No. 2816 March 27, 2002

Spring District Conventions will start next Tuesday.

The first session will be the District 3 gathering Tuesday, April 2, in Estelline. Also during the first week of District Conventions, there will be meetings for District 2 on Wednesday, April 3, in Arlington; District 6 on Thursday, April 4, in Ethan; District 7 on Friday, April 5, in Tyndall; and District 1 on Saturday, April 6 in Centerville.

The second week of April will find Legionnaires meeting for District 11 in McIntosh on Wednesday, April 10; District 10 in Gettysburg on Thursday, April 11; District 5 in Cresbard on Friday, April 12; and District 4 in Big Stone City on Saturday, April 13.

The following week District Conventions will be held in Reliance for District 8 Legionnaires on Thursday, April 18; District 9 will meet in Philip on Friday, April 19; District 12 will meet in Lead on Saturday, April 20; and District 13 will meet in Rapid City on Sunday, April 21.

The final District Convention will be held in Leola on Saturday, April 27 when the Legionnaires of District 14 meet.

Details regarding times and locations have been forwarded to local news media in each District.

Charles Curry Post #49 in Clear Lake, has endorsed Donald Smith for the office of State Vice Commander for the area of Districts 3, 4 and 14.

Homestake Post #31 of Lead, has endorsed Guy Virkula for the office of State Vice Commander for the area of Districts 10, 11 and 12.

Bensley-Rounds Post #280 in Iroquois, has endorsed Charemon Dunham for the office of District 2 Commander.

Bensley-Rounds Post #280 in Iroquois, has endorsed David Owens for the office of District 2 Vice Commander.

Due to health and personal reasons, District 1 Commander James Brammer has resigned. In accordance with Article IV, Section 9 of the Constitution of The American Legion, Department of South Dakota (2001), the incumbent District Vice Commander, Mark Weinmann of the Hudson Post, has been automatically elevated to the office of District 1 Commander.

In accordance with the same article and section of the constitution, Department Commander Vernon Sip has issued a call for a special election to be held during the regularly scheduled District 1 Spring Convention to select a new District 1 Vice Commander. Notification of the special election was mailed to all Posts within the District on Monday, March 25, 2002.

Enclosed for Post Adjutants is the Team Entry Form for registering American Legion Baseball Teams for 2002. The registration form must be accompanied by a certificate of insurance and the entry fee of $70.00 per team. Registration received after May 15 will be $110.00 and after May 31 the registration fee goes up to $160.00.

Consolidated Post Report forms have been mailed directly from National Headquarters to each individual American Legion Post. In as much as the reporting period is June 1, 2001 to May 31, 2002, this should allow an adequate amount of time for receipt, the compilation of the data, and time enough to return the completed forms to the Department by the established cut-off date of June 15, 2002.

If your Post has not received a blank Consolidated Post Report form from National Headquarters by April 15, please contact State Headquarters.

The Consolidated Post Report is one of the most important documents your Post can submit, as it is compiled with other Post reports in the Department and National annual reports sent to Congress. As you fill out your report, please don’t hesitate to include all the costs for the various parties/dinners your Post has held for youth, senior citizens, or other organizations in your community.

Remember, although the blank forms were mailed directly to the Posts, the completed forms must be returned to Department Headquarters in Watertown.

Brandon Post #318 will lead the state convention parade.

Brandon qualified for the honor by having the highest percentage of its assigned 2002 membership goal by the March 17 target date. That date is The American Legion’s Birthday.

The Post had 31 members, or 172.22 percent of its assigned 18 member goal. The figure topped the 15-74 member goal-size group, as well as the entire Department.

Post #318 will receive a banner signifying the honor and carry the banner in the parade, which will be Saturday, June 15, in Rapid City.

Other Posts, tops in their respective goal-size groups, will receive placards to carry in the parade. Those Posts are: Rapid City Foothills Post #320, 75-124 member-size group, 115.56 percent of goal; Piedmont Valley Post #311, 125-199 member-size group, 108.57 percent of goal; Greer Post #11 in Wagner, 200-299 member-size group, 111.82 percent of goal; and Clem Mortenson Post #169 in Winner, 300 and larger member-size group, 101.6 percent of goal.

District 7, commanded by Charles Kunstle of Corsica, will have the best convention hall seating arrangements and parade position during the 2002 State American Legion Convention in Rapid City. District 7 had signed 95.80 percent of its 2002 membership goal by the Legion’s birthday, edging out District 8 at 95.16 percent.

The remainder of the convention hall seating and parade arrangements, based on the March 17 membership standings will be Districts 8, 2, 14, 12, 1, 10, 3, 4, 6, 9, 11, 5, and 13.

97 of the Department's 257 Posts each have received a Go-Getters Medallion because of their membership by the Legion’s birthday. To qualify each Post had to be at or beyond 95 percent of their assigned 2002 membership goal.

Two other membership awards for the March 17 membership target date went unclaimed again this year.

The District membership cash awards, worth $250 each, were not awarded because no District had attained 100 percent of its membership goal. In the contest, the 14 Districts are divided into two categories based upon size.

Enclosed to all recipients is a copy of the 2002 Post membership standings as of the March 17 American Legion Birthday target date.

 ANNUAL POST AMERICANISM REPORT

This is a reminder to all Posts that the Annual Post Americanism Report form, which is a green form located between pages 8 and 9 in your 2001-2002 Post Adjutants Administrative and Awards Manual, must be completed and returned to State Headquarters in Watertown, or turned in at the Spring District meetings. Copies of this form were also mailed to all Post Adjutants in the January 16, 2002, Up To Now.

The report must be turned in to State Headquarters by that date if the Post and the Americanism Chairperson are to be considered for the awards offered by the Department Americanism Commission.

Posts should ensure that all activities listed on the form are explained briefly on the form, or attach additional sheets if necessary so that credit can be granted for all activities conducted by the Post.

April is the month during which we heighten our encouragement to all Posts to increase the promotion of their Children and Youth programs.

As Americans, we need to remember amid the problems we face daily with the environment, crime, unemployment and financial uncertainty, the one constant which will make or break this nation is our young people. They are our future, and our dreams and hopes for a better tomorrow rest in their hands.

The American Legion and Auxiliary have been actively involved with children’s issues since the early 1900’s. In many instances, we have been the drive force on the federal, state and local levels representing their interests and voicing their concerns.

In 1938, April was formally designated as the Child Welfare Month and has continued on an annual basis. During this special time, we urge each of you to show your community that The American Legion family is committed to the Children.

2002 membership as of March 27 totals 25,864, or 92.99 percent of goal. Last year, at this time, the Department's 2001 membership was 25, 859 or 92.23 percent of goal.

There has been a definite slowing of the membership coming into State Headquarters. One month ago, this year's total membership was ahead of last year's by 459 members. 30 days later that lead has dwindled to 5.

The membership drive for this year is not over unless your Post has met or exceeded its 2002 membership goal. Based on the statistics at State Headquarters, most Posts still have 2002 members who have not yet renewed. Today is a good day to check with those members again. Explain why it's important that they renew their membership in the world's largest veterans organization. Explain why it's important that they renew their membership in your Post.