VFW Post 8600
Gadsden Alabama
PO Box 8601
Gadsden Alabama, 35902
Phone: 256.546.2440
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Post Membership Meeting - May 2018

Wilson Parris VFW Post 8600
817 Rainbow Drive
Gadsden, Alabama 35901
  1. Opening Ceremony: Meeting Opened on May 7th, 2018 at 6:10 PM by Commander LaPoint. Chaplin Saunders gave opening prayer. Pledge of Allegiance recited by all members present.
  2. Guests: None
  3. Roll Call of Officers:15 Present, 4 excused. Cmdr, SVCmdr, JVCmdr, Qmst, Chap, Tr3, Tr2, Tr1, HC1, HC2, HC3, Surg, Serv, Adj, OD, JudgA
  4. Petitions For Membership: James R Davis, Center, Vietnam Vet - DD214 qualified. Motion to accept Dehn, seconded Saunders, motion carried.
  5. Distribution and reading highlights of previous minutes.

    Minutes were distributed. There were no corrections to the minutes and the minutes stand as read/distributed.

  6. Quartermaster Report of Income and Disbursements

    Copies distributed and discussed. As of yesterday (2018-05-07) we have $52,038.56 in the bank or a $7,513.79 profit since the beginning of 2018. Motion made by Shelley, seconded by Saunders to accepted the report, subject to Audit.

  7. Comrade in Distress: Joe Brown and Bill Bragg, patrons and supporters of the Post for many years both have major medical problems. Bill has been diagnosed with cancer and Joe has been put under Hospice care.
  8. Committee Reports.
    • Canteen and House Committee reports given by Chairman Shelley.

      Temporarely having Karaoke on Saturday on a trail basis until we get a band. Will be reevaluated every few weeks. Doing okay but not great. Have not visited ABC on changing license. Light at the end of the tunnel on a New Band. They are practicing and hope to start within a month. Karaoke on Sunday is doing good. Serving food on Saturday and Sunday, averaging about $150 a week. Still need volunteers to work dance door and to clean up halls and bathroom. Include auxiliary members. We donated to and attended the Patriots Association annual golf fund raiser. Comrades Alex, Harner and Dehn attended. We had several bad checks from over a year ago that we had to attend a court hearing about. We may or may not get our money back. We've changed our check cashing policy to members only with a few patrons grand-fathered in. Awaiting another quote for the remodel estimate.

  9. Commander
    • Buddy Poppy Drive. We need people! Sign-up sheets will be on door

      May 11, Atalla Walmart. May 12, All three Johnsons. May 19, Road block in front of mall. May 26, Road block on 77.

    • Department convention - June 8-10Reservations handed out to those attending. Make sure you turn in your receipts.
    • Presented VOD and Teacher awards at Piedmont this morning. All went well.
  10. Reading of Official Communications:

    General Order #11 highlights where read to membership and some items were brought up for discussion. No alcoholic beverages can be in meeting room during meeting, but the bar can be open during the meeting but all members must attend to meeting. School of Instruction is scheduled for Aug 3-4, $25 registration.

  11. Unfinished Business:
    • $712 left to finish floor where the old bathroom was located in the lounge.
    • $1000 allocated to replace two doors in lounge.
    • All-American sign purchased and waiting for installation. Was holding off for remodel decision, but may put up somewhere
    • $500 allocated for Bingo equipment tabled for now.
    • Past Commander/Presidents pictures removed form hall. Need to build collage in hallway to restore and archive.
    • Vietnam Veterans day sub-committee formed. Comrades Thornton, Holland, Alex, Sanders and Campbell are members.
  12. New Business:
    • Commander LaPoint made motion to buy four more safety vests for the road blocks ($40). Alex seconded and motion carried.
    • Lengthly discussion on membership. Still in a trap of paying for members because of the 150 member rule, that is not really a rule, but probably won't be changed. The VFW is going to purge the Life Member roles of deceased members. We will probably lose about 10 members. We need members. We are just stuck with the 150 rule and will probably have to pay for some members over the year. Discussed membership drive, maybe a picnic in the summer.
  13. Good of the Order:
    Installation of Post Officers (elected and appointed) 2018/2019 was conducted:

    Commander: Joyce Shelley, Senior Vice Commander: Dave LaPoint, Junior Vice Commander: Danny Thornton, Quartermaster: Jimmy Bozeman, Chaplin: Maurice Sanders, Trustees: Will Campbell(3), Lorena Beam(2), Andrew Plam(1), House Committee: Joseph Harner(3), Steven Alex(2), Danny Thornton(1), Surgeon: Kein Dehn appointed, Judge Advocate: Lorena Beam appointed. Service Officer: Joseph Harner appointed, Adjutant: Steven Alex. Officer of the Day and and Sargent at Arms: Ray Holland.

  14. Closing Ceremonies performed and meeting Adjourned by Commander LaPoint at 7:40 PM.
Steven Alex
Adjutant