THE TELEGRAPH KEY

Transcription

1 THE TELEGRAPH KEY THE OFFICIAL DISPATCH FOR THE MAJOR THOMAS J. KEY CAMP #1920 KANSAS DIVISION, SCV JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS VOL. 11, No. 11 NOVEMBER 2010 DECEMBER CAMP MEETING TH 114 Regular Meeting All compatriots are reminded that the next regular meeting of the Major Thomas J. Key Camp #1920 will be on Thursday nd December 2, We will be meeting at Zarda s Barbecue th located on the southwest corner of 87 Street and Quivira in Lenexa, Kansas. We will meet between 6:15 and 6:30 p.m. for dinner and start the official meeting at 7:00. For our meeting we have a particularly interesting speaker on a topic that all of us will find useful. The United States Archives in Washington DC, actually has a satellite office here in Kansas City. They were located on Banister Road and about two years ago moved to a new location next to Union Station. Our speaker, Mr. Jake Ersland, is an archivist and will talk to us about exhibits at the Archives, resources available, Civil War records stored here and other records available for genealogical research. We actually have a gold mine of information available right in our own backyard. So plan to attend the meeting and see what would be of help to you in your search for your ancestors. You don t want to miss this one. Be sure to bring your wife or significant other as they are always welcome. Also don t forget to bring that prospective recruit. See y all there!!! 1

2 Editorial Byline and Stuff The Telegraph Key is the newsletter for the Major Thomas J. Key Camp #1920 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV). The SCV is a non-profit organization with a patriotic, historical and genealogical orientation and is not affiliated with any other organization. Opinions in this newsletter reflect the views of the writers and are not necessarily a statement of the views of the SCV, the Kansas Division, the Kansas Brigades, nor any other camp. Comments and articles are solicited. Officers: Key Camp Commander: James L. Speicher st 1 Lieutenant Commander: Lee Crutchfield nd 2 Lieutenant Commander: John Weir Adjutant: C. Heath Roland Chaplain: Carl Linck Communications Officer: Steve Crawford Historian & Scrapbook: Dan Peterson Web Master: John Weir Newsletter Editor: James L. Speicher Media Coordinator: Lane Smith Cadet Member Coordinator: Lee Crutchfield Key Camp On The Web Key Camp: SCV National: New Members # 75 We have gained three new members in the past few weeks. Jim Thornton, Garrett Hayden, and Hal Walker have all recently become compatriots, and members number 72, 73, and 74. Let s keep the ball rolling and bring in some more new members. Recap of Recent Parades 2

3 During the month of November members of the Major Thomas J. Key Camp participated in two Veterans Day Parades. The first was our tenth appearance in Ottawa on Saturday 6 November. The contingent was under the command of First Lieutenant Commander Lee Crutchfield who did an outstanding job. Lee s report follows: Several members of the Key Camp were on hand to represent our camp at the annual Veterans Day Parade in Ottawa Kansas. We had our float with the 6 pounder cannon and riding along were Kris Amaro and her 3 year old granddaughter, Kaia, as well as Katie and Hannah McCaully, daughters of Eric and Carrie Martinez. Members of the color guard were Merle Leech, John Weir, Mike Smith, Lee Crutchfield and Travis and Rick Bullock. Carrie Martinez was in charge of decorating our float. After the parade the group set up the cannon in the city park where we had a small demonstration skirmish and firing demonstration. The gun was manned by Rick and Travis Bullock, Eric and Jacob Martinez and Lee Crutchfield. The weather was great and for once we st didn t freeze our tails off. 1 Lt Cmdr Lee Crutchfield The second parade the camp participated in was the Veterans Day Parade in Leavenworth, Kansas. Since it was held on a Thursday our turn out was small but highly spirited. We organized a joint Color Guard with the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War Franklin Camp #5. We carried the United States flag, the Kansas Flag, and the Confederate Battle flag. Carl Linck drove his 1983 Johnson Motors Presidential Rumble Seat Roadster decked out with Confederate flags. The participants from the camp were Paul Allen, Merle Leech, Carl Linck, and Spike Speicher. Commander Ed Kennedy of the Brigadier General William Steele Camp #1857 also fell in with us so we outnumbered the Yankees 5 to 3. Just before the start of the parade we had to opportunity to have our picture taken with the National American Miss Pageant winner Miss Kansas, Katie Sawalich of Tonganoxie. What a cutie! 3

4 Kansas Veterans Day Parade, Leavenworth, Kansas 11 November 2010 Joint Color Guard from Major Thomas J. Key Camp #1920, SCV and Franklin Camp #5, SUVCW, pose with Miss Kansas We made a big hit as we marched the one-mile long route in front of hundreds of spectators. We received a lot of applause all along the way and many, many people took our picture. The picture below, in which we are all in step, was taken by Compatriot Neal Hanley from the Brigadier General William Steele Camp #1857 in Leavenworth. Unfortunately Commander Kennedy is barely visible behind the Kansas flag. It was a great job by all involved. 4

5 5 Compatriot Merle Leech proudly leads the Joint Color Guard

6 2011 Lee-Jackson Banquet The 10 th Annual Lee-Jackson Banquet will be held at the Grinter Place Historic Site on Saturday January 15, Cost is still only $20.00 per person. Formal invitations will be mailed right after Thanksgiving. Headstone Dedications Headstone dedication at Quindaro Cemetery in Kansas City, Kansas. Not pictured is Merle Leech. 6

7 Sunday 14 November eight members (Merle Leech, Chaplain Carl Linck, Jon Linn, Greg Miller, Adjutant Heath Roland, Mike Smith, Commander Spike Speicher, and 2 nd Lieutenant Commander John Weir) of the Major Thomas J. Key Camp #1920 conducted headstone dedication ceremonies for three Confederate soldiers. Two soldiers were buried in Elmwood Cemetery in Kansas City, Missouri. Two separate ceremonies were conducted at that cemetery and then the group caravanned to Quindaro Cemetery for the final ceremony. It was a very memorable day for all involved. Happy Thanksgiving The officers of the Major Thomas J. Key Camp #1920 wish to say thank you to all the members of the Key Camp for their support of the camp during It is because of members like y all that our camp is so successful. As the holiday season approaches we would like to wish every member of the camp and their families a most joyous and happy Thanksgiving Day. 7

8 REMINDER!! THE NEXT MEETING OF THE MAJOR THOMAS J. KEY CAMP #1920 WILL BE ON THURSDAY nd DECEMBER 2 AT 6:30 P.M. BRING A FRIEND/PROSPECTIVE MEMBER The Telegraph Key Major Thomas J. Key Camp #1920 Sons of Confederate Veterans 7325 Oakview Street Shawnee, Kansas