May 2017 Meeting Notes

The May meeting started with Tolling the Boats lost in May, followed by birthday wishes for our members and then the normal officer reports.

Old and New Business:
Kingsley Parker Memorial Service – We were reminded that the will be a Celebration of Life service for Kingsley Parker on Sunday, May 21 from 1 – 3 at the Renton Pavilion.

Memorial Day Events – Once again we will be carrying flags at the Memorial Day service at Tahoma National Cemetery. The service start at 1 PM on Monday May 29. Additionally, the Seattle Base float will be at the Cruzin to Colby car show on Sunday and Monday.

Other Upcoming Events – We had updates on several upcoming events in the area. In addition to the ones listed on the blog, we were told about the upcoming Missing in America project procession on Saturday May 27 from Port Orchard to Tahoma National Cemetery. The event starts at 9:15 in Port Orchard and several Seattle Base members are meeting that Poodle Dog restaurant in Fife at 8 AM to go to the event.

Smokey Point Rest Stop Event Information – We will be manning the coffee booth at the north-bound Smokey Point rest stop on June 19, 20, and 21 (Monday through Wednesday). The shifts are filling in nicely, but we can still use more people and donations of goodies. If you want to volunteer for a particular shift, contact Steve Shelton.
Cabela’s Event – There will be a fund raising ‘meet and greet’ opportunity at Cabela's Tulalip store on May 20 – 21 (Armed Forces Day weekend).

Kirkland Independence Day Parade – We are planning on participating in the Kirkland parade on the 4th of July. We will have more information as it gets closer, but be sure to make plans to attend.

Tolling the Boats Committee – Lois Mezek gave a short update on planning for the Tolling ceremony. The ceremony is scheduled for Saturday August 19 at the pavilion in Kirkland. We still need additional people to help the committee. Be sure to check with Lois to see what needs to be done.

Seattle Base Float Home – We are still looking for a new home for the Seattle Base float. If you know of a place or have some storage ideas, please contact one of the Base Officers. We really need to find a place to put the float or we might have to think about giving it up.

Salmon for Soldiers – The Salmon for Soldiers event is happening again this year. We voted to donate $100 to help support this worthwhile event. Be sure to check their website for more information about the organization and to sign up for events.

May Program:
Our program was a presentation by Keith Watson on the USSVI websites. Keith talked about how to get to the websites. He then showed all the different sections of the National website and what items that can be found there, including the USSVI member information and the links page. After the National website, Keith talked about the Seattle Base website and Seattle Bases blog. He covered how to find contact information for Base officers and members, along with the stuff that can be found on the blog. It was a good reminder of all the assets available through both National and local websites.

Good of the Order:
The Bonefish memorial book, with information about all the men lost on USS Bonefish, is missing. If you know anything about what might have happened to the book, please talk with one of the Base Officers.