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

My Fellow SAL Members,

Well here it is, a New Year. It is my sincere wish that every one had a happy and healthy Holidays. Now it is time to get back to work. By this I mean Membership. T o the Squadrons that are 100% and over, my congratulations and thank you very much. For those that are still “GOOSE EGGS”, you should be drawn and quartered. Sometime this month I will be visiting some of these Squadrons to find out the problem. I sure hope that it is not a case of laziness.

If anyone has seen my coveted farming implement, please let me know. I hope that it is being well taken care of.

I want to take this time to thank Richard Mattick and Squadron #154 for the hospitality last month at their Squadron Christmas Party. Great job guys. I look forward to your going away party later this year.

My upcoming travels that are confirmed are the Northern Area Harvest on Presidents Day weekend, also will arrive early for the Mulberry Gathering with Mr. Jennings and Company. If you need me in between let me know. A lot of dates are open.

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

Gentlemen,

I hope that everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Now that the busy holiday schedule is behind us, we need focus our attention on Membership. At this time, we still have 13 “Goose Egg” Squadrons in the state. In addition to this, we have eight Squadrons that are under Charter strength. Twenty One Squadrons out of 155 with no membership, or with very little membership at all. If we are to attain our Goal of 12,000 members, we need to make some serious changes and quickly. So let’s start plowing up the Fields and Harvest Membership TODAY!!!

There was some discussion at the Fall Conference about having a Spring Conference and or Leadership Workshop. This was to take place at a host Post and Squadron. I have not received any feedback from our Squadrons and members if they think that the Conference is necessary or not. I would appreciate your comments on this matter sent to me by e-mail at, fishermn9@aol.com. I will report in next months issue of the outcome of the survey.

Our year end is just six months away from now! I know it’s early to start talking about reports, but as the saying goes, the Early Bird get the worm! I hope that every Squadron is recording their man hours and dollar contributions to date. If not take a few minutes to go back and log down what your Squadron did from August to December. Keep a monthly log from now until June. When it comes time in June to complete the reports you will have the information close at hand. It doesn’t matter how small the donation, or the amount of man hours, all are important and all count towards our goals. In addition to our usual reports, we will also have a Consolidated Squadron Report form to complete from National. This report will be mailed to all Squadrons in April. This report must be completed and submitted to National Headquarters. This is the only report form that National will accept this year. We will be reworking the Administrative manual for next year to include this report form and restructure our current forms. Until next month!!!

CENTRAL AREA MEMBERSHIP

Richard Crooker, Central Area Membership Chairman

richacrk@aol.com

Gentlemen,

COMMENTS FROM THE CHAPLAIN
Herbert Swoope, Detachment Chaplain

hswoope@msn.com

First I would like to wish everybody a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

Our purpose to inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the Community, State and Nation sets us apart as men and women of service. Service should be the keynote of every member of The American Legion Family. It means being an example of honest, faithful and diligent service to the whole Community, not just to our own family, church, synagogue or Post, but also to all. None of us can do everything, but all of us can be of service. We can start with strengthening ourselves as individuals morally, spiritually, mentally and physically.

Citizenship imposes responsibility. President Kennedy stated this well when he said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”. As a citizen, every Legionnaire should provide an example of integrity, self- sacrifice and hard work.

Let us not forget our troops at home and abroad and their Families.

DETACHMENT COMMANDER'S HOMECOMING

The Detachment Commanders Homecoming will be held on May 12^th, 2007 at Post #38 in Fort Myers. More information will be available on this in the next month issue of The Source.

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!!

ENDORSEMENTS FOR OFFICE

It is the policy of the Detachment that no endorsements for Detachment or District office be published before the annual Fall Conference. All endorsements must be sent in writing to the Detachment Adjutant. All endorsements must include the Post Commanders or Post Adjutants signature and the signature of the Squadron Commander and Adjutant.

The following endorsements have been submitted.

For Detachment Commander

Stan Weyman, Squadron #24  

Richard Crooker, Squadron #139

For Detachment Vice Commander

Southwest     Michael Dooley, Squadron #38

North              William Kelly, Squadron #137

For National Executive Committeeman

        Mark Davis, Squadron #57

For Alternate National Executive Committeeman

        Larry Smith, Squadron #162

For Detachment Historian

        Steve Gordon, Squadron #110

All endorsements will be published each month, space permitting.