Minutes from Battery Meeting 02/08/2003

Attendance

The following members were in attendance of this meeting:
Battery:
    Capt. Terry Brown
    1st Sgt. Scott Gutzke
    Sgt. Rich Grzyb
    Cpl. Brandt Doty
    Cpl. John Kruetzman
    Cpl. Lyle Laufenberg
    Pvt. Ted Gardner
    Pvt. Randy Reineke
    Pvt. Fred Reineke
    Pvt. Mark Schuler
Auxiliary:
    Teri Brown
    Karna Doty
    Mary Doty
    Beverly Gardner
    Linda Laufenberg
    Donna Reineke
    Kay Schuler

Minutes

The meeting minutes from the last annual meeting were approved as published.

Treasury Report

The treasury report was approved as attached.  This report includes the 2002 balance sheet.  The 2003 budget was also approved and is attached.

Members still owing dues are:
Sgt. John Utterback
Pvt. Seth Brown
Pvt. Dale Myszewski
Pvt. Randy Popp
Pvt. Max Popp
Pvt. Russell Popp
Pvt. Robert Buettner
Pvt. John Lee
Pvt. Andrew Van Rooy
Pvt. David Van Rooy
Pvt. Joseph Van Rooy

Please get dues in as soon as possible as the Association dues for the Battery is due on March 1, 2003.  The Sergeants present will be giving reminder calls.

Old Business

Roster:  The Battery roster has been reviewed.  Additions and corrections have been made and an updated roster and emergency contact list is attached.

South Mountain Prints:  Those who were still owed prints from last years trip to South Mountain were given the prints which they had purchased.  John Utterback’s will be mailed out.

New Business

The 2003 schedule was reviewed and the finalized and accepted schedule of events is attached.  We have selected the 140th anniversary at Gettysburg for this years national event.  Details on registration are being assembled by 1st Sgt. Gutzke.

The Waukesha Event scheduled for 4-5 October has not been confirmed due to some issues that have arisen with the sponsoring organizations.  If the Waukesha event does not occur, the group has selected to replace it with Norskedalen.

Limber Project:  We have started the year with $291.65 in the limber fund.  We have raised $200.00 through stock sales since the 1st of the year.  The group have voted and approved a transfer of $500.00 from the General Fund to the limber fund.  This will bring our current total up to $991.77 with the interest to date.

A budget for the limber project and the 2nd piece was presented and approved by the group.  This budget is attached.

I will be attending the Annual St. Barbara Dinner for the Wisconsin Chapter of the U.S. Field Artillery Assn. on 15 March.  I have been given permission by the organization to bring the piece to put on display and make a pitch to the organization and its members for further stock sales.

The corporate donation campaign continues.  A grant application has been sent in to Anheuser Busch.  Other applications are in the process of being prepared for submission to the Scaife Foundations, Bradley Foundation and the Olin Foundation.  If anyone else knows of other charitable giving programs through their employer or any other contact resource, please submit the information to me as soon as possible.

It was voted and approved by the group to hold a raffle this season to also help raise funds.  The Battery had one extra South Mountain print, that was not paid for and the Ben Franklin Store in Oconomowoc, WI has graciously donated the framing and matting.  Mary Doty has volunteered to gather other prizes that used in this raffle.  This raffle will run all season long starting with the U.S.F.A.A. St. Barbara Dinner on 15 March and will conclude with the drawing at Wade House on 28 September.

Web Site Updates:  1st Sgt. Gutzke is in the process of reformatting files for the web site.  He has asked that the membership try logging on and surfing the site to help debug the updates.  If there are any problems found please contact Scott.   Currently to date, we have had over 24,000 hits on the site.

Addition to By-Laws:  A first reading of By-Law 15, Battery Awards and Recognitions was made to the group.  This section outlines in detail all of the awards and recognitions, their history, and criteria that can be given out by the Battery.  This By-Law addition was sent to the parliamentary committee, to be headed up by Cpl. Laufenberg.  Please see the attached document for the details of this by-law.

Publicity Brochure:  A brochure was designed and presented to the group by Cpl. Laufenberg.  This brochure will be used to present information to the public about the Battery and used for an informational and recruitment tool.  The group has approved the brochure for publication and use throughout this years reenacting season.

Also presented was a business card developed by Cpl. Doty for the Battery web site.  This card will be used to refer people to our site for further information about the Battery and the 2nd Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Association..  The group also approved the used of this card for this year’s season.

Of Gods & Generals Publicity Tour:  Cpl. Laufenberg is following up with Co. K to help publicize the Association at the opening of the movie “Of Gods & Generals” in the greater Madison Area.  I will be doing the same with Co. A at the Waukesha, WI theater holding this movie.   We will be promoting the association and its member units and using it for recruiting purposes.  If anyone is interested, please contact Lyle or myself.

At this time the group has split for the Battery only and Auxiliary only portions of the meeting.

Battery Business

Gun Maintenance:  The following items have been identified to be worked on our maintenance day scheduled for 8 March at 09:00.

If everyone pitches in we could probable be done by 13:00 this year.  With any luck, we won’t get any surprises.

New Members:  As general discussion was held with our new members answering any and all questions pertaining to the group and the upcoming season.  It also provided a forum for us to get to know each other.  The new members were:

Auxiliary Business

Minutes for the Auxiliary’s meeting will follow at a later date.

Adjournment

Following the end of business the meeting was adjourned by unanimous vote at 16:30.

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