Great news from Columbus today! Marla and I along with Richard Stobbs and John Peck testified before the Infrastructure, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs Committee for SB 25 , the Gold Star License Plate Bill. Our combined testimony had a very positive effect.

The bill has been amended to include Grandparents as eligible recipients. This was asked for by so many families.

We also were influential in getting the bill amended to remove the $10 special plate fee that was going to be charged above the standard plate fees.

See details below..... all is a go for approval in a House floor vote on Wednesday Dec. 12th!!!!!!

Anyone wanting to attend the session on the 12th, please let Marla and I know by Friday and we will contact the House to reserve seating in the gallery.

Bob Derga



----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Richard D. Stobbs
Sent: Tuesday, December 4, 2007 7:33:35 PM
Subject: Gold Star Family Committee - SB25 PASSES Committee - Will be Approved Dec. 12th


GREETINGS:

GREAT DAY IN THE STATE HOUSE TODAY! The Infrastructure, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs Committee APPROVED SB25, referring to the full House for Final Vote.

The Committee Added two Amendments, which the Senate will approve:

1. WAIVED the $10.00 Plate Fee for Gold Star Family Plates
2. Added; "Grandparents eligible for plates."

Chairman Richard Stobbs testified on behalf of the Gold Star Family Committee. Gold Star Father Robert Derga and Gold Star Stepmother Marla Derga testified.
Mr John W. Peck, Gold Star Son, testified about losing his Father, Army PFC Donald Peck in WW II during the "Battle of the Bulge." Co-chairman Rick Isbell also attended.

The Representatives were very respectful and attentive to the testimony. Comments by the Representatives were very positive. We were surprised and pleased when the Committee added the two Amendments, moved by Representative Diana Fessler (Dist 79).

The Representatives deserve a great deal of credit for their sincere interest and respect they sincerely displayed for our Fallen Warriors and our Veterans.

Chairman Steve Reinhard is to be highly commended for his leadership with this issue. Also we need to remember Speaker Jon Husted for making SB a Priority in our November 28, 2007 meeting, and Senator John Carey who introduced SB25.

SB25 will be Approved on Wednesday, December 12, 2007. We believe the time will be about 1:00 pm, will confirm that later.

All the members of the Gold Star Committee and all the Veterans, families and everyone who worked, made calls, sent e-mails, wrote letters and faxes and worked in anyway were "the team that made this happen!"

We are encouraging EVERYONE TO COME TO THE "BILL SIGNING" on
December 12, 2007. We need to show support for our Gold Star Families and let Speaker Husted and the Representatives have a public "Show of Support" for A Job Well Done!!!


Dear Gold Star Families and Friends:

The past 2 days have been really special in our efforts to get SB25, The Ohio Gold Star Family License Plate Bill, passed. The good news is it is planned to happen in the Ohio House on Dec. 12th! Our efforts are paying off.



On Wednesday, my wife Marla, traveled to Columbus with your letters of support in tow to meet up with Dick Stobbs, chairman of the grass root committee that has been pushing so hard to get this bill passed. Unfortunately I could not get off work to attend. Marla, Dick and several others met with Speaker Husted at 11AM to discuss the bill and the urgent need for action. I think it best to tell what happened next via an excerpt from an e-mail Marla wrote this morning to a Gold Star mother. Marla describes this so well and I wanted to share this with you from her prospective.



I have to say that I am so glad we were invited to be at this meeting. Although Bob would have loved to be there too, I think I did OK in stating our case and really putting a face to the issue.



I showed Speaker Husted a number of pictures of Dustin and his Dad, Mom and sister together just before Dustin deployed. And I showed Mr. Husted the pictures of the other fallen Lima 3/25 men I have drawn. I spoke about how they now have no voice, that we are their voice. I think that really made it clear why we were there yesterday.



I explained that we as Gold Star families need to find ways to honor our sons and daughters. I explained how if Bob would see another Gold Star Family plate on a car in a parking lot he would have the opportunity to go over to the owner of that car and tell them thank you for their sacrifice, to hold them and tell them they are not alone in their grief. And this plate would help us do that. It will help thousands who have had loved ones in their immediate family who have give the ultimate in wars from WWII to the present day.



I went on to remind Mr. Husted that our sons and each and every one of the brave men and women who fought and died in all our wars, from the revolutionary war on have laid down their life for all of us, giving us the privilege to wake up each day in the greatest and freest country in the world. I challenged him to bare in mind that each day he walks into his office as a free man, he does so on the backs of the brave men and women who fought and died for that freedom. I asked him to remember that each and every day he walks into his office until this bill is passed.



It was then that I saw a major shift in his countenance. It was like a light went on and he realized the truth of that statement. He went from earlier in the meeting saying things like "This can take a long time, but we have always planned to have this bill passed.....and We'll get this done by the end of the year....to "Find out when this bill goes to the floor for a vote"



It was then that his top aid was called in and informed us that the bill would go to committee vote on Dec. 5th and then to the floor on Dec. 12th. I then said to both him and to his aid "I am meeting with 35 Gold Star Families members on this Saturday. Can I tell them that we'll have the bill passed by Dec. 12th?" And he replied "Yes!" . He then added, "Please come down to see this happen and invite as many people as you would like to come down too, just let my aid know how many will be coming." And with that he thanked us again for coming as he had to get to another meeting.



I really feel like all I did was help our boys, yet again, fight for us. They, their sacrifices and the sacrifices of those who's foot steps they walked in made this victory yesterday possible. They are still and always will be awesome men!



Marla Derga



I don't know what to say beyond that other than "mission accomplished". I am so blessed to have Marla as my wife and best friend. She did so well at handling this.



Marla hand delivered all the letters of support we received from you directly to Speaker Husted. After the meeting Marla and Dick conducted an interview with TV 6 in Columbus that aired that evening. Unfortunately I have not seen the newscast. Speaker Husted was going to be speaking to the media as well later in the day. The following link is a story that appeared in today's Cincinnati Enquirer. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071129/NEWS01/711290367



Our good friend John Prazynski, a Gold Star father from Cincinnati , conducted an interview in our support last week. That lead to Fox News picking up on the story nationally on Monday in a interview with Richard Stobbs. Follow this link to see that broadcast segment on Youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3MAVVsiNkY



Jim Carney, a reporter with the Akron Beacon Journal, will be doing a story about our efforts that will appear this weekend. I will share this with you once it comes out.



Following my e-mail is a message from Rick Mirenzi, one of our strong supporters from the Veteran Connection in Canton and Richard's press release that went out after the Wednesday meeting.



Marla, Richard, and I want to thank each and every one of you for your help and support. This was a team effort and everyone had a part in this.



Please take time to e-mail, call and fax Speaker Husted for his support and help. He is definitely on board with us and has committed fully to the goal of getting this passed in the House on Dec. 12th. Once approved the Governor Strickland has 10 days to sign into law. We do not anticipate any issues there at all. This will be a fitting Christmas gift in honor of our fallen heroes and their families.



Bob Derga

Gold Star Father of Cpl Dustin Derga KIA 5/8/07