokesh of Belle Fourche, a junior at Belle Fourche High School
• District 14 – Jared Schaefer of Leola, a sophomore at Leola High School

The judges for Saturday’s competition were Corrine Lindley, Larry Larsen, Roxanne Sipes, Maylen Niles and Laurie Tolrud.

The four contestants emerging from Saturday’s semi-final round who will advance to the final round of the South Dakota American Legion 2001 High School Oratorical Contest are:

• Creighton Fraker of Brandon – representing District 1
• Elizabeth Gallenberg of Bruce – representing District 3
• Bobbi Van Genderen of Corsica – representing District 7 and
• Abby Turnquist of Colome – representing District 8.

Each of the 6 contestants in Saturday’s competition who did not advanced to the final round will receive a $50 scholarship.

The final round of the State Oratorical Contest will be held at Cedar Shore Resort in Oacoma on Saturday, February 10, in conjunction with the 2001 South Dakota American Legion Midwinter Conference. The first place winner will take home a $600 scholarship, the second place winner will receive a $400 scholarship, the student taking third place will receive a $300 scholarship and the fourth place contestant will take home a $200 scholarship. The first place winner will advance to the national competition and represent South Dakota. That contestant will receive an additional $1,500 scholarship for participating in the first round of the National Contest and could advance and win up to $18,000 in scholarship awards.

The National Finals Contest will be conducted, April 7-8, 2001, at the Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis Conference Center & Hotel, Indianapolis, IN. Quarter-Final and Semi-Final Contests will be held Saturday, April 7. The Championship Contest will be held Sunday, April 8.

As the 76^th Session of the South Dakota Legislature opened its 15^th day on Monday, January 29, there had been a total of 232 bills introduced in the House of Representatives and 218 bills introduced in the Senate. The House had also seen 5 commemorations, 3 concurrent resolutions and 3 joint resolutions. The Senate had seen 2 commemorations, 5 concurrent resolutions and 2 joint resolutions.

The annual budget hearing for the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs was postponed from Wednesday, January 24 until Monday, January 29. The budgets for the operations of the Division remains basically the same as it was for the previous year. The Division has requested a small increase to help with the cost of one additional county which has elected to participate in the program by which the state helps to defray the salary of the County Veterans Service Officer. The Veterans Home has requested 2 additional nurses and a medication aide plus a small amount for inflation.

Bills which are being monitored by your Legion Lobbyists (Ron Boyd and John Dewell) in Pierre include:

HB 1017 - this bill would make an appropriation to reimburse certain family physicians and certain physician assistants who have complied with the requirements of the SD physician tuition reimbursement program or the SD midlevel tuition reimbursement program - has been assigned to the Appropriations Committee for hearings.

HB 1102 - this bill would increase the tax (the increase would be an additional 12%) on the sale of certain alcoholic beverages and to distribute the revenue to the counties - has been assigned to the House Taxation Committee for hearings.

HB 1107 - this bill would create the SD senior citizen pharmaceutical assistance program to provide an appropriation therefor - this bill which was introduced last year and defeated has been assigned to the House Health and Human Services Committee for hearings.

HB 1115 and HB 1155 - these two bills would prohibit or restrict smoking of tobacco products in public places - both bills have been assigned to committee for hearings.

HB 1175 - this bill would create a low-income pharmaceutical assistance program and to provide an appropriation therefor - this bill has been assigned to the House Health and Human Services Committee for hearings.

SB 110 - this bill would exempt certain funeral services and expenses from sales and use taxes - this is similar to a bill which was introduced last year and was defeated, it has been assigned to the Senate Taxation Committee for hearings.

SB 159 - this is a companion bill to HB 1102 in the House of Representatives.

The South Dakota American Legion hosted its Legislative Reception on Wednesday, January 24 at the Pierre Legion Post. Legionnaires visited the Capitol earlier in the day and heard a report from the Director of the Division of Veterans Affairs, Mr. Dennis Foell, and from the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Finance Officer, Mr. Andy Gerlach.

Legionnaires and Legislators met at the Pierre Post Log Cabin during the evening hours with a good turnout of both groups. Pierre Post #8 is to be congratulated on the success of the event. WELL DONE!

State Commander Ron Tolrud of White had the privilege of presenting Governor Bill Janklow with a check for $5,000 on Wednesday, January 24, 2001 at the Governor’s office at the State Capitol in Pierre. With a large group of Legionnaires watching, Commander Tolrud handed the Governor the $5,000 check on behalf of all the members of The American Legion in South Dakota. Commander Tolrud and Governor Janklow were standing in front of a model of the World War II Memorial in the Governor’s office at the time of the presentation.

The model of the SD World War II Memorial will be in Oacoma at the Cedar Shore Resort during the Midwinter Conference, February 9-11, 2001.

South Dakota Boys State Governor Spencer Crawford and Girls State Governor Elizabeth (Betsy) Hart, both of Rapid City, were honored in Pierre on Thursday, January 25. The two outstanding young citizens were accompanied by State American Legion Commander Ron Tolrud and State Auxiliary President Marilyn Hobbs as they attended a luncheon in their honor at the Governor’s Mansion in Pierre. Also in attendance at the luncheon were Governor Janklow, Lt. Governor Hillard and all of the South Dakota State Legislators from Rapid City, South Dakota.

After the luncheon, Boys State Governor Crawford and Girls State Governor Hart were introduced in the Senate and in the House of Representatives where they were the subjects of a Legislative Commemoration (Senate Commemoration 2). Commander Tolrud and President Hobbs were also introduced in both chambers of the legislature.

The Boys State Governor, Spencer Crawford of Rapid City, will be in attendance at the Midwinter Conference where he will speak at the sessions on Americanism on Saturday, February 10.

Samuel W. Keller, Jr. Post #21 in Hurley, has endorsed Darold Hintz, Current District 1 Commander, of Hurley for the office of Area Vice Commander for Districts 1 and 7.

Membership for 2001 stands at 24,516 or 88.73 percent of goal. (Due to the weather, there has been no mail delivery since Monday, January 29 at State Headquarters)

The next national target date is February 15, 2001 – the target for that date is to be at 90% or better. South Dakota Department Commander Tolrud placed a bid during the Commander’s and Adjutant’s Conference to have South Dakota’s membership at 92.4 percent by that target date.

South Dakota is well within striking distance of both 90 percent and 92.4 percent. IT TAKES TEAMWORK AND DEDICATION – HAVE YOU AND YOUR POST DONE YOUR FAIR SHARE? Make sure all Post membership dues are forwarded to State Headquarters immediately.