1. On behalf of the Department I offer thanks to all of the brothers of this Department who made the effort to honor our Veterans on Veterans Day by participating in the several Veterans Day parades and activities around the state. I particularly want to thank those who answered the Departments call, and made the effort to participate in the Detroit Veterans Day Parade. Brothers drove from all over the state for this event, in some cases, hundreds of miles, to participate with their fellows from across the state. Such dedication to the Order and our ideals led to an impressive display by the SUVCW in honor of the men and women who have served this country in our armed forces.
2. I commend the work of our brothers on the Civil War Sesquicentennial Committee. They have labored long and hard and their activities are now bearing fruit as we enter into this important period of remembering the sacrifices made on our behalf 150 years ago. Please support the projects they present to the best of your ability. They, and we, can use this important anniversary to better “Keep Green The Memory” of the soldiers and sailors of 1861 to 1865.
3. I commend the camps that have updated their web sites. In many cases we are now complete and up to date. If any camp becomes aware of a problem with the information contained in its web site, the signals officer or Camp Commander should immediately contact me or our Department Signals Officer to correct the problem.
4. Camps officers are reminded that officer installations need to be completed by January 31, 2011. To the several camps that have scheduled installations and to those that have already held them, thank you for getting your requests in to allow us to do planning. To those camps that still need to arrange for officer installation, get your requests in to the Department Commander as soon as possible. I will make every effort to perform this service for you but I do get double booked in which case DSVC Arnold has graciously offered to cover the installations if he is able. We need to know your dates however to allow all of this to happen. As in past years, any Camp requesting a special officer from the Department, other than the Commander, to do the installation for them, will be accommodated if possible. Such requests still need to be made through the Department Commander however.
5. All camps are reminded that form 22, Certification of Election and Installation of Camp Officers should be ready at the time of installation of officers so the installing officer may sign the same. The two completed copies must be mailed to the Department Secretary, Paul Davis, and are due to him no later than February 15, 2011. Any camp needing copies of the form is urged to visit the National Web Site at http://Suvcw.org/ftp/form22fi/pdf. For your convenience, the mailing address to send the forms to is as follows:
   

   Paul Davis, Secretary
   Department of Michigan, SUVCW
   535 Mayflower Dr.
   Saginaw, Michigan 48638

6. To all of my brothers going to Remembrance Day in Gettysburg, have a safe trip and I will see you out there.
7. I wish all of my brothers in the Department, and their families, a Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, and a Prosperous and Happy New Year. Thank you for all you have done in 2010 to keep green the memory of the men who saved the union 150 years ago.

In Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty,

/s/

Donald W. Shaw

Department Commander

Department of Michigan

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

Attest:

/s/

Paul Davis

Department Secretary

Department of Michigan

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

1. On behalf of the Department I offer the thanks of all of the brothers of this Department to the thirteen Michigan men who took the time and went to the expense of representing us at the National Encampment in Kansas City this month.
2. I commend the brothers of this Department on their recruiting efforts over the past year. Those efforts have resulted in our winning the Augustus P. Davis – Conrad Linder Award. That is an award given by the National Organization each year to the Department that had the most new members. The plaque accompanying the award will be proudly displayed at our Department Encampment next May.
3. Camps need to start thinking about when they will do officer installations for next year. The Department is already getting requests from Camps to reserve time on my schedule to do installations. As many requests as can be honored, will be honored, but there are 23 of you, only one of me, and a limited period in which to get this done. Times will be given away on a first come first served basis, so get your request in as soon as you are able. If a conflict exists such that I am unable to perform this service for your Camp, I will consult with you and may send another Department Officer. As in past years, any Camp requesting a special officer from the Department, other than the Commander, to do the installation for them, will be accommodated if possible. Such requests still need to be made through the Department Commander however.
4. Each Camp Commander is directed to review the web site for his camp. If it is up to date as regards officers, their contact information, Camp meeting times and places, and any factual information about the Camp that you should choose to include, you need do nothing more. If any of those areas are in need of correction, make the corrections. If you require assistance in this regard, we have volunteers who can help bring your web sites up to date. Please report the status of your Camp’s web site, either up to date or in need of assistance, to me no later than October 1, 2010.
5. The Department will be participating in the Detroit Veterans Day Parade. Please save the date of Saturday November 6, 2010 for this event. This is a Department level event in which we expect to not only honor the Michigan men who have served this country in the armed forces, but to provide the opportunity for brothers from around the state to get together and visit with one another. We will also have the use of the barracks at Historic Fort Wayne to allow any brother who chooses to do so, to overnight at the Fort, and practice drill before going out to do the parade. More information will follow by special communication with each Camp.
6. Remembrance Weekend in Gettysburg is coming up. It will be November 19-21, 2010. The Department always mounts a presence for this event. The event includes the opportunity to honor the fallen at the Gettysburg National Cemetery, the soldiers from this state at one of the several regimental monuments on the battlefield, the chance to march in the largest Civil War parade in the world, to enjoy camaraderie with several of your Michigan brothers, and the opportunity to tour this field upon which a pivotal battle of the war was fought. If you wish to go but are concerned about transportation, the Department will assist in setting up carpools and providing such other advice or coordinating assistance as we may be able to give in allowing you to make this trip. Contact me should you want any such assistance. My e-mail is p31713@aol.com. Please use the words, “Gettysburg – 2010,” on the subject line to help me identify what you are writing about.

In Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty,

/s/

Donald W. Shaw

Department Commander

Department of Michigan

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

Attest:

/s/

Paul Davis

Department Secretary

Department of Michigan

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

1. It is with deep regret that I announce the passing of Brother Richard F. Lee. Brother Lee was a member of the Gilluly-Kingsley Camp No. 120 and was a former Secretary for the Department of Michigan. He performed this difficult job faithfully and well for several years, giving the position up a few years ago due to declining health.
2. I offer the sympathies of the Department to Brother Lee’s family, his friends, and the Brothers of his home Camp, Gilluly-Kingsley No. 120.
3. I order that the Department Charter and the Charters of all Camps within the Department be draped in black for a period of 30 days from the date of this Special Order.

In Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty,

/s/

Donald W. Shaw

Department Commander

Department of Michigan

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

Attest:

/s/

Paul Davis

Department Secretary

Department of Michigan

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

1. Having been duly elected and installed as Department Commander, I hereby assume command of the Department of Michigan, SUVCW.
2. Headquarters for the Department is transferred to 3914 Larchmont Street, Flint, Michigan 48532. General correspondence to the Department should be sent to the Secretary for the Department of Michigan, Paul Davis, 535 Mayflower Drive, Saginaw, Michigan 48638. 3. I offer the thanks of the Department to all of the outgoing officers who served the Department so well and so faithfully over the last term. I particularly thank Chuck Worley, PDC, for the fine job he did as Department Commander in the last term. It is very much appreciated Brother Chuck.
3. I offer the thanks of the Department to the Women’s Relief Corps, who took the lead among the Allied Orders in giving us a fine Encampment program this year. I also thank C in C Kennedy who took time out of an incredibly busy schedule to be with us at the Encampment and install our officers for the coming term. Finally, I thank all the brothers of this Department who took the time and trouble to attend that Encampment, helping us to do the business of the Department. Brothers, decisions are made by those who show up. Thanks for being there to help.
4. I offer the thanks of the Department to all those brothers filling elected and appointed offices for the current term as well as all of those who are currently serving the Order on committees.
5. Web Sites – I urge each Camp Signals Officer and Camp Commander to check your Camp’s Web Site. If it needs to be updated, please do that. Brothers, some of these haven’t been updated for months or years. If someone needs to find out about your Camp or how to contact a particular officer, it can be frustrating to say the least if they are getting bad information from our own on line services.
6. The National Encampment will be held this year in Overland Park, Kansas, which is in the greater Kansas City area. Dates for the Encampment will be August 12-15, 2010. As many brothers as can make the Encampment are encouraged to go. Pre-registration materials are now available at the National Web Site, www.SUVCW.org. To facilitate carpooling and hotel accommodations, our Senior Vice Commander, Dave Arnold, will be happy to see if he can’t pair people up to drive out together, who may be interested in sharing expenses and the riggers of the drive. Dave can be contacted at SUVCW@hotmail.com or at (517) 321-6013. Please use the subject title SUVCW National Encampment when writing him. He tells me he will be more than happy to help.
7. Lastly, and certainly most importantly, Memorial Day will be celebrated on Sunday, May 30th with the “day off” happening on the 31st. All brothers are encouraged to do something to mark this important day. If you can do an activity with your brothers from your camp, so much the better. If you can’t do something with your camp brothers, then I offer a suggestion. Find a civil war veteran, one whose grave has not been previously strewn with flowers, and appears to have been forgotten. Make it your business to see that the grave has been tended, a flag has been placed, and the soldier beneath the stone has been honored. Memorial Day is a date that is central to our obligations as Sons of Union Veterans. Don’t let it pass without doing something to keep green the memory of those soldiers and sailors of 1861 to 1865.

I wish you all a happy summer.

In Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty,

/s/

Donald W. Shaw

Department Commander

Department of Michigan

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

Attest:

/s/

Paul Davis

Department Secretary

Department of Michigan

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

1. I hereby order the Headquarters of the Department of Michigan, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War located at 68341 Crooked Creek Rd. White Pigeon, Michigan to temporarily move to Great Lakes Christian College, 6211 W. Willow Hwy Lansing, MI 48917, in order to conduct the business of the Department at the 121st Annual Encampment.

In Fraternity, Charity & Loyalty,

/s/

Charles L. Worley

Commander

Department of Michigan

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

Attest:

/s/

Kevin J. Lindsey

Secretary

Department of Michigan

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

1. I have asked the following Brothers to serve on the Nomination Committee for the 2010 Department Encampment: Chairman Rick Danes, CC Camp 427 Robert Mitchell, Camp-At-Large Coordinator Camp 462, Bill Skillman, SVC Camp 14, Dennis Derr II, PDC Camp 145.
   This Committee may begin its work as it prepares a slate of nominations for the April 24, 2010 Department Encampment. All brothers interested in holding a Department Office need to submit their credentials and endorsements to a member of the Committee.
2. Camp Patriotic Instructors Reports are due by January 31, 2010 and Form 22 is due by February 15, 2010. Please refer to Department Order Number 6 for specific instructions.
3. I would like to thank the Camps for the invitations and hospitality shown to the Department SVC, Department JVC, Past Department Commanders and/or Department Officers, and myself as we assisted the installations of the 2010 Camp Officers and Staff.
4. Finally, I have been honored to serve the Department of Michigan this last year as the Department Commander. I have learned much and see opportunities to grow our Department. Therefore, I have decided that I will not run for a second year as Department Commander, but would prefer to direct my energies to several of the special projects of the Department and Camp 135 in the next year.

In Fraternity, Charity & Loyalty,

/s/

Charles L. Worley

Commander

Department of Michigan

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

Attest:

/s/

Kevin J. Lindsey

Secretary

Department of Michigan

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War