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D-21 Squadrons:
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Galveston Bay Sail & Power Squadron
Houston Sail & Power Squadron
Lake Charles Sail & Power Squadron
Lower Rio Grande Sail & Power Squadron
Oklahoma City Sail & Power Squadron
San Antonio Sail & Power Squadron
Shreveport Sail & Power Squadron
D-21 Squadron's
Bylaws
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Welcome to District 21
BACKGROUND
The national organization, United States Power Squadrons ® (USPS), meets the
needs of all boaters, both power and sail, big and small, by providing boating
educational courses to all current and prospective boaters; and by offering
advanced boating education, civic service opportunities, and fraternal boating
events to members. District 21 is one of 31 districts which make up the USPS, a
non-profit boating organization devoted to safe boating through education, and
also known as America’s Boating Club ®. Our members are enthusiastic sailors
and power boaters.
District 21 encompasses the eastern half of Texas, the southern half of Oklahoma,
and the western three-fourths of Louisiana. Districts are made up of local squadrons.
The squadrons are the “heart” of the USPS ® organization. District 21 has ten
squadrons: seven in Texas, two in Louisiana, and one in Oklahoma. We have a
unique natural setting in the Gulf of Mexico on the southern boundary of our district
plus scenic lakes and rivers inland that make possible our boating enjoyment and
adventures.
The district organization, an intermediate level between the national organization
and the squadrons, is the nucleus for group action of squadrons assigned by the
Governing Board to a specific district. It oversees administration of programs to
educate and train members and the public; and it provides opportunities for social
intercourse among members and families of assigned squadrons. The only “members”
of a district are the assigned squadrons themselves. Each has voting power in district
affairs. The district organization is in close contact with all national departments and
committees and stands by to assist squadrons. It is a channel for communication
between national departments and squadrons, insuring uniformity of action by squadrons.
HISTORY (P/D/C James Foster, Jr., AP; P/D/LT/C Joseph "Tom" Hanley, SN;
Dallas Sail and Power Squadron …with others)
District 21 was founded 20 October 1956. Houston Power Squadron, whose charter
was granted in 1949, was a District 15 Squadron. Houston sponsored Piloting courses in
Lake Charles. Lake Charles was granted a charter in 1952. Corpus Christi (name changed
to Coastal Bend in November 2004, to better reflect their membership region) followed
with a charter in 1955, followed by Dallas, chartered on 28 January 1956.
Twenty-six members of Houston, Lake Charles, Corpus Christi, and Dallas attended the
1956 Dstrict 15 Fall Conference in New Orleans. Chief Commander William C. Wolfmuller, N,
released the four Squadrons from District 15 and approved the organization of a new District.
Ben Calhoun, a district 15 Past District Commander, who helped form the new Squadrons,
acted as Chairman of the organizational meeting. P/C Morris N. Badeaux, JN, was elected to
serve as the first Commander of the newly formed District 21.
Houston assisted in the formation of San Antonio in 1958, Galveston Bay in 1958, and Austin
in 1961. Dallas helped its neighbor to the west, and Fort Worth was granted a charter in 1958.
Lake Charles provided assistance to Beaumont, chartered in 1958, Orange, chartered in 1960,
and Shreveport, chartered in 1966. A Squadron called Bolivar Roads was chartered in 1963,
but dissolved in 1987.
Shreveport supported Ouachita, who received a charter in 1970. Corpus Christi also helped in
San Antonio, then assisted Lower Rio Grande Valley, who received a charter in 1974.
Lake Charles assisted in forming District 21's newest Squadron, Acadiana, chartered in May
1991. Corpus Christi changed its name to Coastal Bend in 2004. Oklahoma City joined District
21 upon pending dissolution of District 31 in 2015.
DISTRICT FLAG (P/D/C Charles T. Ashford, SN Galveston Bay Power Squadron)
The District 21 flag was designed in 1998 by P/D/C Charles T. Ashford, SN from Galveston Bay
Power Squadron while he was District Commander. The flag is a symbolic blend of the Texas
and Louisiana state flags, and the USPS ® triangle: the Lone Star from the Texas' state flag,
the Pelican from Louisiana's state flag, and the USPS Triangle of Self Education, Civic Service,
and Fraternal Boating Club. The "21" references District 21. Charles enlisted the help of Susan
Capon, who had an artist's eye, to arrange these symbols in an aesthetic style. (Susan is the
wife of P/C Don Capon from the Fort Worth Sail and Power Squadron. They have since moved
to Florida.) Several colors were explored for the flag, and red was chosen because it looked the
best when the sun shined through it. The blue and white colors were chosen for "readability".
The D/21 Flag now has a gold border reflecting District 21’s 50th Anniversary celebrated in 2006.
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