Happy
Thanksgiving 2004
During
the month of November we officially start the “Holiday Season” with the
all American holiday of Thanksgiving. We
think of turkey, cranberry sauce, apple pie and football.
Actually there has been a fall harvest celebration of some type in most
countries and civilizations for thousands of years, but our Thanksgiving is
somewhat unique. In 1621 the
Pilgrims first had a 3-day feast with about 90 Native Americans to celebrate a
huge harvest that was put away for the winter.
The next year there was no celebration, but in 1623 after a severe
drought, there was another celebration and again the Pilgrims invited the
Native Americans, but then they d
id
not celebrate again until 1676. Since
then the celebration of an annual “Thanksgiving” has become an American
Tradition and was made a national holiday by FDR in 1939 and sanctioned by
Congress in 1941 as the fourth Thursday in November.
This year you are invited
to join us at Post 639 for a Thanksgiving dinner, starting at 3:00 PM and
lasting until all the food is consumed. Please
join us.
USS Lapon Docks at Post
639
It
is with great pride that we announce that Post 639 has been chosen as the
final port for the sail of the USS Lapon SSN 661.
About 6 months ago the
commander of the Ozark-Runner Base (a group of ex-submariners) Chuck Sheppard
found that the sail (conning tower) of a nuclear submarine might be available
for “static display”. He and
others of the group including Skip Smith, Vice-Commander, and Rick Sheldon
(Judge Advocate for Post 639) have worked tirelessly in finally being awarded
the sail for display. Post
639’s officers and members unanimously agreed to provide the property for
the display. The sail is
approximately 26’ long, 20’ high and 6’ wide and weighs about 84,000
Lbs. It will be displayed
Southeast of the rose garden, just about due East of the Helicopter display.
The above “artist” representation will not be the final location
nor angle for the display. Over
the next months there will be a series of articles about the submarine and
updates on the construction of the site.
Tim Kelly has agreed to help out with some of those articles along with
members of the Ozark Runners and other Post 639 members that will be
contributing.
Editorial
Statement about last months front page:
Well, I guess I really stuck a stick into a hornet’s
nest last month. I have had some
members tell me what a great front page we had last month, some were ready to
“hang me from the yard arm” and some were just upset about the forum not
being appropriate for a “political editorial” of any type. While I do not apologize for anything that I wrote and
restate that my intent with the article was very positive, it might not have
been appropriate in that location at that time in that forum.
I had a couple of emails from members that were critical of the article
and I have put those in The Forum on the web site within an hour
of receiving them. In our October
general meeting I told everyone present that I would publish any opposing
viewpoints from anyone that was in the meeting.
As of this writing (10/24/04) no one, other than the 2 already
mentioned, have responded. If
anyone has any political views that they would like to express, email them to
me at forum@post639.com and I’ll publish them and give a reference in
the newsletter so everyone will have the opportunity to read them.
The 2 respondents were Ron Snyder and Tim Kelly, please read their
opinions on what I wrote in “The Forum”.
As long as I’m the editor of The Veterans Voice, I’ll be
responsible for the content of the publication, but I will not be forced into
publishing anything that I don’t feel is in the best interest of Post 639.
If anyone feels that is unacceptable, they are welcome to present their
credentials to the Executive Committee and with their approval take over
publication of this Newsletter.
Bill Roark, Editor
PS, Please get out on 11/2/04 and vote for the
candidate of your choice.
From
the Commander
Here
it is another month has passed and the Post has taken another step forward.
The Building and Grounds Committee submitted plans to expand the Bar
room area and will commence construction after the Mount Vernon Veterans spend
Saturday November the 6th with us, they will join us for the Veterans Day
Parade and have dinner at the Post with entertainment, come out and join them,
your company will be enjoyed more than you can imagine.
They don't get many visitors at the Veterans Home.
We have them here at the Post twice a year, Fathers Day and Veterans
Day.
I would like to congratulate the Ladies Auxiliary on the
success of their Chili Dinner and the Silent Auction. Great job ladies!!
A special thanks goes out to some members for outstanding
service to the Post.
Clark (Yea Baby) Pike and his crew for volunteering to
provide us with a Fish Fry on the 3rd Friday of each month, Doyle (I can fix
it) Gardner for doing the building maintenance, and to Sam (Rocks to Roses)
McGowan for being the Gardener. Just
think if more of us would volunteer our time and expertise how much more would
get done and how large the steps forward would be.
The Sons of the Legion will again provide Thanksgiving
Dinner at the Post. This gives us
all an opportunity to spend time and give thanks with friends and family on
this special day. Bring a covered
dish and join us.
Phil Richardson
Post
Judge Advocate
In
last months newsletter I expressed hope that I might renew your interest in
the American Legion, and entice you to become more involved in Post
activities. Since I have been a legion member, I have found that most members,
do not understand the structure and procedures of the American Legion, or, how
a Post is run. One of the most
often heard comments is "who is running this show anyway?" or,
"If I was running this show." In the coming months I will answer
that question, and even show how YOU can, be running "this" show.
In an effort to better understand what it takes for Post 639 to
function, my column will address...
THE CHARGE AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE,
AND STANDING COMMITTEES
Last month I defined the office of Judge Advocate to
legitimize this column, and provide a starting point for what I think will be
very informative reading, for all members.
I will, in the future, address each office in a similar
manner, but first, lets look at the question "who's running this show
anyway?"
Conforming to the National Headquarters suggested form
for Post Constitution, and the suggested form for Post By-Laws, Post 639 seems
to clearly charge the EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, with the responsibility, of running
this show.
Vietnam War Memorial Post 639 Constitution
Article V- Officers
Section 1. The administrative affairs of this post of the
American Legion shall except as may otherwise provided by the By-Laws, be
under the supervision of an Executive Committee which shall consist of 3
members in addition to the officers of the post. The term of office of
members of the Executive Committee shall be for one year. This post, by
its By-Laws, may provide for such other standing committees as the business of
the organization may require.
Vietnam War Memorial Post 639 By-Laws
Article II - Management
Section 1. The government and management of this post are
entrusted to an Executive Committee of 9 members to be known as the
"Executive Committee".
Article III - Post Executive Committee
Section
1. The post Executive Committee shall meet for organization and such
other business as may come before it at the call of the post commander within
10 days after installation of the new officers. Thereafter the post
Executive committee shall meet a call of the commander at least every month
and as often as said commander may deem necessary. The commander shall
call a meeting of the post Executive Committee upon the joint written request
of three or more members of said post executive committee, 5 members of the
committee shall constitute a quorum thereof.
Section
2. The post Executive Committee shall hire such employees as may be
necessary; shall authorize and approve all expenditures; shall require
adequate bonds from all persons having the custody of post funds; shall hear
the reports of post committee chairman; and generally, shall have charge of
and be responsible for the management of the affairs of this post. The
Officer's Guide suggests, and I quote,” Delegation of these functions to the
Executive Committee is in no way intended to usurp the powers of the
membership through regular Post meetings. Rather, this allows the dull,
routine, operational affairs of the Post to be resolved without distracting
from the Post meetings. Committee reports of general interest to members
should still be given at Post meetings. The key to interesting Post meetings
is using the Executive Committee effectively. The Post meeting that becomes
bogged down in arguments on petty details is interesting only to those doing
the talking. The meeting is dead and a waste of time."
Post 639 Executive Committee members are...
Phil Richardson, Commander; J.C. Ponder, Adjutant; Phil
Wolford, Sr.,
First Vice Commander; Connel Cobb, Second Vice Commander;
Tom Mabrey, Finance Officer; Bill Walker, Service Officer; Bob Carroll,
Chaplin;
Greg Carr, Sergeant-At-Arms; Bill Roark, Historian; Rick
Stephens, Judge
Advocate; Bob Jestes, Member-at-Large; Bill Erwin,
Member-at-Large; and Bill Evans, Member-at-Large.
The
Veterans Voice
Page
3
These members are the elected stewards of the Post. You
may ask questions of them and be critical, that is your right. You may also
offer them help, or, give them a "thank you" that is your option.
This Post may not be all it can be, but we are not a failure. This
Executive Committee, like the many in the past, too, at the end of the day,
will be able to say to the Commander, and the membership, "WE STILL HOLD
THIS GROUND"
Next month.....
STANDING COMMITTEES
Rick Stephens
Ladies Auxiliary
Well, here it is October the 8th and the Fall
Festival is in full swing. Lots
of things going on, chili, hot dogs, chips and of course our “Cake Walk”
and the “Silent Auction”. We
all had a great time with a pretty good turn out.
The kitchen basket went to Debra Brown, our Chaplain. Lots of things went home from the auction and we had lots of
laughs and a really good time together. I
would love to have lots more renewal for 2005, come on girls, give me a call.
We will be having the Children’s Halloween Party on
October 23 and it should be as good as in the past years. We will be giving some prizes away by age group and will
doing crafts and Connie will be doing tattoos.
Please remember that November 6 is Veterans Day.
There will be coffee and donuts starting at 8:00 Am for the Veterans
from Mt. Vernon and the activities including a parade will continue throughout
the day. There will then be a
dinner and it will give us all an opportunity to meet with those older
veterans and tell them we appreciate what they have done for us.
And remember there is always room for Jell-O!!!!
Beverly Miller, Vice President
Adjutant
Well,
it’s November and the renewals are coming into the Post for 2005.
We are at 63% of our members that have renewed for 2005 and we need
100% by the end of the year, so please get your renewal to us ASAP.
As always, please do everything to support our troops.
J.C. Ponder
Bingo
Report
I
sound like a broken record. Bingo is still slow and we expected it to pick up some by
now, but it hasn’t. We need
additional members to help us with Bingo.
We have the same people week after week and some of them are getting
tired and some (Cobb) are getting cranky, so please come help us.
Mark Reed
From
your Chaplain
This is about friendship
Two
men were walking through the desert talking when one made a comment that
deeply hurt his friend. After
much thought the man with the hurt feelings picked up a stick and wrote in the
sand “my friend hurt me deeply today with his words” and signed his name.
They walked for several hours without saying a word.
The friend with the hurt feelings fell into a hole of quicksand. His friend pulled him out and saved his life.
He then walked over to a rock and with a hammer and chisel carved his
friend’s name in to the stone. He
wrote, “my friend saved my life today”.
The friend that saved his life said, “why do you write my name in
sand when I hurt your feelings and then carved my name in stone when I saved
your life”? He looked at his friend and said “the wind will blow away
the message in the sand but your name in stone will last forever”.
At the American Legion Post 639 let’s keep our
difference as the message in the sand and our accomplishments chiseled in
stone.
Bob Carroll
From
the Web
Have
you checked out the “Halloween” page on the web?
I’m also considering a Thanksgiving page and for sure I’ll do a
Christmas page. The two may be
combined into a family “Holidays” page. With the help of Rick Stephens and other Ozark Runner members
we will put together a page on the USS Lampon that will include its history,
specifications and the sail’s journey from Puget Sound to Springfield, MO.
We will also document the construction of the display site and finally
the reconstruction of the sail (it had to be cut into 3 pieces for shipping).
The web site is now getting about 100 hits per week and our emails
indicate we are getting more and more exposure.
Check out the site often either at home or when you are at the post on
“Web TV”. You have a great
Thanksgiving and don’t forget to vote.
From the web – keep clicking.
Bill Roark
Editorial Brief:
This
is a response by Luanne Spradling (Auxiliary President) to an editorial
opinion written by Matt Morrison who was critical of people buying and
displaying “support our troops” magnets.
Magnets a good show of support! Re: “Real
support sticks better than magnets”, October 10 Readers’ Letters.
I am the President of American Legion Post 639 Auxiliary
and I would like to make it clear about the Support Your Troops and POW/MIA
magnets that are being sold by my unit. We
do not line our pockets with this money.
We sell the magnets for $3 each and the profits are used to support the
veterans and children of Springfield and the vicinity.
I am very proud to have one of these magnets on my car and on the cars
of my family. If Mr. Morrison is
against the sale of these magnets he should just ignore them and let us
support out troops.
Together
Then,
Together Now!!!
