Greetings, Fellow Legionnaires,
Video Link: https://youtu.be/UyFcxAXu12M
I hope you are having a great weekend. I have some GREAT NEWS I want to share with you…so listen/read closely, and enjoy these words…
FIRST: Congratulations to our Candidate for the National Oratorical Championship, ongoing at Hillsdale College in Michigan. As of this message, Wendy Gluski, sponsored by Post 145 in Peoria, District 11, Area B, has been advanced to the FINAL THREE contestants. The final competition will be held Sunday morning, May 17th, starting at 9:45 a.m. EST, so an early 6:45 a.m. PST for us. You can watch the contest on this YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/live/VOxDAWnCQB0
The winner of the contest receives a $25,000 scholarship, with second place taking $22,500 and third place receiving $20,000.
Let’s be sure to watch live or later recorded and cheer Wendy on. Regardless, I’ll want you to come to our Convention in June and meet her. She has already made the podium.
SECOND: I want to thank every member of the Department of Arizona who worked so hard in our quest to win the national membership drive. We started last fall with 50 departments, but steadily worked our way up to first place in the nation…a position we held for some three months. Suddenly, another Western Region Department moved up from the 47th position and overtook us in the final hours, achieving 101% compared to our 98.18%… so close. I want to congratulate the Philippines for a great race, and I have to congratulate you, the Department of Arizona, for being the runner-up. We have every reason to be proud of our accomplishments, as we stand on the podium of champions.
I encourage you to continue recruiting and, most importantly, renewing members. We have several Posts that achieved or exceeded their 100% goal. Special recognitions will be made at the Department Convention in Chandler in June (25-28).
FINALLY: I need to thank each of you who have assisted with the recruitment of students and staff and the provision of donations to make this the best Boys State Class we have had in the past several years, since COVID… yes, answering one of my America250 challenges for you. Right now, it appears we will exceed the 250-participant challenge, with about 275 participants in the program that starts May 31st at the University of Arizona in Tucson.
I also want to thank those who have taken on the challenge, whether for individuals or whole posts, to match my wife’s and my personal donation of $1500 to the program, helping pay tuition costs for youth in the program.
Whether you can match my donation or not, I thank you for assisting with whatever amount you can give. Please take a moment to use this link, which will ensure your funds are deposited directly into the Boys State accounts. LINK: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/azboysstatedonation
Arizona, YOU are knocking it out of the park this year…and I cannot thank you enough…and to celebrate, you can still get tickets to our Armed Forces Day baseball game on Friday, May 22nd at Chase Field, where the Diamondbacks will host the Colorado Rockies. We have special access to the Coors Light Patio in centerfield, so game-day accommodations will be phenomenal.
Our lesson learned so far this year: If you don’t step forward, you’ll always find yourself in the same place.
In closing,
Never forget, BE THE ONE….and your committed response: I’m the ONE who’ll BE THE ONE…to SAVE THE ONE.
To all, I say, WELL DONE, my good and faithful Legion Family.
