Semi-Annual 2015

Semi-Annual 2015 Attendees at Roanoke, VA.

18-19 Sep 2015                                              Roanoke, VA

report by Bill Schwetke with Lance Lyngar, photos by Ernie Coggins

     The Fincastle Resolutions Chapter hosted the 2015 Semi-Annual Meeting at the Hilton Garden Inn in Roanoke on 18 & 19 September.  70 members and 31 spouses attended this year's meeting.  The largest contingent was, of course, from the host chapter, the Fincastle Resolutions, with 17, and the next largest was 9 from the Col William Grayson Chapter.  Roanoke proves to be a central location for state meetings as it is 234 miles from Martin Station in Ewing, VA, 248 miles from Alexandria, VA, and 241 miles from Norfolk, VA.

     The Friday schedule included an Executive Committee Meeting, Workshops for Americanism and Registrars, a Board of Managers' Meeting, a Ladies Program, and President Reverdy Wright's Reception.

     Saturday's schedule included a General Membership Meeting, and a luncheon.  The luncheon speaker was Jim Glanville, who gave an excellent presentation on the accomplishments of Colonel William Preston, a local hero of national significance.

     Noteworthy actions of the meeting included endorsement of a slate of candidates for national offices for next year and raising Virginia Society dues contingent on being selected to host the 2020 National Congress.

     The slate of candidates endorsed by the Virginia Society included:

President General - --------------J. Michael Tomme, Sr. of GA
Secretary General - --------------Larry T. Guzy of GA
Treasurer General - --------------Warren M. Alter of AZ
Chancellor ----------------------- Davis L. Wright of DE
Genealogist General ------------ John D. Sinks of DC
Registrar General - ---------------Russel F. DeVenney, Jr. of MO
Historian General - ----------------John T. Manning of NH
Librarian General - ----------------C. Bruce Pickette of AL
Foundation Board Members - ----John L. Dodd of CA
                                                             Stephen A. Leishman of DE

      The membership also voted to increase Virginia SAR dues by $5 per year for all regular and dual members, contingent on Virginia being select to host the 2020 Annual Congress.  The selection of host for 2020 will be made at the Fall Leadership Meeting in Louisville next week.

     Several awards have been presented to the Virginia Society and to its members at recent District and National Meetings:

Secretary Wayne Rouse, on left, holds the "Jersey Devil Plaque" with help from 2nd Vice President Mike Elston, on right

     At the Atlantic Middle States Association Annual Conference in Bridgewater, NJ, on 8-9 August,  the Virginia Society received the "Jersey Devil Award" for a combination of members attending and distance traveled.  The plaque that goes with this award was presented to the membership at Semi-Annual.

     The following awards were presented at the Annual Congress in Louisville, 27 Jun - 1 Jul:

The Virginia Society received participation streamers for sponsoring entries in the following youth contests:
·                - Knight Essay Contest;
·                   - Americanism Brochure Contest;
·                   - King Eagle Scout Scholarship competition
·                   - Outstanding JROTC  Cadet scholarship competition

    The President General presented the William M. Melone award to the Virginia Society as the state society with the largest number of new and approved supplemental memberships for 2014-15.

Thanks to the good work of Dr. Kirk Sheap and the flag committee chairman throughout Virginia, VASSAR once again earned the Admiral William Furlong Award.  The award is earned by state societies with a certain percentage of chapters that have presented at least one flag certificate during the year.

VASSAR's President Bill Broadus and Trustee Kent Webber attended the last Congress and the two intervening leadership meetings, thereby earning the NSSAR Officer Award for Virginia again this year.

The Virginia Society received the Partners in Patriotism Certificates Award for partner with any Veterans organization i.e. American Legion, VFW, AMVETS or one of the numerous others veterans groups.

Recognition for Virginia Chapters

For the second year in a row, the George Washington Chapter earned the President General's Activities Award.  This award is given to chapters that record the best efforts with respect to various administrative goals that contribute to the success of the SAR. 

The George Washington Chapter was also the only Virginia chapter to receive a streamer for participation in the PG's patriot biographies initiative.  

The following Chapters received the Partners in Patriotism Certificates Award for partner with any Veterans organization i.e. American Legion, VFW, AMVETS or one of the numerous others veterans groups in grave re-dedications, grave markings, parades, flag retirements or any program that the SAR conducts with the help from the Veterans or any Veterans organization that ask the SAR for help in conducting an event.

• Col Fielding Lewis Chapter
• Col William Grayson Chapter
• Culpeper Minute Men Chapter
• Fairfax Resolves Chapter
• Ft Harrison Chapter
• George Mason Chapter
• George Washington Chapter
• Norfolk Chapter
• Thomas Jefferson Chapter
• Thomas Nelson Chapter
• Williamsburg Chapter

Recognition for Virginia Compatriots

The Liberty Medal commemorates the restoration of the Statue of Liberty, reminds us of our liberty and is presented for recruiting new members to the SAR.  Any SAR member who signed as first-line sponsor, the membership application of ten new members.  Subsequent Presentation of this medal will receive a bronze oak leaf cluster for each additional ten (10) new members sponsored by a Liberty Medal holder as a first-line sponsor.  A recipient of ten bronze oak leaf clusters may be presented a silver oak leaf cluster to wear in lieu of the bronze clusters.  A recipient of ten silver oak leaf clusters may be presented a gold oak leaf cluster to wear in lieu of the silver clusters. 

Compatriots being presented with a medal and or oak leaf cluster are:

• William D. Carpenter -  Liberty Medal
• David E. Cook  - Liberty Medal
• John R Hamilton – Liberty Medal w/oak leaf cluster
• Robert B Kendall - Liberty Medal
• Dennis Peterson – Liberty Medal  - Richmond Chapter
• Paul A. Walden - Liberty Medal w/oak leaf cluster
• Ronald M. Losee  - oak leaf cluster
• Kenneth P. Middleton - oak leaf cluster
• James M. Mobley - oak leaf cluster
• Thomas M. Taimi – 2 oak leaf cluster
  
• John A. Woodward - oak leaf cluster

Ernie Coggins, the Virginia SAR Photographer, at work during Semi-Annual.

Virginia SAR President Reverdy Wright addresses the Semi-Annual Meeting.