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No. 2842 March 26, 2003

Brandon Post #318 will lead the state convention parade for 2003 in Spearfish. This is the second year in a row that the Brandon Post has won this prestigious award. Brandon qualified for the honor by having the highest percentage of its assigned 2003 membership goal by the March 17, Legion Birthday, target date. The Post had 38 members or 211.11 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 21, 2003 in Spearfish. Other Posts, tops in their respective goal-size groups, will receive placards to carry in the parade. Those Posts are:

• Iroquois Post #280, 75-124 goal-size group, 110.20 percent of goal.
• Piedmont Post #311, 125-199 goal-size group, 110.71 percent of goal.
• Wagner Post #11, 200-299 goal-size group, 105.91 percent of goal.
• Aberdeen Post #24, 300 and up goal-size group, 99.15 percent of goal.

District 14, commanded by Tom Jurek of Mobridge, will have the best convention hall seating arrangements and parade position during the 2003 State American Legion Convention in Spearfish. District 14 had signed 96.52 percent of its 2003 membership goal by the March 17, Legion Birthday, membership target date. District 14’s closest competition was District 12 at 94.07 percent.

The remainder of the convention hall seating and parade positions, based on the March 17 membership standings will be District 12, 7, 8, 2, 3, 1, 4, 10, 6, 9, 11, 5, and 13.

89 of the Department’s 256 Posts have received a Go-Getter’s 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 2003 membership goal by the March 17 target date.

Two membership awards that have gone unclaimed include: (1) The Vice Commander’s Award for the Midwinter target date which would have awarded the Area Vice Commander whose area had the highest percentage of increase over that Area’s final total 2002 membership; and (2) The District Membership Award of $250 cash to the District in each of two goal-size categories that had enrolled the highest percentage over that District’s goal. Since no District was over 100 percent – there was no winner.

Enclosed for all recipients is a copy of the 2003 Post membership standings. Although the sheet says that the statistics are for the March 17 American Legion Birthday target date – they have been updated to include all memberships received by State Headquarters on or before March 24.

Spring District Conventions for 2003 are about to commence. The action will start in Gary on April 1 when Legionnaires from District 3 meet for their Spring District Convention.

During the month of April, the remaining Districts will meet according to the following schedule: District 1, April 24 in Hartford; District 2, April 23 in Elkton; District 4, April 2 in Big Stone City; District 5, April 11 in Cresbard; District 6, April 10 in Wessington Springs; District 7, April 30 in Wagner; District 8, April 29 in Presho; District 9, April 4 in Kadoka; District 10, April 9 in Pierre; District 11, April 3 in McLaughlin; District 12, April 5 in Sturgis; District 13, April 6 in Rapid City; and District 14, April 13 in Eureka.

District Commanders and District Vice Commanders will be elected for two-year terms in all ODD numbered Districts. County Commanders and County Vice Commanders will be elected in ALL Districts.

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 2002-2003 Post Adjutant’s Administrative and Awards Manual, must be completed and returned to State Headquarters in Watertown, or turned in at the Spring District Convention. Copies of the Annual Post Americanism Report form were also mailed to all Post Adjutants with the January 15, 2003 Up To Now.

The report must be turned in to State Headquarters by the end of April 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 driving force on the federal, state and local levels representing their interests and voicing their concerns.

In 1938, April was formally designed 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.

Enclosed for Post Adjutants is the Team Entry Form for registering American Legion Baseball Teams for 2003. A certificate of insurance and the entry fee of $70.00 per team must accompany the registration form. Registrations received after May 15 will be $110.00 and after May 31, the registration fee goes up to $160.00.

Tickets for the Joint Banquet which will be held in conjunction with the Annual State Convention of The South Dakota American Legion and Auxiliary are available for purchase NOW at a reduced rate.

Joint Banquet tickets are available for $15 each, if purchased before June 1, 2003. The cost of the tickets (which will be limited after May 31) will be $18. This means a savings of $3 per person or $6 per couple. The tickets are refundable before June 1.

Send the full purchase price of $15 per ticket along with your name, address and the number of tickets you wish to purchase to 2003 SD American Legion State Convention, PO Box 4137, Sturgis, SD 57785.

Banquet attendees will have a choice of Beef or Cod. You must indicate your choice for each ticket purchased when you send your remittance.

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, 2002 to May 31, 2003, 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, 2003.

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 to construct the National report that is sent to Congress. As you fill out your report, please don’t hesitate to include all the costs for the various parties, your Post has held for youth, senior citizens, and other organizations within your community.

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

2003 Department membership stands at 25,376 or 94.96 percent of the Departments 2003 membership goal.