COMMANDER'S COLUMN
Mark Davis, Detachment Commander
areacommandersal@aol.com

My Fellow SAL Members,

My main complaint this month is Membership. We are behind last year and that is totally unacceptable. If at a minimum, Officer dues should be paid and transmitted at this time. If you need help, give someone a call. There is help available, all you have to do is ask for it. You gave the Detachment a great year last year, please do not let us down. I will be going to several Squadrons myself to see what the problem is. “GOOSE EGGS” are just not acceptable.

On November 4^th, I will be in Port Charlotte for the Veterans Cookout and Membership Rally. I hope to see some of you there. They need our support. I have already contacted some people to get donations for the cookout. I have promised the Department Commander our full support on this event. I hope others will follow.

Don’t forget the Mid Winter Conference just around the corner. Any donation will be greatly accepted. Our guest will be Mark Arneson, National Vice Commander South. There may also be a few surprises thrown in. I will also need help for the Juniors/ SAL Pizza Social on Saturday evening. Your Detachment really pushed to keep this event going. My thanks to Jim Roberts and Ed Sheubrooks for getting it done.

I do have one comment that I would like to make. Some people are saying that I have been to the 13^th District more than others. The reason being is that they let me know what is going on and ask me to come over. That’s all it takes folks. At Mid Winter, I will be making plans with Bill Kelly and Tom Lemrow to visit the Northern Area.

I would like to say thank you to Squadron #136 on my recent visit. I had a great time. Also thanks to Mike Dooley for the taxi service as well as his wife Donna for putting up with me for the weekend.

That’s it for now. See you in Orlando!

ADJUTANT'S CORNER
Ed Sheubrooks, Detachment Adjutant
fishermn9@aol.com

Gentlemen,

The 3^rd Annual Fall Conference, or Mid Winter Conference will take place on Saturday, October 21^st. We will be going back to the schedule that we used for so many years during the Mid Winter Conference, We will meet in the morning and conduct regular business.

The afternoon session will include a Membership Rally, Workshop, and a Question and Answer Session. I understand that this went over very well last year. That is why we will continue it. We may have a few surprise speakers during the day as well. After the Conference concludes, we will have time and space for any Area Commander who wishes to have an Area Conference or Caucus.

Our National guest will not be our National Commander. He will be attending the National Presidents homecoming. Instead, we will have Mark Arneson, National Vice Commander South. Mark is from the Detachment of Georgia. Mark is the past National Chairman for the Child Welfare Foundation, so if anyone has any questions about the Foundation, Mark should be able to answer them for you.

In last months Source, I eluded to the possibility of having a Spring Round Up or Workshop sometime in February or March. We are asking any Squadron that wishes to host this event to submit a proposal to the Detachment during the Fall Conference. This will be a one day event, and will need the commitment of the sponsoring Post as well.

If any Squadron has a donation for any of our various Charities, we will be accepting them at the Fall Conference. This includes the NEF, Child Welfare, CMN, Special Olympics, and the Florida Children and Youth Fund. Until next month!!!

SPECIAL OLYMPICS

Stanley Viregutz, Chairman

Please remember the Fall Special Olympics Games will be November 3rd and 4^th in Kissimmee. Arrangements have been made with the Howard Johnson Maingate 8660 W. Irlo Bronson Hwy. (Hwy 192). Phone 407-396-4500 ask for reservations and tell them you are with Special Olympics. You will receive a $39.00 per night rate.

Volunteer shifts will run Friday 2pm – 5:30pm & Saturday 8:00am – 12:30pm & 12:00pm – 5:30pm. Please meet myself or Jeff Durden at the Howard Johnson 30 minutes before the shift you plan to work. Call me at 904-241-4030 or 904-704-2871 if you can help. You all do such a wonderful job raising money for Special Olympics. NOW COME AND WORK THE GAMES WITH US AND SEE YOUR DONATIONS AT WORK!

CHAPLAIN'S MESSAGE
Herbert Swoope, Detachment Chapain

The Sons of The American Legion pledge to service “For God and Country” has continuously emphasized the spiritual foundations of our freedom.

God is with us. Psalms 46

God is our shelter and strength. Always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not be afraid. Even as the earth is shaken and mountains fall into the ocean depths; even as the seas roar and rage and the hills are shaken by violence.

Please remember our troops that are fighting for the “GREAT” country of ours and those at home that keep our land and shores free.

PIZZA PARTY

There is a Junior Auxiliary and SAL Pizza Party  scheduled for Saturday evening at the Fall Conference. This party is open to all 18 years and younger SAL members. The party will take place in Salon 12 from 7:00pm – 9:30pm. There will be games and prizes as well. The Detachment is covering the cost of the Party. We hope to have plenty of our younger members and Juniors there!

SOURCE ARTICLES

Anyone with articles for THE SOURCE may submit them to the Adjutant. Please have all articles to me by the 1^st of each month. Articles may be faxed to 772-595-6375 or 772-460-1559. They can also be e-mailed to Fishermn9@aol.com. Remember that this is your newsletter. Let’s put it to GOOD USE!!

FALL CONFERENCE

The Annual Fall Conference of the Detachment of Florida will be held on Saturday, October 21^st, 2006 at the Rosen Centre, International Drive in Orlando. All sessions for the SAL will be completed on Saturday. The following is the Agenda for the Conference.

8:00am – 8:30am Advisor Committee Meeting

8:45am – 9:15am Detachment Executive Committee Meeting

9:20am – 12:00pm General Session/ Committee and Commission Meetings

12:00pm – 1:15pm Lunch

1:15pm – 1:45pm PCC meeting

4:00pm – 4:30pm Area Conferences/Cacuses