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. 2936 November 15, 2006
ENCLOSED FOR ALL RECIPIENTS
Enclosed for all recipients of this Up To Now is a letter from the VAVS Hospital Representatives encouraging everyone to help make the holidays as pleasant as possible for all our veterans cared for at the VA Medical Centers in South Dakota by donating funds to purchase gifts and sponsor various holiday activities.
Also enclosed for all recipients are Post by Post membership statistics as of Tuesday, November 14, 2006.
VAVS COMMITTEE MEETS IN PIERRE, SD
The VAVS committee met for its annual meeting at Pierre Post #8 on Tuesday, October 31, 2006. In attendance were VAVS Committee Chairman Clarence Blunck of Platte, Department Commander Gunner Baatrup of Huron (Member of the Virgil American Legion Post), committee members LaVaun Holan of Chamberlain, Kenneth Van Kekerix of Witten, Don Smith of Clear Lake, Ollie Redden of Pierre, Kerwin P. Douthit of Hot Springs, and VA Hospital Representatives Darwin Wahlert of Sioux Falls and Larry Rounsevell of Nemo (Ft. Meade VA). Also present at the meeting was Department Adjutant Ron Boyd of Watertown.
Chairman Blunck led a discussion covering several items of concern that included the annual funding for the holiday parties at the various facilities, special needs for each facility and also getting the recognition The American Legion deserves for their volunteer work.
Chairman Blunck wants everyone to know that there is always room for volunteers from our Posts to get involved in the VAVS program through patient visitations at a VA facility. There is always a need for “Home Service Volunteers” to call on veteran patients who have been discharged from the VA and are recuperating at home.
Chairman Blunck reminds everyone that there is always a need for financial contributions to help with canteen chit books and the like for indigent patients.
Contributions can be sent to The American Legion State Headquarters at PO Box 67, Watertown, SD 57201 earmarked for VAVS.
PIERRE HOSTS THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING
The South Dakota American Legion Department Legislative Committee met for its annual meeting at Pierre Post #8 on Monday, October 30, 2006.
In attendance were Legislative Committee Chairman Gerald Goetzinger of Martin; Department Commander Gunner Baatrup of Huron (member of the Virgil American Legion Post); committee members Don Clarke of Wessington, Robert Miller of Kimball, Larry Madsen of Gettysburg and Curt Halverson of Rapid City (member of the Custer American Legion Post); Department Adjutant and Legislative Lobbyist Ron Boyd of Watertown, Legislative Lobbyist John Dewell of Pierre, and Department Service Officer and Legislative Lobbyist Warren Aas of Watertown. Also in attendance were PDC Glenn Green of Pierre, PDC and President of the South Dakota Association of T/CVSOs Wayne “Red” Vetter of Cresbard, and the Director of the South Dakota Division of Veterans Affairs Dennis Foell of Pierre.
Department Adjutant and Legislative Lobbyist Ron Boyd provided the committee with a recap of the 2006 legislative session outlining several of the highlights that affected our veterans as well as our service men and women.
DSO Aas provided the committee members an overview of the Veterans Forum programs that are scheduled across the 14 American Legion Districts.
Dennis Foell, Director of the SD Division of Veterans Affairs, provided the members of the committee with an overview of the highlights within the Division of Veterans Affairs. Director Foell reported that the proposed budget for the Division has been submitted to the Governor’s office and that it was pretty much a flat line budget with some proposed increases.
The committee decided that Department Adjutant Boyd, John Dewell and DSO Aas will all be registered as lobbyists for the upcoming 2007 legislative session.
ORATORICAL CONTEST OFFERS $18,000
The South Dakota American Legion will be sponsoring The American Legion High School Oratorical Contest again this year.
Competition commences at the local Post level, proceeds through District and Area levels of competition and culminates at the State level. The top contestant from each Area will compete in the State Finals which will be held on Sunday, February 25, 2007 at the Crossroads Hotel & Huron Event Center in Huron, SD at the conclusion of the annual Midwinter Conference.
Competition is open to all high school students in South Dakota.
Local Post contests are scheduled by the individual Posts and must be completed by January 14, 2007. District contests must be completed by January 28, 2007, and the Area contests must be completed by February 11, 2007.
Trophies and awards at the Post and District levels are the responsibility of the Post and District. Area winners will receive a $100 scholarship. The winners at the State level will receive a $1,000 scholarship for 1st place, $500 scholarship for 2nd place, $300 scholarship for 3rd place, and a $100 scholarship for 4th and 5th places.
The 1st place winner at the State level will move on to the National Finals in Indianapolis, Indiana, April 14-15, 2007.
Scholarship awards are presented to the three finalists in the Final Round of the National Contest as follows: 1st place - $18,000; 2nd place - $16,000; 3rd place - $14,000. Each Department winner who is certified into and participates in the first round of the National Contest will receive a $1,500 scholarship. Each first round winner who advances to and participates in the second round, but does not advance to the Final Round will receive an additional $1,500 scholarship to pursue their education beyond high school.
HATS IN THE RING
Higgins-Jessen American Legion Post 88 of White has endorsed Gary Watts for the office of Department Commander for 2007-2008.
MIDWINTER CONFERENCE
The South Dakota American Legion Midwinter Conference will be held Friday through Sunday, February 23-25, 2007 at the Crossroads Hotel and Huron Events Center in Huron, SD.
The Crossroads Hotel and Huron Event Center is located at 100 4th St. SW, Huron, SD. The room rate for accommodations at the Crossroads Hotel is $65 for single or double occupancy, plus tax. Individuals must call the hotel directly to make reservations at (605)352-3204 or 1-800-876-5858. When making reservations, guests must specify that they are with The American Legion Midwinter Conference to receive the special group rate. All reservations will be held until 5 p.m. on the day of arrival unless guaranteed by a credit card or an advance deposit.
The deadline for making reservations is February 9, 2007. On that date, the remaining blocked rooms will be released and sold on a first come, first serve basis. Check in time is 3 p.m. and check out time is 11 a.m.
This year’s schedule of events is similar to 2005:
Friday, February 23
Administrative and Executive Committee Meetings
Go-Getters Social and Dinner at Huron Veterans Club
Past Department Commanders’ Social and Dinner
Saturday, February 24
Joint Legion/Auxiliary/SAL Opening Session
Legion General Assembly
Auxiliary Meetings
SAL Meetings
Joint Legion/Auxiliary/SAL Social and Banquet
Sunday, February 25
Legion Non-Denominational Religious Service
Department Oratorical Contest Finals
Special guest for the event will be David K. Rehbein of the Department of Iowa. David Rehbein is a candidate for National Commander of The American Legion for 2008-2009.
Don’t miss this opportunity to meet National Commander Candidate David K. Rehbein during the Midwinter Conference in Huron, February 23-25, 2007.
MIDWINTER CONFERENCE BANQUET TICKETS
Again this year, tickets for the Midwinter Conference Joint Banquet will be by advanced sales only. No tickets will be available at the event. The Joint Banquet will be held Saturday, February 24, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. The event will be proceeded by a no-host cocktail hour commencing at 6:00 p.m.
David K. Rehbein of the Department of Iowa and candidate for National Commander of The American Legion for 2008-2009 will be the keynote speaker for the Joint Banquet.
Tickets are available from Huron American Legion Post 7, PO Box 1255, Huron, SD 57350. The cost is $22.00 per ticket. For additional information please contact Huron Post Commander Keith Schrader, at (605)352-4893.
PDC EARNEST VIET IN SIOUX FALLS VA MECIAL CENTER
State Headquarters got word on Wednesday, November 8, 2006 that Past Department Commander Earnest Viet was hospitalized in the Sioux Falls VA Medical Center. It was reported that PDC Viet has some fluid build up and his breathing isn’t the best.
It was reported that PDC Viet is in room 223 in the Sioux Falls VA Medical Center and according to the VA staff, he is anxious to get home.
PDC Viet’s home address is 500 N. Vandemark, #107, Hartford, SD 57033 if you would like to send him get well wishes.
STATE HEADQUARTERS THANKSGIVING HOURS
The South Dakota American Legion State Headquarters will be closed Thursday and Friday, November 23 and 24, 2006 because of the Thanksgiving Holiday.
This schedule follows the schedules of National Headquarters of The American Legion and the Codington County Courthouse, the latter facility being where the South Dakota American Legion State Headquarters is located.
Everyone at the South Dakota American Legion State Headquarters wishes you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving.
VETERANS FORUM UPDATE
Department Service Officer Warren Aas has been on the road during the months of October and November conducting another round of Veterans Benefits Outreach Forums as part of Department Commander Gunner Baatrups 2006-2007 program of VA&R activities.
Since October 2006, we have completed 7 of 14 scheduled Veterans Benefit Outreach Forums. We have conducted successful Veterans Forums in the following Districts/Communities: District 9 in Midland, SD; District 13 in Hill City, SD; District 12 in Lead, SD; District 11 in Bullhead, SD; District 8 in Gregory, SD; District 10 in Highmore, SD; and District 6 in Kimball, SD.
The remaining schedule for the current cycle of Veterans Forums is as follows:
District 7, Monday, December 11, 2006, Senior Citizens Center in Armour, SD.
District 1, Tuesday, December 12, 2006, American Legion Post Home in Beresford, SD.
District 2, Wednesday, December 13, 2006, American Legion Post Home in Ramona, SD.
District 14, Tuesday, January 9, 2007, American Legion Post in Eureka, SD.
District 5, Wednesday, January 10, 2007, Veterans Building in Huron, SD.
District 4, Monday, February 12, 2007, Community Visitors Center in Milbank, SD.
District 3, Tuesday, February 13, 2007, American Legion Post in Estelline, SD.
The Veterans’ Forums are going great and the attendance is comparable to the years past. All remaining Veterans Forums will start at 7 p.m. Central Standard Time (CST).
The American Legion Department of South Dakota takes pride in reaching out to our veterans all across South Dakota in an effort to brief them on their VA benefits. From July 2004 to date, The American Legion Department of South Dakota has conducted 38 Veterans Forums and has briefed in excess of 1,576 veterans.
MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
2007 membership stands at 20,834 or 80.06 percent of the Department’s 2007 National Membership goal.