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

Marines of Melvin M. Smith;

First off I want to wish each and every one of you Happy Birthday. Our beloved Corps has been creating legends for 234 years.

I hope to see all your smiling faces at the Birthday Ball Saturday November 7^th at the Double Tree Spokane City Center. Uniform is Red Blazers/Black Slacks or Business suit or, Dress Blues if they still fit!

Next item: Toys for Tots. Enjoy good food, good company and a good cause. Breakfast with the Marines November 14^th.  

Lastly the tabulating is done and we donated 239 hours to the National Wheelchair Games. Individually it comes to: Randy Ott 36 hrs; Morgan Ott  7 hrs; Taylor Ott  7 hrs; Stacia Douglas 25.25 hrs; Amaya Douglas 8.5hrs; Doug Shurtleff 40; Tera Nielson 12; Christine Nielson 8; Carolyn Nielson 8; Jim Bennett 12; Judi Bennett  6; Kay Morse 18; Mike Maehl 9; Mike Brown  8; Renee Weimer 18;  and Donna Jamieson 4 hours. Well done Marines!

Semper Fi!

Your Commandant,

Jim Bennett

701-3829, KE7ZPF

234^th Birthday Celebration

The Marines really need our help by attending the Birthday Ball.  If you have not done so send in your information to SSGT Taylor now.  He can be reached at the number listed in the article about the ball in this newsletter.  Forms were available again at the October meeting.  If there was a problem getting the form from the electronic based newsletter you still could have hand written the information or retyped it on your computer or called the SSGT 509-327-4216, ext 2, or…well, the list could go on and on.  I don’t believe that Staff Sergeant cares about the form as much as he does about your attendance. 

Chaplain’s Report:  Chaplain Bill Town reports that Ben Taylor is fine.  Val Ritter has said that he should come off of the ‘sick list’.  Otis Dennis is able to spend time getting out of the house and walking around.  Dave and Carol Hamm are doing fine; they now have a different in-home care program from the VA with multiple helpers coming in; they are enjoying the assistance.  Don Crain is no longer driving at night.  Bill Town has finally been scheduled for his shoulder surgery and is set to have that done on December 8. 

This following information did not make the newsletter so please share when you visit with our "hard copy" members:  Chaplain Town was finally able to speak with Ray Moon.  He has had a plate put in his wrist from a fall; his shoulder is giving him a lot of discomfort due to arthritis and he will be seeing a cardiologist because his doctor says he has a slow heart rate.

ADJUTANT/PAYMASTER/JR. PAST’S TIDBITS

If your Commandant would jump off a bridge, would you follow him?  I would!  Let’s get on the ball for the busiest time of the year for the Detachment and “P” Battery.  We need volunteers like we’ve never needed before.  GySgt Ruiz has secured a building not far from the old Lodge that we no longer want to call home.  Whew!  Glad for that, too. 

With a respectful Semper Fi!

Your Adj/Pay & Junior Past Commandant,

Randy

998-9031

VETERANS DAY AT GLOVER MIDDLE SCHOOL

--- Just south of Shadle Center Shopping Center

When:  November 10, 2009;  Time 0900 (9am);  Program lasts 45 minute to 1 hour.  Usually a snack is provided after the program for guests.

Contact person:  Todd Moorehouse, phone 354-5341.  He is still looking for a speaker (as of November 26) call Todd if you want to volunteer.



 

Calendar of Coming Events

From the desk of Doug:

In the process of packing to head to the southland, hope to be on the road the first of November.  Did attend the T4T breakfast ate an excellent meal with great companions.  If you missed this one make sure and attend the next.  A fairly good turn out for the eats, lets hope an even bigger crowd for the one coming up, all proceeds go to a good cause.  Again a good turnout for the monthly meeting, thanks one and all who are taking the time to attend. Bingo went well with a good showing of players most of whom did not need assistance.  If you have nothing better to do on November 11th, please attend and help (it's more fun than watching TV at home) and only lasts an hour or so.

Your thought for the month:   "You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight savings time."  (Dave Berry)

Semper Fi, Doug Shurtleff

                    October breakfast was an operational success but the turn out and income for Toys for Tots was not what we had hoped to achieve.  Many thanks to our crew (kitchen and dining room) who included:  Randy Ott, Bill Town, Dennis Dressler, Pat Rowand, Sam Dressler, Susan Douglas, Laurie Ott, Taylor Ott, Jim Bennett, Judi Bennett……

As noted elsewhere there will be another breakfast to raise money for Toys For Tots on November 14.  Don't just plan on coming and having a great breakfast.  Tell your friends and neighbors to come and enjoy some decent chow or better yet, bring them along with you to make sure they come.  The more the merrier and the more we raise for the needy children of our community. Also let them know they can bring toys to donate with them to the breakfast to make sure they are on hand when we kick off this year's campaign.

Originally our Junior Vice asked for help with Toys for Tots during the summer.  To date the response has been, at best, sparse.  For that reason your editor has chosen to run this again with slight changes to keep it current: 

Because of the great shortage of toys last year I have come up with a plan to give us a head start.  I challenge all Marines to bring a new toy or stuffed animal to every league meeting.  The response was minimal in August (September and October; but thank you to those of you who have brought donations) but there is always hope it will increase every month.  Please consider bringing a toy to the November meeting.  There are children who will appreciate your doing so.  SEMPER FI your junior vice Pat Rowand. 

In recognition of your service to our country, all veterans and active duty military personnel are invited to eat free at Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar Restaurants this Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov.11, 2009.

As you may recall, Applebee's launched a pilot program last year on Veterans Day offering free entrees to military service personnel and veterans. Because the response was so overwhelmingly positive, Applebee's is extending the invitation throughout the country this year. We would appreciate your help in spreading the word. Please help us share details across your various communication channels. All U.S. veterans and active duty military with proof of current or former military service will eat free at all Applebee's nationwide on Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009. Proof of service includes: U.S. Uniform Services Identification Card, U.S. Uniform Services Retired Identification Card, Current Leave and Earnings Statement, Veterans Organization Card, DD214, photograph in uniform or wearing uniform. For additional details, visit:
www.applebees.com/vetsday.

Golden Corral's 9^th annual Military Appreciation Monday dinner will be held on Monday, November 16, 2009, from 5 to 9 pm in all Golden Corral restaurants nationwide.

The free dinner meal is a special "thank you tribute" to any person who has ever served in the United States Military. If you are a veteran, retired, currently serving, in the National Guard or Reserves, you are invited to join us for Golden Corral's Military Appreciation Monday dinner.

To date, Golden Corral restaurants have provided over 2.2 million free meals and contributed over $3.3 million to the Disabled American Veterans organization.

To locate a Golden Corral near you, visit www.goldencorral.com/locator.

PLEASE JOIN US IN SUPPORTING ALL OUR TROOPS

NOVEMBER MARINE HISTORY

 

DETACHMENT OFFICERS 2009 – 2010

UNIT OFFICERS 2009 - 2010

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