MINUTES OF

AMERICAN LEGION 22ND DISTRICT – DEPARTMENT OF TEXAS

District Executive Committee – Sunday, July 20, 2008

 

            The meeting was called to order at 1403 by Commander Terry Messinger at American Legion Post 472, 7599 Avenue C, Houston, TX 77012.  The Roll Call of Officers, Committees Chairperson, and Post was taken (Encl. 1).  There were 9 out of 15 Posts represented.

 

I.          Guests – Commander Messinger welcomed Past Department Commander Butch Sparks and

            And Past 22nd District Commanders Lynn Sparks, Tom Larsen, Butch Sparks, Bill Menbeck, and

            Buddy McFarland.

 

II.        Installation of 22nd District Officers – Past District Commander Lynn Sparks – Calvin Gruetzmacher (Chaplain), Ralph Morris (Judge Advocate), George Hudson (Ass’t Sgt-At-Arms), Felix White (Historian), and Ben Saenz (Service Officer) were installed as District Officers.

 

III.       Minutes – Juan Torres – Minutes of the May 4, 2008, District Executive Convention were distributed (Encl. 2).   Jerry Blaylock moved that they be accepted as written, seconded by Lynn Sparks and passed.

 

OFFFICER REPORTS

 

IV.       Vice Commander - Jerry Blaylock – Gave the Final Membership Report for the last Legion Year which states the Posts that made goals and the goals for each Post for the new year (Encl.3.).   The following Post had membership turn-ins at the Meeting:  Post 319(36); Post 472(52); Post 490(332); and Post 492(134); for a total of 554.

 

V.        Adjutant – Juan Torres – No Report

 

VI.       Finance Report – Tom Larsen – Gave the finance report (Encl. 4).  Tom Larsen moved that the report be accepted, seconded by Jerry Blaylock, and it passed.

 

VII.      Judge Advocate – Ralph Morris – No Report.

 

VIII.    Historian – Felix White – Announced a Veterans Summit on Tuesday,  August 5, 2008 at the Pearland VFW 7109 located at 4202 West Walnut St., Pearland, TX from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.  Texas Veterans Commissioner Al Cantu will be the keynote speaker (Encl. 5).

 

IX.       Chaplain – Cal Gruetzmacher – Reported that the memorial team conducted 6 funerals last month.

 

X.         Service Officer - Ben Saenz – Announced that he is at VA hospital three times a week and will visit patients.

 

XI.       Sgt-at-Arms – Leo Villafranco – Reported that 28 legionnaires are present, 24 signed in.

            (Encl. 6).

 

XII.      Asst. Sgt.-at -Arms – George Hudson – No report.

 

XIII.    Past District Commander – Lynn Sparks – No Report.

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS

 

XIV.     Baseball - Janet Turner - Reported that the Department Baseball tournament will start on July 29, 2008 with a banquet.  Tournament play will begin on July 30, 2008 with games at 10:00 AM and 6:30 P.M. at Wildcat Stadium in League City.  Milby High School and South Houston will represent the 22nd District.  Need volunteers at all games.

 

XV.      BOYS STATE – Bill Manbeck – Reported that we had a record year for Boys State with 45 boys attending and 11 out of 15 Posts sent boys. 6 attendees were named to high offices (Encl. 7).

 

XVI.     ORATORICAL -  Tom Larsen - Time to start recruiting oratorical candidates at the schools.

 

XVII.   WEBMASTER – Jerry Blaylock – Need the Post certifience to update the district directory.

 

XVIII.  DISTRICT BBQ COOK-OFF – Jerry Blaylock – Reported that the first meeting was held at Post 490.  Next meeting will be on September 18, 2008 at Post 490.

 

OLD/UNFINISHED BUSINESS

 

XIX.     COMMITTEE APPOINTMENT – COMMANDER MESSINGER – Announced that he appointed Manuel Gaitan (472) to be the Legislative Chairman and Robert Rocha (472)  as the

            District Baseball Chairman.  Also that Janet Turner was named the 2nd Division Baseball Chairperson.

 

XX.      DEPARTMENT SPRING CONVENTION – Lynn Sparks – Thank all of the 22nd District for being the number 1 district  in membership throughout the Department.

 

XXI.     PAST 2ND DIVISION COMMANDER – Al Marlowe – Also thanked the 22nd District for being the #1 in the state which made the 2nd Division to be the #1 division in the state considering membership.  Also mentioned that he met with Oliver North and described the various committees that he was involved.

 

XII.      DEPARTMENT COMMANDER CANDIDATE  – Tom Larsen – Thanked everyone for their support even though he came in second.

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

XXIII.  EAGLE SCOUT PRESENTATION  -  Nathan Hicks, an Eagle Scout,  made a presentation on his project to help the USO send care packages to military personnel stationed in hostage area by asking for donations at stores, Post meeting, etc.

 

            Tom Larsen moved for the District to donate $100.  seconded by Jerry Blaylock, and  it passed.

 

XIV.     AWARDS – Commander Terry Messinger – Presented District Cap to George Hudson, and a Department Certificate of Appreciation to Post 52 for 100% + membership, and Department Certificate of Appreciation to Posts 77, 52, 416, 472, 490, 492 and 654 for submitting the Consolidated Report by June 1, 2008.

 

Good of the Legion

 

1.         Commander Terry Messingner mentioned to those Post who have a home that all Post records should be kept in-house.

2.         Commander mentioned that Joseph Garcia (472) was leaving to Korea.

3.         Tom DeLeon presented a photo album to Post 472 Drill Team on winning Department competition.

4.         Tom Larsen introduced two officers from Post 492, Commander Pete Boyles and Chaplain Louis Alexander. Their first time to attend a DEC Meeting.

 

XV.      Meeting Adjournment – Meeting was adjourned 1520.           

 

COMPILED BY   ___________________                                                                         Date_________________

                                Juan Torres, Jr. – Adjutant

 

APPROVED BY  ___________________

                             Terry Messinger - Commander