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La Societe des Quarante Hommes et Huit Chevaux
The Forty and Eight is the Fun and Honor Societe of the Honorably Discharged Veterans and Active Duty Veterans
Correspondant's Corner
Terry Sims Grand Corresponandt
February
Your articles for the next Gazette are due by March 15, 2012. Please send them to Bill Davis or myself. Articles about our Programs and other important items of interest to the 40/8 are welcome.
I have some packets left over from the January Grande Cheminot. They contain the Petite Communiqué which has the report forms for our Programs, Meritorious Award guidelines and Certification of Officers forms. I will have the remaining packets at the April 28, 2012 Grande Cheminot in Terre Haute. If they are not picked up at that time they will be mailed or delivered. Remember you can go to the Grande website and print these forms. Bob Lowe and Larry Trowbridge did a very good job organizing the website to make it easy for you to access these forms.
The redistricting of the Grande Voiture has been going very well. Grand Chef de Gare Rich Richardson has made it one of his main priorities. Under our present Constitution and Bylaws we have 11 Districts with the 1st and 11th having one Voiture Locale in each district. To level the playing field for awards, Grand Chef Rich believes we must change the Districts to equal, as much as possible, the mileage traveled for a Grand Cheminot and also equal the membership in each District, again, as much as possible. Four meetings have been scheduled, broken down into quadrants. The North half of the Grande have unanimously approved the change. A meeting for V-21,V-107,V-145,V-471,V-813,V-931,
V-952,V-967,V-1287,V-1390,V-1415 will be held on Tuesday February 7, 2012 at Post 355 (V-145) 7601 S. Meridian St., Greenwood, In at 6pm. It is casual and all Voyageurs from these Voitures are welcome to attend. On Tuesday March 6, 2012, V-307, V-399,V-612,V-843,V-1040,V-1047,V-1192,V-1250,V-1274,V-1349,
V-1481,V-1633 will meet under the same format as the above meeting. This is a change that has been forthcoming for many years. If this change is accomplished through the normal resolution process, the Constitution and bylaws would have to be changed. It is understandable that three more Districts would be added. Our process of governing these extra Districts may have to change, also. Your input will be welcomed at the Grande Cheminot held on April 28, 2012 in Terre Haute starting at noon.
Terry Sims- Grand Correspondant
January
I have waited until after the Winter Cheminot to submit my article so you can receive more information.
The Dr. Knapp membership award (Voiture Locale with over 100 members and achieving the highest per cent in membership by January 1st) goes to V-1250 with 66.86%. The Vegaleus membership award (Voiture Locale with under 100 members and achieving the highest per cent in membership by January 1st) goes to V-483 with 115.69%. V-612 quota is 100 members and achieved 96% will also qualify for an award.
The Packets for each Voiture Locale were passed out to the Voyageurs. Included were Delegation of Officers, Meritorious Award guidelines and the Petite (reporting forms for our Programs). If you did not receive a packet, it will be delivered or sent to you.
An important date to remember is March 15, 2012. That is the deadline for your articles for the Gazette Newspaper. Your articles should be sent to Bill Davis or I.
Certification of Officers must be reported 30 days before the convening of the Grand Promenade, which is June 20, 2012.
The Delegate cut-off date is 45 days before the convening of the Grand Promenade, which is June 5, 2012.
Grand Chef de Gare Rich Richardson and his committee has been working very diligently on redistricting the Grand Voiture and they have made great strides at this time.
If any Locale needs assistance, please contact me.
Terry Sims- Grand Correspondant
December
Smoke and I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Grand Chef de Gare Rich Richardson and 2nd Chef de Train Tom Russell called our Grand Directeurs and Grand Cheminots, reminding them of their obligation to submit an article for the next issue of the Gazette. It worked very well. Those that submitted articles should be thanked for their efforts in getting the word out for our Great organization.
When you receive your next gazette you will also notice the ad pertaining to Grand Chef de Gare Rich’s Homecoming on April 14, 2012. If at all possible, please try to attend to show support to our Grand Chef.
As a reminder, you are invited to National Headquarters in Indianapolis to help stuff envelopes with "Dues Notices" on January 11, 2012 between 8am and 10am. Park out front of the building and Nationale will supply the quarters for the meters.
I wish each Voyageur and Voiture Locale the best in ringing in the New Year.
Terry Sims- Grand Correspondant
November
The Fall Grande Cheminot and Seminar are now history and both were a huge success. Butch Miller, Program Coordinator for Voiture Nationale gave a tremendous presentation about the Charles W. Ardery (Child Welfare) and the George Boland Trust Funds. There have been changes in the Boland Fund that you will find very interesting and affordable. Both these Trust Funds are available on the National web site. The turn- around for a Voiture Locale to be reimbursed for the Ardery fund is 3-5 days once the claim is received by Nationale. What a great change than in the past. I will have these forms available at the January 14th Grande Cheminot at V-510 in Anderson, starting at noon. Bob Lowe, Grand Directeur Voiture Activities and Webmaster Larry Trowbridge gave a very good presentation about keeping records and downloading Program report forms from the internet. Once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty easy to fill out the report on your computer and send it to the Grand Directeur of a particular Program. Besides, you save the price a stamp. This 21st century innovation sure expedites information for those that wish to use the internet. Another Seminar will be held in the Spring. The date and time to be announced later. These Seminars are very educational and with the question and answer segment, we really can collect a lot of knowledge. Our year-end reporting has been pretty dismal recently. We know that some Voiture Locales are not able to use the internet; therefore, Grand Chef de Gare “Rich” has directed me to make copies of all the Program report forms and put them in a packet designated for each Voiture Locale. I’ll have other important forms in the packet, including Certification Of Officers, Delegate forms, etc. These packets will be available at the Winter Cheminot. The packets will be given to the Grand Cheminots, Grand Directeurs any Voyageur that can help deliver them to Voiture Locales not represented at the Grande Cheminot January 14th. It takes all of us working together, to improve our reporting.
The “Incentive Plan” has a very nice year-end award for the Locale Correspondant that has performed his duties most efficiently during the year.
Many Voyageurs have stated that they sure like the quarterly Newspaper. The paper is better than a bulletin in several ways. One, it is sent to all Voyageurs in Grande du Indiana, plus copies are sent to all Veteran’s in our Indiana VA hospitals. What a great promotional tool for procuring Membership and explaining our Programs. Another important factor, we are paid $2500 per quarter for it to be published. L’Editeur Bill Davis has been doing a fantastic job organizing this publication. He needs more articles from our Grand Officers, Grand Program Directeurs and Locales to improve our “Communications”. We encourage the Voiture Locales to submit articles about your activities. Please send them to Bill and he may be able to get it printed. Remember, “This Is Your Newspaper”. The deadlines for the next three issues are as follows: November 15, 2011- March 15, 2012- July, 15, 2012.
Grand Correspondant – Terry Sims
October
I have some very good news to report concerning our Seminar to be held October 22, 2011 at the V-967 Chateau in Shelbeyville. The staring time is Noon. Butch Miler, National Program Coordinator from our National office will be in attendance. Butch will explain the Charles W. Ardery (Child Welfare) And Boland (Nurses Training) Trust fund procedures to us. He will have in his possession, the new Program booklets that explain our individual Programs. This is a very good booklet and can be purchased for a minimal fee.
Larry Trowbridge (Webmaster) and Bob Lowe (Grand Voiture Activities Directeur) have been working very hard preparing for the Seminar. Larry has a monitor and a step by step program has been developed to show you how to fill out the year end reports, either by computer or manually. They make it so simple that I can even navigate through the process. The Seminar is for all Voyageurs. A Correspondant question and answer period will also be conducted.
The Grand Officer and Grand Directeur Travel & Inventory reports have been revamped and Larry has them posted on line. I will have copies with me at the Grande Cheminot October 15, 2011 at Shelbeyville starting at Noon.
The new "Incentive" plan is posted on line. Check it out. I also have the 103% membership pin, it will be on display at the Grande Cheminot. The new 2012 Grande Directory will be ready for distribution, also at the Cheminot, of course, it has been posted on line for quite some time. Grand Sous Correspondant Bob Hock has been a tremendous help preparing for the Cheminot and Seminar, he will be assisting with the procedures at both events.
Our 2012 Line Officers and Grande Cheminots are starting the year with great enthusiasm. Correspondant’s, please turn in your membership and help your Voiture Locale and Grande (District) Cheminots qualify for these awards. Let’s make this a banner year for Grande du Indiana.
See you at the Cheminot,
Terry Sims- Grand Correspondant
SEPTEMBER
I have been asked by several Voyageurs about downloading forms from our website. Larry Trowbridge is working diligently on this very important situation. He has his hands full with all the “Motivational “ changes that I have been giving to him. His ideas and ideas from you Voyageurs will help the Grande du Indiana stay the “Best Of The Best”. We welcome your ideas.
I would like to share an article with you that was sent to me. It pretty well sums up what the Grande has been trying to do to stay up with the rest of LaSociete. “ Many Voyageurs have told me they don’t have a computer and do not want one in their house. That is a personal choice that I can’t argue with…..but, if you are an officer in your Voiture, especially the Correspondant; you can no longer competently fulfill your responsibilities without internet and email access. I have an abiding respect for our senior Voyageurs and their contributions to LaSociete and we all know their experience and knowledge is incredibly important to our future success, but we must also understand that the world has and continues to change……. We must keep up if we are to remain viable and grow”.
Grand Chef de Gare “Rich” has been calling the Program Directeurs pertaining to the “Seminar” that will be held at V-967 Shelbeyville on October 22, 2011, starting at noon. Directeurs will be asked to give a short summary about their particular Program, such as, how to fill out the forms, motivational tools and taking questions that the Voyageurs may have. If any Program Directeur or Correspondant has any questions pertaining to this very important “Seminar” , please do not hesitate to contact me. If I can’t help you, I’ll direct you to someone that can. Let’s all make this one of our steps to stay “The Best Of The Best”. Grand Chef “Rich” and Grand Voiture Activities Directeur Bob Lowe should be applauded for this great idea. See you at the Grande Cheminot October 15, 2011 in Shelbeyville (V-967) at noon.
Nationale will be sending the 1st membership report out around September 15th. I think you’ll like the new reporting format. The new “Incentive” plan will also be posted at that time.
Terry Sims- Grand Correspondant