Volume 2, Issue 1: August 2020 

Post 11453 General Membership Meeting Tuesday, Aug 11, 2020, 7 PM, Orchard Valley Community Center

We will conduct our meeting in accordance with the Wyoming Department of Health COVID-19 Orders and Guidance

·        If you feel ill, or at risk please stay home.

·        The number of people expected to attend should allow for us to easily social distance ourselves inside our meeting location. If we are going to be closer than six feet we should wear a medical type mask.

Minutes:

VFW Post 11453 – July 14, 2020

The Commander called the meeting to order at 7:05.  The following officers were present: Commander Bush, SVC Dyke, JVC Maas, Quartermaster Tripp, Adjutant Peoples, Chaplain ML Dixon, Judge Advocate Rish and 3-year Trustee Jones. Comrades D. Dixon, Hoehn and Palmer were also present.

Comrade Maas made a motion to approve the June minutes. It was seconded, and motion carried.

Comrade Maas made a motion to approve the Quartermaster’s report. It was seconded and approved.  

Comrades in distress: Members reported on post members they had contacted over the past month, but no one is currently in distress.

Patriot’s Pen and Voice of Democracy: Comrade Rish gave out the themes for this year’s contest. Putting the contest information and entry requirements on the website was discussed and agreed upon.

Poppies: The next poppy distribution day is July 18, 0800-1600, at Safeway. Members were asked to find other venues for poppy distribution in addition to Safeway.

Old Business: The drawing for the AR-15 will be at the September meeting. Members are encouraged to sell tickets.

New Business: None at this time.

Good of the Order: NuVision Credit Union is gathering non-perishables for the VA July1-31.

National Home prayer was said, and the meeting adjourned at 7:30.

Guests

We are expecting someone from Veterans’ Rock to speak with us about their organization.

Veterans’ Rock Announcement:

Veterans’ Rock

Our Mission: Rock solid support for homeless veterans, veterans in need, and their families. We will be their foundation on which to build a new household and a new life. We will give them substance and nourishment. We will be their staff to help guide them through tough times offering useful information and ways to communicate.  We will help to lessen the burden of mental injury and fight to overpower veteran suicide through a welcoming presence in a warm, comfortable environment. They fought for our freedom; now we want to help them live free of everyday burdens in small, but impactful ways.

We are a newly formed 501 (c) (3)

Located at: 605 South Greeley Highway, Cheyenne, WY 82001

307-421-5053

Board Members

Cindy Stockdale, President

Robert Dockins, Vice President

Sandra Dockins, Secretary

Aubrey Halik, Treasurer

Because we are new, most importantly, we are in need of monetary donations to help with overhead (rent and utilities).

We need volunteers to help: write grants, fix up the place (clean, patch, paint), organize and set up the store, mind the store (help veterans shop), and least but, not last—to spread the good word we are here!!

We will take monetary donations anytime, item donations starting August 1 and are planning our grand opening for Saturday, August 22, 2020.

We have a lot of work to do. We still need a phone number, an email address, a website, and lots of help! Oh, and the list includes a kitchen sink—literally!

We hope this email finds everyone in good health and spirits! Please, we hope you will give us and our veterans your consideration and support! We have been working hard on this project and want to see it succeed. Our veterans need your support—there is nothing like this project in our community! We can, and willdo this with your help.

Most Sincerely,

Agenda:

·        Open Meeting, Roll call

·        Veterans Rock presentation

·        Other guests

·        Membership Applications

·        Minutes

·        General Orders & other docs please review here

·        Quartermaster

o  Report

o  QM Bond Wy GO 2, due to dept NLT Aug 31, couldn’t find current Bond Rate

o  QM/Trustees: Audit April – June 2020

o  Articles of Incorporation (Sec of State)

o  IRS Tax Exempt 990N

o  Undeliverable addresses: Robert B Moreno, John E Quiqley

·        Service Officer Report

·        Adjutant

·        Comrades/Families in distress

·        Committee reports

o  Membership (Need Chairperson)

o  Relief (Need Chairperson)

o  Poppy (Rish: 18 July Safeway $555.64. Be glad to help when I'm in town but will be on the road a lot so will not be able to be Chairman). Bush (Need Chairperson, is someone willing to organize a Poppy Drive? We should order Poppies for 2020)

o  Publicity:

§  (Bush/Maas: We now have a Facebook page VFW Post 11453, we need visits, likes, and useful comments—please ask your friends to visit and like too.)

§  Bush asked Officers for a short bio and photo for the Post website—still waiting for some.

§  It would be great to have someone else step up social media and publicity.

o  Youth Activities (Rish: VOD/PP Chairman. Have ordered all materials, letters to distribute materials have been sent. Materials have been broken down into packages for distribution. Will make distribution when I get back from Arizona on the 22 of August.)

o  Americanism (Need Chairperson)

o  House (Rish Liaison with OVHOA; is happy to continue attending their meetings)

o  Ways & Means (Need Chairperson): Raffle (Tripp)

o  Community Activities:

§  Post Picnic,

§  Pearl Harbor (Rish: Ruth said she would handle the preparation of food again this year. Venue same as last year. Need to get keynote speaker lined up.) (Need Chairperson)

o  Safety (Need Chairperson)

o  Bingo (Need Chairperson)

·        Post By-Laws

o  (Bush:  this document is way out of date please review at our post website

§  vfw11453.org, Login, Members Only, Member ID is your membership number, check your VFW card, next is your last name (not case sensitive) most of us officers have short last names—we shouldn’t have to check our VFW cards! Click: Members Only, Post 11453 By-Laws Amended 2015

§  Bush: To change our By-Laws is a process outlined in the VFW Manual of Procedure Sec 202-208, it requires a written notice (up to 30 days, but I think 14 days in our case) to all Post members and Dept Commander and 2/3 majority of members present at a meeting. I would like to have all changes written out and ready to send out at the Regular September meeting so we can make the proper notifications and vote on them at the Regular October meeting.

·        Unfinished Business: 

o  Poppies: Last month Members were asked to find other venues for poppy distribution in addition to Safeway. The results are___________________. Our next poppy distribution day is __________, time ____________, location __________.

o  The drawing for the AR-15 will be at the September 8, 2020 meeting. Sell, sell, sell! Contact QM Justin is you need (more) tickets.

·        New Business:

o  2020 Podium Edition, Bylaws : $7.25 each (I believe we usually get 5) 

o  Post Website renew due NLT Sept 23, 2020, $360.

o  Veterans Rock

o  …

·        Good of the Order

·        8PM: National Home prayer

·        Close Meeting