The Fort Brooke Record

August 2002
Volume 8, Issue 8

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NO AUGUST MEETING

Compatriots,

The Florida Pioneer Festival will be held in Dade City, on the Florida Pioneer Museum grounds this Labor Day weekend, August 31 to Sept. 2. This is a Lesley Camp event. I would like to invite and welcome all to participate, including all ladies that may be interested. Wear your period attire to work at the Camp exhibit and GET IN FREE in the north gate. Last year was the first time that we participated in this event and it was a huge success. Please call me at 352-523-2817 and let me know what times and days you can help.

Even if you don't want to help out I would like to encourage you to go to the Pioneer Festival. It is truly a good time for the family. There is always the WBTS re-enactment to see, but if your interests are wider, then there is much more as well. There's good music and good food and lots of history.

The Florida Pioneer Museum is a hidden gem here in Dade City with a great many artifacts dating back not only to the white man's settlement of the area but to the native Indians as well. Exhibitors are plentiful and sutlers for shopping. A small entry fee will be charged for visitiors not in period attire.

Deo Vindice,

Compatriot Dean H. Leferink

Festival Location: 14218 US Highway 98 Bypass in Dade City (NE of Tampa).

Directions: I-75 north, take the SR-52 exit-
#59 east towards DADE CITY/NEW PORT RICHEY. 0.23 miles. Turn RIGHT onto FL-52. 9.90 miles. Turn LEFT onto US-98 BYP/FL-533. 0.02 miles on your right.

Apology & Thank You

In last month's issue of the Fort Brooke Record you read about the huge success of the July 4th Parade. You read that 1000 mini Battleflags were distributed to the crowd.

ut what you didn't hear (but should have) was that at the June meeting, one special person's generous donation helped make possible the distribution of these flags. For this we owe Sharon Dragneff a special 'thank you'. Sharon, your dedication to the Cause is appreciated and important! Also a special note….2nd Lt. Cmdr. Mike Herring made a sizeable donation through his store, Forrest Station, for the purchase of these flags.

Many curious youngsters will be drawn to know the truth of the Confederacy because of the beautiful flag they received on the 4th of July. THANK YOU!

CAMP WISH LIST

The "On Fire" Lesley Camp is constantly striving to fulfill our Charge. The following items are on our 'wish list'. If you can help or know someone who can...please contact any of the officers.

• Site along Interstate in Hillsborough County for Flagpole with LARGE flag and monument
• 16' - 2 axle box trailer
• Camp Hall (permanent building for meetings, storage, events, etc.)
• GREAT pictures of camp activities

HERITAGE UPDATE
VICTORY IN CRESTVIEW!

VICTORY! With a unanimous vote on July 23rd, the Crestview City Council decided to continue to fly the flag over the memorial to William "Uncle Bill" Lundy, Florida's last surviving Civil War veteran, who died in 1957. The NAACP continues to threaten economic sanctions against the city so long as it flies, and suggested a compromise of taking the flag down and putting it "in a box".

AP news reports: Sam Hayes, the council's only black member, ...delivered an impassioned speech to keep the banner flying. Wearing his Army uniform, the veteran of three wars pulled out his tattered brown and tan Company A battle flag with two bullet holes and said it was comparable to the Confederate banner because both were used in combat. "I am offended by what people perceive it represents," Hayes said. "We are fighting about the battle flag, not the Confederate flag."

SCV FL Division Cdr. John W. Adams credits Division 1st Lt. Cdr. Douglas Dawson, Division Public Affairs, Phillip White and Cdr. Dean Tucker of Camp 1699 and the over 165 SCV members in the area who contributed time efforts and money to achieve the victory.