Confidential
Not for Publication or Unauthorised Distribution
Date of Issue:October 2009 / M.O.T.H.
Platinum Provincial Dugout /
Module: 21
Page 1 of 8 / Citation Certificate of Merit
CITATION FORM
1.0 / PERSONAL PARTICULARS1.1 / Full names and surname / Leonardo Apicella
1.2 / Date of Birth: / 17th February 1959
1.3 / Shellhole: / Dickie Fritz Shellhole
1.4 / Date of attestation as Moth: / December 1984
1.5 / Membership number / 198409-195902-0093-18831
2.0
/AWARD RECOMMENDED
2.1 / Certificate of Good Service / YES / NO2.2 /
Certificate of Excellence Service
/ YES / NO2.3 / Certificate of Merit / üYES / NO
3.0 / APPRAISAL
3.1 / (Attach Curriculum Vitae stating highlights from the member’s military history and related information).
MOTH ORDER
History / Shellhole: Old Rifle Range / From: 1984 / To:1986
Shellhole: Dickie Fritz / From: Jan2004 / To: Still
Shellhole: Savannah Dual Member / From: 2008 / To: Still
Offices Held / Sergeant Major Dickie Fritz / From: 2005 / To:2008
Wee Bill Dickie Fritz / 2008 / 2009
Old Bill Dickie Fritz / 2009 / Still
Wee Bill District / 2010 / Still
Sergeant Major Province
Sergeant Major District / 2010
2008 / 2014
2009
Chairman Mesca / 2007 / Still
Property Liaison Officer Platinum / 2011 / 2014
Executive Positions / Old Bill – Dickie Fritz / 6 years
Deputy Old Bill – District / 4 years
MESCA Executive / 9 years
MESCA Chairman / 7 years
Moth Award / Certificate of Comradeship - 2008 Southern Gauteng Province
Certificate of Executive Service - 2009 Dickie Fritz Shellhole
Certificate of Excellence - 2009 Dickie Fritz Shellhole
Certificate of Comradeship – 2011 Savannah Shellhole
Hospital visits / · Various visits to moths in hospitals whenever possible.
Military
· Completed SAAF basic in March 1978 then went on a 106mm Anti-Tank course. Soon after the course was completed he transferred to Ovamboland for three months in June 1978 and spent 90 days in the operational area at the Ruacana Air Force Base
· Completed more infantry training.
· Was then transferred to Cape Coloured Corps for three weeks in May 1979 thereafter went back up to SWA to Eennana.
· At some stage spent three months at Oshakati doing guard duty for 90 days
· Did various camps doing township patrols and road blocks in and around JHB, Alberton, Soweto and Alex.
Did a few camps in Luhutla near Upington and received Ratel light, medium and heavy vehicle license.
3.1 / MOTH / See input
Present Position / Self-employed family business
Education / · N3
· Qualified Scooter and Motorbike Mechanic.
· Qualified Motorcycle Engineering (Fitter and Turner)
Membership of Professional Institutes
Present and Past Involvement’s / · Chairman Dickie Fritz MESCA
4 / In introducing the abovementioned matter, I recollect that over the past few years, in general discussions with my fellow MOTHs, Leon’s name often came up relating to the Shellhole’s status and concomitant matters. One cogent point of agreement was, invariably, that the Dickie Fritz Shellhole’s name had, inter-alia, become one of import and popularity, in fact, a household name, in the Gauteng MOTH District and for that matter, at Provincial level. And why? Popular opinion was that it was because of Leon’s personal interest, both psychological and physical, relating to MOTH constitutional objectives and management.
The aforementioned content should now be considered together with the more pertinent content, which is reflected in the notes which follow.
MESCA – Dickie Fritz Branch – Leon
While Chairman, the following major improvements took place on the Dickie Fritz Complex (maintenance etc. excluded)
a) Recently the large rainy, muddy areas were paved – a major improvement to the complex.
b) Four single cottages were completed which were empty shells for some time and required completion.
c) Five single flats were upgraded and turned into private cottages and at the same time created a new cottage thus providing additional accommodation, privacy, added security and general improvement all around.
d) On a more personal note, using his “Leon Apicella” direct, open, diplomatic approach and assisted by his high-tech PC communication and managerial business and communication knowledge, he persuaded and arranged with the War Museum to send out a team to paint the guns sited on our ordinance view-site, at no cost except the paint at R3 000. Similarly, he got the local Edenvale Scouts to paint the tank on display and obtained a donation of paint from Chem. Spec Paints valued at R20 000, to paint the Ventura Aircraft, now completed.
e) Security at the Complex has been, and still is, a cause for concern, not only to the residents but also to the D.F. MESCA. In this regard, Leon as MESCA Chairman and from a personal attentive/action point of view had a residential panic button system and flood lights installed to increase security. Was instrumental in arranging SSG Security Company in providing free Security to the complex over the past five years. Just recently he struck the same deal with the new security company and the complex now enjoys 24/7 security.
f) Under his watch, Leon has also initiated and overseen the tiling of the main hall and bar, veranda extension to the main hall, the paving of the area between the veranda and The Ridgeback, the donated installation of 14 all-weather bench sets in that same paved area, the ‘afdak’ off The Ridgeback, and most recently, the introduction of low energy lighting for the floodlights.
This effort has enabled his MESCA Executive to raise the hiring rate for the facilities, ensuring increased revenue on the one hand, and using the low energy lighting as an example, reducing the costs of running the complex.
These upgrades have made the Moth Hall, as it is known in the area, a popular venue for hosting a whole range of parties ranging from birthday parties to weddings and reunions. Some associations now host a monthly prayer meeting- bring, braai and be merry.
The Moth Hall having become so popular that folks are having to book and secure a booking up to 6 months in advance.
The hall and The Ridgeback rentals generate about R100 000 a year which are well needed funds to run the complex.
g) Under his direction, membership of the Dickie Fritz Shellhole has increased from about 55 in 2009/10 to well over 100 in 2014/15, and is still rising rapidly.
h) The first year that Leon was elected Chairman of the MESCA Committee he introduced an annual Fete. Since 2007 the Fete has raised close to R 350 000 for the complex.
i) Leon was a key member in assisting Ex-Signallers in setting up a Signallers’ association which now meet at Dickie Fritz on a monthly basis. The S.A.V.S.A - South African Veterans Signallers association - have found a home at Dickie Fritz and through this has also introduced new Moth members to the Moth Order
j) From 2015 Leon as MESCA Chairman, with the help of the ladies on the Complex and one of the Shellhole Ladies, introduced two cooked meals a week at a cost of R 20 a meal, and 90% of the residents are taking advantage of this, he also introduced weekly craft classes which many residents are enjoying. Gym and exercise classes are also enjoyed by many.
General Comments
a) Leon is completely computer literate which has made his communication tasks with MOTH higher authorities, MESCA, PMC and other addressees much quicker and more effective.
b) His organisational ability, which he has used over the past eight years in conducting the D.F. Annual Fete, has proved his competence by raising the fete financial benefit from inception in 2007 to 2014, to between R300 000 and R350 000.
c) In 2014 Leon was nominated for the position of District Old Bill but he chose to not accept and rather channel his efforts in his Shellhole and the MESCA Dickie Fitz Complex. Leon was re-elected as District Deputy Old Bill.
d) He is a dedicated MOTH who often spends more time with MOTH matters than at home with his family. (we certainly need this type of MOTH in our comradely/business oriented MOTH Organisation!).
e) In 2014 Leon proposed a donation of R12 000 to Dreamview Mothwa Havens for Christmas hampers for the needy residents.
f) Under Leon’s guidance Dickie Fritz Shellhole has donated over R40 000 to Warriors Gate over the past few years.
g) Again under Leon’s guidance Dickie Fritz Shellhole has donated over R20 000 to Muldersdrift / Warrior Oasis Moth Cottages
h) Leon makes an effort to visit Shellhole members when they are ill and in hospital. For nearly three weeks every night, and on weekends, Leon went to the Linksfield hospital to see the late Moth Ted Dennis. Leon was the last person to see Ted alive before his passing
Summary
Leon joined the Rifle Range Shellhole in December 1984 but only remained a member for a year or two, then dropped out as a MOTH because of family commitments.( children attending school)
While his children were at Linksfield Primary school Leon was always involved in committees that arranged fund raisers for the school. In the late 80’s Leon was part of a two man team that put up a palisade fence around the Linksfield school property over the weekends. This was to save extra labour costs for the school. The same team built a grand stand on the sports field that ensured seating for the children. Leon also built a number of soccer posts for the children’s “6 – a – side” soccer. Leon was always available to transport children to sports activities on the weekends.
Sandringham High School has the Jukskei river running through the one end of the property. When Leon’s children got to high school the river was polluted and overgrown with vegetation. Leon organized a number of the parents and children over weekends who were able to clean up the vegetation and also clean up the part of the river. Due to this the teachers were then able to take children down to the river and give practical Biology classes. Leon maintained the river section for 3 years over weekends, with the help of school children and parents. When Leon’s children finished high school and it was time to return to Moth duties.
It was only on 9 Jan 2004 he re-joined the MOTHs at the Dickie Fritz Shellhole and the same year joined the MESCA committee and since that date has made phenomenal progress, climbing the MOTH Officer’s ladder in the Dickie Fritz Shellhole to his present Old Bill position– at the same time elected Wee Bill in the Southern Gauteng District Dugout and Sgt Major in the Platinum Provincial Dugout.
Concurrent with the abovementioned MOTH activities, he has progressed from a MESCA, Dickie Fritz Branch committee member to its Chairman all within a period of eleven years (2004 – 2015).
Leon is a “when I take on a job, I do it to the best of my ability” man. Further, I have no doubt that Leon has raised the status of Dickie Fritz Shellhole to a high level within the ranks of the MOTH Order, not only at a local level but also in the higher echelons of the Organisation.
He is well accepted by the D.F. Complex residents and management and is popular with visiting Shellhole MOTHs .
Leon will always make an effort to visit other Shellholes whenever possible.
Conclusion
I propose that MOTH Leon Apicella of the Dickie Fritz Shellhole be awarded the Certificate of Merit pursuant to acceptance of paragraph four of Section 9.1 (p.93) in the 2014 Pink Book – MOTH Constitution and General Standing Orders, which reads as follows :
“The Full National Executive shall have the sole right, either at its own instance or upon very good reason being advanced to it because of some special circumstance, to approve the award of a Certificate of Merit to a particular MOTH”.
Y.U.T.H
The Late MOTH Ted Dennis 2010
Moth Gus Mason Adjutant 2014
5 / CITATION FOR MOTH CERTFICATE OF MERIT
MOTH LEONARDO APICELLA
On behalf of Southern Gauteng District Dugout we recommend that Moth Leonardo Apicella be awarded the MOTH CERTIFICATE OF MERIT. Reasons for bestowing this honour are as follows:
Leon joined the Order in December 1984 when he became a member of Old Rifle Range Shellhole and since then he has held various executive positions as shown.
Due to is unselfish dedication to the Moth he has been awarded Certificate of Comradeship by Southern Gauteng Province (as it was at the time) in 2008, Certificate of Executive Service by Dickie Fritz Shellhole in 2009, Certificate of Excellence by Dickie Fritz Shellhole in 2009 and the Certificate of Comradeship in 2011 by Savannah Shellhole where he is a dual member.
As Chairman of the Cottage Scheme he has been instrumental in making the following major improvements at the Dickie Fritz Complex; all the soft standing, muddy areas paved, completed four single cottages which were empty shells, upgraded 5 singles flats and created a new one thus providing additional accommodation. In addition, privacy, added security and general betterment of the complex has been achieved.
Leon has also initiated and overseen the paving of the main hall and bar, veranda extension to the main hall, the paving of the area between the veranda and outbuilding. He arranged with the War Museum to send out a team to paint military hardware at the complex at no cost except for the paint at R3 000.00. Similarly, he arranged for the local Edenvale Scouts to paint the tank on display with paint that he had donated.