CALLING ALL CARS!
CALLING ALL CARS!
The Emerald Society of Minnesota INVADES Schell’s Brewing
of New Ulm

Annual Membership Night
Friday, May 16, 2008 @ 7 PM

Come and be a member of a truly fraternal law enforcement organization.
The Emerald Society is open to ALL law enforcement and criminal justice professionals. Your membership sustains the organization which provides the Emerald Society Pipe Band for any law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty anywhere in Minnesota.

Don’t miss this opportunity to support an organization that represents criminal justice professionals in a positive way. Membership costs only $20.00 per year and includes a quarterly newsletter of activities.

Membership Night includes:
Free brewery tour and beer in the Tap Room from 7-10 PM
courtesy of our hosts at Schell’s Brewing

For more information POC Jeremy Reed, 507-233 6754

Click here for the membership application and renewal form.

NEWS FLASH

Click on the above image to see photos from this years
St. Patrick's Day Parade.

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

In December at the regular monthly meeting, nominations for the 2008/2009 Board closed and NO ONE ran for President. It saddened me to know how well the organization is doing and the highs that it achieved during the last few years but no one was willing to step to the fore. I had been writing and telling people for the last year that I would be stepping down as President after this term and I had also approached numerous individuals who I felt may be interested in running for office but no such luck. Then an interesting thing happened… While enjoying my last Member’s night as President, Society Treasurer Pete Crum said that he would be willing to serve as President. I wasn’t sure if Pete had too many Guinness pints but I wasn’t about to let this go. Pete cares about the organization and has done a fine job as Treasurer. I knew that he would also do a fine job as President. We talked further and approached member David McCabe to see if he would be interested in being the Treasurer. He quickly accepted our invitation to serve in this role. (He had also been drinking Guinness. I should have been using it as a strategy all along…) In all seriousness, I was greatly relieved and buoyed at their offers but I also wanted to let it sink in to make sure. I’m glad to report that after speaking with both of them this last week, they are indeed willing to take on these new challenges. I feel the need to explain that this is not a done deal and that this organization’s leadership garners their positions through elections, but the bylaws offer guidance:

On March 17th, St. Patrick’s Day, my term will end and the new Board will take over. The Board at that time will be Vice President Jack Davy, Secretary Jim Campbell, Treasurer Pete Crum, and Sgt. at Arms Kevin Ivory with the President position vacant.  Jack will be “acting” President until the regular position is filled. The Board has the authority to appoint members to fill vacancies in the Board for the remainder of the term. This new Board can then appoint Pete as President and later, David McCabe as Treasurer. This will be the Board’s option and I expect that they will address the issue at the April regular monthly meeting.  I want to be very clear that I am not trying to dictate an outcome, but rather give clarity to the process. It will be up to the elected Board after March 17th to make any of these decisions. This obviously is not the way things should be done. It would have been best if the positions were all filled through an election but the new Board will be left with no choice as that did not occur. I wish them luck in their deliberations.

This again points to the need for members to consider becoming more involved. The Emerald Society of Minnesota is a great organization and is one of the premier Emerald Societies in the country. It fulfills a need underscored by making sure that The Pipe Band it endorses will always be available to the families of officers killed in the line of duty.

MEMBER SERVICES;

Over our two terms in office, Secretary Dan Murphy and I have made a concerted effort to improve member services. The web site at www.emeraldsocietymn.org has become a good place to check for updates or information about Society events. Sometimes information isn’t available at the time of the newsletter printing with regards to an event a few months away. In a case like this, members can find updates on the web site. This information avenue hasn’t been used to its full potential and it certainly could have been updated more often. It is an area that I encourage the next Board to explore. I’m sure that they would really appreciate anyone with expertise who would like to volunteer their time to deal with this.

The roster is an ongoing, major endeavor to keep updated as members move, or new members join throughout the year. Murph has put a great deal of effort into keeping the roster current. He is acutely aware of how big an effort this is and how important it is. With that in mind, he has volunteered to be the “roster guy”, and will continue to make all updates for the next Secretary! Thanks Dan and thanks for being a trusted partner for the last four years.

The newsletter will continue to be sent on a quarterly basis. We made a change to glossy paper this year. It’s more expensive but the publication looks way better. Associate member and Newsletter Editor Paul Angeles has been a great help to the Society and deserves our thanks. Thank you Paul for all you’ve done for this organization. I know that Paul is looking to move on so the Board will be looking for a volunteer for this position. During the course of the last few years we have streamlined the newsletter process allowing most of the work to be done through e-mail or electronically. Please take your newsletters to work and share them with others. It will give you an opportunity to explain that the Emerald Society is open to all criminal justice professionals of ANY nationality. In Minnesota, we base it on the tradition of the Irish cop, but our members are from all backgrounds and are people who understand how important our commitment is to positive support of the profession. A great way to point this out is through explaining the tradition of the Minnesota Police Pipe Band playing at funerals of officers killed in the line of duty which was started through a collaboration of the Emerald Society and the Band. Your membership helps to continue this very important service for communities, co-workers, friends, and most importantly, families as they work their way through the grieving process.

FINANCIAL:

Treasurer Pete Crum has continued to do a great job as Treasurer. There really isn’t much to report on this front as the Society hasn’t had to make many changes in the last year. We previously consolidated our bank accounts making all tracking and transactions easier.

The organization continues to be financially sound. Apart from spearheading our hosting of Emerald Societies in Washington DC at Police memorial Week in 2006, this is the thing that I’m most proud of. We have come a long way to make sure that this organization is on solid financial footing and will continue well into the future.

CHARITY:

The Emerald Society again gave away over $10,000 this year. These donations were given to a diverse number of causes that we can all be proud of. We gave to The Children’s Program of Northern Ireland as they help to cement future peace in that part of the world by bringing kids here where they see people of different races and religion live and work side by side. We gave to the Minnesota 100 Club who helps families of public safety personnel when they have suffered a loss. We gave to Failte’ Minnesota’s effort to create an Irish Cultural Heritage Center in Minnesota, and last, but certainly not least, we gave to the Minnesota Police Pipe Band as they continue with our great relationship and as they provide piping instruction to anyone who wants to learn. It is always gratifying to hand checks to these fine organizations, but beyond that, it solidifies our ties with them. Because of member’s efforts, the Emerald Society is highly regarded in our community.

GOALS:

There is not much that I can say about this area either. It will be up to the next Board to establish some new goals. I encourage them to “think big” and push the envelope a bit. I believe having a big vision can excite people and bring in new members and volunteers.

A goal of mine was to have meetings in some areas outside of the twin cities. We have had three good meetings in Duluth and I hope that continues. Although I won’t be President when it occurs, arrangements have been made for a meeting this May at Schell’s Brewing in New Ulm to try and better connect with our brother and sister officers from southern Minnesota. I look forward to this being a great success.

In closing I want to humbly say thank you to all who have supported me as President. The accomplishments could not have happened without a great deal of help and people believing in big ideas. The Emerald Society of Minnesota hosting in Washington DC in 2006 is a great example. Thank you also for allowing me to serve you. I can honestly say that being your President has been one of the greatest privileges of my life.

Lastly, I want to thank my wife Connie. She is always there to help or just listen. I’ve been a very lucky man and being her husband proves it.

Sincerely,
Mark P. Wiegel
President
Emerald Society of Minnesota

NEWS FLASH

Lightening Strikes Same Place Twice!
Dan Collins Shares the Wealth!

What are the odds?  Membership night, on stage and Erin Murphy pulled the winning ticket, the winner?  Dan Collins,  (ret. St. Paul P.D.) who was the winner of the steak and beer for a year in 2007.   Before the crowd took a breath to let out a boo, Dan Collins strode to the stage and said “draw again and I will split it with ‘em.”   Erin drew again, and Dan Perry, retired Crystal P.D. was the lucky recipient of half of Collins spoils.   Thank you to all who made this fundraiser such a success! Congratulations to Dan Perry and Dan Collins.   Dan Collins, you are nothing but a class act!

Time to Pass the Baton!

By Dan Murphy

Well, where do you start to say goodbye?   After serving the Emerald Society proudly for a number of years it is time for me to step down and pass the baton to the very capable hands of Jim Campbell.  I started with the Emerald Society in the early 1990s with handling the merchandise for the society under Bill Gillett who was then president.  I had a ball and eventually took on more and more responsibilities.  When two friends of mine were killed, it became my mission to make sure that the Emerald Society would ensure that the Pipe Band would be provided free of charge at the funeral of EVERY Minnesota Law Enforcement officer killed in the line of duty.  I partnered with Mark Wiegel on this endeavor, and it is probably one of the accomplishments that I am most proud of.   From merchandise, to raffles, ball games to shamrock sales we have done very well.  Now it is time for me to re prioritize my life and let some one else run with their vision of the Emerald Society.  I encourage you all to assist the new board however and whenever you can.   It has been an honor to serve you.

You are Expired!

Yes, you are!  That is if on your mailing address it says expired in 2007!  Remember, in order to clear up confusion, our membership cycle changed to a calendar year.  If on the address label it says you expired in 2007, then you are!   Please renew ASAP!