COMPILED BY ____________________________ DATE__________________

Jerry Blaylock – Adjutant

APPROVED BY ___________________________

Lynn Sparks - Commander

MINUTES OF

AMERICAN LEGION 22^nd DISTRICT – DEPARTMENT OF TEXAS

District Executive Committee Meeting – Sunday, February 24, 2008

Before the meeting, a joint session with the Auxiliary was held. John Morris discussed the 22^nd District Spring Convention to be held on April 4-6, 2008, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 12801 Northwest Freeway, Houston, Texas 77040, 713-462-9977. Pre-registration is $25, registration at the door is $30. Room rate is $65 per night and March 21, 2008, is the deadline for making hotel reservations. Program ads are available for $150 centerfold, $100 back cover, $60 full page, $30 ½ page, $15 ¼ page. The page size is 5½” x 8½” (Encl. 1).

The meeting was called to order at 1415 in the usual manner by Commander Lynn Sparks at American Legion Post 472, 7599 Avenue C, Houston, Texas 77012. The Roll Call of Officers and Posts was taken (Encl. 2). There were 9 out of 15 posts present.

I. Guests – Commander Sparks welcomed Past National Vice Commander John Morris, Past Department Commander Butch Sparks, 2^nd Division Commander Al Marlowe, Past 2^nd Division Commander Buddy McFarland, Past 22^nd District Commanders Tom Larsen, Bill Manbeck, and Willie Winkleman, Past 2^nd Division Commander John Bares, 2^nd Division Tom Hull, 7^th District Commander Larry Eary, 22^nd District SAL Commander Mike Morris.

OFFICER REPORTS

II. Vice Commander – Terry Messinger – Gave a membership report (Encl 3). There were the following membership turn-ins at the meeting: Post 490, 20 and Post 416, 22, for a total of 42.

III. Adjutant – Jerry Blaylock – Minutes of the January 20, 2008, DEC meeting were distributed (Encl. 4). He moved that they be accepted as written, seconded by John Morris, and passed. He read correspondence about a welcome back ceremony for returning troops (Encl. 5).

IV. Judge Advocate – Ralph Morris – No report.

V. Finance Report – Tom Larsen – Gave the finance report (Encl. 6). Buddy McFarland moved that the report be accepted, seconded by John Morris and it passed.

VI. Historian – Dovie Brooks – No report. She is still working on the District history book.

VII. Chaplain – Cal Gruetzmacher – Seventeen funerals were conducted by the memorial team to date this year.

VIII. Asst. Sgt-at-Arms – Juan Torres – Reported that 29 legionnaires, 2 SAL, and 4 guests signed-in (Encl. 7).

IX. Past District Commander – Bill Manbeck – No report.

X. 2^nd Division Commander – Al Marlowe – Reported on the 2^nd Division Convention to be held on May 16-18, 2008, at the Ramada Inn, 16510 I-45 North, Houston, Texas 77090, 281-821-2570. Room rate is $59 per night. Program ads are available (Encl. 8). He also report on the National Cemetery Council. There will be a Memorial Day Service at the National Cemetery at 9:00 a.m. on May 26, 2008.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

XI. Americanism – Edward Ruhnke – No report.

XII. Baseball – Janet Turner – Reported that the 22^nd District will be hosting the 22^nd District and Department baseball tournaments this year.

XIII. Boy Scouts/SAL – Juan Torres – Reported that Squadrons 416 and 490 still haven’t submitted any 2008 dues to Department (Encl. 9).

XIV. Boys State – Bill Manbeck – Report that Boys State will be held on June 7-13, 2008. Cost is $275 per boy. The bus fare is $50 per boy.

XV. Children and Youth – Paul Dudkowski – No report.

XVI. Constitution and Bylaws – John Morris – No report.

XVII. National Security – Buddy McFarland – No report.

XVIII. Oratorical – Tom Larsen – Reported on the 22^nd District, 2^nd Division, and Department Oratorical Contests. The 22^nd District contestant came in 2^nd place at the 2^nd Division Contest. The Department Contest was won by the same contestant that won it last year. The Department Contests will be held in Kerrville the next two years.

XIX. Women Veterans – Dovie Brooks – No report.

XX. Webmaster – Jerry Blaylock – Reported that the 22^nd District website is now on the new server, GoDaddy. The new URL is www.legiondist22.com.

XXI. National Cemetery Council – Jeff Hong – No report.

XXII. District BBQ Cook-Off – Terry Messinger – Reported that the committee met on February 14, 2008. There is a new flyer for takeout orders for BBQ Brisket or Chicken Dinners on April 19, 2008 (Encl. 10). He announced that there will be no food at today’s DEC meeting. Arranges have been made at the restaurant across the street to get a 50% discount on their $8.95 plate for the members present. He announced that Unit 472 will have a Spaghetti Dinner on Friday, March 7, 2008 (Encl. 11). He also report that he has been in contact with Spark Energy and they gave Post 472 an excellent rate that cut their rates by more than half.

OLD/UNFINISHED BUSINESS

None.

NEW BUSINESS

XXIII. Butch Sparks moved that the 22^nd District host the Department Baseball Tournament this year. The motion was seconded by Tom Larsen and it passed.

XXIV. Tom Larsen read a thank-you note we received from Ray Rutledge’s family for the flowers we sent to his funeral. Lynn Sparks, Terry Messinger, and Tom Larsen attend his funeral in Scott, Louisiana.

GOOD OF THE LEGION

1. Dovie Brooks announced for everyone to “get out and vote.”

2. Post 472 announced that their 26^th Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament will be held on March 16, 2008, at the Gus Wortham Golf Course (Encl. 12).

3. Lynn Sparks announced that their will be no DEC meeting in March. The next DEC meeting will be the Spring Convention on April 4-6, 2008.

XXIX. Meeting Adjournment – Meeting was adjourned at 1448.