Colorado to Eagles: “Bring It On!”
June 18, 2007
(An excerpt from Colorado State Coordinator, Dale Lanham’s letter to Fellow Eagles)
“I think Eagles in Colorado with a higher elevation and ATTITUDE can soar better than the other states. Don’t be surprised to see us win the fundraising competition , and I hope everyone sees exactly how we’re going to do it. Maybe Gabi wanted me to tell you, so if we knock your socks off in this competition you won’t be surprised; Colorado’s thinner air, 41 years of pent up Vietnam Veteran anger, and GOE II can do a lot, and that’s before I get anybody else to help.”
Hello State Coordinators and Fellow Eagles,
I’ve been busy trying to get organized and serious about this fund raising activity. I am holding my first state meeting on Tue 6/19 and hope to get more coordinators in the state. This problem led me to look into the VFW & American Legion for help since they are established, and I thought would be very helpful. I discovered their conventions had over-lapping times and are this week 6/20-6/23 for VFW in Colorado Springs and 6/21-6/24 for American Legion in Longmont. On 6/14 I put the last of my 41 years of anger aside and joined both of these groups on Friday 6/15.
So, needless to say we are too late to have a table reserved at either of these conventions. We are instead going to crash them so to speak, walk in and find the very best table and strike up a conversation about what they do, and tell them what we do. I intend in creating an Eagle on the spot of whomever I meet. Our membership is so much simpler than the VFW’s or American Legion’s; read our mission statement and if you agree, then you are an Eagle.
I’ve been given a lot of support by Gabi, Chris Hill and Charles Wardell. This weekend we printed 600 of the brochures that Charles created, and are stuffing them with 600 letters dated June 9th that Captain Larry Bailey signed. We will also have GOE Business cards and a jug to collect money on the spot. Their convention agenda’s are kinda crowded and I may not be able to speak there, but I’ll be sure working the speakers to see if they can “put in a good word for us in their speeches. Saying something like “the uninvited Eagles in the lobby want you to know who they are and why they felt the need to ‘Crash’ our convention”.
Ed, the Legion person was very supportive of my idea and did not think it out of line. After all “Membership has been paid and applied for”. He also stated how they have so many members frustrated at their organizations because they are slow moving and cannot even change the membership rules to keep from offending possible veteran members.
For example, the Legion person, a Vietnam Vet, was stationed in Japan during Vietnam, and he does not qualify for VFW membership. Further, in talking to the VFW state staff, a past VFW post commander, does not qualify for American Legion membership because he was just in Lebanon, and the dates weren’t quite allowed. Chris Hill put it in better words I think when he said this morning in a email to me:
The rules for the VFW and the Legion constantly get into the way of good works. I hear their members complaining all the time. We can fill in the gaps between all these national organizations and the local efforts. Remind everyone that we can and are going to be political to the extent that we will protect veteran’s rights. We won’t endorse candidates, but we will identify legislation that helps/hurts veterans and identify legislators who have hurt/helped our cause.
We as the GOE can help these organizations attract new members which they need. If you are qualified to join them do so, they are your brothers and have been helping veterans for a long time as best as they could.
Find out when your conventions are and “Crash them”. They don’t know us yet, and most of them are Eagles, and they don’t know that either until we tell them!
Also, I think Eagles in Colorado with a higher elevation and ATTITUDE can soar better than the other states. Don’t be surprised to see us win the fundraising competition , and I hope everyone sees exactly how we’re going to do it. Maybe Gabi wanted me to tell you, so if we knock your socks off in this competition you won’t be surprised; Colorado’s thinner air, 41 years of pent up Vietnam Veteran anger, and GOE II can do a lot, and that’s before I get anybody else to help.
AFTER these conventions — we will have local coordinators all over the state. Then, we’ll just follow the 12 pre-approved fund raising things Gabi told us. After all, we will have Aspen, Vail and Colorado Springs coordinators on the high side of the state, and Boulder (moonbat headquarters) on the low depressing side of the state. All in between these extremes are Eagles ready to be hatched.
So Bring it on! Eagles UP!
Sincerely,
Dale Lanham
Colorado GOE Coordinator
Vietnam USN 63-66
goe.colorado@gatheringofeagles.org
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You go, Dale!
Good ideas abound in your message, keep up the good work!
DanNY
New York State Coordinator
Wooo Hooo you go Dale!
hi dale - good for you !! i am glad that i chanced to meet you in dc at
goe2 - clearly you are leading the way on an important issue and i like some of your ideas.
Dan & Carolyn thanks for your support, we’re having fun here and are charging up from the rear of the pack.
I’ve admired Dan’s NY State and how well organized they are there with so many coordinators, attacking moonbats like whack-a-mole. Dan, we want what you have — organization so that a moonbat in Boulder, is looking over his shoulder, and knows if he speaks out. He better not say certain things or we’ll swoop down and get him. Our Troops and their Mission will be protected even in Boulder the town nestled between the “Rockies and Reality”. Dan you wanted us to get some Eagles in Durango to help those young kids down there. Well after these conventions I expect many new Eagles to be flying there.
Carolyn, meeting you and Elyse there at the Lincoln Memorial during GOE II was special for me too. The things you have sent me are still percolating on the back burner, waiting for the proper time and organization to strike a clear decisive victory.
Eagles UP!
Dale,,,You know where there at,,Go Get-em….”EAGLES UP NOW”………
“. . . Then, we’ll just follow the 12 pre-approved fund raising things Gabi told us.”
Where do we find these?
I have said from the start of this thing in early Feb. that these other Veteran groups have a mission and they need to be doing whatever they have been lead to do. But that does NOT stop them from being an Eagle. Like you tell said Dale, I have been telling them, “Just read the mission statement, if you agree, you’re already an Eagle. You just need to be brought up to speed on what your other brothers are doing. I am meeting and speaking at many Vet. groups (I didn’t know there was so many) All of them are encouraged/interested in what we are doing as Eagles and many are asking to be kept up on the doings.
Drive on troops!
Rev. Ed Anthony SSGT. ‘65-’73
National Co-Chaplain GoE
Mr. Lanham,
Since we do EVERYTHING bigger and better in Texas, we will take that challenge…
HEY! I need you to come to Vermont! PLLLLEEEEAAAASSSEEE
Kimberly,
Ya know those Texans do own a lot of Colorado property down in the southern part of the state…. I’ve heard tell that they may have a Texas State Park in Colorado too. Texan’s sending in their $ from their vacation homes is Colorado $ Don’t ya just love it, we’ll win with all that TEXAS money puttin us over the top of the other states… — Sweet.
then the race is on, challenge accepted.
Kathy,
On the next Post “States, It’s Time to Ante Up!”, MikeB & Jim were talking about some kind of Street-Bob (motorcycle I think). Right after we win that we’ll be ready to come back to Vermont and show you our shinny new prize with a Colorado license plate. Those guys may chase us a bit, but they just want to ride it. I said if I win I’d let them
MikeB’s not taking very well to losing out on that black Street-Bob thing. If I’m quiet for a while, just assume I’m busting my gut to stay ahead of them.
Did you find out when your state conventions are? I sure wish I’d known earlier so I could have relaxed beforehand. I gotta go fold and stuff a bunch of brochures and letters. My better half keeps beating me in that folding part.
Thanks for that invite to Vermont, that was very sweet…
Vermont does have a head start from everyone else and she is auctioning me off! She may just win!
Stand by for details on the 1st Annual GoE Date Auction! So far, we have 5 volunteers to be auctione off! You guys will love this!
Thanks Gabi!
Good news all I have recruited another soldier here to become an eagle I gave him the homepage address and told him to log in an pick a user name I told him if he posts in here to tell everyone he knows me, Jim D it is the same sgt that I forwarded you that email he didn’t write that he found it somewhere on the net but it is true I hope he starts coming in and posting he is a good guy and would be a great addition to the Eagles and yes he is from TEXAS!!!!
HOLD ON A MINUTE KATHY.. I WANT PICTURES OF THOSE 5 VOLUNTEERS!! THIS ISN’T GONNA BE LIKE “LETS MAKE A DEAL” AND BID ON WHATS BEHIND DOOR #3 IS IT? FOR ALL WE KNOW YOU WILL TRY TO SNEAK JIM DIEHL IN THERE. I LOVE YA JIM BUT A DATE IS OUT OF THE QUESTION!!
NOW A TRIP TO “BELIZE” AND SITTIN’ BY THE SPEEDBUMP DON’T SOUND BAD!!
LOL…you shall have pictures Mike. Gabi is putting the finishing touches on it and it will be up and running hopefully tomorrow! And JIM….I’ll go out with you if Mike won’t.
Joe, Dont forget to bring Jim to the Texas site.
Kathy, the date auction idea is ingenious… I wish I had thought of it first, but the only single Eagle I know down here is me! lol
cough, cough……you need to get out of Houston a little bit more there, Kimberly….lol!
Hey Kimberly,
Date nite auction is a national level event. Since I don’t have but a few Eagles in VT as well, we took it national. Check out the forums later today! Gabi did a great peice with the flyer type promo, and bids will be accepted thru the forum. I’ll be writing up and posting an overview of the idea.
(now wondering just HOW I could claim that $$ as VT’s?) LOL!
I agree with Mike B a trip to the speedbump does sound like a good plan!
JOE…DON’T IT THOUGH!
Mike let’s head down to Belize before the others and make the speed bump bigger !!!! LOL we could also add a series of speed bumps
I know one thing it is great to be a part of this and meet the kind of people here that I have been chatting with hopefully one day we can meet in person.
lol Mike, Everytime I leave Houston, I get into trouble!