Gun and Relic Show-2005
Once again it’s time for the annual Gun and Relic Show held at the Eagles Club in Riverton. The show will be March 5&6. As usual we are requesting pies, cakes, cookies, anything sweet to sell out of the kitchen. Your support in the past has been great and I am sure it will be again this year. Speaking of help, we are always seeking help with the kitchen (we also provide soup, hot dogs, etc.) and with the front gate (selling admissions). Pat Patrick is heading up the kitchen this year and if you are able to help out, please contact her before the show dates at 624-5481.
We need to set tables and chairs up Friday night (March 4). The Eagles puts on a very good, all you can eat, either chicken or walleye dinner on Friday night. They serve from 6pm-8pm and then we can arrange tables afterward. So come on out and join us Friday evening for a good meal, good company, a few lies and a little work. I look forward to seeing all of you there.
Just a side note.....Jerry Hopgood graciously allowed his garage to be used and spent the better part of two days painting and lettering signs, getting them ready for the show. Thanks Jerry!!!!!!!
Ansel Burdett is again furnishing Chili for the show. This will be his third year of helping us out and he is not even a member. Ansel has refused each time to let us reimburse him. No good deed should go unnoticed or unappreciated. When it dries up, he has a short section of field tile that needs put in.......with 4-5 guys (gals welcome to) it wouldn’t take very long for us as a unit to return the favor. Please let Phill Patrick know if you are available.....
And a big thanks to our President, Jerry Blissett for cutting the signs to size. Everyone pulling together is what makes this unit work.
Annual meeting minutes
Events:
Lincoln
Library-April 16-17
The 7th Cavalry has been asked to participate in the dedication of the Lincoln Library. Promises to be a huge event. Several past presidents are expected to attend, torch light parade, etc.. There are a couple of possible problems: They may not allow horses and they may not allow weapons of any kind.....this has not yet been decided by the coordinators. As I find out additional information, it will be passed along.
Keokuk-
April23&24
Members voted to go to Keokuk instead of Auburn this year. This is a fairly small battle field and we have been plagued by rain in the past...be prepared. (The sun will shine this year!)
Auburn
Due to a less than friendly reception at Auburn during their Red Bud Festival...the members voted not to go back to Auburn at this time. (Later date rumor has the entire event being cancelled by Auburn).
Glenwood -May?
Presentations for the 5th Grade classes. We do a round robin with between 10-12 classes. Kids really enjoy it, some great questions. We usually have lunch with the teachers following the presentations. Another good timed. If you have a particular presentation you would like to make or to assist someone else, please contact M. Summerville 483-5906
Jacksonville-June(tba)
Definitely a go. Good battlefield for the crowd. Plenty of room to maneuver the horses. Last year the weather was very kind to us, lets hope for the same this year.
Civil War
Round table-July
Is attempting to put together a number of sites to celebrate when General Grant march through the area.. No battle, just a laid back camp day. Again, as more information comes in, will pass it along.
Elkhart-July16&17
Elkhart is celebrating its 150th Anniversary and has asked us to participate by setting up a camp and putting on some type of horse demonstration during Saturday. They are prepared to offer us a donation. Again, as more information comes in, will pass it along.
Jerseyville-
September September 3,4 and 5.
Battle and just a great laid back weekend.
Site M —?
Another laid back weekend. Ride the trails, tell lies around the fire and just have a good time.
If anyone has any other event they are interest in, please do not hesitate to share it with the rest of the group. We are always looking for new things.
Dues
Due to the financial condition of the unit at this time. A motion was made and passed reducing memberships dues from $50 to $30. Associate memberships were also reduced from $20 to $10.
Raffle tickets A motion was made and passed allowing $1 credit for each $2 of raffle tickets sold. This credit maybe applied to horse and equipment rental.
Dues--
For those of you who need to pay dues......dues are now $30 annually. Please send check to Michael Summerville, 809 Oxford Drive, Chatham, IL 62629
06/25/2005--Update on the Jacksonville event: Well once more we have had a fabulos weekend at J-ville, those of you who missed ti missed a really nice weekend. The weather was great and the confederates were easy. Matt Jackson commanded on the field and did a superb job, welcome back DR. Matt. We held the drawing for the Walker, it was won by *********** . Our next event will be Elkheart the 22,23,24 of July. This will be a living history, demo and parade. We heard from the SCISSORBUTT with an excuse again this year. He claims to be a counselor for a youth camp. He said that this kept him from being at J-ville. With his past history of wild stories for not showing up( went to Europe two years ago?) we will check and see if he really is an employee of a youth camp. Seriously if you have time send Kyle an e-mail, he needs some adult contacts.
Poke the war horse, Star of numerous movies and beloved member of the 7th Cavalry has died of natural causes. Many a man and boy's first introduction into the world of Cavalry was on the back of Poke. He was a forgiving and tolerant friend and managed to make many of us inept riders look good in spite of ourselves. One particular habit of his was....if his rider asked him to do something that wasn't quite on the up and up.....Poke would turn and look at the rider sitting on him out of the corner of his eye. Then you could almost feel the unspoken question...Are you sure this is really what you want to do? If the rider still indicated, either through rein or heel that was what he wanted. Poke would let out a sigh and do it, while trying to keep the idiot on his back (who should have known better) from getting hurt. He was extremely tolerant of individuals who thought they knew more than they actually did.
Shortly after Poke came to the 7th Cavalry, he picked Phil Patrick out, as the one he preferred. And it was obvious to everyone that Poke was Phill's horse. Poke would occasionally escape from the pickett line during the night. He never wandered far, in fact, he was generally standing next to Phill's tent in the morning, just waiting for the boys to get up and give him his breakfast. It was almost like a marriage...Phill would aggravate Poke and Poke would turn right around and aggravate Phill back. All the rest of the 7th Cavalry members agreed, and felt, Poke could have done better.
War horse, movie star, and friend.....all he ever asked for, in an unspoken way, was a light touch on the reins and an occasional ear rub. He shall be missed, but his memory will live on in the many tales, I'm sure will be told around the camp fire. Perhaps we shall meet again at that "Big Pasture" in the sky................................I hope so.
"Man is the only specie who takes in and cares for another species, simply for the companionship." Author Unknown.
