May 2003 Newsletter

April 6, 2003

West Point Parents' Club of Greater St. Louis

Meeting Minutes

The meeting was held at Concordia Lutheran Church in Kirkwood, MO.

President Kent Howald called the meeting to order at 12:00 pm with the Pledge of Allegiance and a prayer by Mike McCullough.

The 50/50 drawing and attendance prizes were awarded.

President Howald thanked David and Ruth Hemmann for arranging the meeting at Concordia where the club furnished the chicken and everyone brought a dish to share.

Past President Susan Harryman was recognized, and immediate Past President Chip Zdazinsky was recognized and a gift (an engraved glass plaque) presented to him for his service.

The business meeting began with Secretary Pam Sanfilippo briefly reading the minutes of the February 23 meeting. They were approved as read.

Treasurer’s Report

Treasurer Mike Collins gave the Treasurer’s report. The Treasurer’s Report was approved as read.

Balance as 12/31/2002			$3,023.96
	Deposits
	Cash Donations	320.00
	Check Name Tags	10.00
	Check Grad Membership	20.00
	Check Scott AFB Mtg	24.00
	Total		374.00
	Expenses
	All Academies Ball	262.50
	Expenses C Zdazinsky	33.30
	Expenses K Howald	500.00
	Donation Tirzah Eskew	320.00
	Total		-1,115.80
Balance as of 04/04/2003			$ 2,282.16

The meeting adjourned about 3:30 p.m.

501c3 Non profit status

Old Business included the status of the 501(c)3 non-profit status for the club. It has been recommended that our by-laws need to be changed in two ways to smooth the approval process. Kent passed out the proposed amendments. They read as follows:

Amendment to Article III:

The Club shall be operated as a nonprofit association under the laws of the State of Missouri and as specified in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the organization shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on by an organization exempt from Federal Income Tax as an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (or corresponding section of any future Federal Tax Code). Upon the dissolution of the corporation, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the local government, for a public purpose. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by a court of competent jurisdiction of the county in which the principal office of the corporation is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.

Amendment to Article XI:

These by laws may be altered, amended or repealed and new by laws may be adopted by a vote of the members at any annual meeting of members or at any special meeting of members when the proposed amendment has been set out in the notice of such meeting.

These Amendments will be voted on at the meeting on June 6.

Liaison Parents

Kent asked for volunteers from the classes of ’05 and ’06 to serve as liaison parents for the respective classes. Duties of the position were described by Chip and Peggy as including encouraging other class parents in our St Louis Area to participate in the club, act as a sounding board/advisor to other parents, and in the Firstie year be responsible for setting up the senior luncheon (following previous years’ procedures), including the plaques for the Firsties. Sarah Collins and Pam Sanfilippo agreed to be co-chairs for the ’06 class. At the June meeting an ’05 parent will be recruited.

Birthday cards

Joann Johannes asked if there was someone willing to take over sending birthday cards to the cadets. Pam Sanfilippo volunteered to make this a responsibility of the Secretary position.

June 8 Meeting

The June meeting will be June 8, at the Holiday Inn Viking. This is the meeting that new candidates and their families are invited to attend, and current cadets are encouraged to come and talk with the candidates. Since the ’06 cadets are the ones most likely to be home at that time, the club would especially like them present, wearing their white over gray with white hats. Any new grads that are able to attend are asked to wear their army uniforms. Both the current cadets and the candidates who attend will have their meals paid for by the club.

The Class of 2006 parents are responsible for door prizes.

2003 Howitzer Yearbook Ad

Discussion was held regarding the ad placed in the 2002 Howitzer by the club, designed by Bill Brink with the club logo and pictures of the club’s graduates. A motion was made and passed to place an ad in the 2003 book. Mike McCullough will handle the arrangements, and needs Firstie parents to send pictures to him before July so he can do the layout and send it in.

Graduate lodging & reimbursement

Discussion was held for Firstie parents about lodging for graduation week, as well as getting graduates’ stuff home. All have their reservations; some were required to rent a room for 4-5 days, others for 3 days. You can weigh your vehicle (or truck) before loading up and then after everything loaded (even back at home) reweighed, this net weight will be reimbursed to the graduate for moving their belongings to their home. Additionally, they will also receive reimbursement when they then move to their new post.

Yearlings at Ft Knox

Discussion was held for incoming Yearling (Yuk) parents regarding Camp Buckner and visiting Ft. Knox when they are there for two weeks during the summer. It was suggested that parents try to stay on base to have more opportunity to see your cadet, but you must make the reservation using your cadet’s SSN. Going to Ft Knox and visiting your cadet while watching the live display of tank and helicopter weapons (called the “Million Dollar” show) will be on of the most memorable times of your 4 years. Obtaining tickets will be tricky. You need to stay tuned to other classmate parents as well as the web parent forum. The Western KY WP club will be giving out tickets.

Gay Eskew

Vice President Gay Eskew was welcomed back from her absence due to illness. She thanked the club for their monetary gift to help defray traveling expenses for Tirzah (’05). Tirzah sent a thank you that read: “Dear St. Louis Club Parents, Thank you so much for your gifts, thoughts, and prayers. Travel expenses were starting to get unbearable, so the money was truly an answered prayer! I went home for Spring Break and I’m happy to report that my Mom is making progress. She is at home and only has one IV (push). She is even starting to write a little again! Well, thanks again! Hopefully I can thank you all in person at the summer meeting! God Bless, Tirzah Eskew, Cadet, USMA B3, 2005.

Graduates Brag News

Jay Broemmel (’95) is now a Captain. Last July he was assigned to JRTC (Joint Readiness Training Center) at Ft. Polk, LA. He is responsible to certify the troops as they go through testing in urban warfare training.

George McCullough (’00) will leave for Ft. Polk on May 7 for 30 days of combat certification at JRTC. He’s married, but his wife remains in Tacoma. Following training at Ft. Polk he will be deployable.

Cadets Brag News

Steve Hemmann (’03) (Infantry) will be attending 2 years of graduate school at the East-West Center for the Study of International Relations at the University of Hawaii. He was a Fellow for the Study of the Presidency, presenting a paper on J F Kennedy and Civil Rights Development, where he met Laura Bush and Tom Ridge.

Bill Harryman (’03) (Air Defense Artillery) will be going to Germany after attending OBC (Officer Basic Course) at Ft. Bliss, TX. After graduation and a summer vacation he will do some recruiting in the St. Louis area.

Jack Johannes (’03) (Combat Engineer) is a Sandhurst leader for his company, and will be posted at Ft. Riley, KS as an engineer.

Adrian Zdazinsky (’03) (Infantry) spent his spring break in Ecuador on a shadowing/exchange program, and will report to NTC (National Training Center) at Ft. Irwin, CA after graduation.

Will Eberle (’04) is a member of the infantry tactics club, and went to Belgium for Spring Break. In past years he’s been to England and Germany.

Robert McCullough (’04) is a member of the ski club and snowboarding club during the winter where he hurt his shoulder at the end of the season. After the ski season, he joined the JV team handball club. The Varsity team won the national college championships in South Carolina by defeating the JV team. Both teams traveled to Reno NV for the national championship, the JV team placed 3rd after being defeated by Air Force Academy.

Tirzah (’05) made the Dean’s List, and the West Point PR department sent Gay a notice for the newspaper, which was forwarded to the local Ferguson newspaper. A state representative saw it, and took it before the state legislature, where they voted to send Tirzah a plaque.

Mike Collins (’06) will not be coming home after graduation this year, as he will be taking the mountaineering course being offered during the 3 weeks between graduation and reporting for Camp Buckner.

Joseph Sanfilippo (’06) made the Dean’s list in the first semester. He also played intramural football and wrestling - both sports he never played before.