August 2025 Meeting Minutes 📝

COMMANDER’S COALITION MEETING
August 6, 2025, 10 A.M.
American Legion Post 13
Minutes/Notes

Attendees: Gordon Lightfoot, John Folsom, Doug Ingram, Marc Dickieson, Ed Hood, Chuck Howell, Dennis Hall, Eric Smith, Dan Hendrickson, Frank Roycraft, Grant Kimball, Ben Ringvelski, Shawn Cloud, Courtney Thomas, Ernest (Ernie) Reed, Alex (Butch) Topicz, Johnnie Roberts, Henry Lowery, Ed Gifford, Charles LeCroy, Amanda Daughtry, Tom Carney, Marc Dickieson, Kaitlyn Grimes, David Wilson, Liz Crawford, Craig Benner, Berline Belizaire, Sharon Weeder, Akin Akinyemi, Tina Caldwell, Paula Hubert, Raymond Rogerson, Roxann Dressel, Mike Simmons, Brooklyn Enders, Ashley Evard, Tom McCluskey, Michael Mann, and Marianne Trussell.

Gordon Lightfoot, Commander, AmVets 1776, led attendees in a salute to the American Flag and the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag to open the meeting and a salute to the Flag to close the meeting. He asked Earnest Reed to deliver a prayer. Gordon welcomed everyone, reminded everyone to speak up, identify themselves and their organization, and keep it veteran business only, no personal business, and no politics. He then handed the microphone to Doug Ingram to begin.

Doug Ingram, Blinded Veterans, National Board Secretary. He is with 93.3 radio and several veterans have been on his program from 8-8:30. The guest talks about his or her program. Over 50,000 audience. It’s a great connection.

Courtney Thomas, Office of Mayor Dailey. No report.

Earnest Reed, Fleet Reserve Association, Branch 34. No report.

Alex (Butch) Topicz, FRA Branch 34, CVMA 20-12. Vet Events Tally still needs to have the name of your oldest non-combat veteran to be in the Veterans’ Day Parade.

Johnnie Roberts. He is now cancer free. Thank you AMVets members. Remember to always have a battle buddy like he did – thank you Butch and Ernie.

Sharon Weeder, Right at Home. Right at Home provides personal assistance and care to veterans without a copay.

Tina Caldwell, Right at Home. No Report.

Frank Roycraft, Commander, VFW Post 3308. Several Posts. including 3308, is an “All American Post” which means it does a lot of things for veterans and the community. VFW Post 3308 has a stocked trailer that is available to veterans during or after serious storms or hurricane

Tom McCluskey, American Legion Post 13. No report.

Dennis Hall, Commandant, American Legion Post 13; Army National Guard; Big Bend Honor Guard. There is a luncheon at the National Guard Armory at 1225 Easterwood Drive every second Tuesday at 11:30; the next luncheon will be Tuesday, August 12, 2025. Lunch begins at noon and ends about 1:00. The menu will include chicken, green beans, and Peach Betty. All are welcome. A small donation is requested, but even if you can’t donate you can still join in the luncheon. On September 19, 2025, the POW/MIA Ceremony will be held at the Tallahassee National Cemetery. On November 19, 2025 there will be a breakfast from 6-9 am at American Legion Post 13. American Legion Post 13 and Chris Wilson will hold a flag retirement ceremony at the Tallahassee Antique Automobile Museum from October to April. Dates have not been set.

Charles LeCroy, former Commander, American Legion Post 13. Mingle with veterans. This is a wakeup call.

Ashley Evard, Allegro Senior Living in Tallahassee. No report.

Ed Gifford, American Legion Post 49, Monticello. No report.

Dan Hendrickson, President, Tallahassee Veterans Legal Collaborative. The TVLC will be at Post 13 tomorrow from 3-5 pm. On Monday August 18 at 3 pm veterans will graduate from the Veterans Treatment Court at the Leon County Courthouse, Courtroom 2E. Mentors are needed as they recently lost two. On Saturday, October 18 there will be a Poker Run with lots of “extras” starting at the Capital City Harley Davidson; all proceeds will go to the TVLC and the Tallahassee Civic Chorale. Call 850-867-5309 for more information. Flyers will be available.

Brooklyn Enders, Local Veteran’s Employment Representative, CareerSource Capital Region. Works with veterans and others find a job. She thanked Ed Hood for his help.

Roxann Dressel, Commander, Commander, American Legion District 2; American Legion Post 114, Crawfordville. The next District 2 meeting will be held at Port St. Joe on November 1 at American Legion Post 116, 1776 Trout Avenue. On November 21-23 the American Legion Department will hold its conference in Orlando Caribe Royale.

Mike Simmons, American Legion Post 114, Crawfordville. He is the rider chair for AL Post 114. Contact him if you are interested.

Kaitlyn Grimes, Tallahassee Police Department (previously with Mission BBQ). School starts August 11. So do speed zones; don’t speed. On behalf of Mission BBQ a new person has been hired: Beverly Shirley, her number is 229-220-0169 and her email is Commuity32301@Mission–BBQ.com.

Amanda Daughtry, Congressman Neal Dunn’s Office. She has a few cases. Reach out to her if help is needed.

Chuck Howell, Big Bend Honor Guard. The Big Bend Honor Guard (BBHG) performed 15 interments at the Tallahassee National Cemetery during the month of July and approximately 243 volunteer hours were reported to the Veterans Administration. The BBHG has performed 1,408 interments at the end of July since the cemetery opened.

Eric Smith, Big Bend Honor Guard. No report.

Henry Lowery, United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps League, AmVets Post 1776. No report.

David Wilson, AmVets, Air & Space Forces Association. September 18 at 9:00 am at the Tallahassee National Cemetery there will be a dedication ceremony of the POW/MIA monument on the Memorial Walk. Ceremony is expected to last no more than an hour. The Air Force was formed on that same date in 1947.

Liz Crawford, Owner, Team Leader, Sport Clips, Tallahassee. Dream Flights will hopefully take place this year in November and in 2026 in April. If you previously signed up or contacted her, please do so again. Beginning in October there will be a fundraiser on behalf of the VFW – all veteran haircuts are free and $1.00 from every other haircut will be donated.

Marc Dickieson, Commandant, Marine Corps League Chapter 472. The Marine Corps League meets on the third Thursday of the month at Chow Time at 6:00 pm. A monthly fundraiser is held at the Ace Hardware in Killearn where Krispy Kreme donuts are sold. It is taking longer and longer to get the donuts sold, so veterans please come out and buy donuts so that none are left. Contact him for more information.

Paula Hubert, Vice President, Women Veterans Unite. No report. Liz Crawford

Tom Carney, Air & Space Forces Association. The next meeting of the Association will be on Wednesday October 29 from 11:30 am - 1:30 pm at Golden Corral on Monroe. Nominations are open and elections will be held – the association badly needs a secretary.

Craig Benner, Veteran Advocate, Florida Dept. of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. No report.

Grant Kimball, Culley’s MeadowWood Funeral Home; Chair, N. Florida S. Georgia Veteran Coalition. No report.

Ed Hood, Communications Coordinator, Commanders Coalition There is a Coalition calendar link on the tables. It is a great tool! Spoke to the Florida Veterans Foundation regarding a grant. Working to establish a 501c(19) for Commanders Coalition.

Paul Rogerson, AmVets Post 1776. No report.

Ben Ringvelski, Commanding Officer, NROTC Unit FAMU and professor of naval science. A few days after Leon County Schools start, over 30,00 college students and parents will converge on Tallahassee. Get your shopping done NOW. As for Military Appreciation Football Games the dates have been released. FAMU - Saturday, November 1 against Jackson State. Free tickets are available on a first come first served basis. FSU – November 15, there ae no free tickets for any game. Introduced Shawn Cloud his new Executive Officer, a local graduate of Godby High School and a Navy veteran.

Shawn Cloud, Executive Officer NROTC Unit at FAMU. No report.

Berline Belizaire, VA Suicide Prevention Coordinator. No report.

Akin Akinyemi, Leon County Property Appraiser’s Office. On August 10 TRIM (Truth In Millage) will be mailed. It is not a bill, but rather what your bill will look like. It has been redesigned. They are always available. Please contact them with your questions.

Michael Mann, Commander, Sons of the Legion. The Sons of the Legion postponed its July meeting and it has not been rescheduled yet. Recruiting efforts are always ongoing.

John Folsom, American Legion Post 13, Chaplain for AL District 2. Please sign in (legibly) or Marianne will yell at you – no one is exempt.

Gordon Lightfoot, Commander, AmVets 1776. Thanks for all you do. The AmVets 1776 newsletter is ready and Paul Rogerson will send it out. AmVets 1776 will meet tomorrow night at Chow Time at 6:30 pm.

Marianne Trussell, Chair, Support Committee for the Tallahassee National Cemetery, Inc. Marianne Trussell thanked David Wilson for advising everyone about the POW/MIA monument ceremony date and time and thanked Dennis Hall for sharing the date of the POW/MIA Ceremony. She explained the she will be out of town for both but will be able to help ensure that all needs are met. She also said that nominations will be accepted and elections of the Support Committee will be held for chair and secretary at the next quarterly meeting which will be held at the Tallahassee National Cemetery at 5 pm on October 21. All are welcome to attend whether a member or not.

Gordon Lightfoot ended the meeting with a prayer by Eric Smith and a salute to the American Flag.

The next Commander’s Coalition Meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, at 10 am at the American Legion Post 13 at Lake Ella.