- 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 Department’s call, and made the effort to participate in the Detroit Veterans Day Parade. Again this year, we had brothers who drove from all over the state to march together honoring Michigan’s men and women who have served this country so faithfully in the armed forces. Such dedication to the Order and to the ideals we support led to another impressive display this year. This only happens because you brothers make it happen. Thanks you for taking the time to show your respect and support for our veterans in this way.
- We are starting Camp Officer Installations around the state as of this writing. Most of you have already reserved time with me or another Department Officer to act as installing officer for your camp. If you are one of the few who has yet to do this, please contact me at once so we can be sure to have someone available to act as installing officer for your camp. I will personally take care of as many of these requests as I can. I do get double booked on occasion however, and in that instance, DSVC Dave Arnold has graciously offered to assist. Of course, as in past years, any camp requesting a special individual within the Order to do their installation will be accommodated if possible. Such requests still must be made through the Department Commander however so we can give your installing officer the authority he needs.
- Our Department will be making a push to revitalize our Monuments and Memorials work. In recent years, the work done of checking on and cataloguing our Civil War Monuments around the state has come to a near halt. One of the charges of the Order in keeping green the memory would call on us to care for and inspect the monuments which in many cases the soldiers who fought the war erected. To that end, we have good people in place at the Department level to take in the information needed to start our Monuments program up again. We need committed people at the Camp level to serve in the role of Monuments and Memorials Officer. Presently, some of our camps don’t fill this position. I ask each incoming Camp Commander to not only fill the position, but to fill it with a brother who will actively pursue the work of inspecting and reporting on monuments in your part of the state. A few hours a month is all we ask. If we can have that commitment from these brothers, eventually the work will be completed. To that end, if any brother has the hankering to act as his camps, “man in the field,” please DO volunteer for this worthy work to your Camp Commander. If the project is to work, we need, “boots on the ground,” going out to get this information. Your assistance in this regard is heartily encouraged.
- All camps are reminded that the nationally mandated form 22, Certification of Election and Installation of Camp Officers should be ready at the time of your camps officer installation meeting so the installing officer may sign the same. Two copies must be mailed to the Department Secretary, Paul Davis. They are due to him no later than February 15, 2012. Copies of the form were contained in the Secretary’s Kit that was distributed at the last Department Encampment. They may also be found on the internet at the National Web Site at http://suvcw.org/ftp/form22fi/pdf. For your convenience, the mailing address for Brother Davis, to whom the completed forms must be sent is as follows:
Paul Davis, Secretary
Department of Michigan – SUVCW
535 Mayflower Dr.
Saginaw, Michigan 48638 - A new form is being required by the Department this year. Named form 22MI the purpose of the form is to keep our camp web pages up to date, make sure we have the correct person within the camp to whom the Michigan’s Messenger is to be sent so as to ensure its delivery, and bring us into compliance with certain national policies regarding the internet. The form is due at the same time as the regular form 22 that you must have in by February 15th and is to be sent to the same person as the other, namely the Department Secretary, Brother Davis. Copies of the form have been distributed to all of our camps but should you need another copy, please contact Brother Davis who will be able to send another out.
- As long as we are discussing reports, Camp Patriotic Instructors are reminded that it is time to start thinking about filing out the reports that will go to the Department Patriotic Instructor, which he will then use in preparing a report for the National Patriotic Instructor. If you start working them up now, you will be able to get them in to Gary Granger, our Department Patriotic Instructor in plenty of time for him to compile his report. Copies of the form you should use are available on the National Web Site.
- Brothers are encouraged to submit nominations for the Department’s Abraham Lincoln Award. Each year the Department may award up to three of these awards to individuals, whether in the Sons or not, who have contributed to the publics awareness of the sacrifices of the soldiers and sailors of 61 to 65. The person you nominate should have their name and address, listed together with a description of why you believe they should be given this award. Nominations should be sent to Department Headquarters for transmittal to the Abraham Lincoln Awards Committee. That address is:
Abraham Lincoln Awards Committee
c/o Donald Shaw
3914 Larchmont Street
Flint, Michigan 48532 - The following brothers are appointed to the Abraham Lincoln Awards Committee:
Ray Lake – Camp Commander – Camp 58 – Chair
David Brant – Camp Commander – Camp 250
Gary White – Camp Commander – Camp 266 - At the Department Encampment, set for March 31, 2012, we will hold the annual election of officers for the coming term. Any brother interested in presenting himself for election to a department elective post, and who seeks the recommendation of the Department’s Nominating Committee, should submit his letter of interest, credentials, and any letters of endorsement, to the Department Nominating Committee no later than March 1, 2012. The Chair of the committee is Brother Rick Danes. Please direct your submissions to Brother Danes at his email address, REDanes@aol.com. Should you need to send him information through regular mail, his address is 2612 Burns Street, Dearborn, Michigan 48124.
- The following brothers are appointed to the Department Nominating Committee:
Rick Danes – Camp Commander – Camp 427 – Chair
David Wallace – Past Department Commander – Camp 145
Gary Gibson – Past Department Commander – Camp 20 - To all my brothers travelling to Gettysburg for Remembrance Day, have a safe trip and I’ll see you out there.
- I wish all my brothers in the Department and their families a Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, and a Prosperous and Happy New Year. Thank you all for your efforts over this past year in keeping green the memory of the boys who wore the blue.
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