The Ball is rapidly approaching.  The Ball Committee is dedicated to bringing all the details together for a quality event.

For any who would like to help, we could use items for the auction/raffle.  There is a form you can print from the home page of our website to donate items.

We could also use more photographs related to World War I.  It goes with the theme this year.  It could be photos of relatives who served or places in the war.  No originals, please.  Scans would be great.  Ideally, you can provide us with digital photos on a disc or thumb drive.  But whatever you have, we can work with.

Looking forward to November 4th.  

Scott

Your Birthday Ball Committee continues to work on details of the Birthday Ball scheduled for November 4th.  As mentioned before, we sold out in May but with cancellations, Jim Yakubsin is drawing from those on the waiting list to give them the opportunity to attend.

Jim has also worked with the hotel to increase the seating to 270.

We are asking everyone: if you have advised us that you are attending but you have not paid yet, please pay as soon as possible to reserve your commitment.  There are many people with money in hand standing by for open seats.  This is going to be an outstanding event with a formal plated meal and live entertainment, and the tickets are only $35.00.  It just doesn't get any more awesome than that.

We continue to receive support from the community in the form of advertisements and sponsorships.  We are grateful for their support.

Enjoy the rest of summer!  Semper Fi.

Scott DuPree
2017 Birthday Ball Chairman
Gator 990, Marine Corps League

At the General meeting on May 23rd, Eagle Scout Josiah Moody was recognized for achieving the highest rank in the Boy Scouts program.  The Marine Corps and the Marine Corps League recognize and reward those Scouts who demonstrate the initiative and drive it takes to accomplish the requirements of the Eagle Scout rank.

Josiah's maternal grandfather served on active duty for over 15 years before his battle with cancer ended.  Josiah's mother Kemberly said this is very special to Josiah and even more special to her as she rekindled her connection with Marines since her father's passing when she was 16.  Josiah's father expressed his sincere appreciation not only for the recognition, but also for the contribution by our Marines and members to the United States.  

The award was presented with about 30 members and guests present and his sisters watched proudly as he received the Marine Corps League's Distinguished Citizen Award designed specifically for Eagle Scouts.

This family is part of our Marine family and we were honored to be a part of their story.  The Marines say Semper Fidelis; always faithful.

Scott DuPree
Past Commandant
Eagle Scout Liaison

I have posted messages and mentioned at meetings that you should get your tickets quickly as we thought the event would sell out well before the November date.  

All of our tables are already accounted for and there are very few seats available for the November event. 

If you haven't bought tickets or notified us that you will be attending, you should contact Jim Yakubsin as soon as possible at 352.222.8837.  

Marine Anthony Marquez has been at our meetings consistently for quite a while now.

Anthony, a sports marketing major at UF, spearheaded our challenge coin program which is on course to raise over $1000 for us by November. Last year, Anthony was the "Youngest Marine" in our ball ceremony.

Anthony has been hired by the Denver Broncos in their marketing area and may be departing in May.  We wish him great success in the NFL and look forward to his future visits to tell us how it is going.

The Ball Committee met recently.  The menu this year will be similar to last year's but the Prime Rib is being replaced with a Roasted Sirloin served with a port wine sauce. We all agreed it was very good.  And it allows us to keep our tickets at $35.00 each.

We are all excited about having a live band this year.  We have hired Those Guys Jazz out of Orlando.  We went to St. Augustine to hear them play and it was unanimous that they will bring a lively atmosphere to this year's event.

Our ad forms have just been published.  Fliers will be out shortly and tickets should be available in May.  Online ticket sales will begin May 1st.

This year we will be conducting a raffle instead of a true silent auction and we will not have a live auction. We will also have the classic 50/50 where someone will walk away with half of that money!

A slight change in our configuration will allow us to bring in nearly 250 guests.  But we expect the ball to sell out early again.  We have plenty of people returning, as well as commitments from Marines and guests in Lake City, Chiefland and Ocala.

When tickets go on sale, please don't put it off.  We want you to be there.

At the General Meeting on March 28th, our elected officers were installed for their one-year term of office.  The current Board of Trustees remains active as Commandant Jim Yakubsin, Senior Vice Commandant Vernon Kisling, Junior Vice Commandant Bob Gasche and Judge Advocate John Murdoch were all installed.  Junior Past Commandant Dick Lester remains on the Board as well.

Our detachment has been involved in a variety of activities during the year and we look forward to our officers leading us through the next year.  Come to the meetings on the fourth Tuesday of each month.  You might hear about some activity that would interest you.  Help our officers as they take care of our detachment business.

Our birthday ball committee works a lot during the year to bring you a great event. We met recently with the initial planning of the November 4th ball which will once again be at the Best Western Gateway Grand.

We have made some early decisions about the ball, such as keeping the $35 ticket prices, so we are now in a position to roll out our fliers, ad forms and tickets by the beginning of May.  We will be finalizing the menu shortly.  We are scouting some live bands for entertainment as that is what we want to do this year.

Our theme this year will be 100 years since America's entry into The Great War, later known as World War I and we will have some information and decorations at the event to support the theme.  

We are excited to have a retired Marine Colonel coming as our Guest of Honor.  He lives in Live Oak and we will ensure he experiences a top notch birthday ball.

When tickets go on sale (hardcopy and on-line) I will let everyone know.  We will only have 240 tickets, so I know they will sell quickly.  We already have commitments for a good number of tables.  In addition to local guests, we will see people coming from Lake City, Live Oak, Chiefland and Ocala, to name a few.  So when you hear tickets are on sale, please take the opportunity to purchase them before the event sells out.

The Birthday Ball Committee wishes you a good year as we develop this great annual event for you.  Semper Fi.

Scott DuPree
Gator 990 Marine Corps Birthday Ball
Chairman

We have had enough positive feedback that we are now scheduling our social events once a month.  We meet up somewhere on the first Monday of the month.  We want to meet with our friends from the Vietnam Veterans of America, so we wait until they set the location and we meet up with them.

We have been to Gators Dockside, World of Beer, Sal's Place and a few other locations.  We get to see our fellow members as well as some good folks from the VVA.  

It will be every first Monday starting around 5:30pm, so mark your calendars.  Then you just have to watch to see which location we will go to.

Hope to see you at the next one on April 3rd (location to be announced.)

Thanks to the dedication and diligent work by your birthday ball committee, the ball held on November 5th was a premium event.  Our Guest of Honor, MSgt Duane King - Drum Major of the U.S. Marine Band - said he has attended more than 500 birthday balls in his 22-year career, including many in Washington DC and that this our ceremony was "as good or better than any of them, really first class." He spoke highly of all those who led and participated, and the environment of celebration which was created for all in attendance.  

I have to thank Jim Yakubsin for his success in selling tickets, sponsorships and seating assignments.  Assistant Chair Sandy Golden was responsible for the decoration and atmosphere in the room and procuring the items for the auctions.  Sandra Torres-Pintos was the narrator and in charge of the traditional ceremony.  Many thanks to Dave Snyder (TV20) once again for his support in entertainment (and bringing our old friend Ron Burgandy back to the stage.) Our DJ was "DJ Tibbs."  Our photographer was Eric Borkowski.  All of our audio-visual support was handled by Fred Judkins. We had volunteers who participated in the event and worked in positions of support during the evening and to those we said "Job Well Done."

Without our sponsors we would not have had the money to give you this superior event for only $35.00.  ComfortTemp was a major donor.  Joe Vasquez, SkyFrog Tree Service, donated many services.  Kelly Harris, Kelly's Kreations, created and donated the valuable centerpieces. We also thank World of Beer, Hitchcock's Markets, Santa Fe College Subway, and Wade & Christie Wheeler for their generous donations.

Last year the bar was set high.  This year we cleared it.  As Marines do, we will move the bar a little higher and plan to meet that challenge on November 4th, 2017 at the next Marine Corps Birthday Ball at the Gateway Grand.

Semper Fi

Scott DuPree
Chairman, Birthday Ball Committee
Gator Detachment 990, Marine Corps League