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COMMANDER'S
MESSAGE
BERNIE STEGMUELLER
Well considering all the comments about membership this year
it is almost at an end. This is May and "close of books" is just around the
corner and we’re at 92.92% membership. I know that if we are going to make
it, we will have to wake up a few districts that are sleeping. I was hoping
for at least 95.00% by this time of year. If any posts have cards to turn in
please bring them to this meeting.
Chairman of Committee, I will need a written report from you by this meeting
so that they can be put in the First Division Convention Book, that will be
handed out at the First Division Convention.
Please get them to Adjutant Ed Mc Cambridge as soon as possible.
We are still looking for Boy Staters and Police State candidates, please
contact me if you need any help. We need to keep our programs going, and
there is still time. Submit the "Police and Firefighters of the Year" to
Department. Any questions please call me.
We are going to have a blow out Convention this year, it’s going to be the
best we’re ever had with the Hospitality Room. I would like to have every
District in the First Division with me on this as we have a great Division.
The best in the State, lets show them that we are a family. So lets have a
family reunion. You know me, everything is going to be top shelf.
All District Commanders please make our May meeting, and it would be nice to
see all of you. I want to thank everyone that worked with me this year. The
last three years went by fast. So, lets give it one last hurrah for the
gripper as Notre Dame would say.
JR. VICE COMMANDER'S
MESSAGE
KENNETH PENN
The Past Commanders Luncheon will be held at the European Chalet, 5400 S.
Harlem Av. Sunday, June 1, 2008. Cocktails, 1:00 p.m. Lunch will be 2:00
p.m.. It will be family style menu, entree, soup, salad and dessert. Open
Bar. Cost is $30.00 per person. Tables of ten. The flyer is enclosed.
Armed Forces Day Dinner will be held at Airport Road Holiday Inn in Elgin
tickets are $30.00 per person. Cash Bar, Cocktails at 6:00 p.m. Dinner at
7:00 P.M. Guest Speaker is our own National Commander Marty Conatser.
Download the flyer on the Department Website.
The American Legion Premier Boy State will be held June 7 to 13, 2008. The
Tuition for sponsoring the boys is $200.00 per boy. Send to the Department.
Send Transportation Fee of $50.00 per boy to: Patricia Novotny, 801 S.
Plymouth Court #519, Chicago, IL 60605. Call 312-957-0135 if any questions.
ADJUTANT
EDWARD MC CAMBRIDGE
It is the middle of April and time flies when you are
having fun or not. The continuing visibility of the American Legion is
youth. I sense the current and recent post officers are reluctant to
share authority and responsibility with the returning Iraq and other
battlegrounds. We have all heard and many of us as Viet Nam Era vets
were not accepted enthusiastically by the remaining WWI, WWII and Korean
Veterans. I encourage posts within the First Division to follow the
exemplary practice of the William McKinley Post in recruiting, accepting
and supporting youth in full. The practice of awarded office is
detrimental to the vibrancy of the Legion. Renew your enthusiasm to the
extent that you are able. We can do it together. Ask the brave young men
and women who have recently returned.
Jack Thompson: Service Officer
Long time 4th District Chaplain and Past Division Chaplain Lad Boblak has
passed away at the age of 90 he was active up until about a month before he
passed away. My wife Rosalie and I attended the funeral and wake, he also
had a large turnout of Legionnaires, Rest Well Comrade!
Past 4th District Commander Dan Dusik is the new liaison at Jesse Brown VAMC,
and I know he will do a great job. I want to thank Sam Slocum, Larry Nohr,
Bill McNamara and Charlie Flood for their recent visit to our office at
Hines VAMC, we always like to see people stop by and visit, please call
first and let me know when you would like to come by, so we can be sure we
will be here.
Raymond Toczek: VA&R Chairman
The new "Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents-2008 Edition" is now
available. With more than 140 pages it’s a must have for all Posts. I will
have them available at the next Division meeting on May 7th. I will also
give an update on the DC conference and have the application for disabled
veterans’ property tax relief. Be sure to come and hear what’s new with
VA&R.
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Next Division Meeting
May 7, 2008(Wednesday)
Cicero Post 96
5824 W. 35th St., Cicero, IL
Exec starts at 6:30 PM
Regular meeting 7:00 PM
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SR. VICE COMMANDER'S
MESSAGE
AL COUGHLIN
The new membership incentive checks have been
mailed. Even if you did not bring in any new membership during the program,
your Post Commander will receive a special letter from me concerning
membership.
Regarding membership, it was announced at the Spring DEC that from now until
the June, Department "Close of Books" that the Department of Illinois is
offering a "Special Incentive." This information has been mailed to each
Post commander, every new member mailed in, the Department per capita charge
will be $35.00 for two years (that will pay for their 2008 and 2009 dues).
Just note it on the card sent to Department for processing.
Don’t Stop Now! I ask that you continue to recruit new members. Also, please
continue to work on getting your renewals in. Make that phone call, send
that letter or post card to those who have not yet renewed. As of April
11th, the good new is that our Division is in third place but, The First
Division is still 1,561 renewals down from 2007. I ask that everyone chip
in, pull up those shirt sleeves and get on those renewals. Thanks and let’s
all get together for the home stretch and put the First Division. "Top in
Membership" for 2008.
An "American Legion Extension Institute" Class was held on March 30th and
I’m happy to report that we graduated 23 Legion and Auxiliary members.
Another class will be held in May, it was reaffirmed that I’m the instructor
for The First Division. After three years, the Department has finally "given
in" and is beginning to purchase equipment for all five Divisions and is
appointing instructors for each. The First and Second Divisions have already
been supplied and are functional. Each Division instructor will be able to
present Post Officer, Adjutant and "American Legion Extension Institute"
classes, along with other presentations, in their respective divisions. If
you want more information on this, please contact me. We need to utilize
this program, to show the Department that their investment was well worth
it!
We’re planning a barbeque sometime in September or October with the Second
Division to be held at the Genoa Post, and it should prove fun! More
information will follow.
The First Division Installation of Officers will be held on Sunday, August
17th at la Villa. Mark your calendars and of course, more information to
follow!
Please note that the June 7, 2008 First Division Convention will be held at:
Franklin Park Post #974, 9757 W. Pacific Ave., Franklin Park, Il. Convention
will start at 8:00 A.M.
Raymond Toczek: VA&R
A recent law was passed in Illinois
giving service-connected disabled veterans a reduction in their
equalized assessed value on their property tax bills. Veterans rated 50%
to 70% will have their EAV reduced by $2,500 and those rated 80% to 100%
will see their EAV go down by $5,000. This will result in a lower
property tax bill. To obtain this Disabled Veterans’ Standard Homestead
Exemption you will need form PTAX-342 and a certified copy of your
discharge papers. Contact the State of IL at 312-814-2480 for
information on how to obtain these. You will also need a current letter
from the VA showing your current disability percent rating. This letter
can be obtained directly from the VA at 1-800-827-1000.
Bill Skoumal: Poppy Day
A big "Thank You" to the veterans at Hines VAMC who
assembled a total of 152,000 Poppies this year. A great Job. Also,
another big "thank you" to the ladies of the American Legion Auxiliary
who supervise the assembling and boxing of all of the Poppies. My job
was easier because of the assistance of Wanda Lovely and Sue Buzinski.
Sena stepped up when Effie Marros became ill last year. I want to thank
Sue for doing a great job. I also thank Effie for the many years that we
worked together and wish her good health.
Don Gassmere: Ways and Means
The First Division Raffle Tickets have been mailed out, if you need any
more Raffle Tickets, please give me a call and I will get them to you.
The Raffle will be held at the First Division Convention, to be held at
the Franklin Park Post #974 on June 7, 2008. The prizes will be Three,
$1,000.00 Prizes and Ten $100.00 Prizes, and Door Prizes given out at
the Convention
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