86th ANNUAL CONVENTION

by Theodore A. Barbuto, Department Commander

Thank you to everybody who worked to make our 86th Annual Department Convention, a tremendous success. Our convention was held at the Hudson Valley Resort, in Kerhonkson, New York, and was well attended. Participation was phenomenal.

Registration went smoothly and many members were able to join in for a tour of historical Hyde Park and the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Library. Participants in the tour were impressed with what they saw and what they learned about our 32nd President.

Our first business session was Monday, June 18th. It proceeded in orderly fashion beginning with a Joint Opening session followed by Convention and Committee reports.

Organized activities included the Health Fair, VA Prosthetics Workshop, and VAVS/HSC Seminars. The National Service Officer's Certification Workshop conducted for Chapter Service Officers was very well attended.

Tuesday's business session included reports from Commander Keith Robinson and DAVA Commander Diane Wisnesky. Both reports indicated that our Past Commanders had a very busy year and that we were well represented across this great state of ours!

Tuesday evening was our Department Banquet. We were privileged to be addressed by National Senior Vice Commander Rob Reynolds and DAVA National Senior Vice Commander Kathryn Wiley. At the Wednesday business session, we had our nomination and election of Department Officers and the installation of all officers and State Executive Committeemen.

Thank you to all of the members and chapters who have supported me in my campaign for Department Commander. Our Hospitality Room ran for three nights with the theme "United: All Branches of Service." I would like to thank everybody who helped my family prepare, run, and clean up each of the three evenings we were open. A special thank you to the Karaoke singers.

Finally, I would like to see everybody attend the SEC meeting in March and our next Department Convention . The DAV is as strong as its membership. Together we are able to continue our work of building better lives for Disabled American Veterans and their families. I look forward to seeing many of you this year as I tour our state.

MEMORANDUM
From: Theodore Barbuto, Department Commander

Your Chapter's Officer Report was due in Department Headquarters immediately following your Chapter's election of officers. If you have not sent yours in, please do it ASAP.

The Department is trying to get the 2007-2008 Department Directory finished and sent out to you in a timely manner. Please check and see if your Chapter's Report was sent in.

Your cooperation is appreciated.

TAPS
Department has been notified that the following comrades have been called into final formation above: Robert H. Kruger Jr., Chapter #4 Commander, passed 7/07

Department and the membership extend deepest sympathies to the family members, friends and comrades of these fallen heroes. May each one rest in honor.

Please feel free to call, write or e-mail davny@optonline.net Headquarters if you have a loss in your Chapter that we can include in this column.

CHAPTER OFFICERS - PLEASE TAKE NOTICE
Please take care when filling out the Chapter Officer Report and the Chapter Recommendation For Committees Form. Make sure the names and addresses are legible. Do not forget to include the correct zip codes.

SOMETHING NEW

by Sidney Siller, Sr., PDC, Department Adjutant

The essence of creative ideas is probably related to what Art Wilson, our National Adjutant, refers to as "thinking out of the box."

Each year your Department leaders try to add something new or just simply improve on what we have been doing previously. The most recent and obvious change for the better was the jump from a "boat" to a "ship," for the 2007 "Rehab Cruise." Although the cost was measurably higher (by $900.00), it improved the benefits of the cruise by virtue of the increased comfort and enjoyability, and the fact that we were able to accommodate 235 disabled veterans and their wives. From all reports, we have had to date, this made out two annual events: The El Caribe 86th Dinner Dance, and our Rehab Cruise the best events ever in our long history. So what about this year?

One of our most obvious problems is our inability to directly reach our 71,000 members in DAV-NY. Most of our comrades know about our National Department by way of our DAV Magazine. They may also in the main know about the chapter they belong with; but sad to say, most of our comrades do not actually have any idea about our State Department. How harmful to them, and how inefficient to us and our mission. Comrades, if we can solve this issue, it will awake a sleeping giant in New York State, which I believe would enable us to foster the enactment of real useful legislation and raise the bar of fulfillment of DAV's mission.

What we are presently doing to solve this problem is evaluating the costs involved in having a DAV-NY magazine sent to each member (71,000) of the Department, two (2) to four (4) times a year. Keith Robinson, PDC from Rochester, NY had agreed to be our first editor.

Secondly, we have never sponsored or to any degree been involved in the DAV's "Winter Sports Clinic." This year, the Department of New York hopes to become involved in supporting the effort to get our disabled amputees on skis, playing ice hockey, mountain climbing and scuba diving. The Winter Sports Clinic needs and deserves our support.

Thirdly, we are the catalyctic agents who will sponsor a Northeastern Congressional Legislative Breakfast on Capital Hill the morning of our National Commander's testimony before the Joint House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. We hope the states of Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and others will partner with us in supporting DAV's National Legislative proposals. DAV-NY is optimistic about it's success, because a couple of state not quite in th Northeast section of our country showed keen interest in learning of our concept a the 2007 Commanders and Adjutants Orientation at National Headquarter's in the middle of July. The concept is to capture the Senators and Representatives attention in our place.

It is our purpose by creating and suggesting new programs and improving older ones by "thinking outside the box," will make us more able to fulfill our mission.

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