• Regular Meeting January 4, 2017
o Commander Don Dillman called Post 287 to order at 1910 hours. Chaplain Dave Hehn gave the opening prayer. A quorum was established with 8 members present.
o Finance Report- a motion was made, seconded and approved to have the January mid-month finance report given in writing from the Finance Officer to the Adjutant for posting in the minutes, since there will not be a Legion meeting on 18 January here at the Post. The membership was reminded to weigh all decisions on our donations carefully as the year progresses. The Post has many annual donation commitments such as: the Auxiliary ($1,000), Boys State ($1,200), Legacy Scholarship, and others.
o Membership: 2017 = 212 (85%)
o Sons of the American Legion (SAL)- Commander Mike Walter
Membership (SAL) is at 40 (90%)
Squadron 287 Veteran’s Day of Honor: the last committee meeting was held on 29 December 2016. Mike Grimm, Mark Brock, and Mike Walter were present. Commander Walter has met with the Andrew County Senior Center Administrator Linda Lambright: We have been granted permission to host the program at the Senior Center. There will be no staff members there to assist due to limits/restrictions on the number of manning hours they are allowed to work. We can use the audiovisual equipment as well as the kitchen facilities. The Senior Center will collect the registrations for us. We will initially limit the veterans and guests to a maximum of 120 people. Date of the 1st event will be: 26 March 2017. The time will be: 2 p.m. The event is open to all veterans who have been honorably discharged and their families.
Future Plans: Purchase a portable large projector screen. We will try to use the donated projector unit if compatible with a lap top computer. The Detachment has committed to donating $350 for our use. Squad 359 will also make a monetary contribution for the program. The next Planning Committee will be 27 February at 7 p.m.
o Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA): Fundraising Breakfast: date: 25 March; proceeds devoted to sponsoring their students to regional, state, and/or national competitions. Cost of national competitions is approximately $1,500/student. They have 6-8 students eligible for the national level competition. Squadron 287 Monetary Donation to FCCLA- the squadron will add to their breakfast fundraiser with a monetary donation to be determined at a later time.
o Spaghetti Dinner: Detachment Western Vice Commander Mark Brock: there will be a spaghetti dinner this Saturday, 7 January. The proceeds will go towards Squadron 287’s Veteran’s Day of Honor program.
o Sick Call: Jim Dubarr (new member) - SAL Commander Walter has taken Legionnaire Dubarr to his follow-up medical appointments at the Leavenworth VA Medical Center. All is going well. Legionnaire Dubarr should complete all of his follow-up visits soon. The care at the VA has been “exemplary.”
o Post Everlasting: SAL Squadron member Robert Durant
o Un-finished Business:
139th Airlift Wing Base Tour & Promotion Ceremony for Legionnaire Mark Hummer: date: Wednesday, 18 January 2017 at the Airlift Wing, Rosecrans Air National Guard Base. Starting time is noon. Agenda includes: Base Tours and briefings will start at noon; and Mark Hummer’s promotion ceremony at 3:00 p.m. All Legion Family members are welcomed! Please come as a guest to the 139th Airlift Wing, and to show our support of Legionnaire Hummer.
Valentine Dinner- 18 February plans ongoing.
o New Business:
National Commander Veteran’s Memorial Project- Known memorials in Savannah/Andrew County area: Flanders Field, Savannah Cemetery; City Hall- memorial at their flag pole; Blue Star Memorial at the Andrew County Senior Center; Honor Roll inside the Courthouse; and in the near future the Veteran’s & First Responders Memorial on the southwest corner of the Courthouse grounds
2-month calendar review
o For the Good of the American Legion: Certificate of Appreciation from Commander Goolsby, 4th District Commander
o Commander Dillman adjourned the meeting at 1940 hours. Chaplain Hehn gave the closing prayer. The next meeting will be February 1st, 2017 at 1900 hours.
• Regular Meeting February 1, 2017
o Commander Don Dillman called Post 287 to order at 1900 hours. Adjutant Terry Beasley gave the opening prayer. A quorum was established with 14 members present.
o Guests: Jesse England, new SAL member, and Jerome Goolsby, 4th District Commander
o Membership: 2017 = 218 (88%)
o Sons of the American Legion (SAL)- Commander Mike Walter:
Membership (SAL) is at 42 (95%). Jesse England and John Grisamore were introduced as the latest new members to Squadron 287.
Family, Career, and Community Leaders of American (FCCLA) is having their breakfast fundraiser on March 25th. Post 287 will provide the up-front costs for their breakfast groceries and supplies. Squadron 287 will make a decision on an additional donation to their organization at a later time.
Squadron 287 Veteran’s Day of Honor: the next Committee Meeting will be 27 February at 7 p.m. at Post 287. The 1st Squadron 287 Veteran’s Day of Honor event will be at the Andrew County Senior Center on March 26th at 2 p.m. The event is open to all veterans who have been honorably discharged and their families.
Missouri Boy’s State- Squadron 287 will donate $400 to sponsor one candidate
o Sick Call: Larry Glenn, Gene Ceglenski, and Drexel Campbell
o Post Everlasting: Eldon Hellums, Logan Moran, and John Stanton, III
o Guest Speader Comments from 4th District Commander Jerome Goolsby: Membership of the 4th District overall updated stats were given by Commander Goolsby. Commander Goolsby also suggested for Posts to sponsor the membership fees for their senior members who are infirmed or in nursing homes. Database for our Veteran Monuments: please start now, and add to the National data base. There are only a few monuments listed from the state of Missouri at the present time.
o New Business:
Serving Trays- A motion was made, seconded, and approved to donate $60 for food serving trays to be used at the breakfast and dinner events. This $60 will be added to $60 donations from the SAL, Riders and Auxiliary to go towards the total amount needed for the purchase of the trays.
Piano & TV/VCR- the question was asked if there was a need for the piano, TV, and VCR player that are in our main meeting area. The membership determined there was no real need for these items. They will be offered for free to any group or person wanting them, such as the DAV, or they will be disposed of.
Post 287 will host the March 4th District meeting and the 4 Chaplains Ceremony to be conducted prior to the meeting. Volunteers will be sought for the 4 Chaplain ceremony to include a rifle team and the playing of Taps. Post 287 will volunteer for every other March meeting date of the 4th District, alternating with Post 464 in organizing and conducting the annual 4 Chaplains ceremony.
Missouri Boys State donations- The Post will sponsor 2 candidates. A third student will be funded from donations collected from 4 of our Legionnaires. Commander Dillman said the Lion’s Club will make their annual donation to this program as well. We are awaiting to hear from the Savannah Senior High School and the North Andrew School for their applicants.
o For the Good of the American Legion:
Methodist Church Breakfast fundraiser, February 2nd from 6:30 – 8:30 a.m.
A thank you letter was sent to the 139th Airlift Wing Commander for our recent base tour and Legionnaire Mark Hummer’s promotion ceremony.
Next Andrew County Museum Coffee will be held on February 15th at 1:30 p.m.
Volunteer(s) are needed to go to the National Convention this year. Dates will be August 18-24, 2017. Location is Reno, Nevada. The distance from Savannah to Reno is 1,650 miles.
o Commander Dillman adjourned the meeting at 1940 hours. Adjutant Beasley gave the closing prayer. The next meeting will be February 15th, at 1900 hours.
• Regular Meeting February 15, 2017:
o Adjutant Terry Beasley called Post 287 to order at 1900 hours. Chaplain Dave Hehn gave the opening prayer. A quorum was established with 12 members present.
o Finance Report was given by Timmy Williams.
o Membership: 2017 = 219 (88%)
o American Legion Riders (ALR)- Assistant Director Danny Simon:
Membership (ALR) is at 39.
American Legion Rider of the Year for Chapter 287- Debbie Williams.
Camp Quality- annual donation of $100 was made.
Legacy Scholarship- currently collected $432.
3rd Annual Missouri Legacy Scholarship Ride- will be done in “Ozark” country. “Cages” (a.k.a. 4-wheel vehicles with doors and roofs) are now allowed as long as the driver/passenger is an honorably discharged veteran, an American Legion member, and pays the registration fee.
Vet-2-Vet will be at the Civic Center this year. ALR Chapter 287 & Post 287 will have a booth there to promote The American Legion.
Post 445 Tractor Cruise- ALR Chapter 287 will provide road patrol/guard duties for this 1st annual Daniel-Shafer Post 445 Tractor Cruise to be held on June 3rd in Edgerton.
Other ALR events include: dinner get together at Café 71, and a ride to Maryville to the newly installed and painted “Freedom Rock.”
Car & Bike show of Saint Joseph has invited ALR Chapter 287 on 24-26 March. Tom Crawley will have a booth, plus 7 of his bikes there. The event will be held at the Civic Arena.
o Public Relations Committee- Ron Shepherd: a writer for the Saint Joseph News Press has requested 8-12 members from Post 287 to be at a special all-day event. The event will be in Saint Joseph on one of the Saturday’s in June. More details to be released later.
o Sons of the American Legion (SAL)- Commander Mike Walter:
Membership (SAL) is at 42 (95%).
Squadron 287 Veteran’s Day of Honor: A color guard team will be need to post and retrieve the flags: American, SAL, American Legion and POW-MIA. Next Committee Meeting will be 27 February at 7 p.m. at Post 287. The Andrew County Senior Center will start taking RSVP reservations so we can have an idea of how many veterans and their family and friends will be there. The Air National Guard of Saint Joseph and the Army National Guard of Maryville want to participate as well.
Mike Walter and Mark Brock will attend the Spring Detachment Conference in Jefferson City next week.
Annual Spring Fish & Chicken fry- plans are in progress.
o Sick Call: Don Dillman, Pat Bruffy (hip surgery), Drexel Campbell- returning from Florida and will stay at LaVerna Village for now, and Kenneth Diggs- has moved to live with family members.
o Unfinished Business: Valentine Dinner- currently over 60 RSVP’s., and serving trays have been purchased and received.
o New Business: 2-month calendar review:
Spring Conference: 17-19 February in Jefferson City
Valentine’s Dinner: 18 February
4th District Meeting and the 4 Chaplains Ceremony will be hosted by Post 287 on March 12th at 1:30 p.m.
American Legion Birthday pot luck dinner hosted by the Auxiliary will be March 13th at 6 p.m.
40 & 8 Ham & Bean Fundraiser Dinner will be March 18th from 5-7 p.m. See flyer, attachment #4.
Family, Career, and Community Leaders of American (FCCLA) fundraiser breakfast will be March 25th from 7-9 a.m.
Veterans Day of Honor conducted by SAL Squad 287 will be 26 March at 2 p.m. at the Andrew County Senior Center.
o For the Good of the American Legion: the last Pancake Breakfast was overflowing. Served 165 patrons.
o Adjutant Beasley adjourned the meeting at 1940 hours. Chaplain Hehn gave the closing prayer. The next meeting will be March 1st, at 1900 hours.
