Newsletter
March 30, 2010
Comrades, it has been 6 months since our last newsletter was written and I want to let you know what your Post has been doing. In October 2009 we had our annual Rice Festival Parade and followed that up the following weekend with a booth at the Rice Harvest Festival for both days. Ernie Cormier deserves a big thanks for getting the event squared away and he is already making plans for 2010. In December we met with the VFW and held our annual Flag Retirement Ceremony in conjunction with the VFW's Pearl Harbor Commemoration. It took three weekends in November to collect all the flags and we met some very nice area residents in doing so.
Next, we embarked on the annual decorating of the Oaks of Brookshire Nursing Home. As always, something always goes wrong but we muddled through, got some new lights up and found a way to make it a pleasurable morning. What goes up must come down and with sub-freezing weather in our faces, a few brave, maybe crazy Post members showed up in 28 degree weather and took down the decorations in record time. That was no way to start out the new year but we will meet our committments, hot, cold or rain. In January we also started our 2010 Boys' State program. Again this year Henry Thomas volunteered to head up the committee but he doesn't do this alone. He has able and willing comrades pitching in. We should have a good year in sending worthy juniors to Austin.
In February a nominating committe was tasked with finding a slate of candidates for the 2010 -2011 year. In March, the candidates were presented and April will see the election to make things official. It's great to see so many continue to serve and new additions stepping up. In February at the general meeting, the Post presented the Katy Elks with an Appreciation Certificate nicely framed for all they do for us. It is proudly displayed in the main club room. Alvin Cox of Brookshire Bros. Grocers was also recognized for his continuing support.
On a sad note, the month of March saw the passing of two post members. Fred Barttlingck, a WWII gunnery instructor and relatively new Post member died on March 14th. On March 17th, Thomas Polvogt, a WWII Marine passed on. Comrade Polvogt was believed to have been a charter member of 164.
Now that the second quarter is about to unfold, I eagerly await to see what the new leadership has in mind.
Paul V. Dudkowski, Webmaster
September 29, 2009
Comrades, since the last newsletter, the Post has continued moving forward in a very positive way. The first and proving to be a very important step forward was the installation of a new Post Adjutant. Thank you very much to Mike Warren for not only stepping up but for making a big impact in your first few months. We were given new marching orders by the Department of Texas. Tax codes have changed and the way we conduct business will have to as well. Will attended the Division meeting in College Station and gave us the particulars. Mike Warren and the Commander are busy making sure we adhere to the new regulations. Henry Thomas attended the State Convention on our behalf.
The Ice Cream Social was the next event taking place on our July meeting night. As in the past, the Gospel Grass Trio performed for the event and we earned enough money for one or two more Boy's State attendees for 2010. As our motto goes, "Service to the Community", it was gratifying to see another organization step up and offer us some community service. For the first time ever, the West Houston Chapter of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) wanted to do something special for us. It was a 10 month work in progress and they decided to provide us with free influenza vaccines. About 17 members took advantage of their generosity and received their shot. This was thanks to Ms. Priscilla Shadbourne of the AACN who I met at our flag collection last year in 2008.
September also saw us attend the Oaks of Brookshire monthly birthday bash for their residents. George Berg and Virgil Poe provided those in attendance with some outstanding music.
In just a metter of days, the Rice Festival Parade will grace the streets of Old Town Katy and the week after, October 10th and 11th, the Post will once again man a booth at the annual festival. This is an annual opportunity to get out and meet the public, tell them what we do and gather some new recruits in the process.
Paul V. Dudkowski, Web Master
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