The Cajun Link Newsletter Published quarterly January, April, July, October By and for Grand Voiture de la Louisianne November December - January January 2011 John Kilgus Award -- Fiscal Years 2005 & 2006 Arthur McDowell Award -- Fiscal Year 2008 & 2010 La Societé des Quarante Hommes et Huit Cheveaux L Editeur Carl A. Barr carlbarr@bellsouth.net On the Web at http://www.cajunlink.org The Cajun Link January 2011 Page 1
Grand Chef de Gare Donald K. Schreiber Voyageurs, Donald K. Schreiber Happy New Year!! The year 2010 has come and gone rather rapidly as I recall. As usual some good and some bad events happened. Let s list a couple of the good things. Springfield, Illinois hosted the 91 st Promenade Nationale and now our own Hank Kwiatkowski is Chef de Chemin de Fer. Sixteen national positions (either elected or appointed) are now held by Louisiana Voyageurs. Membership: Our goals have all been met by the projected dates, thanks to the hard working Voyageurs who made that extra effort. Plan to be there # 1: Cajun Wreck combined with homecoming for Chef de Chemin de Fer Hank from 3 to 6 March. This will be a good chance to renew old friendships from all over. Registration form can be downloaded from http://www.cajunlink.org Plan to be there # 2: Southland Dixie Promenade 7 to 9 April, at Ramada of Charleston in Goose Creek, S. C. Louisiana needs to make its presence known. NOTE: 2012 Dixie Promenade will be in Shreveport 19 to 21 April 2012. New members? They are out there. Remember that they don t come after you you go after them. Let s go out of the past and into the future as one of the largest veteran s organizations in the nation. This will take some hard work, but it can be done. Until next time, God bless each of you, and God bless the U. S. A. Donald Schreiber*** Grand Officers for 2010-11 TITLE NAME VOITURE TITLE NAME VOITURE Chef de Gare Don Schreiber 137 Commis Voy John DeMoss 1588 Chef de Train Charles Aucoin 1584 Historien Carl A. Barr 1588 Chef de Train Raymond Walters 1616 Drapeau Jesse Morrison 1588 Correspondant Henry Kwiatkowski 1588 Chem Nat'l Joe Caldwell 137 Sous Corr. Dudley LeBlanc 1038 Alt Chem Nat'l Terry Sharp 224 Comm. Intend Cliff Kershaw 309 Cheminot Charles Rodgers 1588 Medicin Kenneth LaFleur 1351 Cheminot Paul Strange 1588 Avocat Richard Jakubiak 309 Cheminot Henry Montgomery 1532 Conducteur Dennis Engdahl 137 Cheminot Mike Bourque 1577 Gard de la Port Gil Lovelady 1588 Cheminot Eldon Guidry 1618 Lampiste Alex Gueho 340 Aumonier Charley Parent 309 The Cajun Link January 2011 Page 2
Membership MEMBERSHIP STATUS FOR LOUISIANA 18 Jan 2011 (National Web Posting) http://www.fortyandeight.org/ General Grande Voiture 2010 2011 % of Quota Short MOLEN LOUISIANA 108 34 30 88.24% -4 MOLEN LOUISIANA 137 159 153 96.23% -6 MOLEN LOUISIANA 201 51 32 62.75% -19 MOLEN LOUISIANA 224 23 26 113.04% 3 MOLEN LOUISIANA 274 21 21 100.00% 0 MOLEN LOUISIANA 309 39 38 97.44% -1 MOLEN LOUISIANA 313 25 20 80.00% -5 MOLEN LOUISIANA 340 24 23 95.83% -1 MOLEN LOUISIANA 392 11 10 90.91% -1 MOLEN LOUISIANA 430 17 12 70.59% -5 MOLEN LOUISIANA 1038 78 71 91.03% -7 MOLEN LOUISIANA 1351 35 26 74.29% -9 MOLEN LOUISIANA 1360 36 30 83.33% -6 MOLEN LOUISIANA 1522 39 31 79.49% -8 MOLEN LOUISIANA 1532 17 16 94.12% -1 MOLEN LOUISIANA 1577 20 10 50.00% -10 MOLEN LOUISIANA 1584 26 23 88.46% -3 MOLEN LOUISIANA 1588 56 54 96.43% -2 MOLEN LOUISIANA 1602 12 1 8.33% -11 MOLEN LOUISIANA 1615 85 85 100.00% 0 MOLEN LOUISIANA 1616 36 27 75.00% -9 MOLEN LOUISIANA 1618 27 16 59.26% -11 Membership by Percent Grande 2010 2011 %of Quota short goal %of goal ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- 1 NEW HAMPSHIRE 225 238 105.78% 13 231 103.03 2 NEW MEXICO 31 32 103.23% 1 32 100.00 3 MEXICO 26 26 100.00% 0 27 96.30% 4 WYOMING 34 32 94.12% -2 35 91.43% 5 OREGON 284 252 88.73% -32 291 86.60% 6 VIRGINIA 674 591 87.69% -83 692 85.40% 7 KANSAS 666 582 87.39% -84 683 85.21% 8 LOUISIANA 871 755 86.68% -116 893 84.55% The Cajun Link January 2011 Page 3
TAPS VFW 12th District Honor Guard Bugler - Memorial Day 2008 Hill Crest Cemetery V. L. 137 John Durst, Charles C.Gamblin, James C. Gardner Stephen J. Davitt, Edwin E. white V. L. 430 John W. Swain V. L. 1038 Urban Rodrigue, Michael Guidry, Raymond Matherne V. L. 1588 James Moss, James Meier V. L. 1602 Stanley Simon, Thomas Perkins, Barly Kichem, Jr. V. L. 1615 Rudolph DeHart The Cajun Link January 2011 Page 4
Our veterans deserve good wholesome entertainment and they got just that in the VA Medical Center in Alexandria early this month. A group of Pennsylvania college students brought a dazzling display of disciplined choreography, a production of the show, Broadway. The show featured popular songs from long running shows, most of them quite familiar to the audience. Similar to a USO show, it is billed as Re-Creation USA, and is presented to veteran audiences in VA and State hospitals. The organization was founded in 1976, and is performed in all 50 states. These young men and women travel from their home in the Quaker state to show their gratitude to the veterans who have given so much to preserve our freedom and our way of life. I asked the Lord to bless them and protect them in their travels so they can continue to serve our troops in their own special way. If you have opportunity to see this fabulous entertainment in your area, I highly recommend it. May God bless you. Charley Parent Grand Aumonier The Cajun Link January 2011 Page 5
Grande Fund Raiser Cook Books It's not too late for you to get your copy of the Grande du Louisiana cookbook. The cookbooks sell for $15 and the proceeds will be split between the Grande and the Voitures. There are 93 pages of fun filled facts and recipes that are sure to delight any taste bud. To either buy a book or get more information, contact Dennis Engdahl at dengdahl1943@gmail.com or Donna Fransen-Miller at dkfransen@yahoo.com or (504) 722-2469. Public Relations Packets have been mailed to each Voiture containing the new Public Relations manual, and the new nomination for membership applications. There are two sizes now, the full page one and a smaller wallet size that can be carried with you. I will also be encouraging each Voiture to complete the Public Relations report that is in the Petite Communique. This will allow us to see what direction we are going in, and help us to promote the 40&8 better. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me (504) 722-2469 or email dkfransen@yahoo.com. Donna Fransen-Miller P. S. I will have Grande Fund Raiser cook books at the Cajun Wreck @ $15 Voiture Activities Larry Abshire, Chairman 105 Noma Lane, Westlake, LA 70669 larryabshire@netcommander.com cell 337-304-6980 home 337-433-5690 I am asking for help from each Voiture by turning in Voiture Activity Reports so that we will get credit for all our hard work. Write it down! Keep good records! Render reports to Grand. Consider promenades, wrecks, hospital visits, funerals, etc. you do have activities report them. Obtain the reporting form on line http://www.fortyandeight.org go to > Main Index > Download Forms > Petite Communique > Voiture Activity Report. You can fill the form in on line and e-mail it to me, or you can print the form, fill it in, and send it via USPS mail to my home address above. If I can help you, call me anytime. Nurses Training Grand Directeur Cliff Kershaw I have the 2011 Pins available at this time. If you haven't gotten them, let me know and I will get them to you. Some Voitures got the pins at the 2 nd Grand Cheminot. If they are on consignment, please send the check to the Grand Directeur made out to Grand Voiture de la Louisiana. Donation for pins is $3.00 each. Let s get the funds submitted to Grand so we can get the funds forwarded to Nationale Directeur Ken Lefleur. It s time to submit an application to Boland Trust for another Nurse in training. Cliff Kershaw, 2027 Antonio Road, Port Allen, LA 70767 clijeakershaw@cox.net National Past Chef de Gare Club The semi-annual Past Chef de Gare Club will meet at the Cajun Wreck-Hanks Home Coming 5 March 2011. If you have not paid your 2011 dues beat the rush, pay your dues before the meeting, and send them to me at 128 Legacy Pointe Dr, Pineville La. 71360. Renewals are $15.00. New members are $20.00. New member are considered any Past Chef de Gare, or if you have aspirations to be a Chef de Gare, we wpuld welcome you to the club. New members I would need your complete mailing address. Archie F. Boyette President Past Chef de Gare Club Grand du Louisiana The Cajun Link January 2011 Page 6
Americanism and Special Awards (2011) Milton Harrison, Grand Directeur Remember, nominations for 2011 Law Officer of The Year, Hero of The Year and the Americanism Award are due to the Grand Correspondant NLT March 4 th, 2011. I still have some 2011 Americanism Pins left for those locales that have not ordered their pins. Contact me at 318-949-8079 or 318-828-7751 for orders or you may e-mail me at miltonh388@suddenlink.net. Milton Milt Harrison Youth Sports Program Directeur Wes Howell The Youth Sports Program of 40 & 8 is now in full swing and welcomes any and all contributions. The importance of this program and the contributions it has to offer our communities cannot be overemphasized. The Youth Sports Program was established in 1994 and through this program the 40/8 provides financial assistance in the form of Grants to individuals or teams who lack the funds to attend or participate in amateur sports programs. This program covers all amateur sports programs for youths from age 7 to 20 years of age. For Grant applications and information contact Grand Youth Sports Directeur Wes Howell cell phone 985-966-1799 weshowell@aol.com The program offers the Voiture Locales the opportunity to help make supporting contributions through the sale of Pins and Booster Cards. These are also available through the program Directeur. Any Voiture interested in participating in Pin sales or wishing to make a donation to this worthwhile program may contact me and I will get this information to you. All checks should be made out to Voiture Nationale Youth Sports. Currently, the Voiture Locales that have participated with Pin and Booster Card sales are; VL-137, VL-224, VL-1038. Wesley Howell Homecoming for Chef de Chemin de Fer Hank Kwiatkowski Will be celebrated in conjunction with Cajun Wreck -- 3 to 6 March 2011 Lafayette, Louisiana The Registration form is posted on the web http://www.cajunlink.org and on the last page of this newsletter (page 12) The Cajun Link January 2011 Page 7
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Pearl Harbor Day at NWLWVH Residents and visitors gathered in the Activities Room to honor three survivors of the Pearl Harbor attack. Retired USN Chief Phillip Serio, a resident of the home, is at left with Chef de Chemin de Fer Hank Kwiatkowski, Grand Chef de Gare Don Schreiber and National Aumonier Carl A. Barr. At right Hank is between Retired Army Colonel William Banks and USN veteran Jackson B. Davis both are Pearl Harbor survivors. Former Bossier City Mayor George Dement Chief Serio with his daughter, Linda Several Voyageurs with backs to camera (Morrison, Burson, Schreiber, Kwiatkowski, Harrison) Bossier High School Band members furnished music for the occasion. The Cajun Link January 2011 Page 9
Wreck at Voiture 1588 23 October 2010 Ron Chatelain Derrick Smith Ken Bourgeois Roger Doucet V. 137 V. 137 V. 137 V. 1588 Chef de Chemin de Fer Hank Kwiatkowski was Obligating Chef and Grand Chef de Gare Don Schreiber was Wrecking Chef. Both presented their pins to the new Voyageurs. The Cajun Link January 2011 Page 10
Voiture 137 Anniversary Celebration 13 November 2010 This was the 89 th Anniversary Celebration for Voiture 137 at the Chateau on Cross Lake. Chef de Chemin de Fer Hank Kwiatkowski, shown with his wife Sharon, was the featured speaker for the event. His reminiscence about past Veterans Days made a big hit with the Voyageurs and guests. Charles Aucoin, Joe Caldwell, Chuck Rodgers -- Charles Aucoin, Harold Burson, Marvin Shoemake, Jim Howard, Rick Larned Past Post 14 Commander Voyageur John D. Moore and his lovely bride Wanda had been married just the day before. They looked great, and we wish them a long and happy life together. Voyageurs Milton Harrison, Don Vallery, Ken Gray, Don Schreiber, T. P. Fowler are at the receiving table. by the way, we have Grand Fundraiser Cook Books for sale. The Cajun Link January 2011 Page 11