2003-2004 Dept. Orders #1

DEPARTMENT OF OHIO

SONS OF UNION VETERANS OF THE CIVIL WAR

DEPARTMENT ORDERS #1

HEADQUARTERS ROCKY RIVER, OHIO

Brothers,

I wish to thank all of you for the opportunity to serve as your Department Commander this year. To date it has been an exciting and busy year. The focus of this administration is on the "core values" of our order. Our membership, monument preservation and restoration, preservation of material related to the GAR and the Civil War. To that end your Department Officers have been working hard.

Your attention to the new Ohio Department Website is directed. http://www.ohiosuv.com or log on thru our National Website http://www.suvcw.org just click on Ohio.

All Camp Secretaries are directed to send meeting and event schedules to the Department Signals officer for inclusion on the website. In this manner, any Brother traveling around the state of Ohio will be eligible to attend any event or meeting the camp is sponsoring. While on this subject, please, make sure your Camp Contact person is up to date on the website, as well as there is at least one person in every camp who can be contacted via e-mail.

Bro. David V. Medert has volunteered and been appointed as the Assistant Department Secretary. This is necessary as our National Order is moving rapidly toward a web based organization. Virtually all required forms for Camp and Department administration can now be downloaded directly from your PC. All Camp Secretaries are directed to send an updated membership roster to Bro. Medert. This will allow us to maintain an accurate count of Brothers in our Order, thus saving us postage and assuring that all dues paid members receive all mailings.

Bro. Craig Keller has been appointed as the Camp Organizer for Keller Camp # 8 to be located in Fairfield, Ohio. Congratulations to Brother Keller and the members of this new camp.

Bro. Keith Ashley is to be commended for his continued work at Buffington Island, Battle site in Ohio. From Keith directly, "after 17 years" the Ohio Historical Society the Meigs County Pioneer and Historical Society and the Meigs County Commission have come together to form an umbrella organization to oversee the preservation of Ohio's only battlefield. They even had a visit from Sen. Michael Dewine who indicated his support. Not done yet, but a break in the ongoing logjam.

MIDWINTER MEETING: 7 February 2004, Veterans Memorial Building in Columbus, 10:00 am. All Camps should send a representative. All Department officers if you cannot attend, please send a midyear report.

Bro. Mark Britton has accepted the Chairmanship of the Christmas Committee. It purpose as stated in the Ohio Department Bylaws, is to provide a donation to be sent to the residents of the Ohio Veterans Home, (formerly the Ohio Soldiers & Sailors Home) organized with the help of our parent organization the GAR, This gift can be used for the welfare of the resident veterans living there. Letters have gone out to all camps. Please consider giving to this fund.

Lastly, great strides have been made at the Ohio Veterans Home (OVH) in Sandusky. This campus is a 99 acre monument to the GRANTS ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC. The allied. orders are represented all around the facility. A Wonderful (and free) museum is open on the grounds, dedicated to all of our nations conflicts. Our support is needed and greatly appreciated. The Department of Ohio, thru the efforts of Bro. Bob Davis, raised over $400.00. This was donated to the OVH for the express purpose of incorporating a 501-C3 (Not for Profit) Historical Society to help in the preservation of the relics and historical property located at this facility. More on this as information becomes available.