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. 2940 January 9, 2006
ENCLOSED FOR COMMANDERS
Enclosed for Post Commanders is a letter and nominating form from State Employment Committee Chairman Donn Grandpre which should be used to nominate a business firm within your community for consideration for the Employer of the Disabled Award. This award is presented annually to a business in South Dakota by The American Legion.
The deadline for submitting nominations is February 16, 2007.
PDC VIET IN VA HOSPITAL
Past Department Commander (1980) Ernie Viet of Hartford is currently experiencing an extended stay in the Sioux Falls VA Medical Center.
We had the opportunity to visit Ernie in the hospital on Sunday, January 7th, along with Paul Morin, the National Commander of The American Legion. Ernie was in good spirits and enjoyed his visit with the National Commander. But, I know he would love to hear from his American Legion Family.
Those wishing to send get well wishes to PDC Viet may do so by sending them to his home at 500 N. Vandemark #107, Hartford, SD 57033.
MEMBERSHIP AWARDS
151 Posts, 69 more than last year, have qualified for the Continuous Goal Achievement Award based on the attainment of advanced membership of at least 90% of the next year’s membership goal by the end of the current year. Congratulations to these 151 Posts for their dedicated and devoted work on membership.
Two Posts, Sinai and Lake Preston, have made advanced membership assignment every year since the award was implemented 59 years ago. A SPECIAL CONGRATULATIONS to those two Posts on this remarkable achievement. Other notable achievements that deserve to be acknowledged are 57 consecutive years by Letcher, 56 consecutive years by Chancellor, and 49 consecutive years by Geddes.
Framed citations are presented for each five-year increment of continuous achievement; attachments are presented for intermediate years. These awards will be presented during the Spring District Meetings in April.
County Commander Awards will be presented to the County Commanders whose counties enrolled the highest percentage of their assigned 2007 membership goal for 2007 by the December 13, 2006 Target Date. The counties were divided into goal size groups for this competition. The winners are: 15-199 goal-size county – Richard O’Dell of Crook (Harding County); 200-349 goal-size county – Harold Schaefer of Orient (Faulk County); 350-549 goal-size county – Harlan Berndt of Canby, MN (Deuel County); and Annette Dunham of Iroquois (Kingsbury County). Congratulations to each of these county leaders.
Two Posts qualified for Certificates of Meritorious Service for having attained All-Time High Membership for 2007 by the December 31, 2006 Target Date. Those Posts are Gary Post 109 and Piedmont Post 311. Each Post will receive a Certificate of Meritorious Service from the National Commander during the Spring District Meetings in April. Congratulations to those Posts and their membership teams.
Thirty-three Posts qualified for Post Honor Ribbons for having attained 2007 membership that exceeded their 2006 year-end membership by the December 31, 2006 Target Date. Those Posts included District 1 - Hudson Post 128, Humboldt Post 62, Davis Post 176; District 2 - Bruce Post 200, White Post 88, Erwin Post 241, Iroquois Post 280, Wentworth Post 161, Carthage Post 51, Colman Post 278, Trent Post 122; District 3 - Vienna Post 277, Clear Lake Post 49, Gary Post 109; District 4 - Pierpont Post 99, Webster Post 40, Milbank Post 9, New Effington Post 180; District 5 - Virgil Post 268, Cresbard Post 213, Doland Post 69; District 6 - Pukwana Post 201, Mount Vernon Post 210; District 7 - Avon Post 150, Armour Post 52; District 8 - Presho Post 89, Witten Post 167; District 9 - White River Post 94; District 11 - McLaughlin Post 121; District 12 - Piedmont Post 311; District 13 - Hill City Post 160, New Underwood Post 256; and District 14 - Selby Post 100.
District 12 Commander Dan Walsh was the only District Commander to go over 95 percent of assigned 2007 membership goal by December 31, 2006. Commander Walsh, who also had no “goose egg” Posts, will be recognized with an appropriate award at the MidWinter Conference.
The Area Vice Commander award for attainment of 95 percent of assigned membership goal by December 31 goes unclaimed again this year.
COMMANDER BAATRUP SPECIAL PROJECT
STATE VETERANS HOME BARBER SHOP
During a visit to the Michael J. Fitzmaurice State Veterans Home in Hot Springs not too long ago, Department Commander Baatrup noticed the poor condition of the barber shop that serves the needs of the residents at the home. After some discussions with the barber and with State Veterans Home Superintendent Larry Wilcox, Commander Baatrup decided that it would be a great project for The American Legion Department of South Dakota to undertake financing the rehabilitation of the barber shop.
The State Home is already working on the project. The current barber shop will be closed and removed and the new barber shop will be relocated to the third floor of the building and will re-open with all new fixtures and equipment – to include a striped barber pole at the door. This is a great opportunity for The American Legion of South Dakota to show our generosity and our commitment to the lives of our veterans.
Posts, Units, Squadrons or individual members of The American Legion Family are encouraged to make generous donations to this most important project. Donations may be sent to State Headquarters, PO Box 67, Watertown, SD 57201. Please indicate that the donation is for the State Veterans Home Barbershop Project on your check.
MIDWINTER CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Printed below is the schedule of events for the 2007 MidWinter Conference which will be held February 23-25, 2007, at the Crossroads Hotel/Huron Event Center in Huron.
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
8:00 a.m. Joint Opening Session
VA&R / C&Y / IRS
9:45 a.m. - IRS Briefing – Denis Tappela
10:30 a.m. SAL Conference
10:30 a.m. Auxiliary Conference
10:30 a.m. Legion Conference
10:30 a.m. Opening Remarks by Commander Baatrup
10:45 a.m. LIT/AGIA Rep Rick Barnett
11:00 a.m. NEC
11:30 a.m. Employment
Lunch (on your own)
12:00 noon Heroes to Hometown Program
12:30 p.m. Foreign Relations
1:00 p.m. National Security
1:30 p.m. Americanism
2:00 p.m. Public Relations
2:30 p.m. Legislative
3:00 p.m. Membership & Post Activities
Membership Awards
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.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION COMMENCES
The 82nd Session of the South Dakota State Legislature convened Tuesday, January 9 in Pierre.
Department Legislative Lobbyists Ron Boyd of Watertown, John Dewell of Pierre and Warren Aas of Watertown will be monitoring the session for legislation of interest to veterans and veterans organizations.
“From Pierre” reports will commence with the next edition of the Up To Now.
The 2007 American Legion Legislative Reception will be held at the Pierre American Legion Post 8 Home on Tuesday, February 14.
Legion family members from across South Dakota are encouraged to travel to Pierre on this day; meet with your legislators and personally invite them to attend the reception that evening at the Legion Post in Pierre.
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 Cornerstone United Methodist Church, 1350 11th St. NE, Watertown at 2 p.m. Storm date – Jan 28. Please note the change of site.
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 Congregational United Church of Christ, 123 N. Highland Ave., Pierre at 2 p.m. Please note the change of site. No storm date planned.
Dist 11 – Iroquois, Feb 4. 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.
Area Contests are scheduled as follows:
Dist (1 & 7) – American Legion Post 193 in Irene, Feb 11, at 2 p.m.
Dist (2, 5 & 6) – Feb 4, time and place to be determined.
Dist (3, 4 & 14) – First United Methodist Church, 4 2nd Ave. SE, Watertown, Feb 4 at 2 p.m.
Dist (8, 9 & 13) – Rapid City American Legion Post 22, Feb 3 at 2 p.m.
Dist (10, 11, 12) – Faith American Legion Post 106, Feb 4 at 2 p.m.
HATS IN THE RING
Gingrich-Dixon Post 13 of Wakonda has endorsed Paul Jensen of Wakonda for the office of Department Commander for 2007-2008.
THANK YOU
On behalf of myself, my wife Marsha and the entire Boyd family, I would like to offer a most sincere Thank You to the entire American Legion Family for your generous outpouring of expressions of sympathy and condolences and the many memorial donations that we have received from all across the state of South Dakota on the death of my mother June Boyd.
We were overwhelmed with the response from The American Legion Family.
You have truly become the extended family for Marsha and me since we became involved with this great organization. Thank You.
MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
2007 membership stands at 23,618 or 90.75% of our 2007 Department membership goal. This total places the Department 1,226 members ahead of last year. However, the per capita membership dues has now officially increased to $23.50 and the job of reaching out to our fellow Legion members to collect their 2007 dues will be more difficult. The outstanding efforts and success thus far can be continued – but will require a bit more effort. Commander Baatrup’s slogan this year is “Reach for the Summit”. It is within reach this year – make sure your Post is a part of the team that attains that goal. Also ensure that your members remember Membership Chairman Kazmierczak’s slogan – “Just One More”.