Chef’s Corner

Grand Chef de Gare’s remarks at installation

 

             Chef de Chemin de Fer Lang, National Officers, Grand Officers, Voyageurs. Dames and Guests:

 

It is an honor to stand before you today as we together start another year in La Societe’.  Who would have thought that this retired Master Chief would have the opportunity to serve in this honored capacity.  It is only possible because of the leadership, the training and the caring of those who make up the membership of Voiture 1510 and the Grande du Kansas and I thank them for that.

 

             I would like to thank everyone in this assembly for your service to La Societe’ and the contributions you have made in the past years.  I have gained more than I can ever repay from your leadership.  In particular I want to thank my wife Pat for her support.

 

             Last year a vote was taken concerning our membership requirements.  Whether you agree or disagree, that vote is now history.  Now we must work together, united as one group for the good of La Societe’, because divided we will fail and our organization will fall to its death in a short period of time.  There are 238,000 veterans in Kansas, and 1% of those should be in the 40 and 8.    Today, we need to help ourselves and to do it quickly.  We must recognize the importance of increasing our membership if we intend to stay alive.  Each voiture needs to have one wreck per year as does the Grande.

 

             Two and one-half years ago I ask for your help in putting on the Promenade Nationale, and you came through like gangbusters.  I am again asking your help.  We need to bring back the fun to our organization.  We need to promote all of our programs to our youth and the general public.  We need to work with all veterans organizations and promote Americanism programs, our flags for First Graders and respect for our flag, our elders and our leaders as it was intended many years ago.  May we never forget our POW/MIA programs and continue to honor those who have and are giving their lives so that you and I may continue to live in peace and freedom.  I am asking today that we promote our scholarship program for the descendants of POW/MIA’s.

 

             Medical technology has advanced farther than ever before, and so we as a society are living longer.  This requires even more so the need for nurses and our nurses scholarship programs.  Our youth of today will replace us in the future and it is our obligation to make sure they are properly trained to do so.

 

             I can only ask that each of you return the favor and sponsor a new member just as someone sponsored you when you joined.  Possibly sponsor two or three and help us achieve our goal.  Achieving our goal will allow us to double our programs, provide double our service to our communities, and have double the fun doing so.  It’s fun being a winner, and you are winners or you wouldn’t be here.  So just say, “I would like to sponsor you into the 40&8”.

 

             Blaine, for a vertically challenged person, you set the bar awfully high.  With the help of the voyaguers militare, we will be up to the challenge, and along the way, have some fun.  I look forward to serving with you and in closing I would ask each of you to do one thing for me.  I would ask, as in the words of Chef de Chemin de Fer Passé Bernie Sampson, “Git er done”.

 

             May God bless our men and women in our Armed Forces and may God bless the United States of America.