Thursday, April 29, 2021

District 13 - RSVP Needed - Virtual Townhall - Starting & Maintaining a Non-Profit Organization - May 3rd, 6pm

REMINDER!!!
 
NYC Councilman Mark Gjonaj is hosting the following virtual townhall:
 
All You Need to Know: Starting & Maintaining a Non-Profit Organization
On Monday, May 3rd, 6pm
With Maggie Sposato, Esq., Sposato Law, PLLC
CUNY Law CLRN City Counseling Program
Please RSVP at your earliest convenience to evera@council.nyc.gov
Below find the Zoom details:
Topic: Starting & Maintaining a Non-Profit Organization Townhall
Time: May 3, 2021 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 828 5061 1856
Passcode: 618090
One tap mobile
+16465588656,,82850611856#,,,,*618090# US (New York)
+16699009128,,82850611856#,,,,*618090# US (San Jose)
Dial by your location
        +1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
        +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
        +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
        +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
        +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
        +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
Meeting ID: 828 5061 1856
Passcode: 618090
We encourage you to send us the questions prior to the townhall.  If you need further instructions, contact me directly by email or cell 917-459-8912.  
Regards,
Ilir Fundo
Budget Director
Office of NYC Councilman Mark Gjonaj
Cell: 917-459-8912

MCHF - April Marine Minute: Virtual Awards Ceremony Recognizes Distinguished Honorees

ABOUT US    WAYS TO GIVE    PROGRAMS    VIRTUAL TOUR     April 2021
Virtual Awards Ceremony Recognizes Distinguished Honorees
The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation presented the Lejeune Recognition for Exemplary Leadership Award to Major General Charles F. Bolden, Jr. USMC (Ret) and the Heritage Award to Lieutenant General Robert R. Blackman, Jr. USMC (Ret) during a virtual production of our Annual Awards Ceremony on Saturday 24 April 2021. MajGen Bolden and LtGen Blackman received their awards along with 19 other honorees being recognized for journalism, photography and the arts. The program celebrated distinguished leadership and outstanding portrayals of Marine Corps history, traditions and culture.
The virtual setting for the ceremony provided the Foundation the opportunity to show audiences a variety of spaces in the National Museum of the Marine Corps including Leatherneck Gallery, the Combat Art Gallery and the expansion of Legacy Walk that opened last year.   
You can watch the entire ceremony on the Foundation's YouTube here. The ceremony included acceptance remarks from MajGen Bolden, 12th Administrator of NASA and LtGen Blackman, former MCHF President and CEO; remarks from General David H. Berger, 38th Commandant of the Marine Corps, and Sergeant Major Troy E. Black, 19th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps; and performances by “The President's Own” United States Marine Band.
The complete list of recipients and links to their award-winning works are below. We would like to extend a special thank you to our sponsors for making this event possible: General Dynamics, Vion, Sim-Tex, John and Elaine French, Richard Hartnack, Paul and Coleen Kalsbeek, Richard Moxley and David Stulb.
The Lejeune Recognition for Exemplary Leadership Award - The Lieutenant General John A. Lejeune Recognition for Exemplary Leadership recognizes an individual who has demonstrated leadership in their chosen profession or appointed or elected position that is clearly exemplary and worthy of emulation. The recipient must epitomize the core values of honor, courage and commitment and practice the leadership traits and principles ascribed to by General Lejeune and the United States Marine Corps.
  • Major General Charles F. Bolden, Jr. USMC (Ret), 12th Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
The Heritage Award - The Heritage Award recognizes an individual who has provided unique and significant service to the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation in the fulfillment of its mission to preserve and promulgate the history, traditions and culture of the Marine Corps and educate all Americans in its virtues.
  • Lieutenant General Robert R. Blackman, Jr. USMC (Ret), Former President & CEO, Marine Corps Heritage Foundation
Biography – The Colonel Joseph Alexander Award for a distinguished book of biographical literature about a Marine.
Feature Writing (Enlisted) – The Master Sergeant Tom Bartlett Award, named for the late Managing Editor of Leatherneck magazine and a leading Marine photojournalist, is given for superior writing pertinent to Marine Corps history during the preceding year by an enlisted writer in any medium.
Drama - The Bill Broyles Award is given for a distinguished play or screenplay by a playwright or screenwriter, dealing with U.S. Marine Corps heritage or Marine Corps life.
Photojournalism (Album) – The Sergeant Major Dan Daly Award for a distinguished example of still photography by an individual, consisting of a collection of black and white or color photographs capturing U.S. Marines or Marine Corps life.
Poetry – The Robert A. Gannon Award for a distinguished volume of original verse by a poet dealing with Marine Corps life.
Feature Writing (Aviation) – The General Roy S. Geiger Award, sponsored by Colonel G. F. Robert Hanke USMCR in memory of his father, Wing Commander Ralph Hanke, Royal Air Force. This award is given to the author of the best article in the field of Marine Corps Aviation published during the preceding year.
Documentary Short Subject – The Sergeant William Genaust Award for a producer of a documentary and short subject (motion pictures with a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all credits) dealing creatively with U.S. Marine Corps heritage or Marine Corps life.
General Non-Fiction – The General Wallace M. Greene, Jr. Award for a distinguished non-fiction book dealing with U.S. Marines or Marine Corps life.
History of Women Marines - The Colonel Julia E. Hamblet Award, named for the longest serving Director of Women Marines, is funded by a bequest from the estate of Lotus Mort and judged by the Women Marines Association. It is given to the individual or team who has done the most to further the recognition of the history of women who have earned the title Marine.
  • MSgt Laura Dennis USMCR, awarded posthumously
Documentary Feature – The Major Norman Hatch Award for a producer of a documentary feature (motion pictures with a running time of more than 40 minutes) dealing creatively with U.S. Marine Corps heritage or Marine Corps life.
Feature Writing (General) – The Colonel Robert Debs Heinl, Jr. Award for a distinguished example of feature writing by an individual dealing with U.S. Marine Corps history or Marine Corps life, giving prime consideration for high literary quality and originality.
Photojournalism (Single) – The Sergeant Major Bradley Kasal Award for a distinguished example of still photography by an individual, in black and white or color, which consists of a single photograph capturing the character of the individual Marine and the core values of the U.S. Marine Corps.
Dispatch Reporting – The Major Megan McClung Award for a distinguished example of reporting by an individual covering U.S. Marines abroad.
Local Reporting – The General Oliver P. Smith Award for a distinguished example of local news reporting by an individual that illuminates the U.S. Marine Corps' relationship with local communities.
Memoir – The Eugene Sledge Award for a distinguished autobiography or memoir in book form about a Marine.
Combat Art – The Colonel John W. Thomason Jr. Award is given to an individual for a distinguished work depicting some aspect of Marine Corps life.
Fiction – The James Webb Award for distinguished fiction book dealing with U.S. Marines or Marine Corps life.
Charitable Giving Tip
With the changes that the 2020 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act made to individual and business income tax, as well as the estate tax, you may be thinking about how best to support your favorite charities in 2021, including the MCHF.  We have summarized “Five Quick Tips” that may help your charitable gift planning, including how to make itemizing work for you. Learn about all of them here.  
If you have any questions and/or would like to explore ways to include the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation in your estate plans, please contact Gayle Union, at union@marineheritage.org, or call 703.586.7463. There is, of course, no obligation and all inquiries are confidential. Thank you!
We hope that you enjoy receiving these monthly updates from the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. As a valued member and contributor to the MCHF, we want to provide you with timely news regarding our activities and ongoing support of the National Museum of the Marine Corps. We appreciate your support and welcome any feedback.
This e-mail was sent to you by the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add enewsletter@marineheritage.org to your address book.
 
WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTubeInstagramLinkedIn

 

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

American Legion - Support Polo Shirts

 

To order your shirt and help support the Jim Troiola campaign to become our National Commander, simply  complete  the Supporter Polo Shirt order form.  When the completed shirts arrive, your order will be shipped directly to the address provided 

 CTESupportShirtAd

CTESupportShirtOrderForm 

American Legion - May Meeting Saturday 5/1/21 1300hrs

 
Fellow Legionaries,  
 
Our next meeting Saturday 5/1/21 will be the third and final nomination meeting for the new incoming Post officers. June will be the swearing in and installation of new officers. Please make every effort to attend.           
   
Thank you 
 
Owen P. Mangan
Commander
Post #620

Monday, April 26, 2021

American Legion - 103rd Department Convention July 28th - July 31st 2021 ( Covid restricted )

Legionnaires,
 
           After a brief discussion with Department Commander Mike McDermott and several Department leadership personnel, we decided that it is time for The American Legion Department of New York to get back to some degree of the regular order of business. Although we will be restricted to 100 Legionnaires in attendance at the Convention sessions, we felt it was vital to have our Convention nevertheless.  Pre and Post Convention meetings will take place. There will be  a Resolution altered election of our new Commander for 2021-2022 with most of the ‘Pomp and Circumstance’ our incoming Commander deserves. We will also give a  fond farewell to the historic 2 year reign of our outgoing Department Commander. In order to accomplish this, we needed to alter our voting procedure. Normally Department elections are decided by individual Counties casting their allotted ballots at roll call, after nominations,  seconding speeches and a request for nominations from the floor are completed. Due to our limited capacity, we will not be permitted to have all 62 County Commanders and the Department Executive Committee (50 members ) and the potential new Department officers (25 ) in attendance at the Convention. 
 
          On Thursday April 15th at 6:00 PM, Commander Michael McDermott called to order a ZOOM of the Department Executive Committee voting members.   The Committees purpose was to approve  2 resolutions and make a modification to our Convention rules, altering the regular order of business for the Department pertaining to attendance at the convention and the voting procedure. Resolution 2021 #1 authorizes the Department to host a 50 person Convention. Resolution 2021 #2 authorizes the Department to host a 100 person Convention. Both resolutions are the same with the exception of the number of authorized attendees in order to allow us to conduct business in the event Covid restrictions are altered in the future. Both resolutions were seconded and discussed and the vote was unanimous for approval.  In the coming days, the County Commanders will be officially notified of the changes to their voting procedures. Counties assembled at their regularly scheduled County Conventions will, instead of electing the “ Chairman of the Delegation “ from their County delegation,  will elect their DISTRICT COMMANDER to be Chairman of the Delegation with all the rights and privileges to cast the County’s Delegate strength as the County instructs them to cast them. There will be no District caucuses at the Convention this year, so all Districts will nominate their Department Vice Commanders, District Commanders and District Vice-Commanders at their final District meeting of the year and notify Department Headquarters of the results promptly. 
 
          On behalf of the Department Commander and myself, I would like to commend all the Department of New York Legionnaires, Posts, Counties, Districts and Department Officers for your actions and dedication to your communities and our fellow Veterans during these dreadful times. I have been  so proud of all of you over the past year. It has been an honor and privilege to serve as your Department Adjutant. You have shown the people of the State of New York and the Nation the resolve of Legionnaires to continue our dedication to our 103 year-old founding principals of ‘ service to our Community, State and Nation ‘ even in the worst of times. I have received reports during the height of the pandemic of Legionnaires delivering 50 cases of bottled water to a Veteran’s nursing home due to their inability to obtain it elsewhere. Numerous Posts gave away chicken or fish dinners in their parking lot to sometimes 350 people in one day. The countless deliveries of lunch or dinner to our first responders, whether cooked at the Post home or employing local businesses in order to give them some much needed income, was unprecedented. In one instance, a County Commander was made aware of a female veteran with 2 small children having lost the heat in her home during a nasty cold spell. He brought his own space heaters to her home and within 3 days, a new boiler was installed. He rallied several local Veterans organizations and businesses to split the bill amongst them. No one ever asked if she belonged to any Veterans organization. She was a Veteran who needed help and that was what mattered most. 
 
         In closing, I would only say that it has not been an easy year for any of us. With almost 90,000 Legionnaires and around 850 posts, it has been an extremely difficult year here at Department Headquarters. We had only just moved into our new building when the pandemic struck and chaos ensued. It was during the worst of times and the darkest of days that I sometimes would receive a call from Commander Mike encouraging me to carry on, or an email or call from a Legionnaire telling me what some Legionnaires had done for the community. For this I will be forever grateful and it gives me inspiration to continue. Thank you.

 
    “ Pro Deo et Patria “
        James W. Casey
              Adjutant
      American Legion
Department of New York

Saturday, April 24, 2021

American Legion - Reminder Dates

All,

Just sending out a reminder to all Legion members and MCL members about a few dates coming in May. Saturday  5/22 9:00am we will be meeting at the Post and then heading to St. Raymond's cemetery to replace the flags on the graves of our past members, we will be covering the old and new sections. The more people we have on hand the easier the task so I am asking for a good turn out, even if you just have an hour to spare. This is one of the missions of the Legion, to remember our fallen brothers and sisters. The following Saturday  5/29 the Post Boosters will be holding their annual Memorial Day BBQ at 1300hrs. All are invited, usual bbq fare $10 a head, cash bar. Cant beat the price hope to see all there!                   

Thank you

Owen P. Mangan
Commander
Post #620

Thursday, April 22, 2021

MCL - Corrections | 22 A Day | National Convention Registration and more... Inbox


Marine Corps League - Department of New York E-Blast
In this e-blast:
  • Ad Journal Form Correction
  • 22 A Day - Challenge 22 Fundraiser
  • A Message from the Department Commandant
  • Detachment Contact for Funerals
  • National Convention Delegate Registration and Ad Book
  • Ground Pounder & Semper Fi Magazine
  • Upcoming Deadlines
  • Upcoming Events
Ad Journal Form Correction

The Ad Journal form that is included in the Convention packet has an incorrect zip code for the Department Paymaster. The old form has 13580. The correct zip code is 13581. An updated convention packet has been sent to our web master for posting. In the mean time, Click Here to download the corrected form.

Remember to place your Ad's. Without your support we cannot have the journal. This Ad Journal offsets the cost of the Convention. Show your Support. Prices range from $100 for a full page ad to $5 for a booster, and $20 for a business card ad.


If you wish to make a donation to this cause, please make checks payable to "Memorial Day Detachment #468" and mail to:

Memorial Day Detachment # 468
245 W. Genesee Street
Clyde, New York 14433

Please enter Challenge 22 in the memo section.

This is a joint effort with the American Legion Post 34 and the Marine Corps League Memorial Day Detachment #468. The Memorial Day Detachment is the lead organization for this effort. We will be obeying all the state guidelines for COVID-19 prevention and all activities will be outside. 100% of the proceeds will be divided among the 3 organizations, the Detachment will cover all expenses related to the event. If you are in the area please participate.

Suicide Prevention is everyone's business.

Please visit challenge22fingerlakes.org for complete details.
A Message from the Department Commandant

Marines of the Department of New York,

I apologize for my absence at the last Department Staff/Membership meeting. I haven’t missed a Department Meeting since I have been with the Department, going back 12 years, but it was under doctors advise and once I ignored his advice and paid for it dearly so I wasn’t going to ignore it again.

           Now that Spring is here and the COVID restrictions are lessening, it is time to start opening up your detachments, getting ready for Spring and some outside events. Rose programs can start up again, with masks of course and some small outside events like BBQ’s and the like.

           Send out notices to your members, which, by the way I hope you have been in contact with all during the pandemic, and let them know that things are staring up. I know the Department is hurting for funds as we lost money with the 2020 raffle and no Raffle going off this year, so I know your detachments are hurting. Come up with ways to hold raffles, and other fund rising ideas beside the Rose program.

        Get out there, again wear masks, and start recruiting. People have been shut in for over a year and I know they want to get the heck out of the house and now is a great time to grab some Marines. Put flyers at all your places of worship and food stores and anywhere else you can think of. Drive around looking for USMC flags on people’s homes and leave them a flyer from your detachment. While we cannot yet leave magazines in doctor’s offices, we can put that old Semper Fi magazine in someone’s mailbox with your detachment’s information on it in place of the mailing label. You would be surprised how well that works. Have members carry old issues with them to other veteran groups and any other originations they belong to, again with your detachment’s information on it in place of the original mailing label. And this type of recruiting does not cost your detachment a dime.

         You may even want to start a welcome back event for all your members, another way to reconnect with them after such a long time. Show them the league is alive and working for them.

         Once your detachment is up and running, (and if not find out why) see if the members you elected to be your officers are doing their jobs. Recruiting, retention, and that all important paperwork. Remember you elected them to represent you and run the Detachment. Make sure they are. Tax exempt, insurance, bonding of your detachment and such are all dependent on up-to-date paperwork sent to the Department.
               Until we see each other again, get out, smell the flowers and enjoy the sunshine Marines, you’ve earned it.

Semper Fi and stay safe.

Tom Wortmann
Commandant DoNY
Detachment Contact for Funerals

Marines,

Commandant Wortmann is requesting from Detachments, a point of contact (name & phone number) of a member who can be contacted by a Marine Reserve Unit if they need help, or if just to inform us of a Marines passing in their area.

It can be the phone number of any member who is willing to take the call and pass it on to the staff of that detachment.
 
I will then obtain and distribute the phone numbers of Marine Reserve units in New York that Detachments can call for the very same reasons.

Our goal is to insure that no Marine gets buried alone.

Please include the Detachment Name, Member Name and Phone number. Please send to the Department Adjutant at spt1@mclwestchester.org
National Convention Delegate Registration
and Ad Book

FOR DISTRIBTUION - NOW HEAR THIS

Regarding the National Convention

The registration for delegates as well as submission for the ad book are both online now.

You can fill out delegate registration and pay online.

You can submit artwork for the ad book and pay online.

During the process, there is an option to pay by check.


If you do not wish to participate electronically, the forms are located in the Library to download or can be found in the Semper Fi Magazine.

The convention schedule is in draft mode and will be posted on the library’s convention tab when available.

The Local Convention Committee’s website is almost ready. You will be able to find a link to it in the library’s convention tab. That is the link to the banquet and events in Springfield, Illinois.

Looking forward to seeing you this Summer.

S/F

Bob Borka
COO/HQMCL
#EmbraceTheTribe
Ground Pounder & Semper Fi Magazine

Please submit your Detachment Activities including photos and articles to our new Ground Pounder editor, Donna Hildebrandt at newsletter.dny@gmail.com

If you have items you wish to submit to the Semper Fi Magazine, please send them to semperfi@chipotlepublishing.com. Please submit your stories and photos. For photo's remember all photos are reviewed by the uniform committee. If it does not meet the regulations, it will be rejected.

For both, if including a story, keep these points in mind:
Who, What, Where, When & How.
Upcoming Deadlines

1 May 2021 - Department Convention Reservations: All reservations should be made with the hotel by calling (315) 446 – 3200 and use group code ACM, or you can book your reservation online using this link: https://bit.ly/3fcFaM2. The room rate is $101.00 per night. The group rate may be extended three days before and three days after the official meeting dates, subject to space availability.

14 May 2021 - Department Convention Banquet RSVP: Register for our banquet. The menu and banquet RSVP is included in the complete banquet packet.

20 May 2021 - Department Convention Ad Journal: Your Ad Journal ads must be received by 20 May 2021. Come out and support the Department. Click Here to download the Ad Journal Form.

27 May 2021 - Department Marine of the Year Nominations: All nominations for Marine of the Year must be post marked by 27 May 2021. Rules for Marine of the Year can be downloaded from the Department of New York Web site at https://www.mclnewyork.net/index.php/department-documents?view=document&id=8&format=raw

27 May 2021 - Department Convention Advance Registrations: The advance registration rate is five ($5.00) dollars and must be postmarked by 27 May 2021, otherwise the registration fee per person is seven ($7.00) dollars. The registration form is in the convention packet. The link is below for the packet.

ASAP - New York Marine Corps League Foundation 8th Annual Golf Tournament: Come out and Golf with your fellow Marines, or simply sponsor a hole. Please register ASAP. The registration & sponsor form is included in the Convention Packet.


The entire Convention packet will be available on the Department Web site at


The convention packet includes:

  • Commandant Wortmann’s Call for Convention invitation
  • Adjutant's Memorandum
  • Convention Credential Chairman Tina Olsen Memorandum
  • Convention Delegates Registration Form
  • Banquet Menu and RSVP Form
  • 8th Annual Foundation Golf Tournament Registration and Sponsor Form
  • Convention Ad Journal Form
  • Convention Agenda

All electronic versions of the forms can be filled out on your computer.

Be a part of it, it your League!
Upcoming Events:

  • 4-5 June 2021: Northeast Division Conference - Holiday Inn, Grantville, PA
  • 10-13 June 2021: Department of New York 90th Annual Convention - Embassy Suites by Hilton, East Syracuse, NY
  • 23 July 2021: Memorial Service for PDC William McGowan
  • 9-13 August 2021: National Convention - Wyndham Springfield City Centre, Springfield, IL
  • 24-26 February 2022: National Midwinter Conference - Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel, Norfolk, VA
  • 23-25 February 2023: National Midwinter Conference - Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel, Norfolk, VA
Feedback

Questions/Comments: Contact the Adjutant, Steve Topilnycky at spt1@mclwestchester.org
The American Flag does not fly because the wind moves past it. The American Flag flies from the last breath of each military member who has died protecting it.
Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter!