2013 April Commandant Message

Well, April is here.  It is time to nominate new officer’s to replace those ending their term.  Mike Ernsten, the one man nominating committee, seems to have some problem with finding people to fill the positions.  Here is your chance to step up and make the Detachment better.  It is important that we find the right people to do the job, so please attend the meeting.
 

The detachment handled three funerals in March.  I do appreciate the members who continue to attend and assist with the funerals.  We have lost another one of our members with the passing of Art Archambault.  The family has requested that we provide military honors for him.  The memorial service will be on April 8 at the Dixie Elks Lodge.  We will provide the time as soon as possible.  We need at least fourteen color guard members to do a full service.  If you are one and can attend, please contact Larry Mineer.  Since Art was a charter member of the Detachment, it would be nice if all members could attend.  You should wear our meeting uniform with cover. 
 

The committee, headed by Bill Feeney, for Detachment giving has recommended that we donate $500.00 to the Dixie Elks/City of Saint George to support a swim program for special needs persons. 

 

It has also been recommended that we donate $317.00 to the JROTC for one of their award programs which we have supported in the past.  You can provide your input at the meeting on these donations. 
 

Our second Marine Appreciation Day has been arraigned by Steve Handy. It will be held on May 18 at the Vernon Worthen Park in St. George.  He will have flyers with all the details at the next general meeting.  We have completed the Dixie Books sale this year.  We were able to raise more than $1,500.00 and this was with a lot of members not even buying a book for themselves.  I guess that I can understand why they don’t sell any when they can’t even sell themselves one. 
 

Based on the above, it is hard for me to try to get members to support our golf tournament.  But it is set for June 1 at Sun River.  I know how hard a few members work to try and make it successful.  It is our main fund raiser.  At the last general meeting, it was announced that there were flyers for the tournament and tee signs on the front table for you to take.  They were for you to try and find golfers and tee sign sponsors.  I saw only one person come up and take a flyer.  I guess you have no problem letting Clyde and Larry find the golfers and tee sign sponsors to make the tournament a success.  It would be nice if everyone at least tried to help.  We do need raffle prizes and I have no excuse that I can make for you if you can’t even try to obtain a few.  The flyers tell how we use the money we raise so all you have to do is give them out. You should plan on hearing a lot about the golf tournament in the next two months.
 

Steve Handy and Jim Haney, with Bill Feeney as supervisor-project manager and material provider, were able to redo the Veteran Display at the Dixie Elks Lodge.  If you are up there, you should check out the great job they did.

 

 

Terry Hansen was able to build a needed speaker’s podium at the veteran’s center.  Our members continue to serve the community.

 

 

I have received a report from Dennis Cory’s wife that his surgery on April 1 went well and they are hopeful that they were able to remove all the cancer.  They think he will be in the hospital about three days, and he is scheduled to be moved into a regular room on April 2.
 

I hope to see you all at the meeting on April 13.  If you sponsored someone and they are not attending meetings, please call and invite them to attend.

Carl Kulyk, Commandant



Elks Lodge Memorial

Marine Corps League Utah Dixie Detachment #1270 rejuvenated the old Vietnam Vets memorial located just outside the St. George Elks Lodge.  Marines Bill Feeney, Stephen Handy and Jim Haney worked tirelessly on this monument, revisiting photos and other items. Grand Exalted Ruler Thomas S. Brazier was present for the unveiling on March 7, 2013.

2013 March Commandant's Message

Well, March is here - time for the snow birds to start packing.  It is also nice to see some warm weather.  February was a good month with only one funeral.  We had a number of members who showed up to give their support to the family.  We have moved the rifles to a location which makes it much easier to access the rifles. I hope to see some color guard drill very soon.

The elections for the Detachment staff are getting close.  So, if you are willing to serve on the staff you should contact Mike Ernsten.

The ball committee is already meeting so we will have another great event this year.  At the last meeting everyone voted to make a number of donations.  I am sure you all understand from the yearly dues the detachment only gets $3.00 per member.  It should be very clear that the money we are able to give does not come only from your dues.  The Dixie Book sales were down about twenty books this year. As I have said before, not only did most members fail to sell one book, they did not even buy one for themselves.  If you want to keep raising your hands to give money, it is time everyone starts helping to raise money.

Our golf tournament is set for June 1st at Sunriver Golf Course.  The course has been greatly improved this year and everyone will enjoy their round.  We are working to improve the eating area for the meal after the event.  We need everyone to find golfers, gifts to raffle and people to buy tee signs.  We will discuss the event at the meeting.  It is not fair to expect a few people to do all the work. The date will be on us very soon.

Jim Haney, Steve Handy and Bill Feeney have been working hard at the Elks Club to redo and improve the veteran display at the club.  The Elks are giving us some wall space inside the club to put up for display some detachment awards.

Our attendance is improving but, if you have sponsored someone who is not attending, you should contact them about attending.  We hope to have a speaker at the meeting.  I hope to see you all on March 9.

Carl Kulyk, Commandant

February 2012 Commandant's Corner

Well, it’s nice to see the start of February. I hope that we continue to have nice weather. The attendance at the meeting in December and January was better. I hope the trend continues.

The Color Guard was not busy in January which is good. We don’t need more funerals. We plan to move our safe and rifles to a new location right after the February meeting. So if you can help, you should plan on helping for about one hour with the move.

We will not have a speaker this month as we plan to fully discuss our giving program. A committee has been working very hard in setting up guidelines. I hope for a lot of input from the general membership. It is the Detachment's money, so I want everyone to be involved. We want to close the Dixie Books fund raiser at the February meeting. If you have any funds or unsold books, it is time to get the items to the detachment on February 9. Our sales were lower this year. I realize a great number of groups are selling the books. It was the reason that I suggested in September that you notify your friends at that time we would have the books in November. As always, only a small number of members sold the books. The majority of members did not even buy one book for their own use. I have to assume most members never eat out, have their car serviced or have a need for the other great offers in the book. My wife saved more than $45.00 with one company and the book was only $35.00. We have also used it a number of restaurants for more savings. It is a great fund raiser and I hoped for more support in selling books.

We are starting to think about our golf tournament in June. We hope to have a place and date soon. Once we have the place and date, I would like you to mail out a save the date to your friends. We always need more golfers. The tournament is our main fund raiser. We will also be selling tee signs to businesses again this year. We were able to sell 18 last year and if we can get commitments early we can increase the number. It will not happen unless each member tries to sell a tee sign. It is the best way to increase our take from the tournament. We also need gifts to auction off and to give as raffle prizes. We can’t sell raffle tickets without items to give to the golfers. The support the last few years on gifts was very low. But, as I said above, we need golfers to play. In the past, three or four members have found all the players. Even if you don’t golf, you do know someone who does. It does not hurt to ask.

At our February meeting, we can also discuss fund raising as without money there is no giving. If the majority feel that we don’t need to raise funds to support the league or to support needy projects, we can shut them down. It sure would make life easier for a few members. And of course if you don’t like selling books or advertisement, we are open to your ideas to raise funds.

The time is for elections will be on so very soon. Mike Ernsten has decided after the great job he did last year that he will run the nomination process again this year. If you are willing to serve on the staff, you should contact Mike before he calls on you. The commandant position will be open and I know a number of you feel you can do a much better job than I have tried to do. If you feel you can get breakfast down to $1.00 a meal and speakers who can give a lot of good information in ten minutes. All you need is a little time to give and the ability to please everyone all the time. It would also be good if you know how to swim in an undercurrent as there is one flowing through the Detachment most of the time. Just kidding! I know from working with many of you that you have the ability and knowledge to keep the Detachment moving forward.

January 2013 Commandant’s Message
 

Well, a Happy New Year to all. I look forward to a good year for our detachment. 
 

It is sad to report that we lost a detachment member in December. Marion K. Bearnson, a WW II combat veteran passed away in SLC. We hope to have some type of a service for him here in St. George later this month. I remember when he gave his Marine minute a few years ago. He just said that he served in the battle of Tarawa and Saipan and he sat down.
 

he large detail last month was Toys for Tots. A large number of members came out to both Wal-Mart Stores on two weekends to man the toy boxes and the cash buckets to collect toys and cash. I understand that we did well both weekends. A Marine who is a deputy sheriff and a Marine who was a Devil Pup came out in dress blues to help. A detail along with members of the Sheriff’s Explorer Post showed up on Wednesday night to assist Coins for Kids at the Bloomington Wal-Mart Store. The proud and the few showed up again on Friday and Saturday to help deliver the toys to the families. Caroline and I went out on Friday and we both found it to be very rewarding. A friend went with me on Saturday and we took out two loads. We met a lot of nice people who appreciated the gifts.
 

I got a call from a detachment member advising me of a FLDS family that had moved into a safe house with nothing for the children. I contact Rick Massey, which was on Christmas Eve, who was still taking out gifts. After a few problems, Rick was able to deliver three bags of toys to the family that night. Rick Massey did another outstanding job this year. It was also nice to see that Mercy Wright, who was able to rejoin the detachment out to help along with Joyce Thomas who has had her own hard times. Jack Stanfill was able to fly his plane with a load of toys and school supplies to needy children in the Richfield area. The project is known as Angel Flight. Jack reported that the items were well appreciated.
 

Steve Ikuta has lined up a speaker for our January meeting who will speak on his law enforcement experiences. We had forty at the December meeting so let’s have a good showing this month. It is also time to bring any funds you have for Dixie Books you have sold. It is also time to return any books you were not able to sell. If you don’t have one for yourself, they will be available for you to purchase one to support the detachment.
 

We have delivered the challenge coins in the stand that Rick Massey made to all the people who bought ads in our Marine Corps Ball program. I can report the people that I signed up like the item very much.
 

Please do your best to attend the meeting as we also have important things to discuss.
 

Carl Kulyk, Commandant

Dec 2012 Commandant's Post

Well, it’s Christmas time!   Time seems to fly when you are young! Last month we had the 237th Marine Corps Ball. We had a sellout of 160 tickets. My guests and a number of other attendees told me it was the best for us so far. I did notice a number of people stayed to dance and visit after the program was completed. The ball committee did an outstanding job with planning and putting on the event. We did get help from a number of non-members to set up the room which was appreciated. The Sheriff Explores were very helpful in checking in guests and seating them. The band was well received again. Our two members who did the skit, the color guard and the cake detail were great. I wish that I could take some credit for the event but credit goes to all the people that I mentioned above.

The color guard was busy last month with three funerals, two parades, and a number posting of colors. Nearly the same funeral detail shows up when the call goes out for help. They handled thewind, cold and even sleet at the funerals. They all look very sharp and are dedicated to be sure the deceased marine receives the honor he or she deserves.

The dates for the detachment to assist with Toys for Tots have been set. If you can help on December 8 and or December 15 at the Wal-Mart store in Bloomington contact Bill Toole. For the same dates at the Washington Wal-Mart store contact Steve Handy. We also need help on December 19 at 1700 until closing at the Bloomington Wal-Mart store. If you can help, you should contact Oscar Garcia.

There are other duties such as delivery of gifts. You should contact Rick Massey if you have any questions. It is important that you attend the December 8 meeting as all details will be discussed.

There is an event at the Elks for disabled people and they request our help. You can contact the Elks or Rick Massey for details.

We are still selling Dixie Books. If you need more, come to the meeting or contact D’Arcy.

At the December meeting, Steve Handy will do a program on personal security. He has a background in law enforcement. The program is designed for men and women so your spouse is invited. If your spouse plans to attend, you should contact Bryan Butas as soon as possible so we can give the Abbey Inn a count.

I will miss the December 8 meeting because of my law practice in California. So if I don’t see you before, I hope you and your family have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

October Commandant’s Message

Well, we are about a month away from the 237th Marine Corps Birthday Ball. To get your tickets, contact Ken Olsen before they run out, or come to the October 13th general meeting. There will be no tickets sold at the door. The price for tickets this year is the same $25 per ticket as last year. Timing is running out for us to sell ads to go in the Birthday Ball Program. It is an important fund raiser, so everyone needs to try and sell an ad. You all have a doctor, dentist or repairman you can ask to buy an ad. It does take a little time to go out and ask. The members who help each year may be getting tired to carrying the task for most of the members.

We had our First Annual Marine Appreciation Picnic in September. Steve Handy and his committee did a great job getting the site, the food and planning the day. The members, families and Marines from the community who attend told me that they had a great time. I am not concerned about members who don't attend these type functions, but I do want everyone that does attend to have a good experience.

We have had some requests for our color guard for the Senior Games and for veteran events in November. Larry Mineer will be requesting members to assist. It is important if you are part of the color guard to let him know if you can assist or not. It saves us a lot of telephone calls.

The Dixie Books will be available on October 31, so it is time to ask your friends and neighbors to buy one from you when they are available.

We are looking at having a booth at the Taste of Dixie Festival in the Town Square on October 12 & 13. Les Covey and Larry Mineer will be looking for members to man the booth.

I did approve the purchase of a brick with our detachment information on it to be placed on the Chesty Puller path at the Marine Corps Foundation Museum in Virginia.

Steve Ikuta has arranged to have another informative speaker at our meeting on October 13. I look for a good turnout that date.