Ron Boyd, Department Adjutant - Public Relations Officer

Issued Bi-Weekly from State Headquarters at Watertown, SD 57201

2001 Spring District Conventions commenced at the end of March when the first of the 14 District Conventions was held in Hot Springs on March 30^th. By week’s end, the conventions had been held in 6 of the Department’s 14 Districts.

This week, there will be a break for the Easter Holy Week and then the Spring District meetings will recommence with three additional District meetings; on Monday, April 16^th District 2 will meet in White; Wednesday, April 18^th District 3 will meet in Castlewood; and Thursday, April 19^th District 4 will meet in Waubay.

The following week will be almost a full week of meetings as District 10 meets in Pierre on Tuesday, April 24^th; District 6 meets in Wessington Springs on Wednesday, April 25^th; District 5 meets in Redfield on Thursday, April 26^th; District 14 meets in Eureka on Friday, April 27^th; and the final meeting will be held in Lemmon on Saturday, April 28^th for District 11.

This year at the Spring District Conventions, District Commanders and Vice Commanders are being elected to two-year terms in the odd numbered districts. Additionally, County Commanders are being elected to one-year terms in all districts unless those leaders have already been named by an established county council.

Rick MacDonald of Rapid City Post #320 and Ron Kazmierczak of Rapid City, member of Hill City Post #160 were elected to two-year terms as District Commander and District Vice Commander, respectively, March 30 during the annual District 13 Convention in Hot Springs.

Aloysius Little Elk of St. Francis and Kenneth Spears of Martin were elected to two-year terms as District Commander and District Vice Commander, respectively, April 2 during the annual District 9 Convention in Martin.

Charles Kunstle of Corsica and Ardell Horst of Geddes were elected to two-year terms as District Commander and District Vice Commander, respectively, April 5 during the annual District 7 Convention in Irene.

James Brammer of Colton (Hartford Post) and Mark Weinmann of Canton (Hudson Post) were elected to two-year terms as the District Commander and District Vice Commander, respectively, April 6 during the annual District 1 Convention in Hudson.

Elected as County Commanders were the following individuals:

March 30 (District 13 at Hot Springs) - Daryl Kraemer of Custer, Custer County; Jim Rowley of Hot Springs, Fall River County; and Ron Kazmierczak of Rapid City (member of Hill City Post #160), Pennington County. Members of Shannon County Post were not present to hold an election.

April 1 (District 12 at Box Elder) - Robert Fickbohm of Newell, Butte County; Lewis Penn of Buffalo, Harding County; Loren Rounsevell of Nemo, Lawrence County; and Arvid Meland of Sturgis, Meade County.

April 2 (District 9 at Martin) - Clarence E. Hunt of Vetal, Bennett County; Marvin Denke of Philip, Haakon County; Bud Perault of Belvidere, Jackson County; Gene Cressey of Murdo, Jones County; Louie Mitchell of Wood, Mellette County; Eugene Iron Shell of Rosebud, Todd County; and Gilford Noisy Hawk of Pine Ridge, Washabaugh County.

April 4 (District 8 at Colome) - Vic Hoffart of Gregory, Gregory County; Dave Moore of Vivian, Lyman County; and Kenneth Van Kekerix of Witten, Tripp County.

April 5 (District 7 at Irene) - Roy C. Jelsma of Springfield, Bon Homme County; Clarence Blunck of Platte, Charles Mix County; Carl Carlson of Vermillion, Clay County; Roy King of Armour, Douglas County; Roger Mensch of Menno, Hutchinson County; and Craig Jepsen of Gayville, Yankton County.

April 6 (District 1 at Hudson) - Fred Wood of Hudson, Lincoln County; Doug Meyer of Humboldt, Minnehaha County; Mark Eitreim of Lennox, Turner County; and Bill Muller of Beresford, Union County.

During the recently concluded Spring District Conventions, the sites were chosen within each district to host the annual meetings for the year 2002. Chosen as the 2002 sites were:

District 1 – Centerville

District 7 – Tyndall

District 8 – Kennebec-Reliance

District 9 – Philip

District 12 – Lead

District 13 – Rapid City Post #320

Those Legionnaires who have been chosen by their Posts for providing outstanding support to the programs and projects of The American Legion are being recognized by Department Commander Ron Tolrud as he travels the State of South Dakota conducting the Spring District Conventions. Commander Tolrud has directed State Headquarters to provide each Post Legionnaire of the Year with a certificate recognizing their achievements and contributions. Additionally, one Legionnaire is selected by the leadership of the District to be recognized as the District Legionnaire of the Year. Those selected thus far during the Spring District Conventions are:

District 1 – Donald Dahlin of Beresford

District 7 – Morris Schuurmans of Wagner

District 8 – Roger Pochop of Colome

District 9 – Marvin Denke of Philip

District 12 – Howard R. Palmer of Lead

District 13 – Van L. Simpfenderfer of Wall

Five South Dakota Legionnaires will be at National Headquarters in Indianapolis during the period May 7-10 for Spring Committee/Commission meetings.

Called to Indianapolis were Aerospace Committee Chairman Robert C. Gabrielson of Hoven, National Convention Committee Member Glenn R. Green of Pierre, National Executive Committeeman D. R. "Don" Mason of Platte, National Commander’s Representative to the Trophies, Awards and Ceremonies Committee Stanley J. Gruneich of Flandreau, and National Americanism Commission Vice Chairman Larry L. Price of Redfield.

South Dakota American Legion State Headquarters office, located in the Codington County Court House in Watertown will be closed for Good Friday, on April 21. The office will close at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 13 and reopen for business on Monday, April 24 at 8:00 a.m.

State Headquarters staff wish all of you a Happy Easter.

Bobbi Jo Van Genderen, a Corsica High School student, represented the South Dakota American Legion this past weekend in the National High School Oratorical Contest in Indianapolis, IN.

Van Genderen, captured the state championship, a $600 college scholarship and the chance to compete at the national level, for the second year in a row, when she placed first in the State Legion High School Oratorical Contest at Oacoma during the Midwinter Conference on February 10.

First place in the National Contest went to Caleb Williams of Texas, second place was won by Alexander Captain of California and third place was captured by Tiffany Francisco of Virginia. Prizes awarded at the National level are $18,000 for first place, $16,000 for second place and $14,000 for third place.

2001 membership totals 25,685 or 92.96 percent of the Department’s 2001 membership goal.

The April 11^th membership target date, which is upon us, is the date by which departments are expected to be at 95 percent of membership goal. Although the Department is closer to this goal than at this time last year, our total number of members is down by approximately 500 from this time last year. The higher percentage of membership and lower number of actual members is the result of the lowering of our goal by National Headquarters.

It is not too late to work this year’s membership or to make up the 500 member gap between this year and last. With a real push for membership during these last couple of month’s prior to the State Convention, the Department can rebound. Contact those individual Post members who have not yet renewed their memberships and remind them that we need every veteran as a member.

Legionnaires – IT TAKES TEAMWORK!

And Commanders – IT TAKES LEADERSHIP!