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

My Fellow SAL Members,

By the time this goes to print, my Homecoming will be history. I will give an update on it next month. For those of you that do not keep track of membership on a weekly basis, we are doing great. T round things off, we only need 2 percent and we reach our 100% goal. However, there are a few Squadrons that should be singled out. Squadrons #235, #242, #325, #171, #358, #43, #333, and #7. These Squadrons are either at ZERO or just above 50%. Some have not sent in any membership since last year. There is no excuse for it. Normally I would not mention by Squadron numbers in the Source, but maybe this will stimulate some action on their behalf.

On a happy note. I wish to thank Squadron #72 and John Jennings for their hospitality at the first ever SAL Central Area Ball and Homecoming for John Jennings. I hope that it continues in years to come.

Anyone going to the Convention should get reservations now. Holding off you might be out of luck. Also year end report packages have been mailed out. Do it now and don’t wait until its too late. Mailing a week before Convention or handing it in at Convention does not do the Detachment and good for credit when reporting to National. Give Ed Sheubrooks a break, lets make it easy on him this year.

Until next month. CHOW!!!

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

Gentlemen,

Squadron Adjutants have received a packet in the mail that contains all of the Year-End Reports for the Detachment that need to be completed by the Squadrons. New this year is the National Consolidated Squadron Report form. Please keep in mind that National will not accept any other report forms this year other than the CSR. Take a moment to complete the reports and mail them back as soon as they are completed. All reports are tabulated for our report to the American Legion. If your squadron had no activity during the past year, still send the reports with NO ACTIVITY written on them. In addition, the new Squadron Officers Report is included. Please include an e-mail address. After your elections complete the form and mail one copy to Department Headquarters and one copy to me. The Detachment Roster is compiled from this report.

Convention is just two short months away. Please see the schedule for the convention in this issue of The Source. Registration will start on Friday, July 6^th at 9:00am in the morning. As more information is available we will provide it to you.

The All Children’s Hospital Telethon is scheduled for June 2nd, 2007. It will be held in St. Petersburg at the All Children’s Hospital. Anyone that can man the phone banks for a few hours will be greatly appreciated. We will be presenting checks for the Children’s Miracle Network at this time. More information will be forth coming.

Please keep in mind our continued support of Florida Special Olympics. If any Squadron has donations fro Florida Special Olympics, please bring them with you to the Convention. Anyone not planning on attending the Convention can mail the checks to me and I will present them on behalf of those Squadrons. We will have a representative with us from Florida Special Olympics to accept all checks and to hand out Awards to all Squadrons that have donated. We will also be collecting for the Children’s Miracle Network, NEF, Child Welfare Foundation, and the Florida Children and Youth Fund.

Any checks presented on the Convention Floor this year will be mailed immediately following the Detachment Convention. Last year we held the CMN checks until National Convention to make a presentation on the Convention floor. To make a long story short, they were misplaced by National and delayed getting deposited. I apologize to the Squadrons that this happened to. It will not happen again.

 Until next month……Keep up the Good Work!

COMMANDER DAVIS' 7th DISTRICT VISIT

John Jennings, Detachment Vice Commander - Central Area

jjgameon@yahoo.com

Detachment Commander Mark Davis and wife Emma made a trip to the 7^th District just before the Mulberry Gathering. I, along with the 7^th District would like to say thank you Commander. This is a first for the 7^th District and it was a wonderful time. I would personally like to express my many thanks to several Squadrons and Post for having the red carpet rolled out with some really great hospitality.

I will start with Squadron #72, Squadron #3, Squadron #8, Squadron #34, special thanks to Squadron #34 for the wonderful food at a very needed time(Great Job Commander Rick), last but not least Squadron #4 for the wonderful steak dinner and sock hop on Saturday evening.

Each and every Post had a great turn out of both Legionnaires and Squadron members. GREAT JOB ALL, AND THANKS FOR ALL YOUR EFFORTS!

CENTRAL AREA BALL
John Jennings, Detachment Vice Commander - Central Area

jjgameon@yahoo.com

Squadron #72 hosted the first ever SAL Central Area Ball at Mulberry Post #72 on Saturday evening April 14^th. This was the first for the Sal and for Squadron #72 for a function like this. For those that could not make it, you really missed a wonderful time.

I would first like to thank Squadron #72, American Legion Auxiliary Unit #72, and American Legion Post #72 for all their help and support for a wonderful evening. A special thanks (I GUESS) goes to Al Holley (PDC) for the wonderful job with the roast. Another special thanks to Butch Jackson (Squadron #72 Past Commander) for a dinner that you could not have gotten at a FIVE STAR RESTAURANT. Betty Jo Walsh, Joni Fairley and Patricia Jackson did a wonderful job on the hall decorations.

I could continue on, but to keep it short, thanks to all that made the trip to Mulberry from all over the state. The list is to long to write. I WILL JUST STAY THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT

DISTRICT CONSTITUTIONAL CONFERENCES

All District Commanders MUST hold a meeting and election of new District Officers for the coming year. The following dates have been submitted so far.

 8^th District – June 2^nd, 2007 Venice #159

ELECTIONS OF OFFICERS

All Squadrons and District Officers must be elected annually and certified to the Department Adjutant not more than 60 days nor less then 10 days prior to the annual Detachment Convention. The election of Squadron and District Officers this year must be held between April 5th and June 24^th, 2007.

DELEGATE CUT-OFF

Delegate cut-off for Squadron voting for the Convention is June 20, 2007 at the close of business at Department Headquarters. A registration fee of $5.00 per delegate and alternate is hereby established. Squadrons will be allowed to cast voted on registered delegates and registered At-Large delegates only. If your Squadron has four votes and only registered two, then your Squadron may only cast the two delegate voted that have been registered. Forms for registration are in your Administrative Manual. Bring this with you to the Convention. Make all checks payable to The American Legion, Department of Florida.

DETACHMENT CONVENTION AGENDA

Friday July 6^th, 2007

9:00am – 4:00pm       Registration – Dept. Headquarters Registration Site

5:00pm – 7:00pm       Registration outside of meeting room

5:00pm – 6:00pm       Past Commanders Club Meeting

6:00pm – 7:00pm       Department Advisory Committee Meeting

7:00pm – 8:00pm       Detachment Executive Committee Meeting

Saturday July 7^th, 2007

7:30am – 12:00pm      Registration

8:00am                          Opening Session

9:00am – 9:30am        Committee and Commission Meetings

9:30am – 12:00pm      Reports of Committee and Commissions

                                       Detachment Officers Reports

                                       General Business

                                       Address of Keynote Speaker: To Be Announced

                                       Awards

12:00pm – 1:00pm      Recess for Lunch

1:15pm – 3:30pm        Area Caucuses

                                       Election of Detachment Officers

                                       Ratification of District Commanders And Vice Commanders

                                       Installation of Officers

3:30pm – 4:00pm        Detachment Executive Committee Meeting

4:00pm – 5:00pm        Detachment Membership Workshop

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

West - Donald Murch, Squadron #356

North - William Kelly, Squadron #137

Central - John Jennings, Squadron #72

Southwest - Michael Dooley, Squadron #38

For National Executive Committeeman

        Mark Davis, Squadron #57

For Alternate National Executive Committeeman

        Larry Smith, Squadron #162

For Detachment Chaplain

        Herbert Swoope, Squadron #148

For Detachment Historian

        Steve Gordon, Squadron #110

For Detachment Sergeant-At-Arms

        George Talbot, Squadron #323

District Commanders

District 1 - Donald Murch, Squadron #356

District 7 - Lloyd "Butch" Jackson, Squadron #72

District 13 - Ron Lechner, Squadron #103

District 15 - Herbert Swoope, Squadron #148

District Vice Commanders

District 15 - Karl Hogan, Squadron #186

All endorsements will be published each month, space permitting.