On Memorial Day 2024, the Brothers of Camp 2 came together in a ceremony with the ladies of the Sarah Emma Seeley Ladies Auxiliary #1 and the Sarah Emma Edmonds Detached Tent #4, DUVCW to remember the Union veterans buried in the G.A.R. plot in Glenwood Cemetery in Houston.
Greetings everyone, Last night’s storm caused power outages to significant portions of Houston – including the Trini Mendenhall Community Center where our Camp meeting was scheduled for tomorrow (Saturday). Calls to the Center have gone unanswered and their Facebook page indicates they are closed today and tomorrow.
Therefore, our Camp meeting tomorrow will be via 100% Zoom.
I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible. Let me know if you have any questions.
In F, C & L,
John Vander Meulen
Camp Commander
The 30th Annual Encampment of the Department of Texas and Louisiana was held in Plano, TX on May 4, 2024. The festivities began Friday evening with a reception at the home of Bro. Don Gates, PDC. There was a Saturday morning brunch then on to the meeting, which was called to order promptly at 1pm by Department Commander Michael Lance. Junior Vice C-in-C Kevin Tucker was on hand to address the Encampment and bring greetings from Commander-in-Chief Hritsko.
The big highlight for Camp 2 was that our very own Commander John Vander Meulen was elected Department JVC. Congratulations Brother John! Congratulations are also in order for our newly elected Department Commander, Brother Timothy M. Phillips, Camp 1, and Department SVC Brook J. Thomas, Camp 18. Other Department officers from Camp 2 installed by JVC-in-C Tucker include Stephen Schulze, Chaplain; Daniel Pourreau, Registrar; Terry Sutton, Graves Registrar; Michael Lance, Historian and John Vander Meulen, Signals Officer.
The Department and each of the Camps presented gifts to outgoing DC Lance in gratitude for his many years of loyal service. A nice GAR medal from the Department and a beautiful GAR presentation sword from Camp 2 were included with the haul. There were service awards for 10, 15 and 20 years of membership. Several Camp 2 members were recognized, including 20 year pins for Stephen Schulze, PDC and Michael Lance, PDC. Commander Vander Meulen presented the Camp 2 Outstanding Brother of the Year Award to Brother Robert Riley. Moments later DC Lance presented Brother Vander Meulen with the Department Outstanding Brother of the Year Award. Congratulations to all the award recipients from Camp 2 and throughout the Department.
One of the main events of the day was an initiation ceremony. We had several members in full uniform, a large meeting hall decorated with flags, charters and other regalia and a room full of Brothers as witnesses. Three brothers were initiated, including our incoming Department Commander. It was a truly impressive and well done ceremony.
Check back later for more once we sort through the hundreds of pictures and several hours of video footage. And, of course, you can read all about it soon in the May issue of The Banner and in the June 2024 issue of our award-winning newsletter, The Harriet Lane.
Huzzah !!
There was a really nice turnout at the April meeting. Highlights included an initiation ceremony for our newest member, Leon Shaffer, and addresses by JVC-in-C Kevin Tucker and Department Commander Michael Lance. We wrapped things up with our traditional post-meeting luncheon, this month at the Hunan Chef. Great food and company!
This is shaping up to be a banner year for Camp 2 and we had a terrific first quarter start. Check out all the latest news in the March 2024 issue of The Harriet Lane.
At our February 2024 Camp meeting we launched a project to fund and commission a Texas historical marker to honor the lives of 10 Union veterans buried in the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) plot at Washington Cemetery in Houston. We need your donations to help us reach our fundraising goal of $3,000.
Please help us by donating to the GAR Marker Fund. Visit the GAR Marker Fund page more for information, and be sure to check back here for updates as we turn this vision into reality!
The Boys in Blue Thank You!
Fraternity – Charity – Loyalty
Department Commander Michael Lance and Camp Commander John Vander Meulen with the new Camp 2 bell, presented to the Camp at the February 17, 2024 meeting as a gift from SVC Daniel Pourreau. The emblem above the bell is a replica of a civil war revenue cutter belt buckle to recognize the Harriet Lane, the ship on which Lt Commander Edward Lea and his comrades served and paid the ultimate price during the Battle of Galveston on January 1st, 1863.
The bell will be used to commemorate the fallen during the annual Battle of Galveston Commemoration Ceremony, and other commemorative events such as grave dedications.
It was a beautiful morning in Galveston as the members of Camp 2 were joined by many good friends, affiliates and guests for the 30th Annual Battle of Galveston Commemoration Ceremony.
