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Greetings Veterans and Patriots,

What a great weekend for the 22nd Anniversary of the POW*MIA Awareness Rally and Motorcycle Rodeo! Thank you to everyone for helping to make it a success! It took a lot of hard work and dedication. Whether your role was large or small it took all of us together to make it happen. We have fantastic sponsors, volunteers, members, dignitaries, vendors, participants, and attendees. Together we raised awareness of the POW/MIA Accounting Mission, enjoyed the camaraderie of others who believe like we do, and raised money to support a great cause. THANK YOU!

There are so many to thank such as Cami and the Rodeo Crew led by Marc Romero, for putting together a very entertaining and well-run rodeo! It was great to induct Byron Roan into the Rodeo Hall of Fame. He was well-deserving since he put together the first great Rodeo Crew.  Thank you, Victor, and his better half LeAnne for stepping up and taking on the Facility Lane at a most crucial time. We missed being able to have Ann Mill-Griffiths as our speaker and hope she is recuperating quickly. Hiedi did a great reading the prepared message from National League of POW/MIA Families. This is just a small group of those that need to be thanked. I know I missed many of you that should be thanked personally because the list goes on and on. Please know that I appreciate all the time that each of you put forward to pull the Rally off successfully once again. All of you are important and we couldn’t do what we do without you.

Now it’s that time of the year that new leadership must be selected for open board positions for the upcoming year. The rotation for these open positions is set by the bylaws. Team Leaders are asked to commit to 2 years so ideally each year half of the board would rotate out. Some positions that are open will be a one-year term because some board members stepped down because of unforeseen circumstances.
The only requirements to apply are to have a willingness and availability to serve the Association in fulfilling its mission. We need people with the drive to carry this Association forward. We encourage anyone interested in a position to apply by submitting a statement stating your interest for a position. If you need information about what a particular position entails or added to the agenda to interview, contact Shannon at 208-221-1294 or recorder@powmiarodeo.org
Board Position Interviews will be conducted at the Board Meeting on Wednesday, August 3, 2022, at 6pm at Liberty Hall 325 W Benton, Pocatello. If you are interested in applying, but cannot make the meeting, please let Shannon know, so we can try to make other arrangements. When interviewing please bring a letter requesting the position you are interested in applying for, reason you would like to apply, and qualifications you have that make you the best choice for that position.
Here is the list of Board Positions that are open for new leadership.  If you think you have good ideas to help move this Association forward, there has never been a better time to get involved.

Admin, Marketing, Sales, and Treasure fall into the even year of renewing (ByLaws, page 7) and are required to reapply if they wish to remain in their position. 
Admin: Scott Giles – Not Reapplying (Open 2- year commitment)
Marketing: Cami Chopski – Reapplying (Open 2- year commitment)
Sales: Traci Cowden – Not Reapplying (Open 2- year commitment)
Treasurer: Nicki Chopski –Reapplying (Open 2- year commitment)

Entertainment, Facilities, Special Liaison, Events, and CO fall into the odd year of renewing (By Laws, page 7)
Entertainment: Joe Fitzen – Stepping Down (Open 1-year commitment)
Events: Jeff Butler – Undecided at this time/probably stepping down
(1-year commitment)
Facilities: Victor Salinas – Undecided at this time/probably finishing of the 2-year term (1-year commitment)
Special Liaison: Dawn Williams – Stepping Down (Open 1-year commitment)
The CO position is open. Brandon has served a two-year commitment and is stepping down. A minimum prerequisite to become the CO is having served for at least two years in some capacity as a Board Member. XO, SAA, and Recorder are appointed by the CO and will also need to be refilled.

Our next General Meeting is the Appreciation Dinner, August 26th at Simplot Park, 1150 W. Highway 30, Pocatello, 5pm Social Hour & 6pm Call to Order.

Thank you to all of our Rally and Raffle Sponsors!  Your generous donations sustain our efforts to increase the public awareness of the POW*MIA (Prisoner of War and Missing in Action) issue for the fullest possible accounting of our nation’s unreturned service members.  We appreciate all of your support in this vital endeavour!

Thank you,

9th Annual Montana Ride to Remember
Saturday, August 20th Memorial Park, Helena
Registration 7-9am $20 a bike
Opening Ceremony 9:30am KSU 10:15am
183 miles Helena to West Yellowstone US 287 POW/MIA Memorial Highway
Closing Ceremony immediately following ride
More information to follow for the Pocatello riders to gather and ride together.

Appreciation Dinner/August General Meeting
Friday, August 26th 5pm Social Hour, 6pm Call to Order at Simplot Park
Note: This is not the 3rd Friday in August. We moved the appreciation dinner and August general membership meeting to accommodate those riding in the Montana Ride to Remember.

9/11 Eighteenth Anniversary Community Commemoration
No information yet
It is usually held on Sept. 11
11am on the steps of the Bannock County Courthouse (624 E Center)
When we know more, we will let you know

National POW/MIA Recognition Day/September General Meeting
September 16, 2022 will be proclaimed by the President as National POW/MIA Recognition Day. Across the country, local POW/MIA ceremonies are encouraged to focus on sustaining commitment to account for our missing.
Friday, September 16th 7pm at the Southeast Idaho Veteran’s Memorial, Ross Park
This is also considered our General Meeting for the month of September.

Idaho State University and POW*MIA Awareness Association Missing Man Chair Dedication
Saturday, September 17 at noon at the ISU Holt Arena
The chair will serve as a reminder to our veterans and their families that they are never forgotten.
This will be the first Missing Man Chair placed in a collegiate stadium in Idaho. Both the leadership of ISU and POW*MIA are super excited to a part of this dedication. Thank you, Nicki and Cami, for getting this started and Dawn for following through to the finish line.
More details will follow.

Retire with Respect
We are collecting worn or tattered US flags to retire in our Retire with Respect ceremony.
Please bring your worn and tattered US flags to any of our events.