Issued Bi-Weekly from State Headquarters at Watertown, SD 57201
Ron Boyd Department Adjutant Public Relations Officer
www.sdlegion.org Email sdlegion@dailypost.com
No. 2939 December 27, 2006
MEMBERSHIP DEADLINE PRIOR TO DUES INCREASE
This is the final reminder that you will see in the Up To Now regarding the deadline for membership dues to be collected and transmitted to Department Headquarters prior to the effective date for the National Per-Capita increase in the price of membership dues. Effective January 10th, all memberships transmitted to Department Headquarters must be accompanied by a payment of $23.50. This is an increase of $4.50 over the current dues rate of $19.00.
All membership dues at the current rate must be received by Department Headquarters by 12:00 noon on January 9th. At that time all dues received will be transmitted, overnight, to National Headquarters in Indianapolis.
Post membership teams are reminded to mail these dues early enough to ensure that they are received by 12:00 noon on January 9th. Regardless of the date mailed, if dues received after 12:00 noon on January 9th are not accompanied by $23.50, they will be returned to the Post for additional payment.
Please let your members, who have not yet paid their 2007 dues, know that this is the final opportunity to save money on their 2007 dues.
The same requirements pertain to the purchase of a PUFL membership. The PUFL applications will be accepted at the current rate through 12:00 noon on January 9th. All PUFL membership applications received subsequent to 12:00 noon on January 9th will have to be purchased at the new per-capita rate.
ENCLOSED FOR ADJUTANTS
Enclosed for all Adjutants is a copy of the Proceedings for the 88th Annual South Dakota American Legion Department Convention. Copies of the Proceedings is also enclosed for all members of the Department Administrative and Executive Committees.
NATIONAL COMMANDER TO VISIT SOUTH DAKOTA
National Commander Paul Morin of Massachusetts will visit South Dakota, January 6-8, 2007.
Commander Morin will be the keynote speaker at the Homecoming Celebration for National Chaplain Stan Gruneich, Saturday, January 6 in Flandreau.
Other visitations scheduled for National Commander Morin include:
Sunday, January 7, 2007
11 a.m. 1 p.m. Sioux Falls Post 15 Pancake Feed
2 p.m. Sioux Falls VA Medical Center
6 p.m. Dinner at Hartford American Legion Post 118
Ticket sales for National Chaplain Stans Homecoming have already been closed. However, all Legionnaires are encouraged to take advantage of one of the other opportunities listed above to meet National Commander Morin.
BOYS STATE PACKETS MAILED
Brochures, registration forms and other pertinent information related to the 2007 South Dakota American Legion Boys State have been mailed to all high schools and American Legion Posts in the state. Please watch for these important packets and make contact with your local high school at your earliest possible convenience. This important program needs our attention. Remember American Legion Boys State is an American Legion program not the high schools. Get involved in the selection of the delegates from your local area.
Two important items to remember are the April 2 registration deadline and the $150 per boy registration fee. Fees and registration forms for boys selected to attend South Dakota American Legion Boys State must be sent to the Boys State Registrar, Gene Schumacher, 924 N. Main St., Aberdeen, SD 57401.
Journalism City applications have also been distributed by State Headquarters to all schools. Completed Journalism City applications must also be sent to Schumacher at the above-listed address. The deadline for Journalism City applications is Friday, February 2, 2007.
Do Not send the $150 registration fee with the Journalism City applications. If the boy is selected, his registration fee will be collected at a later date.
MIDWINTER CONFERENCE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
The 2007 South Dakota American Legion MidWinter Conference will be held Friday-Sunday, February 23-25, 2007 at the Huron Crossroads Hotel and Huron Event Center in Huron, SD. An abbreviated schedule of events is outlined below specific details of the Saturday, February 24th, 10:30 a.m. Legion portion of the conference will be provided at a later date.
Friday, February 23
10:00 a.m. Administrative Committee Meeting
12:00 noon Registration Desk Opens
1:00 p.m. Executive Committee Meeting
6:00 p.m. Go-Getters Reception Huron Veterans Club
6:30 p.m. Go-Getters Smorgasbord Huron Veterans Club
7:00 p.m. Past Department Commanders Social and Dinner
Saturday, February 24
8:00 a.m. Registration Desk Opens
8:30 a.m. Joint Opening Session
VA&R and Children and Youth
IRS briefing
10:30 a.m. SAL Conference
10:30 a.m. Auxiliary Conference
10:30 a.m. Legion Conference
6:00 p.m. Social Hour/No Host Cocktails
7:00 p.m. Joint Legion/Auxiliary/SAL Banquet
Sunday, February 25
8:30 a.m. Non-denominational Service
1:00 p.m. Department Finals
American Legion High School
Oratorical Contest
MIDWINTER CONFERENCE BANQUET TICKETS
All tickets for the MidWinter Conference Joint Banquet will be by advanced sales only. There will be no tickets available at the door. This helps to ensure that adequate meals are prepared and helps ensure that the local host Post has a definite head count for the event. The deadline for purchasing your tickets is February 21, 2007.
Tickets are available from Huron American Legion Post 7, PO Box 1255, Huron, SD 57350. The cost is $22.00 per person. For additional information, please contact Huron Post Commander Keith Schrader at 605-352-4893.
David Rehbein of the Department of Iowa will be the keynote speaker for the banquet. Rehbein is a candidate for National Commander of The American Legion for the years 2008-2009.
2007 EAGLE SCOUT OF THE YEAR
The American Legion annually honors The American Legion Eagle Scout of the Year at its National Convention. The winner of the competition receives a $10,000 scholarship and the three runners-up are each awarded a $2,500 scholarship.
Forms for nominating Boys Scouts for The American Legion 2007 Eagle Scout of the Year award are now available from State Headquarters.
State Headquarters must receive nominations no later than March 1, 2007. A panel will then select the Department Eagle Scout of the Year and that nomination will be submitted to National Headquarters in Indianapolis, IN. The National 2007 American Legion Eagle Scout of the Year will be announced during the 2007 Spring Meetings of The American Legion in Indianapolis in May of 2007.
Nomination forms can also be downloaded from the Internet on The American Legion Webpage at www.legion.org. From the main page, select Programs and Events, and then select Scouting. From the resulting page you will be able to download the 2007 nominating form.
ORATORICAL CONTESTS
Local Oratorical Contests are supposed to be completed by January 8, 2007. Following shortly behind the local contests are the District Contests which will be held in accordance with the following schedule.
Dist 1 Jan 14 at the Beresford American Legion Post at 2 p.m. Storm date Jan 21.
Dist 2 Jan 21 at the Arlington American Legion Post at 2 p.m. Storm date Jan 28.
Dist 3 Jan 21 at the Admin, Bldg, Lake Area VoTech, Watertown at 2 p.m. Storm date Jan 28.
Dist 4 Jan 21 at the Milbank Visitors Center at 2 p.m. Storm date Jan 28.
Dist 5 Jan 21 at the Wolsey Elementary School at 2 p.m. Storm date Jan 28.
Dist 6 Jan 21 at the Ethan Public School at 2 p.m. Storm date Jan 28.
Dist 7 Jan 21 at the Springfield Community Center at 2 p.m. Storm date Jan 28.
Dist 8 Jan 21 at the Colome American Legion Post at 2 p.m. Storm date Jan 28.
Dist 9 Jan 21 at the White River High School at 3 p.m. (CST). Storm date Jan 28.
Dist 10 Jan 28 at the Pierre American Legion Post at 2 p.m. No storm date planned.
Dist 11 Date and time to be announced.
Dist 12 Jan 21 at the Piedmont American Legion Post at 2 p.m. Storm date Jan 27.
Dist 13 Jan 14 at Rapid City American Legion Post 22 at 2 p.m. storm date Jan 21.
Dist 14 Jan 21 at the Aberdeen VFW Post at 2 p.m. Storm date Jan 28.
HATS IN THE RING
Henry G. Fix American Legion Post 23 of Garretson has endorsed Paul Evenson for reelection to the office of National Executive Committeeman for the Department of SD.
Sioux Falls American Legion Post 15 has endorsed G. D. Hoot Gibson for reelection to the office of Department Master-At-Arms.
Brattvet-Green American Legion Post 66 of Lemmon has endorsed John Jack Hantz as a candidate for the office of State Vice Commander for the area comprised of Districts 10, 11 and 12.
Marion Fitzsimmonds American Legion Post 160 of Hill City has endorsed Ron Kazmierczak as a candidate for the office of State Vice Commander for the area comprised of Districts 8, 9 and 13.
Sioux Falls American Legion Post 15 has endorsed Dick Sievert as a candidate for the office of District 1 Commander.
Bennett County American Legion Post 240 of Martin has endorsed Verle Whipple as a candidate for the office of District 9 Commander.
Brattvet-Green American Legion Post 66 of Lemmon has endorsed Willard Ottman as a candidate for the office of District 11 Commander and Pat Froelich as a candidate for the office of District 11 Vice Commander.
Wheeler-Brooks American Legion Post 173 of Philip has endorsed Philip Pearson as a candidate for the office of District 9 Vice Commander.
VETERANS FORUM SCHEDULE
The Department has scheduled Veterans Benefit Forums in all 14 Districts during the course of this Legion year. These informational forums are a must for all veterans and their spouses, regardless of membership in The American Legion. If you are looking for information on the benefits to which you are entitled as a veteran, plan to attend the one closest to your home.
The following is the schedule for the upcoming forums through the end of January 2008:
Tuesday, Jan 9, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. at American Legion Post 186, Eureka
Wednesday, Jan 10, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. at Veterans Building, Huron
MEMBERSHIP AWARDS
PUFL Drawings Since the last edition of the Up To Now, an additional 100 PUFLs have been purchased by SD Legionnaires. In accordance with the 2006-2007 Post Adjutants Administrative and Awards Manual, Department Headquarters has drawn the names of two additional SD Legionnaires who will receive a 50% rebate on the purchase price of their PUFL memberships. The winners are:
Gordon Jensen of Wakonda
Wayne A. Johnson of Wolsey
LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER AND FIREFIGHTER/EMT OF THE YEAR NOMINATIONS
The deadline for nominations for The American Legion Department of South Dakota Law Enforcement Officer of the Year and Firefighter/EMT of the Year is January 12, 2007. All nominations must be in Department Headquarters by that date.
Details related to the program were contained in the November 29, 2006 Up To Now. Nomination forms are available from Department Headquarters.
MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
2007 membership stands at 22,787 or 88.41 percent of the Departments 2007 membership goal.