Marine Corps League

Melvin M. Smith Detachment #586

Editors: Dennis and Sam Dressler

(509) 953-6266 (Dennis) or (509) 953-6267 (Sam)

sam.djd@comcast.net

COMMANDANTS CORNER

Happy Holidays Everyone

First things first...The Toys for Tots Spaghetti Feed Tickets are available.  Our tickets have lost their battle with inflation, therefore, adults are $6.00 and kids 10 and under are $5.  Still a heck of a deal considering you won't go away hungry. :) So grab those tickets and spread the word for December 12, 2008 at VFW 51.  Dinner will be served at 4:30 pm (1630) until 7:30 (1930)...We will have Doug Jones in the kitchen this year directing traffic as his mobility is limited.  Thursday night will be the start of getting things ready.  Volunteers may show up anytime after 3pm on Friday. 

We celebrated our 233 Birthday in style this year with "P" Battery.  Everything went superbly.  Veterans Day Ceremony saw us at the Spokane Veterans' Memorial Arena.  Those in attendance: Bill Town, Larry Marks, Don Crain, Pat & Diane Rowand, Randy, Morgan & Taylor Ott, Dean Ladd.  My apologies if I missed your name.

For those of you who have been waiting, we received the Red MCL and Blue MCLA Windbreakers, they have arrived and look sharp as all get up. Cost is $35.  We have M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL sizes available.  Contact Dennis or Randy to get yours today.

Last item up for bid...Toys for Tots Campaign will be underway by the time you read this letter.  GySgt Aissaoui is in charge this year with the Battery in full support.  The League will be headed by Pat Rowand, Hank Melanson and Mike Brown.  Any questions, please contact any of these 4 Marines.  We are open until Noon on the 24^th.  Hours are posted at the warehouse.  It will be a typical operation.  We need volunteers.  Please consider giving your time.

Until our paths cross again,

Semper Fi!

Your Commandant,

Randy

998-9031

FROM THE SENIOR VICE COMMANDANT

Greetings from Tucson, Arizona. The weather is great, 73 today and 80 forecasted for Wednesday. I want to tell you about a phone call I got Tuesday. My Spokane home phone is forwarded down here and I got a call from a call from a Marine in North Eastern Texas. He said, “We don’t have a Marine Corps League here yet but I knew if a Marine was in trouble, I could trust another Marine to step up and help him. My son in law, an active duty Marine Sergeant is stranded at the Spokane airport and he has 3 children with him and he is enroute to duty in Japan. Could you help him get to the Air force base to catch a hop to Korea and Japan? His wife is waiting in Japan.” I asked him how he happened to call me of all people to help him. He replied he looked up Marine Corps League and Randy didn’t answer so I was next on the list.

Of course I told him we would help the Sergeant and I called George Barnett and George had the Sergeant paged at the airport office. Then, the Texas Marine called me back and said his wife just informed him the SGT and his kids were at the SeaTac Airport. He thanked us and said he would call the Bremerton MCL. Marines, this is what Semper Fidelis is all about. When Marines need backup they call the Marine Corps League, trusting we would be there to watch their 6.  It makes me very proud that even though I’m not as lean, not as mean we still are a part of the team. Carry on, and have a Merry Christmas!

Jim Bennett

Senior Vice Commandant

SPAGHETTI FEED!  It’s time for our annual all you can eat spaghetti feed in support of Toys for Tots.  Where?  VFW Post 51.  When?  December 12, serving from 1630 (4:30pm) to 1930 (7:30pm).  Kitchen crew shows up at 1500; Servers and other helpers please report at 1545 (3:45 p.m. for civilians)

If you haven’t gotten your tickets yet, they can be purchased at the door.  $6 for adults.  Children under the age of 10 are $5.  There will be, your humble editor presumes, the annual raffle providing sufficient items have been obtained from the warehouse to support that function.  Tickets that have been picked up earlier and not sold should be returned to Dennis at the dinner; money from the tickets you have sold should also be given to Dennis at the dinner so it can be banked. 

No one has ever gone away hungry from this wonderful event unless they just didn’t try hard enough to get their fill; and no volunteer has ever been hospitalized from being overworked.  Please turn out for this great way to support the fabulous Toys for Tots program.

‘TIS THE SEASON—FOR TOYS FOR TOTS!

Now is the time to step up—the Christmas Season is upon us and that means the annual Toys for Tots Campaign.  This year will be a challenge as Tim Rubertt left some large boots to fill.

Many volunteers are needed to answer phones, fill bags, count toys, hand out orders and do all the many jobs that keep the program going.  We are at the old Eagles building on East Francis—same location as last year.

Word is out the Marines have done a great job getting the warehouse set up and organized.  The phones will be turned on and the official kick off is Monday, December 1. 

Please, any time you have to give will be appreciated.  Remember, ‘tis the season of giving and we want to be able to give a good Christmas to as many children as we can.

UNDER THE WEATHER (SICK REPORT)

Chaplain Bill Town reports Ben Taylor is doing fantastic, does need to get new hearing aides, though.  Val Ritter is doing well.  Otis Dennis is not too bad; suffering from arthritis is the shoulder and arm.  Norm Sanborn was at the last meeting and is looking good.  Ray Moon is taking some time in the sun, will be in Florida for a couple of months.  Wayne and Dora Fish are doing okay.  Dick Jamieson is recovering from his knee surgery, doing well, but therapy is kind of rough.  Kay Morse has recovered enough from his knee surgery that he was able to go hunting.  Bill Town, mix up on the paper work for his shoulder surgery—put off until?

AUXILIARY SHIP’S STORE

HAVE YOU FINISHED YOUR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING?  HAVE YOU STARTED?  THE AUXILIARY SHIP’S STORE WILL BE AT THE DECEMBER MEETING.  GET SOME SHOPPING DONE WITHOUT FIGHTING THE CROWDS AND HELP THE AUXILIARY AT THE SAME TIME.

Calendar of Coming Events

From the Arizona desk of the Senior Junior Past

The trip down was uneventful, lots of rain from Spokane to central Nevada then the sun came out. The first trip without ice and snow since we have been going south for the winter.

Enjoying the weather in the Southland, rain (couple of inches), fog and sunshine.  At least it's warm.  Trees are getting trimmed very slowly between trips to the rifle range.  A very wet Thanksgiving spent at Linda's cousin’s home.  Attended the Territorial Detachments meeting in November things are looking up for them, about twice as many at the meeting as there was last year at this time.  Attended the Veteran's Day ceremony, they do a parade down the main street which ends at the American Legion where the speeches and flag raising takes place with a luncheon that follows.

Doesn't seem to be as many snowbirds (winter visitors) in the area yet, but some are saying they will show up in January.

Here's wishing all in the Detachment a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to go along with a successful Toys for Tots program for this Christmas Season. 

Your thought for the month:  "A mistake will always be repeated; a thing repeated will be done a third time."  (Japanese Proverb)

Semper Fi,  Doug

Senior Junior Past Commandant

 

DETACHMENT OFFICERS 2008 – 2009

UNIT OFFICERS 2008 - 2009

League Minutes of the Last Meeting--

Auxiliary Minutes of the Last Meeting--Hope to have soon

Return Home