August 31 Bal. $1416.34

Sept. Receipts $2314.00

Sept. Disbursement $2012.32 

September 30 Bal. $1718.02 (includes $87.00 Church)

Airstream Flight 039 made one great touchdown and landing at the St. Louis Regional Airport in Bethalto.  Thanks to the professional air crew and the great cooperation of the air field ground crew, the rally weekend went by with no more than a few glitches in the electrical system.  That and a minor mishap or two in navigation just couldn’t dampen the spirits of those attending.  Another rally plus?  Try the installation of a new member and the signing up of several more.

First VP Erika Schattae posted her list of next year’s rallies.  Take a look at the list at the September rally, and please sign up to host or help with a rally.  Our club activities can be only as good as the effort that club members put into them.

Thanks to the efforts of our Constitution and Bylaws chairman, Roland Keim, and his assistant, Gordon White, we will have a by- laws change to vote on at the September meeting.  The slate of officers has also been filled (see page 3) and will be put to the vote at the same meeting.  Be there!  This is your time to make your voice heard.

The Region Rally looms right around the bend.  Our unit is preparing and serving a special dinner as a fund raiser.  For information about helping, ring up Sarah Doerr.  Don’t forget to help Welcome Committee chair Bob Zoeller at the gate.  If you need to know more you might ring up Bob, too.  Plan to wear red and white when you help greet.  We have a list of early parking dates for committee people and unit officers.  The list will be posted on the BB at the Pinckneyville rally.
The usual talk about unit merit award: If you have done something towards the award, please get it to us.

Also, let Erika know of any changes to your directory information so we get everything straight for the 2010 pocket directory.  There is a lot of paperwork to be performed with the regular changing of the guard in October and the sooner we get the necessary information, the sooner we can get it all accomplished.

Come and be with us in September.  Come to the unit rally, come to the Computer Rally, come to the Region Rally.  We will see you there.  God bless!

Art and Doris Meier, President and First Lady

The Airstream Delite Company has now become history, but many good memories remain.  The Silver Birds pilots and co-pilots, Jim and Betty Hutchens, Walter and Linda Hangsleben and Bob and Linda Zoeller, did a great job of planning activities and food.

The following unit members, Romaine Broughton and granddaughter, Emma Lagerhausen,  Dwight and Marilyn Burrus, Man and Sarah Doerr, Roger and Marian Hoffmann, Richard and  Frankie Howell, Jerry and Louise Humble, Norma Koen, Bill and Wanda Lockin, Art and Doris Meier, Steve Mentz, Karl and Erika Schaette, Dennis and Edna White, and Gordon and Carol White were present.  We inducted our new member Steve Mentz.  Other guests present were Dennis Komeshak; Steven and Army Burrows and son, Collin; Nick Weigard and daughters, Grace and Faith; Roger and Alice McFarland and daughter, Kristen; and Karen Jones, a member of the Wisconsin unit who lives in St. Louis.  On Friday afternoon, affiliate members Lloyd and LaVara Frye, who live in Florissant, Mo. and Dan Nugteren joined us for dinner and the business meeting.

Susan Swearingen from the Lincoln Land Unit drove in Friday afternoon.  She and Erika Schaette have scheduled a joint rally at Alton for next August.

Signing up as new members of our unit: Nick and Lisa Wiegand and daughters, Grace and Faith; Roger and Alice McFarland and daughters, Kristen and Laura; Dennis and Terri Komeshak; Curt and Connie McGhee; and Jeffery and Susan Mason, son-in-law and daughter of Frankie and Richard Howell.

Some rally highlights included a tour of the Alton Underground Railroad, the Lovejoy Monument, and the Confederate Memorial led by guide Eric Robinson and a tour of the Melvin Price Lock and Dam led by a Corp of Engineer staff person.  Another highlight was seeing our story on the front page of The Telegraph, the local Alton paper. Steve Mentz made sure all of us received the Sunday newspaper.  Thanks, Steve!

A sympathy card was sent to Ron Boss on the loss of his wife, Marilyn.  The Boss’s are former members.  Also a “thinking of you” card was sent to Dorothy Rickenberg, also a former member.

Former unit member, now affiliate member, Lloyd and LaVara Frye donated two white jackets, size large, and a blue denim vest with the Southern Illinois emblem on them.  The board decided to auction them to the highest bidder at the next unit auction.  If you have any questions, please ask me.  Thank you, Lloyd and LaVara, for the jackets and the vest.

A reminder to each unit going to Region 5 is to bring a wrapped gift for a door prize.  A note was sent to us by the door prize committee chair to remind us that the quality of a gift is more important than the quantity of gifts. Remember the rally theme is Hillbilly so wear your best costume.