MONTHLY MEETING

EZRA S. GRIFFIN CAMP #8

April 23, 2016  

The meeting was called to order in ritualistic fashion by Commander Craig Kelly.

Other members in attendance were:

 Guest:  Harry Mertz

Absent: SVC Hal Myers, Secretary Bob Shaffer and Patriotic Instructor Darren Pitts

The minutes for the March meeting were read.  A motion was made to accept the minutes by Dale Kelock and seconded by Giovan Lisi.  All were in favor.

The financial report was read by Joe Long with the following information:

          March ticket winner - Mary Jo Long

A motion to accept was made by Bob Gregory and seconded by Bob Strangfeld.   All were in favor.

SICK MEMBER:

Joe Long's brother-in-law is in the hospital and is expected to move to a long tern care soon.

APPLICATIONS: 

None.  Jim Jones was accepted as a member of the Camp and the ceremony to install him will be heold after wreath laying program at Lincoln's Memorial at Nay Aug Park.

CORRESPONDENCE:

Order from Department Commander Doug McMillan was read.  He stressed that every Camp shall make every effort to hold Memorial Day sacred and hold some type of remembrance.

NEW BUSINESS: 

At the next Camp meeting that is to be held on Thursday, May 19th at 7pm, Patriotic Instructor Darren Pitts will host the Departed Brothers Ceremony.  20 members will be honored.  Please remember to wear your kepis.  Ladies of the Auxiliary will wear white at this meeting.

Camp #8 will participate in the Armed Forces Day Parade in Scranton on May 21st.  Marchers should assemble at the Museum between 9am and 9:30am.  All members of the Camp and Ladies Auxiliary are also invited to march.  Family and friends of members can participate when accompanied by a member.  Proper attire is required to march in the parade.  Use the same guidelines that are required for the Remembrance Day Parade in Gettysburg.  If you have a uniform you can wear it, or wear a blue jacket and tie with dress pants.  Pease wear your badges.  Motion to march was made by Bob Strangfeld and seconded by Dave Teeters.  All were in favor.

There will be a flag detail to replace flags on GAR grave sites at Forest Hill and Dunmore Cemeteries.  The camp plans to do this on April 23rd with a rain date of May 7th.  We will meet at Forest Hill Cemetery at 10am on Jefferson and Electric Streets.  Please wait at the gate for the group and we will convoy up to the GAR plot.  After completion we will then go to the Dunmore Cemetery.

Memorial Day is May 30h and the Camp will hold a ceremony for the 116th year.  It will begin at 10:30am.  We still need confirmation on chairs (Soctt Teeters confirmed he will bring them unless a last minute event at the church prevents this) and a Bugler.  Commander Kelly made comments on the importance of this event.

Next Open House is on May 21st from 12noon to 3pm.  Dale Keklock mentioned he is working on securing some speakers for upcoming meetings.

The meeting was suspended so that the Camp could proceed to Nay Aug Park and lay a wreath in remembrance of President Lincoln's death 151 years ago.

After we returned, we held a ceremony to install new member James Jones.

FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER: 

Scott Teeters explained his work to restore grave markers.  We will not take out any markers unless they are broken.  Replacements will only be put in if the old marker is beyond repiar.  He showed an example of a marker that was restored and noted although it would last a very long time, it should not be installed by hitting it with a hammer but to install it with a hole dug and the marker placed in.

A motion to adjourn was made by Joe Long and seconded by Dave Teeters.  All were in favor.

With no further business, questions or discussion, the meeting was closed in ritualistic manner.

                          Respectfully submitted,

                 Mark Zurinski

For

Robert C. Shaffer

    Secretary