Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Hospital Tour of Iron Mountain
It's a long drive, but it was worth it. Left Milwaukee Monday afternoon and headed north. Got to Iron Mountain early evening, had dinner, got back to the room and checked the clock! Alarm was off this time! Tuesday morning we got a great tour of the Oscar G Johnson VA Medical Center. It was the first time I was there & I was pleasantly surprised at the facility. I was also impressed that our Representative Cora Gavigan and Deputy Joan Krukowski travel great distances to volunteer their time at the facility. Such a great example of the dedication of our members.
Veteran's Day at Kenosha Outreach
I was invited to attend the Veteran's Day event at Dayton House, aka Kenosha Outreach. It was a pleasure to be there to shake the hand of each veteran and help present each one a small gift from the Auxiliary. After the ceremony a firing squad from a local group came to give the traditional rifle salute. Post 21 which is about a block away served their traditional beef stew luncheon.
Veteran's Day reception at the Governor's Mansion
November 8th we were invited to attend a Veteran's Day reception at the Governor's Mansion in Madison. Bob & I accompanied Commander Wayne and 1st Lady Donna on this trip. It was a wonderful event and an honor to be there. Governor Walker was very gracious. We had the opportunity to chat with him and also have a photo-op.
November 3rd on the road!
November 3rd was the Membership Rally for 6th, 8th & 9th Districts hosted by Berne's Unit 11 in Green Bay. It was another good turn-out! The gals worked on making "tree skirts" for the Trees From Home project. Cardboard Ken even paid a visit! Lots of photo-ops there! All three districts were well represented. District Presidents Char, Lorrie & Linda worked with the Membership Team to make it a great day.
After that it was on the road again to Sparta for the Past Commanders Club annual dinner. It was a long ride across the state but it was a nice day for a drive.
Here's a small but "timely" piece of advice! When staying in a hotel room, check the alarm clock! We found that someone that had occupied the space the night before set that little alarm for some ridiculous hour of 4AM and did not turn it off! The sound of it going off pierced the quiet night and caused this president to bolt upright and make a couple colorful comments! I now check hotel room clocks to make sure the alarms are turned off before I put my head on that pillow at night!
The return trip home was nice, no fast pace for a change. Got up, took our time, had a nice lunch at Burnstead's in Tomah. Finally got on the road back and a couple miles down the road we saw the Wienermobile heading north! Always an interesting sight!
After that it was on the road again to Sparta for the Past Commanders Club annual dinner. It was a long ride across the state but it was a nice day for a drive.
Here's a small but "timely" piece of advice! When staying in a hotel room, check the alarm clock! We found that someone that had occupied the space the night before set that little alarm for some ridiculous hour of 4AM and did not turn it off! The sound of it going off pierced the quiet night and caused this president to bolt upright and make a couple colorful comments! I now check hotel room clocks to make sure the alarms are turned off before I put my head on that pillow at night!
The return trip home was nice, no fast pace for a change. Got up, took our time, had a nice lunch at Burnstead's in Tomah. Finally got on the road back and a couple miles down the road we saw the Wienermobile heading north! Always an interesting sight!
Well here I am back to follow thru with the promise of updating more! Here's what was happening in October!!
October 1st I visited Unit 427 in Milwaukee along with 4th District President Sue Hembrook and 4th District Membership Chairman Bonnie Jakubczyk. Our mission--to assess the unit and try to revitalize it. Had an opportunity to address the Post members that were also meeting that night to encourage them to sign-up their female relatives to get this unit back to a better place. It's a work in progress & hopefully by explaining our mission we will get this thing going again.
I had a really great evening on the 9th when I attended Post/Unit 382 Menomonee Falls Badger State Recognition Dinner. It is always great to hear about the experiences of the Badger Boys & Girls and this night was no exception. After a delicious meal prepared by the ladies of Unit 382, all the Badger State delegates got up one-by-one and talked about their awesome week. When they were all done, the boys stood together and serenaded us with the Badge Boys State Song. They were pretty good, too! I also got to meet the Post Commander and one of the State Representatives from the area at this event.
Saturday, October 13th was a busy day. In the morning, Greendale Unit 416 hosted a "Trees From Home" workshop at their Post. There was a good number of Auxiliary members that came out to help decorate those adorable little trees that get sent overseas to our troops. We also had a couple female Legionnaires, the Department Commander's wife Donna, a few Juniors and and SAL helping make it a great day. The goal was to complete 100 trees and I believe they did it!
That same night it was a "working together" event at Post 537. The SAL hosted a spaghetti dinner and our Legion Family stepped up to help with serving and talking care of the guests. Our Department Secretary Bonnie Dorniak attended the event along with several members from other Posts and Units in the area.
My clock went off the next morning at 3:45AM! Yes it was on purpose! Had to get up and get moving so I could be dressed in time to pick-up Department Secreatry Bonnie so we could get to the airport for our trip to President & Secretary's Conference in Indy. We got to the airport in plenty of time for our 7AM flight only to realize I left my tote-bag with ipad in my truck at the parking lot across the street. A fast hop on the shuttle got us to the lot & back in plenty of time...whew!
Time was approaching to head down the concourse to security. Breezed thru without a problem but as we got to the end of the area Bonnie looked up and discovered something we knew! Concourse "C" features something neither of us ever heard of...a recombobulation area! Yes you read correctly...a recombobulation area! Only in Milwaukee would you find such a thing!!
Sunday evening we met with National President Peggy Thomas for the opening of the session. It was an unstructured time for everyone to meet and greet and get to know each other a bit. Monday morning it was down to business. Sessions were great and I think we learned a lot. So many interesting things to hear, so much to absorb.
Had a great time rooming with Bonnie! We never talked too much and never stayed up too late :) We made it thru a very active couple days & had a great time too! Got to the airport, went thru security, turned around and there was Senator John McCain. He came thru security right after us and was so nice when we went over and talked to him.
October 20th Laura Calteux & I ventured north to attend the 6th District Fall Conference. President Char was so gracious, expecially because she did not know we were attending until Friday. What a great morning! Great reports from chairmen, and Char in her costume from Forum!
Friday, the 26th, Bonnie Jakubczyk & I took off for King to attend the re-dedication of the Wisconsin Veteran's Home. It was a blustry cold morning. We stopped to visit WWII veteran Ernie Walters, a man that I met at the Honor Flight event at Miller Park. He had moved to the home a few days before and we were his first visitors. Such a nice man.
Brookfield Unit 449 had their annual Fashion Show on the 27th. As usual it was great! President Lilli and all the members made me feel so welcome. And, even better I won one of their "super raffles", a massage & pedicure!
The next day 1st, 2nd, 4th & 5th Districts held their Membership Rally! Close to 40 members came together and created 20+ cut & tie fleece blanket to donate to various VA facilities. Membership Chairman Ann was there along with Committee member Berne. Good job everybody!
October 31st was the Fashion Show at my unit! Fun night! Got 5 of our Post & SAL guys to model tuxedos & escort the 12 models in the show. Fun night, but really exhausting! MC'd the show along with Gretchen. It was fun!
October 1st I visited Unit 427 in Milwaukee along with 4th District President Sue Hembrook and 4th District Membership Chairman Bonnie Jakubczyk. Our mission--to assess the unit and try to revitalize it. Had an opportunity to address the Post members that were also meeting that night to encourage them to sign-up their female relatives to get this unit back to a better place. It's a work in progress & hopefully by explaining our mission we will get this thing going again.
I had a really great evening on the 9th when I attended Post/Unit 382 Menomonee Falls Badger State Recognition Dinner. It is always great to hear about the experiences of the Badger Boys & Girls and this night was no exception. After a delicious meal prepared by the ladies of Unit 382, all the Badger State delegates got up one-by-one and talked about their awesome week. When they were all done, the boys stood together and serenaded us with the Badge Boys State Song. They were pretty good, too! I also got to meet the Post Commander and one of the State Representatives from the area at this event.
Saturday, October 13th was a busy day. In the morning, Greendale Unit 416 hosted a "Trees From Home" workshop at their Post. There was a good number of Auxiliary members that came out to help decorate those adorable little trees that get sent overseas to our troops. We also had a couple female Legionnaires, the Department Commander's wife Donna, a few Juniors and and SAL helping make it a great day. The goal was to complete 100 trees and I believe they did it!
That same night it was a "working together" event at Post 537. The SAL hosted a spaghetti dinner and our Legion Family stepped up to help with serving and talking care of the guests. Our Department Secretary Bonnie Dorniak attended the event along with several members from other Posts and Units in the area.
My clock went off the next morning at 3:45AM! Yes it was on purpose! Had to get up and get moving so I could be dressed in time to pick-up Department Secreatry Bonnie so we could get to the airport for our trip to President & Secretary's Conference in Indy. We got to the airport in plenty of time for our 7AM flight only to realize I left my tote-bag with ipad in my truck at the parking lot across the street. A fast hop on the shuttle got us to the lot & back in plenty of time...whew!
Time was approaching to head down the concourse to security. Breezed thru without a problem but as we got to the end of the area Bonnie looked up and discovered something we knew! Concourse "C" features something neither of us ever heard of...a recombobulation area! Yes you read correctly...a recombobulation area! Only in Milwaukee would you find such a thing!!
Sunday evening we met with National President Peggy Thomas for the opening of the session. It was an unstructured time for everyone to meet and greet and get to know each other a bit. Monday morning it was down to business. Sessions were great and I think we learned a lot. So many interesting things to hear, so much to absorb.
Had a great time rooming with Bonnie! We never talked too much and never stayed up too late :) We made it thru a very active couple days & had a great time too! Got to the airport, went thru security, turned around and there was Senator John McCain. He came thru security right after us and was so nice when we went over and talked to him.
October 20th Laura Calteux & I ventured north to attend the 6th District Fall Conference. President Char was so gracious, expecially because she did not know we were attending until Friday. What a great morning! Great reports from chairmen, and Char in her costume from Forum!
Friday, the 26th, Bonnie Jakubczyk & I took off for King to attend the re-dedication of the Wisconsin Veteran's Home. It was a blustry cold morning. We stopped to visit WWII veteran Ernie Walters, a man that I met at the Honor Flight event at Miller Park. He had moved to the home a few days before and we were his first visitors. Such a nice man.
Brookfield Unit 449 had their annual Fashion Show on the 27th. As usual it was great! President Lilli and all the members made me feel so welcome. And, even better I won one of their "super raffles", a massage & pedicure!
The next day 1st, 2nd, 4th & 5th Districts held their Membership Rally! Close to 40 members came together and created 20+ cut & tie fleece blanket to donate to various VA facilities. Membership Chairman Ann was there along with Committee member Berne. Good job everybody!
October 31st was the Fashion Show at my unit! Fun night! Got 5 of our Post & SAL guys to model tuxedos & escort the 12 models in the show. Fun night, but really exhausting! MC'd the show along with Gretchen. It was fun!
Friday, November 2, 2012
Lots of updates
Hi Everyone,
It seems there are a few things missing! Technology is wonderful, I think it was me that wasn't working properly! I must have been doing something I shouldn't have been doing since recent posts seem to have disappeared.
So here are some updates:
September was a wildly busy month!
On September 13th I attended a meeting of the Waterford Unit 20. This group may be small in number but they participate in an amazing amount of programs. The night I visited the 2 girls they sponsored to Badger Girls State last June stopped by to tell the unit about their experiences and thank them for the opportunity to participate in this amazing program. It was interesting to listen to hear how they Work Together with their Post to get things done. Super bunch of ladies, awesome dedication to our organization.
September 15th it was off to Portage for the Badger Girls State Committee meeting. It was a great meeting and interesting to hear the inside details of how this committee works.
On the 17th it was back to Portage for the Finance Meeting. My traveling companion for this adventure was Finance Chairman Diane Duscheck. After a very pleasant drive to Headquarters, we had an interesting Finance Meeting. Before we left, Department Secreatry Bonnie informed me that the "cargo" I was taking back to Milwaukee had arrived. Bonnie's son had been deer hunting and donated a portion of his kill to science. Well, actually to a science teacher, Diane. I got to haul deer guts back for her class to disect! It's always interesting!
The 4th District meeting was on the 22nd. Commander Wayne & I both attended the meeting and had the opportunity to bring greetings to this very enthusastic group of ladies. 4th District presented some great plans for fundraisers for the Homeless Women Veterans Grant Fund. It was very special for me to be able to attend a meeting of my very own District and to be able to thank them for the wonderful support I have gotten from them over the years.
The next day, I was the guest of honor at a Champagne Brunch sponsored by the 537 Legion Family. After a sumptuous meal, there was dancing and fun. Legion Commander Wayne and SAL Detachment Commander Steve were also guests at this event.
After weeks of preparation, Fall Forum finally arrived. We spent the 28th & 29th at the Olympia Resort & Conference Center in Oconomowoc. It was a great weekend. After the DEC on Friday night, I hosted a hospitality room for anyone that wanted to stop by for some refreshment and conversation. There was only one rule for the night...no business, all fun! Anybody caught talking business had to donate $1 to the Grant Fund. Everybody had a great time!
Saturday, the chairmen did an awesome job of presenting an overview of their program in a general morning session. Programs were presented in "pods" to give our members an idea of how they work. The Juniors from Unit 6 presented a skit about the Vietnam Wall. The audience really loved the performance.
Speaking of the Juniors, the had a meeting at Forum also. When I visited their meeting I had the opportunity to see 20+ young ladies enjoying some time together and learning more about the Auxiliary. As I looked at them I wondered it there might be a future Department President among them.
The Membership Luncheon was great. Membership Team Ann, Berne & April made sure the room looked great (which it did) and did a wonderful job on the program. At the end it was announced that 4th District was in 1st place that day. Yea!!
The afternoon workshops were great and gave everyone a chance to hear more details about the programs. All-in-all a great weekend. Even better for me because my darling granddaughter was there too! At age 11 months, she has now attended a District meeting, a State Convention and a Fall Forum. Not bad for her age and the fact she lives 2600 miles from grandma!
So much for September. October events to be posted shortly!!
It seems there are a few things missing! Technology is wonderful, I think it was me that wasn't working properly! I must have been doing something I shouldn't have been doing since recent posts seem to have disappeared.
So here are some updates:
September was a wildly busy month!
On September 13th I attended a meeting of the Waterford Unit 20. This group may be small in number but they participate in an amazing amount of programs. The night I visited the 2 girls they sponsored to Badger Girls State last June stopped by to tell the unit about their experiences and thank them for the opportunity to participate in this amazing program. It was interesting to listen to hear how they Work Together with their Post to get things done. Super bunch of ladies, awesome dedication to our organization.
September 15th it was off to Portage for the Badger Girls State Committee meeting. It was a great meeting and interesting to hear the inside details of how this committee works.
On the 17th it was back to Portage for the Finance Meeting. My traveling companion for this adventure was Finance Chairman Diane Duscheck. After a very pleasant drive to Headquarters, we had an interesting Finance Meeting. Before we left, Department Secreatry Bonnie informed me that the "cargo" I was taking back to Milwaukee had arrived. Bonnie's son had been deer hunting and donated a portion of his kill to science. Well, actually to a science teacher, Diane. I got to haul deer guts back for her class to disect! It's always interesting!
The 4th District meeting was on the 22nd. Commander Wayne & I both attended the meeting and had the opportunity to bring greetings to this very enthusastic group of ladies. 4th District presented some great plans for fundraisers for the Homeless Women Veterans Grant Fund. It was very special for me to be able to attend a meeting of my very own District and to be able to thank them for the wonderful support I have gotten from them over the years.
The next day, I was the guest of honor at a Champagne Brunch sponsored by the 537 Legion Family. After a sumptuous meal, there was dancing and fun. Legion Commander Wayne and SAL Detachment Commander Steve were also guests at this event.
After weeks of preparation, Fall Forum finally arrived. We spent the 28th & 29th at the Olympia Resort & Conference Center in Oconomowoc. It was a great weekend. After the DEC on Friday night, I hosted a hospitality room for anyone that wanted to stop by for some refreshment and conversation. There was only one rule for the night...no business, all fun! Anybody caught talking business had to donate $1 to the Grant Fund. Everybody had a great time!
Saturday, the chairmen did an awesome job of presenting an overview of their program in a general morning session. Programs were presented in "pods" to give our members an idea of how they work. The Juniors from Unit 6 presented a skit about the Vietnam Wall. The audience really loved the performance.
Speaking of the Juniors, the had a meeting at Forum also. When I visited their meeting I had the opportunity to see 20+ young ladies enjoying some time together and learning more about the Auxiliary. As I looked at them I wondered it there might be a future Department President among them.
The Membership Luncheon was great. Membership Team Ann, Berne & April made sure the room looked great (which it did) and did a wonderful job on the program. At the end it was announced that 4th District was in 1st place that day. Yea!!
The afternoon workshops were great and gave everyone a chance to hear more details about the programs. All-in-all a great weekend. Even better for me because my darling granddaughter was there too! At age 11 months, she has now attended a District meeting, a State Convention and a Fall Forum. Not bad for her age and the fact she lives 2600 miles from grandma!
So much for September. October events to be posted shortly!!
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