UP TO NOW!

Issued Bi-Weekly from State Headquarters at Watertown, SD 57201-0067

Ron Boyd, Department Adjutant - Public Relations Officer

No. 2819 May 8, 2002

ENCLOSED TO ALL POST ADJUTANTS

Enclosed to all Post Adjutants with this edition of the Up To Now is the certification form for the Post/Department/National Top Recruiter Awards. Each Post Adjutant should complete the form to report the Top Recruiter within their individual Post.

Forms should report all membership enrolled for the 2002 Membership Year by the Top Recruiter from your Post. The report should include all membership enrolled by the individual through May 8, 2002.

Forms must be mailed to reach Department Headquarters by May 15, 2002. Post Adjutants must sign and date the form to attest to the information reported. Mail completed forms to State Headquarters, PO Box 67, Watertown, SD 57201-0067.

Certified forms received will be reviewed to determine the Department's Top Recruiter. State Headquarters will mail the Top Recruiter's form on to National Headquarters in Indianapolis, IN for competition in the National competition.

STATE COMMANDER RECOVERING FROM SURGERY

State Commander Vernon Sip is recovering at home from surgery. Commander Sip entered Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls on Monday, April 29th for a scheduled surgical procedure. After recuperation time in the hospital he was released and is now resting at home. He came through the surgery well and is expected to be able to reassume his full duties in the near future.

Cards and letters, wishing Commander Sip well, can be sent to his home at 151 N. Park St NE, Wagner, SD 57380.

DISTRICT CONVENTION WRAP-UP

The 2002 Spring District Convention tour was completed on Saturday, April 27 when Legionnaires from District 14 met in Leola.

Spring District Conventions this year elected District Commanders and District Vice Commanders in even-numbered Districts for two-year terms of office, while County Commanders and Vice Commanders were elected for one-year terms.

Tom Jurek of Mobridge and Gerald Sanborn of Leola were elected to two-year terms as District Commander and District Vice Commander, respectively, April 27, during the annual District 14 Convention.

Elected as County Commanders were Rich Kezar of Aberdeen, Brown County; Kenneth Vilhauer of Hosmer, Edmunds County; Perry Thompson of Eureka, McPherson County; and Art Jung of Selby, Walworth County.

Eureka was chosen to host the 2003 District 14 Spring Convention.

Harvey Schaible of Leola Post #78 was named District 14 Legionnaire of the Year. He received an award signifying the honor from State Legion Commander Vernon J. Sip of Wagner.

CONVENTION IS A MONTH AWAY

The 2002 State American Legion Convention is just slightly over one month away. The event will be Thursday through Sunday, June 13-16, at the Ramkota Hotel and Convention Center located at 2111 N. LaCrosse St., in Rapid City. The Ramkota Hotel will be the convention headquarters.

The official call for the 84th annual convention was sent earlier to all Up To Now recipients.

Post Adjutants also received both delegate and alternate delegate credentials forms. These completed credential forms must be mailed so they arrive at State Headquarters by June 11th, or handed to the personnel at the State Headquarters desk in the convention registration area upon arrival in Rapid City.

The delegate registration fee of $5 per delegate must accompany delegate forms when they are mailed to State Headquarters in Watertown or when they are submitted at the registration area in Rapid City. Details are listed on forms and the official call. In addition, each Post must pay the entire delegate strength registration fee, whether or not all delegates attend the convention. A resolution passed three years ago states that each Post's delegate strength, REGARDLESS OF ATTENDANCE, must be paid. For example, a Post with three delegates must pay $15, a Post with four delegates must pay $20, etc.

Representation at the convention is by delegates from each Post, in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of The American Legion, Department of South Dakota (2001). "Each Post is entitled to two delegates and two alternates as a Post, plus one additional delegate and alternate for each fifty or major fraction thereof, memberships show on the books of the State Adjutant fifteen days prior to the convention." This year the date for determining the number of delegates is May 29, 2002. The constitution requires that delegates be chosen by each Post by election from its own membership. Alternates will have power to vote only in the absence of the regular delegates.

Following is the basic schedule of events for the convention:

Thursday, June 13

1 p.m. Registration desk opens

Administrative Committee meets

3 p.m. Executive Committee meets

7 p.m. Past Department Commanders Dinner

Friday, June 14

9 a.m. Registration desk opens

10 a.m. Athletic Commission meets

Resolutions Committee initial meeting

12 noon SDALPA meeting/luncheon

2 p.m. Convention committee chairs meet

2:30 p.m.Convention committees in session

5 p.m. Memorial service

6 p.m. Social hour/no host cocktails

7 p.m. Joint Legion/Auxiliary Banquet

Saturday, June 15

8 a.m. Registration desk opens

8:30 a.m.Band Concert

9 a.m. Convention business session convenes

3 p.m. Recess for parade

4 p.m. Convention parade

6 p.m. Go-Getter's Cocktail Party

6:30 p.m.Go-Getter's Smorgasbord

Sunday, June 16

8 a.m. Registration desk opens

8:30 a.m.Band Concert

9 a.m. Convention Business session re-convenes

12 noon Elections/Installation of new officers

1 p.m. Post-convention Exec. Comm. Meeting

DISTRICT COMMANDERS' SEMINAR

The Department's District Commanders will meet this weekend in Watertown for the annual District Commanders' Seminar. Codington County American Legion Post #17 of Watertown will host the event.

Topics of study will include duties and leadership, responsibilities and obligations, budgeting and finances, membership, public relations (print and electronic), as well as becoming acquainted with other District Commanders and Department leaders. There will be a social event on Saturday evening for all attendees.

Assisting with the seminar are NEC Paul Evenson, Alternate NEC Larry Price, State Membership Chairman Gene Opbroek, Children and Youth Vice Chairman Wolfgang Migge, Finance Officer Gary Watts, Vice Commander Wayne Vetter, VA&R Chairman Dave Durfee, and State Adjutant Ron Boyd.

MEETINGS SLATED FOR WATERTOWN

The State Standing Committee on Constitution and Bylaws will meet Monday, May 13, 2002 at State Headquarters in Watertown to review proposed changes to the South Dakota American Legion Constitution and Bylaws (2001). The Committee consists of State Commander Vernon Sip, Chairman Wendell Rye of Claremont, Mark Weinmann of Canton, G. Dale "Hoot" Gibson of Sioux Falls, Maynard Hieb of Mitchell, John Dewell of Pierre (Judge Advocate).

The State Membership Committee will meet Tuesday, May 14, 2002 at State Headquarters in Watertown to review the Department 2003 Membership Program and to set membership goals for the 2003 membership year. The Committee consists of State Commander Vernon Sip, State Adjutant Ron Boyd, 2002 Membership Chairman Gene Opbroek of Pickstown, State Commander candidate Walt Lindemann of Eureka and Lindemann's prospective Membership Chairman Gene Schumacher of Aberdeen.

REMINDER - OFFICER CERTIFICATIONS ARE DUE

All Post Adjutants are reminded that certifications of 2002-2003 officers for your Post are due to State Headquarters. The form for certifying Post officers can be found in the 2001-2002 Post Adjutant's Administrative and Awards Manual. If you need a duplicate form, contact State Headquarters and we will send one to you immediately.

District Commanders are reminded that if they get all of the Post officers within their District certified to State Headquarters by June 1, they will receive two free tickets to the Joint Legion/Auxiliary Banquet at the 84th Annual State Convention in Rapid City.

AWARD WINNERS NAMED

Nine District Commanders will claim membership awards at the State Convention because their 2002 District membership at the State Convention delegate strength target date exceeded their 2001 District membership at the delegate strength target date last year. The winners are District 6 Commander Harry Huffman, District 7 Commander Charles Kunstle, District 8 Commander Jeff Hrabanek, District 9 Commander Kenneth Spears, District 10 Commander Ralph Ripley, District 11 Commander Dean Vance, District 12 Commander Rod Martens, District 13 Commander Rick MacDonald and District 14 Commander Tom Jurek.

Area Vice Commander Darold Hintz (Districts 1and 7) will receive a membership award for having attained the highest percentage of his 2002 area membership goal by the May 1st target date. Vice Commander Hintz's area had attained 94.80%. Running a close second was Vice Commander Larry Madsen (Districts 10, 11 and 12) with 94.70%.

Posts being recognized for consecutive year All-Time-High memberships include Chancellor Post #283, DeSmet Post #138, White Post #88, Wagner Post #11, Piedmont Post #311, and Rapid City Foothills Post #320.

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE

2002 membership stands at 26,333 or 94.67 percent of the Department's 2002 membership goal.