Meeting minutes for 2011

Francine Camp Meeting Minutes

February 5, 2011

Dear Brothers,

A productive meeting was held on Saturday February 5, 2011, with 19 Brothers and 2 guests present. A number of items were brought up for discussion for the Camp’s consideration.

we will head back to the Golden Corral. The Camp is working on ideas for lunch as there are not too many places to eat in Sharpsburg, and we are looking into having hoagies made and we can have a picnic lunch. We will have only one pickup spot in Williamstown, for the bus this year, verses the two we have had over the past couple of years. We will open seating to the general public after February 12^th as we need to fill the bus. If you are interested in going please contact Commander Fred as soon as possible.

Treasurer's Report - $ 3,823.45

The Camp was informed that Brother Jimmy Williams is doing much better. We were very happy to see Brother Joe Cloyd at the meeting, and we were told that Brother Dan Lewis’s wife is doing much better. Three members of the Mossbrucker family, Carl, Jeff, and our Commander Fred, recently were in the hospital but are doing much better. As always please let the Camp know of any Brother or Brother’s family who is ill.

We have approved the applications of George Gumper and Frank Tomasello. Both of these Brothers were initiated at the meeting. We will also be bringing in Junior member Richard Burnett, the son of PCC Andrew Burnett in as a full member. Brothers on behalf of the Francine Camp, welcome to our Camp and to the SUVCW.

The following events are planned for the Camp

Saturday, March 19. Meeting at the Atlantic County Library West, in Hammonton. Time 10:00 AM

Saturday and Sunday, April 16-17. Recruiting booth to coincide with the re-enactment at Fort Mott State Park. Set up time 10:00 AM

Saturday, May 7. Annual Memorial Day service at Finns Point National Cemetery. We will meet in the Fort Mott parking lot at 10:00 AM.

Saturday, May 21. New Jersey Department Encampment American Legion Hall in Millville. We need a good turnout to support our Department Commander and Camp Brother John Makos. There is a very good possibility that the National Commander-in-Chief will attend. Let’s all show our support for Commander John.

Monday, May 30. Memorial Day Parade in Hammonton. Following the parade we will head out to Greenmount Cemetery for our annual GAR/SUVCW ceremony. Time to be announced.

The Camp approved the following expenditures

The Camp approved an expenditure of $123.30 for 500 wooden nickels that will be used as a recruiting tool.

An expenditure of $60.00 for more Camp brochures. Brother Alex Calabrese suggested that we use vista printing and will look into this for us.

Good of the order.

Brother Alex Calabrese brought to our attention about an organization called “Wreaths across America.” This organization provides wreaths on soldier’s graves. You can sponsor a wreath for $15.00. Please check out their website at http://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/Locations/New-Jersey for the cemetery location for New Jersey. A link will be placed on the website.

The Department raffle was not as successful as it could have been. The total tickets sold were 110. 60 of these tickets were sold by the Francine Camp. Commander Fred was the winner.

PDC Dave Hann brought in a collection of GAR membership medals to share with the Brothers. He also read a letter that was written on behalf of his great-great-great-grandfather from his GAR Post in trying to secure an invalid pension.

The annual Francine/Thorn Dinner is set for Saturday February 12, at the Mays Landing Country Club. It will run from 12:00-2:30 PM

There was discussion about Brothers having a “kepi’ or “forage cap” made up in honor of their ancestor. This is just an idea that we thought Brothers might be interested in doing.

Dues are now due. Due to new regulations in the SUVCW, I need to have my report in earlier so dues must be paid by March 1. Please mail your check made payable to Francine Camp # 7, for $30.00 to:

Andrew Burnett PCC

25 Donegal Lane

Galloway, NJ 08205

Thank you for your consideration in this matter.

PCC Wayne Johnson was unable to attend therefore there was no report from the Camp Patriotic Instructor.

With no further business the meeting was adjourned at 12:01 PM. The next meeting will be Saturday March 19, 2011 at the Atlantic County Library West in Hammonton. Time of the meeting is 10:00 AM

Submitted in F, C, & L,

David K. Hann PDC

Camp Secretary

Francine Camp Meeting Minutes

March 19, 2011

Dear Brothers,

A productive meeting was held on Saturday March 19, 2011, with 12 Brothers and 5 guests present. A number of items were brought up for discussion for the Camp’s consideration.

Under old business, we discussed the bus trip to Antietam battlefield. The trip is slated for April 2, 2011. Cost is $60.00 per seat. We will spend the morning on the battlefield in a walking tour and follow it up with a driving tour of the battlefield in the afternoon. As always dinner will be included as we will head back to the Golden Corral. The pickup spot has been to only one spot. We will meet at St Martin Roman Catholic Church located next to the Atlantic County Library West, 451 South Egg Harbor Road in Hammonton. Please park as close to the library side as you can.

Treasurer's Report - $ 4,972.73

The Camp was informed that Brother Jimmy Williams is doing much better. Please keep in your thoughts and prayers Brother Wayne’s niece Patricia, Brother Alex Calabrese’s wife Diane and they are battling illness, and my two sons Brother John and Brother Thomas as their mother and my ex-wife Bonnie passed away suddenly. As always please let the Camp know of any Brother or Brother’s family who is ill.

We have received two new applications from Doug Fraser and Samuel Squire. . We initiated Brother Alex Arnold at the meeting. We now have 54 Brothers in the Francine Camp. If you know someone who is interested bring them along to a meeting or event. To our new Brothers and applicants, welcome to our Camp and to the SUVCW.

The new Francine Wooden nickels are here! Commander Fred has 500 of these nickels that will be used as recruiting tools. On one side is the mane of the Camp with our name with a picture of Col. Francine, on the reverse side is a buffalo with our website. Commander Fred will have these at all events, so Brothers grab and handful and hand them out.

The following events are planned for the Camp

Saturday, April 2. Antietam Bus trip. This might be the last one for a while if we don’t fill the bus.

Saturday and Sunday, April 16-17. Recruiting booth to coincide with the re-enactment at Fort Mott State Park. Set up time 10:00 AM

Saturday, May 7. Annual Memorial Day service at Finns Point National Cemetery. We will meet in the Fort Mott parking lot at 10:00 AM.

Monday, May 30. Memorial Day Parade in Hammonton. Following the parade we will head out to Greenmount Cemetery for our annual GAR/SUVCW ceremony. Time to be announced.

The Camp received a very kind donation of $336.29 from the Marion K. Leach Circle # 58, Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic. This is a bittersweet donation as the Circle is folding due to a lack of membership, as most of their members have passed on.

The Camp approved the following expenditures

$90.00 to cover the dues of three Brothers, which covers two of our Brothers who are active duty personal no longer covered by the SUVCW, in thanks for their service to our Country, and to cover a Brother with economic hardship.

$25.00 to Brother Alex Calabrese for 300 Camp brochures. The total cost was $54.00 and Brother Alex has donated the difference. Our thanks to Brother Alex.

Good of the order.

Under the Good of the order, one of our guests Dave Trout spoke about the 72^nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry and about the controversy in the placement of the monument and the movement of the monument. It was very interesting and Dave gave me a CD with the information that I will be happy to loan to any member of the Camp.

Our second guest was Samuel Squire. Sam’s great-grandfather served in Battery B, 1^st New Jersey Light Artillery otherwise known as Clark’s Battery. Sam submitted an application with the Camp which will be acted upon at the next meeting.

As we have a number of events coming up in the next two months, we may hold a short meeting at our ceremony on May 30.

The Camp still has a number of Camp tee shirts and polo shirts. The tee shirts are $15.00 and the polo shirts are $20.00. If you wish to have the shirts mailed to you it will cost an extra $5.00. If interested please mail your check made payable to Francine Camp # 7, for to:

Andrew Burnett PCC

25 Donegal Lane

Galloway, NJ 08205

We should also have these shirts available at most meetings and events.

Camp Patriotic Instructor PCC Wayne Johnson, spoke on the new monument honoring in the Nashville National Cemetery, African-American Civil War Soldiers. This monument was made in New Jersey and is the first monument of its kind in a National Cemetery.

With no further business the meeting was adjourned at 12:10 PM. Our next event besides the bus trip will be Saturday and Sunday, April 16-17. Recruiting booth to coincide with the re-enactment at Fort Mott State Park. Set up time 10:00 AM.

Submitted in F, C, & L,

David K. Hann PDC

Camp Secretary

Francine Camp Meeting Minutes

September 24, 2011

Dear Brothers,

A productive meeting was held on Saturday, September 24, at the Atlantic County Library West, in Hammonton, with 14 Brothers and 1 guest present. A number of items were brought up for discussion for the Camp’s consideration.

A motion was made to accept the minutes of the March 19^th.

We have received word that Past Camp Commander Wayne Johnson and Brother Jimmy Williams are both doing better. Brother Wayne is now home

Treasurer's Report

As of September 24 we have a balance $3431.03

Under old business, Commander Fred talked about the Antietam trip this past April. The trip had a loss of almost $700.00. Because of this there will not be a bus trip next year. We did toss around ideas about possibly renting a van or maybe carpooling to a battlefield in the future.

New Business. The Camp has received two applications for membership. The first application had been received back in June, from Ryan McLeod of Hammonton. His application is based on the service of his great-great-great-grandfather Charles Pitman, who enlisted as a private in Company M, 6^th Pennsylvania, and mustered out as Quartermaster Sgt. The Camp approved his application. The second application was received at the meeting for Joseph McDevitt. The Camp will act on his application at the November meeting. We welcome you to our Camp.

The Camp is accepting nominations for Officers. The election will be held at the November meeting. If you are interested in a Camp Office please let me know.

The Camp has ordered another 500 “wooden” nickels. They will be available at the Camp meeting.

Ideas were kicked around for a special event that the Camp could do to commemorate the 150^th of the anniversary of the Civil War. Brother Alex Calabrese made a motion that Brothers come up with ideas that we could use to promote the SUV and bring them to the next meeting. Some of the ideas that were discussed were:

Traveling artifact shows.

Placing a monument in Mays Landing to honor Atlantic County soldiers that served in the Civil War.

A Civil War recruitment re-enactment.

Programs for schools. This might be something that our “retired” Brothers might be interested in doing.

Motion to purchase two wreaths for Remembrance Day, with one to be placed at the 7^th’s Monument the other to be placed at the New Jersey section in the National Cemetery.

Motion to purchase 10 membership medals. They will be available at the next meeting and will sell for $22.50.

Motion to purchase a luminary in honor of Colonel Louis R. Francine.

The Camp is accepting donations towards luminaries for Remembrance Day. Last year Brothers from the Camp sponsored 34 luminaries. This is to honor members of the 7^th who are buried in the National Cemetery at Gettysburg. If you wish to sponsor one of the luminaries the cost is $18.63 and you can make your check payable to Francine Camp # 7, and mail it to our treasurer. If there is a certain soldier you wish to honor please let us know. All money needs to be to Brother Andrew by Friday October 21^st.

Andrew Burnett PCC

25 Donegal Lane

Galloway, NJ 08205

The following are Camp events.

Sunday, October 16^th. Country Living Fair at Historic Batsto Village. The event is from 10:00 to 4:00. Set up time is at 9:00 AM.

Saturday, November 5^th. Meeting at the Atlantic County Library West, Hammonton. Meeting time is 9:00 AM. SHARP

Friday, November 11^th. Honor guard for the Hammonton Veterans Day program. This will be an evening program. We should have more details shortly.

Saturday, November 19^th. Remembrance Day Parade in Gettysburg, PA.

Good of the order. We talked briefly about the Francine/Thorn Dinner. We will look at locations and will hold the dinner sometime in February. Brother Joe Cloyd brought in a number of copies of the Hammonton Gazette that featured the Camp at the Memorial Day services at Greenmount.

Respectfully submitted in F, C, & L,

David K. Hann PDC

Camp Secretary