MONROE COUNTY VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS AND AUXILIARY
County Council Meeting, Tuesday, November 4, 2008, 7:00 PM at County Headquarters, 200 West Ave. Rochester, NY.
County Council Auxiliary will meet at 12:00 Noon, on December 2, 2008 at the County Headquarters, 200 West Ave. Rochester, NY.
COMMANDER’S MESSAGE
The Monroe County Council meeting will be held on November 4th. To change the date would interfere with at least three other post meetings. Therefore we will meet at 1900 hrs on November 4th.
Attending my first Department of New York Conference, I was surprised to see the number of posts who have failed to register one delegate to attend the National convention. The number of posts in jeopardy of losing their Charter was over ten. I do not believe any in Monroe County were affected. I mention this so you can be aware that higher authorities are looking at situations like this.
The Fisher House Program has been selected by the Department Commander as his Special Project this year. It would be appreciated if all posts could send a small donation to a worthy cause and also fulfill one of your obligations to be eligible for All State Commander. The Department Commander being from Palmyra and District 8 area certainly deserves our support.
Inspections are underway and I certainly expect Post Quartermasters to extend the courtesy to County Inspectors so we can complete the necessary inspections. Inspectors have been informed to call quartermasters for confirmation of time and place.
While on the subject of Quartermasters, I certainly hope all of you are aware of the new 990 and 990E IRS filing deadline of November 15th. Any deviation from the 15th deadline will lead to a complicated situation with penalties of about $10 per day not to exceed $5000. It is important for Quartermasters to comply no later than November 15th. Also, your first Trustee and Community Activities reports are due at Dept. Headquarters the month of November.
Poppy orders must be purchased through the Department of New York or you will not get credit for that purchase. As a reminder, we had several posts last year that could not get them in the spring because of lack of supply. Please plan accordingly and order now.
The Voice of Democracy and the Patriot’s Pen Programs have been initiated. Schools have been notified to submit their entries to the nearest known VFW Post. If you have not been in the program before, please do not refuse any entries you may receive. Accept the entry, read and submit it as your entry. It will then be judged at County level. You will be notified if it has been selected to be forwarded to District. Submission deadlines are November 7th and there will be no exceptions or late submissions.
We currently have six posts that need less than ten members each to reach 100% membership. At this time of year, that may sound good, however, in June, we still had five posts in the County that did not gain one member. A little effort in this program could put Monroe County on top in the District.
At county level, there are over a half dozen committee chairmanships open. I will have them listed in next months newsletter. I would appreciate anyone interested in county meetings to consider one of the positions available. I sincerely hope therefore that this newsletter will be shared with members of the Posts by all Commanders, either read or distributed at your post meetings.
In closing, I look forward to meeting all of you. I would like to ask those of you who do not attend any county functions to consider joining us or send a representative from your post. I would like to know if there are any problems are conflicts preventing you from attending. It may be a situation that can be readily resolved. Let’s hear from you.
In Comradeship
Don Makely, Commander
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Dear Sisters;
I have just returned from the Fall Conference in Liverpool, NY and had a great weekend. I hope all those who attended enjoyed themselves as well. At the present time, District 8 is in first place and Monroe County is in third place for membership.-Great job Sister’s ! Monroe County Council has achieved 82.27% and need 78 more sisters to send in their dues to reach our goal of 100%. I know we can do it if we all chip in and contact those sisters who have not sent in their dues.
I realize that some auxiliary sisters are waiting to receive a 2009 Dues Notice and the National VFW Ladies Auxiliary will not be sending the form. Therefore, at the bottom of this letter, I have composed a 2009 Dues Notice that cab be copied and placed on a post card or copied on to a letter to be sent to those sisters who have not paid. Please share this with your auxiliary Treasurer or Membership Committee so the forms can be mailed as soon as possible.
November is soon upon us and I would like to remind all sisters that there will be “No” November County Council Meeting as it falls on National Election Day. I encourage all auxiliary sisters to vote in our national election. Your participation in voting can be reported under the Americanism Program.
At the Fall Conference, Department Treasurer, Marianne McLane announced that she is waiting to receive updated information on our 990N e-card filing. We will have a due date of November 15 to process our forms; however, we will not be penalized this year if our forms arrive late. Marianne has advised that the Department of NY should be receiving the “Group exemption number” soon which we need to continue to process our forms. At this time, we are on “hold” until she notifies the auxiliaries. As soon as I receive this information, I will be contacting the Auxiliaries.
As a reminder, Department President, Cindy Campbell, will be making her official visit to the Monroe County Council on Tuesday, December 2 at 12:30 PM. In addition, Monroe County Council will also be inspected by Lisa Raplee.
Prior to President Cindy attending our December meeting, she will be visiting the Canandaigua Veterans Hospital at 10 AM. At the conclusion of the hospital visit, President Cindy and those attending the tour will meet at Danforth Community Center for a light lunch at 12:30 PM; and our regular business meeting will immediately follow. Please save the date and plan to attend this meeting so that you can meet and greet President Cindy.
As a reminder, please send in your Hospital Christmas Fund donation as soon as possible. Checks should be made payable to the Canandaigua Veterans Hospital and mailed to Helen Weeks, 1600 East Ave, Apt. 1116, Rochester, NY 14610. Please do not mail the checks to the Canandaigua Veterans Hospital.
Thank you for your support of our programs. Please remember to report everything you do on our programs to our Department Chairman. They want their mailboxes full; so please send in your reports by the 10th of each month.
Lastly, I ask that you please continue to keep our sisters and comrades in your prayers especially those that are ill.
From my Family to yours, I wish everyone a very “Happy Thanksgiving.” Always remember if “United we Stand for our Veterans and their Families” “Our Dreams Become Rainbows”.
Loyally,
Karen A. Dotson
TONY’S REPORT
The officers and members of Perinton Memorial Post Veterans of Foreign Wars are pleased and honored to announce the hosting of “The Wall That Heals” at our post home at Freedom Hill in Fairport, NY from August 20th-23rd, 2009.
“The Wall That Heals” is a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Since 1996, “Bring the Wall Home” to communities throughout our country allows the souls enshrined on the Memorial to exist, once more among family and friends in the peace and comfort of familiar surroundings. The traveling exhibit allows the many thousands of veterans who have been unable to cope with the prospect of facing the Wall to find the strength and courage to do so within their own communities, thus allowing the healing process to begin.
Since its dedication, “The Wall That Heals” has visited more than 300 cities and towns throughout the nation, spreading the Memorial’s healing legacy to millions.
We want our fellow veterans to know of this event before the information is released to the general public. Our post is in the initial planning stages for hosting the replica. We will be contacting all the veteran’s organizations in Monroe County and adjacent counties as plans are finalized. Please share this information with all your members.
Rick Gough
Commander
Perinton Memorial Post 8495 VFW at Freedom Hill
TREES FOR TROOPS
On behalf of our military personnel serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait, we are again asking for contributions to purchase Christmas Trees, lights, ornaments and Menorahs that will be sent to our military personnel in harm’s way at the above mentioned locations.
The donation for each tree with the appropriate lights and decorations is $25.00. You may fund as many trees as you would like and no donation is to small. Working together, we can make the holidays a little more enjoyable for those fighting far away from home.
PLEASE BE GENEROUS IN YOUR DONATIONS
Use your Relief Fund
CHECKS OR MONEY ORDERS SHOULD BE MADE PAYABLE TO:
PROCTOR-HOPSON POST #1896
(MARK IN MEMO: TREES FOR TROOPS)
MAIL TO: BEN THOMPSON, PSC
119-26 204th STREET
ST. ALBANS, NY 11412
“THANK YOU FOR CARING”