No. 2830 October 9, 2002

The Up To Now is published every two weeks by State Headquarters to fill the information gap between Department meetings and editions of the South Dakota Legion News. It is one of the primary methods of getting timely information to individual Posts and Legionnaires.

The distribution of the Up To Now is through the mail – the mailing list includes all members of the Executive Committee and Administrative Committee, Chairmen of all Department Committees and Commissions, all Post Commanders, Post Adjutants, District Officers, County Commanders and all Past Department Commanders.

The recipients of the Up To Now need to share the information contained in it with Legionnaires in their communities – post it on a bulletin board in the Post Home, take it to the next meeting and read the contents to others, etc. The purpose of the Up To Now is timely dissemination of information. If you are a recipient, do your part and help us spread the word.

State Commander Walt Lindemann of Eureka, State Membership Chairman Gene Schumacher of Aberdeen, and State Adjutant Ron Boyd of Watertown completed the final three 2002 Fall District Conferences on Saturday, September 28 with District 4 in Britton. Two other District Conferences since the last issue of the Up To Now were Thursday, September 26 with District 2 in Madison; and Friday, September 27 with District 3 in Clark.

With the completion of the Fall District Conference Schedule, some Legionnaires are already looking ahead to Spring District Conventions. Although the dates have not yet been set, the sites have been determined. The 2003 Spring District Conventions will be held in the following places for each District:

• District 1 – Elk Point
• District 2 – Elkton
• District 3 – Gary
• District 4 – Big Stone City
• District 5 – Cresbard
• District 6 – Wessington Springs
• District 7 – Wagner
• District 8 – Presho
• District 9 – Kadoka
• District 10 – Pierre
• District 11 – McLaughlin
• District 12 – Sturgis
• District 13 – Rapid City (Post 320)*
• District 14 – Eureka

*The District 13 meeting which was originally scheduled for Hill City has been changed – Rapid City Post 320 will now host the District 13 meeting.

During the Fall District Conferences, State Commander Walt Lindemann presented "Ric’s Retrievers" certificates from Past National Commander Ric Santos of Maryland to those Post Commanders who met or exceeded their Post membership goals for the 2002 membership year.

Since the last Up To Now, the following certificates have been presented:

District 2: Joseph J. Jackmovich, Bruce Post 200; Edward Timm, Elkton Post 198; Lawrence Eekhoff, White Post 88; David Osbeck, Arlington Post 42; James Pekron, DeSmet Post 138; David Carlson, Erwin Post 241; Annette Dunham, Iroquois Post 280; Richard T. McGuire, Lake Preston Post 63; James Eykamp, Oldham Post 158; Eber Aldrich, Chester Post 136; Donald Leighton, Nunda Post 105; Beth Abraham, Ramona Post 216; Maynard Clites, Carthage Post 61; and David P. Smith, Colman Post 278.

District 3: Jerry Wicks, Carpenter Post 153; Julie Squires, Brandt Post 107; Albert Bekaert, Gary Post 109; and LeRoy Noem, Bryant Post 37.

District 4: Edwin Paszek, Grenville Post 267; Robert B. Anderson, Pierpont Post 99; Alden Hanson, Roslyn Post 253; Hans Nelson, Veblen Post 76; Vince Braun, New Effington Post 180; Delano Renville, Old Agency Post 314, Neil Erdahl, Rosholt Post 48; and James Pickthorn, Sisseton Post 50.

Congratulations to all of the above listed individuals – and to their Posts on this significant accomplishment.

Post Adjutant’s are reminded that certification for awarding of the State Commander’s Special Membership Award, which is tied to the Veterans Day target date, must be received in State Headquarters on or before November 12, 2002. The Commander’s Special Award requires an adjutant’s certification on the green-colored form in the 2002-2003 Post Adjutant’s Administrative and Awards Manual (located between pages 2 and 3). The award will be made to all membership workers who have enrolled the following number of members based on the five goal-size groups according to the goals shown below:

Post Goal One Award for members signing:

15-74 5 – 2003 members

75-124 6 – 2003 members

125-199 10 – 2003 members

200-299 12 – 2003 members

300 and up 15 – 2003 members

Veterans Day is rapidly approaching. This year, Veterans Day will fall on a Monday. Make sure that your Post and community have plans for this significant day by coordinating a meaningful program and ceremony. The American Legion should not be waiting to be asked to participate in Veterans Day activities. The American Legion should be leading the way. We are, after all, Veterans – Still Serving America.

The 2002 Veterans Day Speech has been received by State Headquarters. This is the speech that is prepared annually for the use of Legionnaires around the country to use for speaking engagements on Veterans Day. Copies can be obtained by contacting State Headquarters at 605-886-3604 or by sending a request via email to sdlegion@dailypost.com.

The speech is also available for download from the National American Legion web page at www.legion.org.

In addition to the State Commander’s Special Award outlined above, there are other membership awards tied to the Veterans Day membership target date of November 12.

District Membership Chairman’s Award – A Legion belt buckle will go to each District Membership Chairman who has no "goose egg" Posts and has enrolled at least 75 percent of his/her district by the above target date.

Post Award – This award will go to the Post in each of the five goal-size groups listed above that has met its assigned 2003 membership goal and has the largest percentage of that goal submitted to State Headquarters by the above target date.

Post Commander’s Award – A specially designed cap will be awarded to the Post Commander of each Post that achieves 100 percent of its assigned 2003 membership goal and has that membership into State Headquarters in Watertown by the Veterans Day target date.

State Commander Walt Lindemann has announced a "Special Inventive" to encourage all South Dakota Legionnaires to renew their membership prior to the end of the year.

Every South Dakota Legionnaire who has paid his or her 2003 dues by November 11, 2002 will be eligible for a drawing to be held at the 2003 Midwinter Conference in Pierre in January. The first name drawn will win a free Paid Up For Life Membership. If the individual whose name is drawn is already a Paid Up For Life member, he/she will receive the cash equivalent of what that PUFL would cost today. The next three names drawn will each receive a refund of the amount of their 2003 membership dues.

Don’t miss your chance to have your name entered in this drawing – get your membership dues paid in time for your Adjutant to get them into State Headquarters prior to the November 11, 2002 deadline.

Current PUFL members will be automatically entered in the drawing.

Included with this mailing to all Post Commanders is the annual request for donations to support the Veterans’ Holidays and Special Projects Fund at the VA Medical Centers and the State Veterans Home.

Like last year, Posts, Auxiliary Units and SAL Squadrons are being encouraged to send their donations to any of the three VA Medical Centers or to the State Veterans Home. Help The American Legion make sure that our hospitalized veterans have a happy holiday season.

2003 membership for The American Legion, Department of South Dakota stands at 16,553, or 59.51 percent of goal.