PICTURES from March 21, 2009 MEETING
Pictures by Photos by Charlie Day
Posting the Colors L-R J. Tucker, P. Pardee, H. Nelson, J. Pardee
Opening Song - Armin Marvin, Pianist
INVOCATION: Lord God Almighty,
We come to you today, Lord, with thanksgiving and gratitude for Your many blessings. We ask Your forgiveness for our oversights, transgressions, and neglect. Strengthen our faith, Lord, so that we may find peace in these times when insecurity, anxiety, stress, and uncertainty seem to be daily and widespread emotions in the lives of friends and neighbors. Thank You, Lord, for the things that don't change-such as the joy that graces our souls when we help someone, or the love for family and friends that fills our hearts, and the joy that comes when peace and forgiveness fill our spirits. Thank You, Lord, for being able to see, and hear, and speak, and feel, and taste. It is so comforting, Lord, to know You are watching over us and helping us as You continue to give us the spark and breath of life.
Lord, we thank you for the presence of our guests, Senator Dean and Corporal Phillips. Their lives have been filled with service for others. Bless them and guide them as they continue to perform their duties and responsibilities.
Thank You Lord that we are here in our wonderful and beautiful country-living in security, freedom, and peace. Lord we remember those who fought in previous conflicts to preserve our liberties and way of life. We pray for Your blessings on them. We also pray urgently for Your blessings for those serving today in our military forces, in law enforcement organizations, and for their families and friends. We pray especially for those serving in harms way-please help them, protect them, strengthen them, and keep them safe.
As always, our constant prayer is GOD BLESS AMERICA.
AMEN.
Head Table L-R Harley Nelson, Senator Charles S. Dean Sr., Officer Shannon Pillips, Eric Head,
Jack Townsend, Richard Sumner at Podium.
New Member Recognition for Ronald Dunwoodie.
L - R Richard Sumner, William Teater, Nancy and Ronald Dunwoodie
John Camillo presenting Martha Washington Medal to Barbara Lincoln
Declaration of Independence and Constitution Documents
presented to Eric Head, Asst. Director of Citrus County Libraries,
L - R Harley Nelson, Eric Head, and Richard Sumner
Corporal Shannon Phillips of the Citrus County Sheriff's Office
receiving a Medal for his Heroism.
L - R Corporal Shannon Phillips, Richard Sumner, Hal Marvin
PRESENTATION
Corporal Shannon Phillips is a member of the Citrus County Sheriff's Department, and is assigned duties in the Road Patrol in the area encompassing the west side of Citrus County. Other assigned duties include the Underwater Recovery Team, and the Sheriff's Mutual Aid Response Team-which has involved him in hurricane relief and support efforts in other Florida counties and in other states. Corporal Phillips has been with the Citrus County Sheriff's Department for eleven years-he will complete his 12th year in November 2009. Shannon is engaged to be married; however, to our mutual regret, his fiancée was unable to attend today due to a prior commitment.
On October 13, 2008, Corporal Phillips was working the night shift when he received a call from the dispatcher about a possible burglary in progress at a home in Homosassa. The dispatcher also informed Corporal Phillips the homeowner was hiding in the Master Bath Room. When Shannon arrived at the home, he found two of the front windows broken, thick black smoke pouring out from the eaves, and the house on fire. Attempting to gain entry to the interior of the house as quickly as possible, Shannon gave a strong kick to the front door-only to discover it was a steel door secured to the house by some equally strong bolts. Being a determined fellow, who doesn't give up easily, Shannon put all he had in his effort to breach that steel door with his next two kicks-all to no avail. Finally, Shannon had to resort to breaking the window beside the door so he could reach in and manually unlock the door. Because of the thick smoke, Shannon had to hold his breath as he entered the house and went down the left hallway looking for the lady who had called 911. After returning outside to get another lungful of air, Shannon reentered the house-this time going down the right hallway. He finally found the master bedroom with its master bath, but after calling out loudly several times, he didn't get a response, nor could he see anyone. As Shannon was turning to leave the bathroom, out of the corner of his eye he saw a fluttering of something white. When he opened the shower door, he found the wife. (The husband was at a movie at the time.) As Corporal Phillips was guiding and assisting the wife out of the room, he spotted her purse just before they reached the hallway, so he picked it up and took it because he felt she might need it or be anxious about its contents after they escaped from the house. Once Corporal Phillips had escorted the lady to a safe distance from the burning house, he went to his vehicle, got a fire extinguisher, and once again reentered the house to do what he could to extinguish or control the fire until the arrival of the fire department.
Corporal Shannon Phillips, on behalf of the members of the Withlacoochee Chapter of the Florida State Sons of the American Revolution, it is an honor for us to present you with this Heroes Medal for your actions on October 13, 2008, and we do so with deep respect, admiration, and gratitude.
WELL DONE, CORPORAL SHANNON PHILLIPS!
Senator Charles S. Dean Sr. receiving a Law Enforcement Commendation Medal.
L - R Hal Marvin, Mrs.Judy Dean, Senator Charles S. Dean Sr., Richard Sumner
INTRODUCTION
We have as our guest and speaker for today, the Honorable Charles S. Dean, Florida State Senator, who represents us folks in the Third State Senate District. As the Republican Majority Whip in the Florida Senate, Chair of the Senate's Agriculture Committee, and a member of nine other Senate committees, Charlie is a very busy man, so we are doubly honored to have him with us today to tell us about current topics of interest to all of us in the ongoing legislative update process. Charlie, on behalf of the Withlacoochee Chapter, FLSSAR, I extend to you, your wife, Judy, and your staff our warmest and sincerest welcome.
PRESENTATION
Senator Dean has been involved in preparing for serving, or in actually serving, his friends and neighbors pretty much all of his adult life. Both service to others, and law enforcement, seem to be a part of who Charlie is. Senator Dean's Father was the Citrus County Sheriff from 1928-1945, while his Mother was the Inverness City Clerk from 1956-1974. Charlie's civic contributions to the citizens of Citrus County include: Citrus County School Board, Director of General Services, from 1965-1980; Citrus County Juvenile Court, Juvenile Counselor, from 1972-1975; and being the Citrus County Sheriff from 1981-1996. As our State Senator, Charlie continues and maintains, his interest, expertise, and involvement in law enforcement matters through his membership on the State Senate Committee on Criminal Justice.
Your service, Charlie, is a paradigm, for the activities, interest, and commitment which are necessary to the productive employment of law enforcement in the critical tasks of protecting and defending the rights and freedoms of our citizens in this great county, state, and country in which we live in freedom and peace.
It is a privilege and an honor for the Withlacoochee Chapter to present to Senator Charles S. Dean the Sons of the American Revolution Law Enforcement medal. With her kind permission, I have asked Mrs. Judy Dean, Charlie's wife, to assist in this presentation by pinning the medal on Charlie.
CONGRATULATIONS, and WELL DONE, Senator Dean!
An Audience table showing -
left side, front to back William Gemmill, William Gemmill III and John Tucker
right side, front to back Nancy Dunwoodie, Ronald Dunwoodie, Dave Garraway, Paul Pardee and John Pardee