Meeting Minutes 📝
COMMANDER’S COALITION MEETING
NOVEMBER 6, 2024, 10 A.M.
American Legion Post 13
Minutes/Notes
Attendees: Ed Hood, John Folsom, Ben Bradwell, Tom Napier, Courtney Thomas, Nell Hewitt, Frank Roycraft, Paul Rogerson, Eugenia Simmons, Bob Asztalos, Gail Ernst, Fred Ingley, Alex (Butch) Topicz, Earnest (Ernie) Reed, Johnnie Roberts, M.H. Allen, Ben Ringvelski, Alyssa Hughes, Molly Lord, Derrich Sykes, Brian Caldwell, Valencia Scott, Dan Paasch, Tony Minichiello, Liz Crawford, Chuck Howell, Eric Smith, Ed Gifford, Tom McCluskey, Marc Dickieson, Roxann Dressel, Mary LaBatt, Gordon Lightfoot, Patti Fabian, Sharon Weeden, Tina Spears, Craig Benner, David Wilson, Tom Carney, Paula Hubert, Doyle Combs, Sonya Pace, Lori Fitzpatrick, Henry Lowery, and Marianne Trussell.
Ed Hood, Communications Director Commanders Coalition, led attendees in a salute to the American Flag and the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag to open the meeting and a salute to the American Flag to close the meeting. He asked Eric Smith to deliver a prayer. Ed welcomed everyone, reminded everyone to speak up, identify themselves and their organization, to silence their phones, reminded specifically reminded everyone that there are to be no politics or personal attacks, and invited Frank Roycraft to begin. Before updates got started John Folsom wanted to give accolades to Ed Hood, his becoming new father (for the 5th time), and for his dedication to the Legion and to other VSOs. See other comments below.
Frank Roycraft, Commander, VFW Post 3308. The VFW will be dedicating to VFW monument at the Tallahassee National Cemetery on December 16 at 10:30 am (the date and time may change). This will be a monument to all veterans and is the first in Florida. VFW has a long-standing relationship with First Responders.
Paul Rogerson, AmVets. No report.
Eric Smith, Big Bend Honor Guard. No report.
Gordon Lightfoot, Commander, AmVets Post 1776. Shows all attendees a picture of the monument to dedicated on December 16 (date may change) at the Tallahassee National Cemetery. AmVets will be holding a “Turkey Shoot” on November 16 with registration beginning a 9 am. They will be raffling off a 30.06. Details were provided in flyers for attendees including collaboration with Tallahassee Rifle and Pistol Club. Mission BBQ will be there with a food truck. Reminded everyone that the Marine Corps Ball is this Friday. The inaugural Heritage Trail trip for students was held on October 29. The next trip is November 13.
Liz Crawford, Owner, Team Leader, Sport Clips, Tallahassee. She is very involved in efforts that support veteran issues. Dream Flights will be in Tallahassee this Saturday, November 9. Frankk Roycraft, Gordon Lightfoot, and Chuck Howell will be going. Mission BBQ will be there for lunch. Be at Million Air Airport in Tallahassee at 8:30; followed by the presentation of colors around 9 or 9:30. Flights will begin after the presentation of colors.
Craig Benner, Veteran Advocate, Dept. of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. DHSMV recently held a Veterans Recognition Day for which a flag folding demonstration and explanation was held. He thanked John Folsom for putting it together. He received lots of positive feedback. Thank you again.
Eugenia Simmons, Director, Tallahassee National Cemetery. No report.
David Wilson, AmVets, Air & Space Forces Association. For the Veterans Parade there will be 10 Gold Star families in attendance with each riding in a golf cart; if you are interested in volunteering to drive a golf cart please see him soon. While a sorority has offered to drive golf carts, he wants to ensure all bases are covered. On Monday, December 2 there will be a Capital Wreath Program all across the nation. This year’s Tallahassee ceremony will be held at the RA Gray Building patio. Please mark your calendars to attend. The POW/MIA monument will be dedicated at the Tallahassee National Cemetery after the first of the year. There will be an “unveiling ceremony” of the renaming for Major John Haynes of a portion of Highway 59 from Highway 90 to Highway 27. The ceremony will be held on November 21 at 6 pm at the Jefferson County Annex, 435 Walnut St. in Monticello, which is behind the high school.
Tom McCluskey, American Legion Post 13. He and his wife went to the Tallahassee National Cemetery and spoke to Melissa Sheridan and was able to get all details handled for the burial of her parents. Thank you.
Gail Ernst, American Legion Auxiliary Unit 13. The American Legion Auxiliary will hold its oratorial contest on January 5, 2025, time to be determined. The national winner receives a $25,000 scholarship; even if someone at the local level does not go on to the national level the experience is invaluable to a resume.
Fred Ingley, MOAA. Due to some glitches the Christmas meeting/party has to be changed from December 6 to DECEMBER 2 at the Tallahassee Elks Lodge. There will be a short business meeting at 5 with dinner/party to follow.
Comfort Keepers. Coordinates with the VA for Veteran comfort care at home.
Tom Napier, Vice Chairman, Honor Flight Tallahassee. Honor Flight will be represented in the Veterans Day Parade on Monday. Honor Flight attendees and guardians will be honored with a dinner at the Honor Flight Reunion at the National Guard Armory on Saturday, December 7 at 5 pm. Saturday, April 26, 2025, will be the next Honor Flight (Number 11).
Valencia Scott, Akin Akinyemi, Leon County Property Appraiser’s Office. Thank you for all you do. They support all veteran initiatives. Tax bills were mailed out recently. Call the office if you or your spouse have questions.
Dan Paasch, Capital Regional Director, Marco Rubio’s Office. No report.
Tony Minichiello, Commander, American Legion Post 49, Monticello. There will be a veterans day breakfast at Post 49. Home schooled children went on the Veterans Heritage Trail with AmVets.
Tom Carney, Air & Space Forces Association. No report.
Ben Ringvelski, Commanding Officer, NROTC Unit FAMU and professor of naval science. No report.
Ben Bradwell, Director, Leon County Office of Veteran Services. The Veteran Services Office will be at the annual Veteran’s Day Breakfast from 6:30 am to 9 am at American Legion Post 13. Operation Thank You flyers were made available to all. Join us.
Robert “Bob” Asztalos, Deputy Executive Director, Flord Department of Veterans Affairs. Flyers were made available and he explained the Memorial-to-Memorial 5K race, start line activities begin at 8 am. on November 11 at the Florida Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial (enter from Calhoun Street) and ends at the recently erected house near Cascades Park. All runners receive a dog tag memory and the first 150 registrants are guaranteed a race shirt. See flyer for details.
Johnnie Roberts. No report.
Earnest Reed, Fleet Reserve Association, Branch 34. The Fleet Reserve Association will be raffling a kayak for $5 a ticket or 5 for $20. Proceeds will go toward purchasing Memorial Day flags. Thank you.
Alex (Butch) Topicz, FRA Branch 34, CVMA 20-12. Essay contest for grades 6-12 closes December with $1,500 to the winner. Raffle tickets for CVMA are still available. Contact him for more information.
Molly Lord, Big Bend Boys and Girls Club. Lot of little ones on the waiting list. One hour a week – four hours a month. Flyers were made available about the program and applying to be a mentor.
Mary LaBatt, DAR, Caroline Brevard Chapter. No report.
Chuck Howell, Big Bend Honor Guard. The Big Bend Honor Guard (BBHG) provided military honors at 10 interments in October. That amounts to approximately 200 volunteer hours for the month. So far this year they have provided services at 141 veterans’ interments at the Tallahassee National Cemetery.
Paula Hubert, Vice President, Women Veterans Unite. No report. Female veterans please see her at the end of this meeting.
Patti Fabian, At Ease Campground in Bainbridge, Georgia, Adjutant, American Legion Post 340. They raised $2000 for hurricane victims. On Veterans Day Weekend (flyers available) there will be a sunset flag retirement ceremony on November 8 at 5:30, followed by a band and food. On Saturday, November 9 there will be a fishing tournament, chili cook off, and car show at 2 pm and at 5 pm there will be a fish fry, 5k run, and much more. See flyer and scan bar code on the flyer details or to register for events. The raffle is also online. They have a hospital bed that needs to be donated to a veteran; like new and has been used for only about 3 months. See her if interested.
Roxann Dressel, Commander, American Legion Post 114, Crawfordville. Made a pitch for Wreaths Across America - they are a sponsor. Please order from a non “P” sponsor then you get 3 for every 2 ordered; they are only $17 each. With a “P” means they sponsor uses Wreaths Across America as a fundraiser. Flyers were available. Please order.
Doyle Combs, Commander, American Legion District 2. District 2 will be holding its meeting on Saturday, November 16 at 9 am Central time and 10:00 Eastern hosted by American Legion Post 272 at the Log Cabin at the Panhandle Pioneer Settlement in Blountstown. It is an open meeting, all are welcome.
Sonya Pace, DAR San Luis Mission Chapter. Here to say if you need volunteers, contact the DAR. They will be volunteering at the Honor Flight Reunion Dinner and the K9s for Warriors event.
Nell Hewitt, President, American Legion Auxiliary Unit 13. The Auxiliary will be giving away (donations only) at Sam’s, Beall’s, and Good Shepherd Church this weekend. Proceeds from Poppy sales are allocated 75% to the local Auxiliary and 25% to the St. Petersburg Veterans who make the poppies.
Courtney Thomas, Office of Mayor John Dailey, Tallahassee. The mayor could not make it and sends his apologies. No report.
Sharon Weeden, Owner and Administrator, Right at Home. Veteran preferred provider. See flyer.
Tina Spears, Quality Care Manager, Right at Home. No report.
Derrich Sykes, Veterans Liaison, Big Bend Hospice. No report.
Brian Caldwell, Big Bend Hospice. No report.
Lori Fitzpatrick, Senior Director, Covenant Care Foundation. They make veteran wishes come true. They are sending a veteran to see a grandchild whom he has not seen since she was 4 and she is now 15. Must be a service a veteran organization or a civilian service organization to nominate a veteran. See mywish.org for the nomination form. She can be contacted at 850-433-2155.
Marc Dickieson, Commandant, Marine Corps League Chapter 472. He is the coordinator for Toys for Tots that started October 1. If you know of a business that would like a Toys for Tots box please call him. The Marine Corps League meets the third Thursday of every month at 6 pm at Chow Time on Capital Circle at the corner of Miccosukee.
Alyssa Hughes, Mission BBQ. New point of contact at Mission BBQ. Mission BBQ is serving free sandwiches to all veterans after the Veterans Day parade; last year 105 sandwiches were served the goal is 120 this year. Mission BBQ will be at the K9s for Warriors event.
Henry Lowery, United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps League, AmVets Post 1776. No report.
John Folsom, American Legion Post 13, Chaplain for AL District 2. He recently appeared on a radio program to promote the Veterans Day breakfast. The Sons of the Legion will be having a dinner at Post 13 on Sunday, February 23, 2025 at Post 13. Cost to be determined and all are welcome.
Ed Hood, Commanders Coalition Communications Director, Any complaints about the weekly emails. Hearing none, the emails will continue. Post 13 is raffling a generator (in a box at the meeting). Tickets are $5 or 5 for $20. Holidays for Heroes. He stepped in when he learned the trees were ordered but not paid for. Vietnam Vets agreed to the use of their parking lot on November 30 from 9-12 to giveaway the trees that are left. $2700 is needed to pay for the trees which should come as donations from VSOs. Only one VSO has been upset. NO, VSOs are not obligated to donate. The funds are needed by November 23. If the required funds are not received by November 23 he will call the supplier. Checks should be made out to VVA 96. He needs information on the Navy Memorial planned to be erected/dedicated at the Tallahassee National Cemetery. Please take the flyers on the tables. Remember to sign in.
Marianne Trussell, Chair, Support Committee for the Tallahassee National Cemetery, Inc. She thanked Roxann Dressel for her report on Wreaths Across America (WAA), her flyers, and her support and explanation of choosing a non “P” sponsor. The ceremony will be held at the Flag Assembly Area at noon on December 14 and is its recommended that attendees arrive early. The ceremony should last only about 15 minutes at which time the laying of wreaths will be explained. She also explained the process for two veterans (husband and wife) who are interred in the same plot instead of next to each other; only one wreath will be placed on the headstone unless two have been paid for; extras will be utilized to lay a second wreath if available. As of last week, only 51.9% of wreaths had been ordered. Please don’t wait till the last-minute order; the last day to order wreaths is December 3.
The meeting ended with Ed Hood leading a salute to the Flag.
The next Commander’s Coalition Meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at 10 am at the American Legion Post 13 at Lake Ella.
