UP TO NOW!
Ron Boyd – Department Adjutant – Public Relations Officer

Issue No. 2832 November 6, 2002

• The 2003 South Dakota American Legion Boys State planning meeting will be held at the Center for Western Studies on the campus of Autustana College in Sioux Falls on Wednesday, November 13^th, at 9:30 a.m.
• The VAVS Committee will hold its annual meeting on Monday, November 18^th at 10:00 a.m. at the Pierre Post #8 American Legion Post Home. The session will include discussion on ways and means of assisting hospitalized veterans and consideration of other initiatives to improve our volunteer services to our hospitalized veterans.
• The South Dakota American Legion Legislative Committee will hold its annual meeting on Monday, December 9^th, at 10:00 a.m. at the Pierre Post #8 American Legion Post Home to develop plans for the 2003 legislative session. Legislation of Legion interest will be discussed with input from committee members and the Legion's lobbyists.

The October 24^th issue of the Up To Now listed those Posts within the Department that had attained 100% or better on their membership goal. The following Post was inadvertently left off the list:

Congratulations to Isabel Post #120 and all the membership team workers who have worked to attain goal. Your efforts are appreciated.

The following additional Posts have attained 100% or better on their 2003 membership goals:

Congratulations to all the membership team workers from all of these Posts who have put forth the effort to ensure that their Posts attained goal for 2003. Thank you for your efforts.

November 17-23 is American Education Week. If your Post has not already done so, the observance would be an excellent opportunity to get together with school personnel and officials and detail The American Legion's Americanism programs for the year.

American Legion Posts across the state and the nation will sponsor events, for and with their local educators, during American Education Week to make the event. For over 80 years, we have believed a strong America needs a strong educational base. Join with us and get involved.

Posts interested in hosting the 2004 sporting events have until Friday, January 17^th, 2003 to submit invitations to State Headquarters.

• The State Bowling Tournament will be held during three or four weekends in March and/or April, 2004. The bowling establishment must have at least eight (8) lanes to host the event.
• The State Golf Tournament will be either the third or fourth weekend in June, 2004.
• Tentative dates for the Class "B" State Baseball Tournament are July 28-August 1, 2004.
• Tentative dates for the Legion State Championship Baseball Tournament are August 4-8, 2004.

To ensure that participating baseball teams take home some money to pay expenses, the State Athletic Commission requires that bidders guarantee a split of $2,500 in the "B" Tournament and $7,000 in the Championship Tournament.

The 2003 tournaments will be in Hot Springs (bowling), Eureka (golf), Pierre (Championship Baseball) and Parkston ("B" Baseball Tournament).

Don't forget that Monday, November 11 is Veterans Day. All Legionnaires and Auxiliary members are encouraged to get out and support their local veterans' organizations as they work to commemorate this important day.

This year Veterans Day is again especially important - for we are a nation at war. Again this year as we commemorate the contributions of our nation's military veterans, the current members of our military forces are going in harm's way, facing unknown dangers as our great country continues our long and protracted war on terrorism.

It is important today, in this time of national crisis, more so than at other times in our nation's history, that we, the veterans, not only remember the contributions of veterans, but that we lead the nation in showing support for our nation's military.

During the District Americanism Officers' Seminar, which was held in Huron on July 20, 2002, it was stressed that one of the responsibilities of the local Americanism Officer is to ensure that the materials are delivered to the local school system. Without this vital link, our Americanism program is not going to be successful.

Local Post Americanism Officers have all received an Americanism packet from State Headquarters. In this packet there were additional instructions for the Local Post Americanism Officer to deliver the materials and to make contact with the local school.

This is the time of year when students need to be aware of our High School Oratorical Contest. These contests are in the not-too-distant future. Also, students need to be aware of the information on Boys State so that they can plan their involvement in that and other activities. All too often we hear from students who say that had they known about the program earlier, they would have take part in it, but by the time they found out about it, they were already committed to other activities.

Local Posts need to ensure that the Americanism Officer has made contact with the local school system and provided the school system with adequate information about our Americanism programs. Only with this pro-active approach will we ensure that our programs are being made available to all of our students.

Post Adjutants are reminded that certification for awarding 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 16, 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 and is awarded to all membership workers who have enrolled the following number of members based on the five goal-size groups shown below:

Does your child need financial assistance for college? Have you considered the educational loans available from The American Legion Department of South Dakota Educational Loan Fund?

This program has been available since 1956. Educational loans in the amount of $1,500 per student, per academic year area available from the fund. Students are allowed to borrow up to a total of $3,00 from the fund. The loans draw 3% interest on the unpaid balance.

The applicant must be a veteran or the child of a veteran who is a legal resident of South Dakota and the veteran must be a member of or eligible to be a member of The American Legion. The loans are restricted to educational purposes beyond high school -- either college or vocational school. The school must be located in South Dakota unless a South Dakota school does not offer the profession or vocation.

Applications may be obtained from the Secretary of The American Legion Educational Loan Committee, PO Box 67, Watertown, SD 57201-0067.

The deadline for applications is January 1, for funds for the spring school term and July 1 for funds for the fall school term.

The opportunity to win more than $18,000 in scholarships awaits high school students who participate in the South Dakota American Legion High School Oratorical Contest.

The 66^th annual event is open to all South Dakota high school students in public and private schools, according to State Americanism Officer Bill Dolan of Beresford.

The state winner will receive a $1,000 scholarship and advance to national competition where he/she is guaranteed a $1,500 scholarship for participating. An award of $500 will be given to the 2^nd place finisher in the state finals competition.

The competition starts at the local high school/Legion Post level with a local contest. The winners of local contests advance to the District competition. After a student has won at the District level they will be required to compete at either a west river or an east river contest. Participants from Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, and 14 will compete in the east river contest in Mitchell on Saturday, February 15. Participants from Districts 8, 9, 11, 12, 13 will compete in the west river contest in Rapid City on Sunday, February 16. The 2^nd place winner in the east river and west river contests will each receive a $250 scholarship. The first place winner of each contest will proceed to the State Finals in Pierre on Sunday, March 2.

The first place winner in the State Finals on March 2 will represent South Dakota in The American Legion National High School Oratorical Contest in Indianapolis, IN in April 2003.

2003 membership stands at 19,567, or 70.35 percent of goal.

2002 membership was at 20,335 on this date last year.