November 8, 2016
THE BULLETIN
FLORENCE EXCHANGE CLUB
THE OLDEST SERVING SERVICE CLUB IN THE SHOALS BEGINNING JUNE 1921
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Veterans Day This Friday
Veterans Day is an official United States public holiday, observed annually on November 11,
that honors military veterans, that is, persons who served in the United States Armed Forces. It
coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, celebrated in other countries that mark the anniversary of the end of World War I; major hostilities of World
War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the
11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into
effect. The United States previously observed Armistice Day.
The U.S. holiday was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.
Veterans Day is not to be confused with Memorial Day; Veterans
Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans, while
Memorial Day honors those who died while in military service.
While the holiday is commonly printed as Veteran's Day or Veterans' Day in calendars and advertisements (spellings that are
grammatically acceptable), the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Web site states that
the attributive (no apostrophe) rather than the possessive case is the official spelling "because it
is not a day that 'belongs' to veterans, it is a day for honoring all veterans."
The United States Congress adopted a resolution on June 4, 1926, requesting that President Calvin Coolidge issue annual proclamations calling for the observance of November 11 with appropriate ceremonies. A Congressional Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U.S. Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 13,
1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday: "a day to be dedicated to the
cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as
2016-2017
'Armistice Day'."
OFFICERS DIRECTORS
UPCOMING
PROGRAMS
November 11
VETERANS DAY
November 15
ONUG
November 22
Carl Madewell
.
Bert Bretherick
One Year
President
Peggy O’Steen
Brian Maples
Vance Persall
Pres. Elect
Joe Patterson
Doug Evans,
Vice President
Two Year
Adin Batson,
B. W. Gibbons
Imm. Past Pres.
Parrish Riedel
Laura Williams
Secretary
Howard Tinsley,
Treasurer
A Salute to Exchange
In 1945, World War II veteran Raymond Weeks
Members who
from Birmingham, Alabama, had the idea to exserved:
pand Armistice Day to celebrate all veterans, not
just those who died in World War I. Weeks led a
Bill Cadenhead
delegation to Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, who supNavy
ported the idea of National Veterans Day. Weeks
Jack Counts
led the first national celebration in 1947 in AlaNavy
bama and annually until his death in 1985. President Reagan honored Weeks
George Chambers
at the White House with the Presidential Citizenship Medal in 1982 as the
Army
driving force for the national holiday. Elizabeth Dole, who prepared the
Joe Flippen
briefing for President Reagan, determined Weeks as the "Father of Veterans
Army
Day."
Jimmy Hall
Army
U.S. Representative Ed Rees from Emporia, Kansas, presented a bill estabPete Henry
lishing the holiday through Congress. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, also
Marine Corps
from Kansas, signed the bill into law on May 26, 1954. It had been eight
B. M. Ingram
and a half years since Weeks held his first Armistice Day celebration for all
Army
veterans.
Bob Larson
Congress amended the bill on June 1, 1954, replacing "Armistice" with
Army/Air Corps
"Veterans," and it has been known as Veterans Day since.
Chad Pickett
National Guard
The National Veterans Award was also created in
Vance Persall
1954. Congressman Rees of Kansas received the first
Air Force
National Veterans Award in Birmingham, Alabama
Howard Tinsley
for his support offering legislation to make Veterans
Navy
Day a federal holiday.
James Wells
Army/Air Corps
Although originally scheduled for celebration on November 11 of every
year, starting in 1971 in accordance with the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, Veterans Day was moved
to the fourth Monday of October (Oct 25, 1971; Oct 23, 1972; Oct 22, 1973; Oct 28, 1974; Oct 27,
1975; Oct 25, 1976 and Oct 24, 1977). In 1978, it was moved back to its original celebration on November 11. While the legal holiday remains on November 11, if that date happens to be on a Saturday
or Sunday, then organizations that formally observe the holiday will normally be closed on the adjacent Friday or Monday, respectively.
In his Armistice Day address to Congress, Wilson was sensitive to the psychological toll of the lean
War years: "Hunger does not breed reform; it breeds madness," he remarked.
As Veterans Day and the birthday of the United States Marine Corps
(November 10, 1775) are only one day apart, that branch of the Armed Forces
customarily observes both occasions as a 96-hour liberty period.
Several commentators have noted the irony of Election Day being a regular
working day, while veterans day, which typically falls the following week, is a
federal holiday. Many have called for the holidays to be merged, so citizens can have a day off to
vote. This would be seen as a way to honor voting by exercising our democratic rights.
“Please get with Adin, who is our chair of the Membership Committee, to bring in prospective members. Our programs help this community in so many different ways. It is time to look forward in rebuilding our club.”
Of special note we welcome two new members
this month: James Barnett and Joel Quillen.
Congrats to Bert and Vance for their efforts in recruiting these two young men.
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If you have been unable to attend the last few FEC
regular meetings and have not yet signed up for the
ONUG event this year, please do so by replying to
this email. FEC member tickets are $20 and the cost
of the ticket will be added to your quarterly statement, but we need to know that you’re coming so
that we can provide an accurate head count for the
meal.
If you plan to purchase a table for your business at
this event, reserved tables are $240 which includes 8
seats and a table-top sign recognizing your business.
You can contact myself or Jenny Mitchell to reserve
your ticket or table. Please make plans to attend this
event – as I don’t think you want to miss what Deputy George has to say! See you all real soon (like
next Tuesday at the regular weekly meeting).
Please mark your calendar for the BIG events in November:
November 11, Veterans Day
November 14, Exchange Board Meeting
November 15, One Nation Under God Luncheon
November 24 Thanksgiving Day
November 25 “Black Friday” and the Iron Bowl
November Birthdays
Vance Persall
11/3
Allen Moore
11/7
Brian Maples
11/13
Joe Flippen
11/13
Robert Larson 11/15
Mike Doyle
11/16
One Nation Under God Luncheon
Special Guest Speaker: Chief Deputy Christopher George, Shelby County, AL
Brief Speaker Bio: Chris George is a former United States Marine (Airborne with combat tours
in Somalia) and has been employed with the Sheriff’s Office since 1997 where he has served in
Corrections, Uniform, Criminal Investigations Division and Commander of the
Drug Enforcement Task Force. He has
served as the Commander of the Tactical Response Unit in which he has also
served as an operator, team leader, and
sniper. During his tenure at the Sheriff’s Office, he has served as Honor
Guard Commander, a member of the Instructor Cadre, and a Field Training Officer. His education includes a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice, and an MBA
in Public Administration. Chris is also a
graduate of the FBI National Academy,
US Department of Justice Leadership
Academy and Leadership Shelby
County. He serves on several Boards, to include Family Connection, Owens House, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Leadership Shelby County, and the Shelby County Schools Education Foundation. Chris is an active member of Liberty Baptist Church where he serves as deacon, usher,
and teaches 2nd grade boys in Sunday School and Wednesday evening services. Chris lives in
Chelsea, AL with his wife Lisa and three boys. His current hobbies are coaching whatever
sport his boys are engaged in at the time and keeping up with them. Chris currently serves as
the Chief Deputy of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office in Alabama. Chris’ personal story is
one of triumph over tragedies of child abuse and neglect, which has impacted his life’s journey
to serve his Country, his fellowmen, and his family.
Chief Deputy George has spoken on several occasions to a variety of different audiences. (He
also happens to be friends with Chief Ron Tyler.)
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Are you ready for some pecans?
Project Chair Vance Persall reports that there will be 85 cases
delivered soon to Teresa’s office at 505 Seminary Street.
Again these will be good variety: Roasted, Whole, Pieces, Milk
Chocolate, and Pralines. This year’s price is $9.00 per bag.