Prattville Dragoons SCV Camp 1524 March Business Meeting

The annual business meeting for the Prattville Dragoons Camp 1524 was held at the Prattville Shoneys on Thursday March 8th.  After the invocation by Chaplain Snowden and the pledges to the United States, Alabama and Confederate flags an accounting of the numerous upcoming activities led off the meeting.  Jeff Potts will man the camp's table at the Alcazar Temple on Saturday March 10th and we hope for a successful afternoon recruiting new members.  Also this Saturday will be the EC meeting of the Alabama Division at the New Miracle House in Birmingham with lunch provided; Commander Myrick indicated he will be getting the new Sesqicentennial heritage poster and will bring back a quantity for the camp.  Saturday March 31st we will have a flag setting at the Oak Hill cemetray in Prattville in commemoration of Confederater Memorial Day.  Then, instead of our regular Thursday monthly meeting, on Saturday April 14th we will again have our enjoyable camp picnic at Confederate Park with flag setting at the cemetaries there at 9am.  The program will include a speaker on the last slave ship which entered the country and the New Jersey owner of a Dragoons saber.  Chaplain Snowden will again entertain us with some song.  Bring your favorite covered dish.  The Dragoons will be providing smoked Dixie butts as the entree and will be providing the plates and utensils.  On April 20th, on the observed Confederate Memorial Day, the Dragoons will conduct their annual observance at the Prattville Primary school recognizing the departure of the Dragoons in 1861 including laying a wreath at the monument at the school.  May 4th the Dragoons will man a table at the Prattville Cityfest so come by and see us; SCV coins and Confederate flags will be handed out to festival goers.  Next will be the Alabama division meeting at Lake Guntersville which will include elections.  The National Reunion will be in July in Murfreesboro TN.  Commander Chris Booth then provided the Commander's report which included a recounting of all the great events from 2011 including the National Reunion in Montgomery which many Dragoons helped with.  Communications Officer Tyrone Crowley was recognized as having received a Division award for his work impersonating Jefferson Davis at the inauguration reenactment in Montgomery and at the National Reunion. The annual Christmas social was declared the best yet.  2nd Lt Stuart Waldo provided the membership report and a message on recruitment and retention with roll information provided by Adjutant Wayne Sutherland.  A check was provided by Lt. Waldo to Commander Booth for $45 which was the matching contribution made by the General Electric Foundation from Lt. Waldo's camp dues/donation.  A letter from the GE Foundation President Robert Corcoran concluded, "We wish to thank all those associated with your organization for your dedication to making a difference."  The Treasurer's report from Billy Leverette was given by Tyrone Crowley outlining $1686 in expenses over the past fiscal year and a $1277 balance for the camp.   Communications Officer Crowley provided the annual report on the Dragoons Camp Dispatch monthly newsletter. This newsletter is sent to all members, 29 by US postal and 48 by email as well as emailed to 37 non-members.  $176 was expended in postage for these mailings while email saved $311 annually.   The last order of business was elections.  All officers had agreed to serve another term and were nominated by the Executive Committee.  Nominations were requested from the members in attendance but none were forthcoming and all officers were elected by acclimation.  Reelected officers include Commander Chris Booth, 1st Lt. Harold Grooms, 2nd Lt. Stuart Waldo, Treasurer Billy Leverette, Chaplain Tom Snowden, and Adjutant Wayne Sutherland.  Officer Crowley petitioned the membership in attendance to get involved and help in any capacity they felt they could including Color Sgt, or helping the officers in their duties and in planning and participating events.