KNOXVILLE HOTEL UPDATE
The primary hotel for Congress in Knoxville from July 7 -13, 2017 is now full and they are not taking reservations.  So we begin to work with the secondary hotel.  That hotel is the Hilton Knoxville the single rate is $129 per night with tax.
 
Distance from the Holiday Inn, Knoxville which is the Congress Site is approximately 0.2 Miles or a long city block.  It does have a covered walkway that you can walk down to the Convention Center where the evening banquets will be held. 

For Reservations: You can call the hotel at 865-523-2300, ext. 323 or to do it online
Booking Link: https://secure3.hilton.com/en_US/hi/reservation/book.htm?inputModule=HOTEL&ctyhocn=KNXKHHF&spec_plan=NSSAR&arrival=20170707&departure=20170713&cid=OM,WW,HILTONLINK,EN,DirectLink&fromId=HILTONLINKDIRECT

Hotel: Hilton Knoxville
Group Name: NSSAR
Arrival Date: 07-Jul-2017
Departure Date: 13-Jul-2017
 
Questions or issues please email Paul Callanan, NSSAR Congress Planning Chair at LTCMRSC@aol.com or 906-273-2424.

report submitted by Col. George Waller Chapter President Bob Vogler

     Under the supervision of LTC David King, a member of the Col. George Waller Chapter in Martinsville, Cadets of the Trojan Battalion Army Junior ROTC program at Tunstall High School (Pittsylvania County) with the assistance of the Martinsville Exchange Club recently replaced the Freedom Shrine, which has been missing since the school renovation began in 2009.  The Freedom Shrine is a collection of over thirty facsimiles of key documents from the history of the United States
 
     Mr. David Bandy, the Tech instructor at Tunstall, installed plywood backs for the plaques and an outline of the Liberty Bell for the Exchange Club sign and the Shrine has been mounted in the JROTC/ English wing of Tunstall High School.  Mrs. Adrian Nester’s Advanced Placement English writing classes were the first classes to use the shrine for their study of key documents.   “Citizenship in American History and Government” is a key component of the Army Junior ROTC curriculum and the study of these documents is an important part of the Junior ROTC mission “to motivate young people to be better citizens.”  The Freedom Shrine is once again readily available for use by all the students at Tunstall High School.

report submitted by President Ed Truslow

     On Saturday October 22nd Gloucester County, the Gloucester Historical Society and the local Battle of the Hook Committee dedicated a roadside marker in the area of the 1781 Battle of the Hook.  This battle was critical in hastening the  British surrender across  the river in Yorktown.  The battle effectively halted British food foraging in Gloucester County and the rest the Middle Peninsula as well as closing off their only escape route out of Yorktown. VASSAR participants in the ceremony were VASSAR President Ed Truslow who brought greetings on behalf of the Virginia SAR, Williamsburg SAR President Harley Stewart and Virginia SAR Color Guardsmen Chris Melhuish and Jeff Brown.  Ed in a personal note mentioned that his 4th great grandfather Benjamin Truslow was with General Weedon's militia at the battle.

  Yorktown Victory Day began with the annual wreath laying at the tomb of Thomas Nelson, Jr., who signed the Declaration of Independence, served as a general of Virginia Militia, and was a governor of Virginia during the revolution.  President General Mike Tomme represented the SAR, President Ed Truslow represented the Virginia SAR, and 1st Vice President Mike Elston was the master of ceremonies. Virginia SAR Chaplain Gene Thomas offered the invocation and benediction; and Virginia SAR Color Guard Commander Darrin Schmidt commanded the Color Guard.  Six SAR state societies and 14 Virginia SAR chapters participated in the ceremony and marched in the parade.  Participating Virginia chapters included: Col. Fielding Lewis, Col James Wood II, Culpeper Minutemen, Col. William Grayson, Fairfax Resolves, Fort Harrison, George Mason, George Washington, Norfolk, Richard Henry Lee, Richmond, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Nelson, Jr., and Williamsburg.

     As the wreath presenters were called forward by Master of Ceremonies Mike Elston, Color Guard Commander Darrin Schmidt accepted and placed the wreaths.

     The Virginia SAR Congress Planning Committee and the National Congress Planning Committee visited five hotels in Norfolk and Richmond over three days, October 17-19.  One of these hotels will be selected as the site for the 2020 Congress.  Those making the visits included National Congress Planning Chairman Paul Callanan and his wife Keitha, SAR Executive Director Don Shaw, Virginia Congress Planning Chair Mark Brennan, President General Mike Tomme, past President General Lindsay Brock, Virginia President Ed Truslow and his wife Laura, 3rd Vice President Tom Whetstone, Secretary Wayne Rouse and his wife Wink, Bill Schwetke and his wife Cat, and Mrs. Julia Crider of Helms Briscoe.
     The hotels visited included Norfolk Waterside Marriott, the Hilton Norfolk The Main (still under construction), the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside, the Hilton Richmond Downtown, and the Richmond Marriott.  The group also visited the St. Paul's Church in Norfolk and the Richmond Convention Center.
     The National and Virginia groups will independently rank order the hotels, and if they agree on their first choices, negotiations will begin with that hotel for the 2020 Congress.  If the two groups do not agree, the SAR Executive Committee will decide.

     This past weekend was Battle Days at Point Pleasant, WV, were the victory of the Virginia Militia under Andrew Lewis over Indians under Chief Cornstock was celebrated.  This was the major battle of "Dunmore's War".
     Saturday events included a parade in the morning, then in the evening was the Governor's Banquet, followed by the Governor's Ball.  Sunday began with a Colonial Church Service, followed by the presentation of memorial wreaths.  At the wreath presentations the memorial address was delivered by Lt. Col. Rusty McGuire, commander of the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Virginia National Guard, descended from the Virginia Militia which fought at Point Pleasant.
     The Virginia SAR was represented by four compatriots and three wives: President Ed Truslow and his wife Laura; 2nd Vice President Pat Kelly and his wife Jennifer; Peter Davenport; and Bill Schwetke and his wife Cat. Pat Kelly, Peter Davenport, and Bill Schwetke participated in the color guard.  President Ed Truslow presented the Virginia Society wreath at the memorial service.

report from 1st Vice President Mike Elston

     On October 8, 2016, the Virginia SAR presented the Gold Good Citizenship Medal posthumously to Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Lt. Col. Matthew Scalia and his wife, Michelle, attended the October meeting of the George Washington Chapter and accepted the medal on behalf of the Scalia family. The Gold Good Citizenship Medal is presented for outstanding and unusual patriotic achievement and service of national importance. Past recipients of the medal include former Presidents Truman, Ford, Carter, Reagan and Bush. More recently, the Virginia SAR has presented the medal to Secretary of Veterans Affairs General Eric Shinseki, two former Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (General Peter Pace and General Richard Meyers), former Attorney General Edwin Meese, and General Frederick Kroesen Jr., former commander, U.S. Army, Europe, and Army Vice Chief of Staff. Thank you to the GW Chapter for hosting this event!

     Despite rain, heavy at times, the SAR celebrated the 236th Anniversary of the patriots' victory at Kings Mountain in South Carolina.  Fortunately for the attendees, the National Park Service set up tents for protection from the rain. The Virginia SAR attendees included 1st Vice President Mike Elston, 2nd Vice President Pat Kelly, Surgeon Kirk Sheap and his wife Norma, Trustee Reverdy Wright, Peter Davenport, and Bill Schwetke.  Elston, Kelly, Davenport, and Schwetke participated in the color guard.

report submitted by Colonel George Waller Chapter President Bob Vogler

The Colonel George Waller Chapter participated in the annual Callands Fall Potpourri Festival Saturday, Oct. 1.  The Chapter organized a living history encampment with participants skilled in colonial crafts, as well as SAR & DAR members.  Demonstrations were provided in leather working, power horn making, firearms, use of colonial toys, colonial history, and orientations to the SAR.   The camp enjoyed hundreds of visitors on a nice fall day in south-side Virginia.