October
7, 2011
Marines, We have had nine reunions:
2002 - Tunica, Mississippi,
2003
- Tucson, Arizona,
2004 - Washington DC,
2005 - Chicago, Illinois,
2006 - Reno, Nevada,
2007 - Atlantic City, NJ,
2008 - Atlanta, Ga.
2009 - San Diego,
Ca.
2010 - San Antonio, Tx.
2011 - Springfield, Va.
A lot of miles and a lot of memories have passed since this
association began. With each member’s continued commitment in a timely fashion, each reunions will
continue to be as good as or better than the previous reunion.
The majority of you already know Richard Soto, Sonny Hollub,
and I from our past reunions or having served with us in Viet Nam. Currently Sonny Hollub is our Secretary/Treasurer/WebMaster,
Richard Soto is our Public Relations Officer, and I, Harvey Lang, am the
Executive Director. We three comprise the Executive Committee (EC).
Feel free to contact any of us anytime you have a question.
First and foremost, we continue in having a site selected before leaving the
current year’s reunion as well as selecting the three potential cities for our reunion after that.
Alburquerque,
New Mexico., was selected for our 2012 Reunion… and St. Louis,
Missouri, Minneapolis, Minnesota, or a city in the Mount Rushmore area , will be the city of choices for
our 2013 reunion. The Executive Committee, will provide a review for each of the three areas for consideration
at the 2012 annual memberhsip meeting in Alburquerque.
We plan to post information on our website www.26thMarines.com for each of these sites for your review prior to our 2012 Alburquerque, NM, reunion. One city will
be selected during our 2012 Annual Membership meeting in Alburquerque, NM.
2012's 26th Marine Association's reunion will be September 14,
16 and 16. As information develops for this year’s reunion, it will be posted on our website www.26thMarines.com , emailed and hard copy mailed to those who need it to your latest email address or home address.
If you have access to our website and have an
email address, please let Sonny know if you would just like electronic notices, thus opting out
of hard mail notices saving the association money. It is important to make sure Sonny Hollub has your most
recent mailing address, email address and phone number.
The fees for this 2012’s reunion are as follows:
Annual Membership Dues $40.00 per year.
Registration fee will be $25.00 per
person, members and each member’s guest(s).
Banquet
fee will be $45.00 per person, members and guest(s).
Please see site for forms, etc. for submitting payments along
with due dates, late fees etc. In addition, last year Sonny did a mailout at his expense, which included a stamped envelope
for your use. This action caused more people to pay their dues in a more timely manner and some to catch up as well.
It was suggested at this year's annual meeting,
that the same action be taken, but at the Association's expense rather than Sonny's and a notice for dues to be sent out shortly
after this year's reunion... then followed up by a request for the registration and banquet fees later. Sonny
will be following that suggestion for a trial run this year... so expect your notice for dues shortly. Sonny
also said he would take the suggestion that the association pay for the mailouts under advisement... hard headed Bohemian.
The issue of existing due dates, fees and penalties
are discussed at each year’s Annual Membership meeting. It continues to be unanimously voted to continue these
due dates as well as penalties. We have not had to “pass the hat” at a reunion since the
Chicago reunion. Do remember our membership dues are the main support for our organization, while banquet and registration
fees cover the banquet on Saturday night and the registration covers the hospitality suite and other expenses associated
with set up, etc.
You will
note an increase in the banquet fee for this year. It has been very difficult to impossible to get our 3 entre buffet
for the last three years at our normal rate of $40.00. Sonny will attempt to get our same menu in 2012 at the best price
possible.
In addition,
as you may recall, we opened the 26th Marines Association about three years ago to all previous
26'ers, regardless of dates served. We now have members from all battalions as well as an Iwo Jima 26'er!
This year we discussed the possibility of expanding our 26th Marine Association to all other 26th Marine Units,
who have served, now or in the future. The 26th MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit) has been serving for
some time during our war on terror. By opening the membership to include WWII Vets, we basically offered our services
to the "older Marines". Our effort in considering other 26'ers, from previous or current engagements/wars,
will expand our future to include the younger generation with the hopes of keeping the 26th Marine Association a healthy and
perpetual organization. This will be discussed at this years annual meeting as well.
I am pleased to announce it was voted unamimously to open our Association
to all Marine 26'ers of all times. More information will be posted as this develops. But for now, our best method
of providing such a notice is via our website, word of mouth, and will be included in the upcoming advertisements in various
Military publications. Also, I would like to express appreciation to our member Bill Hoffman
for doing an excellent job in getting reunion notices of this last reunion out to multiple magazines. Bill will continue
in these efforts again this year.
Another word of thanks is extended to Sgt. Grit for donating various items from his catalogue...
these items were either sold or auctioned off at this year's reunion, with all proceeds going into our general fund.
Please visit Sgt. Grits's store of "Marine Corps" items at http://www.grunt.com/
. As the saying goes, if Sgt. Grit doesn't have it... Chesty wouldn't want it.
Sonny sends out notices of
Annual dues yearly… he also shows if you are past due on your Annual Membership Dues.
I urge you to pay your fees in a timely fashion and if
Sonny’s notice shows you are in arrears, please get up to date or work out a payment plan to achieve
this.
There are those of us, who
are healthy and have incomes, who donate funds which are used to temporarily help our members who
are sick or have insufficient income, at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
I want to thank all of you who donate over and above your dues, which we refer to
“friendly incoming”, and is used from time to time to help carry a sick member’s
annual dues.
Again, please
stay up to date on your Annual Membership Dues. These dues cover our general month to month cost of
operation, such as website costs, cost associated with hard copy mail outs etc.
The many phone calls completed by the EC members for conference calls and contacting our
members are absorbed by the EC members themselves. Please make payment to 26th Marines Association and submit payment
to:
26th Marines Association
340 Humphrey
Dr.
Buda, Texas 78610
Please refer all
your acquaintances and potential guests to our website www.26thMarines.com for further information as it develops.
Finally, again, if anyone has new contact information, please send it to Sonny Hollub at:
Phone 512-312-4168,
Email sonnyusmc@gmail.com or ghollub@austin.rr.com
340 Humphrey Dr., Buda, Texas 78610.
As additional information develops, it will be posted
on the Association's website www.26thMarines.com under Reunions.
Semper Fi,
Harvey
Lang, Executive Director
26th Marines Association
P. O. Box 364
Lordsburg, N. M. 88045
Phone - 575-542-8085
Email - harveylangusmc@yahoo.com
