GEMS
Gem state branch 382 - fra
Branch Elected Officers
President: Jim Doering 331-1265 Bd. of Directors: Glen Dittman 466-7002
Vice President: Hazel Bettencourt 463-4682 Bob Keith 336-3342
Secretary-Treasurer: Keith Cottrell 283-2342 Ken Nungesser 467-5686
Financial Secretary: Larry Schmitt 463-1452 Jack Rhoads 342-8422
Secretary E-Mail [email protected] Jim Shadwick 468-0036
James Taylor 921-3038
CALENDAR
February 2009
14 Saturday 0930 Branch and Unit BOD meetings
14 Saturday 1000 Branch & Unit Meetings
14 Saturday 1130 Soup and Chili lunch
16 Monday President’s Day holiday – Fly Your Flag
18 Wednesday 1400 Bingo at the VAMC Community Living Center
19 Thursday 1830 Recreation Night at the FRA Hall
March 2009
14 Saturday 0930 Branch and Unit BOD meetings
14 Saturday 1000 Branch & Unit Meeting – First nomination of officers
14 Saturday 1130 Pot-luck lunch
18 Wednesday 1400 Bingo at the VAMC Community Living Center
19 Thursday 1830 Recreation Night at the FRA Hall
FEBRUARY MEETING LUNCH
In January, we hosted a get-together for our neighbors and prepared chili & soup for them. We have some of each left over, and that will be thawed out and used for our lunch at the 14 February meeting. Members can bring desserts or salads to add to the lunch.
BINGO OPERATION IS MOVING TO FRA HALL
For several years, the Branch has leased the Columbians Hall to conduct three sessions of Bingo each week under the name of GEM Bingo. The Columbians and Giving Hand Bingo each also conducted three sessions a week. The lease has been terminated effective 14 February and preparations are underway to move GEM Bingo’s operation to the FRA Hall starting on 15 February. In addition, the Unit has acquired a Bingo license and will also operate three sessions per week. There will be five evening sessions from Friday through Tuesday, with doors open at 1700, and a Sunday afternoon session, with doors open at 1200. (There will be both an afternoon and evening session on Sunday.) The FRA Hall will continue to be a smoke-free facility, and there will be no alcohol sold. Vending machines for soda and snacks have been installed and some ready-made food items will be available for sale.
More information will be available at the February 14 Joint Branch and Unit meeting. In addition, a demonstration of how the games will be run will be conducted between the Joint meeting and the separate Branch and Unit meetings.
OFFICER ELECTIONS
Election of Officers is coming up. First nominations will be held at the 14 March meeting. Second nominations and elections will be held at the 11 April meeting with the installation of new officers in May. The President, Vice-President, Secretary, Financial Secretary, and three board members will be elected this year. The Treasurer and three board members are in the middle of two-year terms.
IDAHO PIZZA LOOKING FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL PHOTOS
The Idaho Pizza Company is planning on putting a “Military Wall” in their new store and would like to have pictures of men and women in uniform. The owner, Rick Junge, is a former sailor. If you meet him, remind him that the FRA is now open to non-retired veterans. Photos may also be sent to 2302 Norcrets Ct, Boise, 83705.
NEWSLETTER DELIVERY VIA EMAIL
If you are willing to receive future copies via email in Microsoft Word format, please email the Secretary at [email protected]. Each newsletter sent via email saves the Branch 32 cents in printing costs plus 42 cents in postage.
MEETING MINUTES
Instead of the Secretary reading the minutes of the previous meeting, printed copies of the minutes will be available next to the sign-in book. When you sign in, take a copy and read it before the meeting. During the Branch meeting, the branch will be asked to approve the minutes as written.
MEMBERSHIP CAMPAIGN
The Membership Chairman, James Taylor, needs some members to help contact former Branch members, Members-At-Large, and prospective members. If you can make a few calls a day, contact James at 921-3038.
VETERANS ORAL HISTORY PROJECT
The Warhawk Air Museum in Nampa is participating in the Veterans Oral History Project, which is sponsored by the Library Of Congress. In this project, veterans are video-taped telling their stories of their service to the country. Volunteers are also needed to interview veterans, operate the video recorders and edit the videos. For more information, sign up to tell your story, or volunteer to help, call Sue Paul at 208-465-6446 or email her at [email protected]. Information about the project and the museum is available on their website, www.warhawkairmuseum.org.
The dues payments of the following shipmates are either past due or are due by 31 March and had not been received by National as of 27 January. If your check is in the mail, disregard this list. Dues notices are normally sent out the first week of the month before your dues expire. For example, if your dues expire on 31 March, you would receive your notice in early February. If you don’t get your dues notice by the first of the month in which your dues expire, contact the Secretary. Dues should be sent directly to National using the envelope provided with the dues notice. The Secretary can forward dues in special circumstances.
Day, Robert E Liggett, Larry Mansfield, Larry S
Morales, Andrew J Rice, Gilbert T Sanuy, John A
Schum, William S
To check your record if you do not have access to the internet, or to make other changes to your record, call National at 800-372-1924 between 0900 and 1700 Eastern Time (0700 – 1500 Mountain Time) on regular workdays. In the opening menu, press “1” for member services. Having your membership number available is helpful, but not necessary.
To check your record via Internet, go to the website, www.fra.org. In the upper right-hand corner of the home page, enter your 9-digit membership number (including leading zeros, if applicable) in the “username” block and enter your first initial and last name (e.g., jdoe) in the “password” blank and click on the blank next to the “username” blank. Then click on the “MY FRA” block near the top of the page to show your personal record. You can make changes to your address or telephone number by clicking on the “edit” block. You can also change your username or password.
MEETING NOTES
12/13/08 JOINT MEETING
Branch President Jim called the meeting to order at 1900 with the presentation of colors by Sea Cadets. The meeting was then recessed for dinner and called back to order at 2000
1/10/09 JOINT MEETING
Branch President James Doering and Unit President Jena Shadwick presided.
With the termination of GEM Bingo’s lease to use the Columbian’s hall for Bingo operations, preparations are being made to move operations to the FRA Hall effective 15 February. Besides the three sessions that the Branch is allowed to sponsor, the Unit has also received a license to sponsor three sessions a week.
A motion to purchase a snow blower for the Hall was passed.
1/10/09 BRANCH MEETING
Branch President James Doering presided.
The following personnel were initiated into the Fleet Reserve Association and Branch 382:
Robert W Bourne, FTM1, USN Veteran
The minutes of the 13 December meeting were approved as written. The Treasurer’s and Financial Secretary’s reports were presented.
There was no old or new business items for the Branch to consider.
The name drawn from the membership roster for $200 was Dan Bouden, who was not in attendance. The winner of the consolation drawing from the sign-in book for $25 was Dan Holloway.