Virginia SAR Officers attend Fall Trustees and Leadership Meeting in Louisville, KY

27 Sep - 01 Oct 2017         The Brown Hotel, Louisville, KY

     Virginia SAR President and National Trustee Mike Elston led a contingent of fourteen Virginia SAR members to the NSSAR Fall Trustee and Leadership Meeting meeting at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, KY on September 27th through October 1st. 
     Thursday was filled with committee meetings, with significant participation by Virginia Compatriots..  Compatriot Larry Johnson, of the Colonel James Wood II Chapter, presented his proposal for a monument in the District of Columbia to honor the common soldier of our revolution to the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution Committee.  The committee voted to support this proposal in ways to be determined later.  This could be the beginning of a significant effort to honor the common soldier, most of our ancestors, for giving birth to our great country.

Virginia Compatriot Larry Johnson presents his proposal to the 250th Anniversary of the Revolution Committee.

     Virginia SAR 3rd Vice President and 2020 Congress Planning Committee Vice-Chair Bill Schwetke briefed the Congress Planning Committee on the progress we have made in preparing to host the 2020 Congress in Richmond.
     Virginia Compatriot Peter Davenport, chairman of the NSSAR Bylaws, Rules, and Resolutions  Committee, led that committees consideration of the Virginia proposal to allow membership of those adopted into a patriot's lineage.  This will likely be voted on by the committee at the Spring Leadership Meeting and then presented to the General Membership for a vote at the 2018 Congress in Houston.
     The evening banquet had a German theme and compatriots were encouraged to dress casually in German style.

Virginia SAR Surgeon Kirk Sheap and his wife Norma, suitably attired for the German Banquet.

PG Larry Guzy and his wife Karin at the German Banquet.

     Early Saturday morning a breakfast was held to honor significant contributions to various fund raising efforts.  Past Virginia President Larry McKinley presented awards for the donors to the Orations contests.  Virginians who received special recognition were Russ Karr (not in attendance), Andrew Lyngar (dual member) and Lance Lyngar.

Past Virginia SAR President Larry McKinley at the Saturday Breakfast.

Andrew Lyngar (second from right) receives medal and certificate for both himself and Lance Lyngar for their contributions.

     On Saturday the Trustees met.  The Virginia SAR was represented by our trustee, President Mike Elston, who ably represented us.  One decision of note was to delay the requirement for the new SAR Application Form from the first of the year to the Spring Leadership Meeting,
     In a surprise announcement, PG Larry Guzy, withdrew from the campaign for President General 2018-2019, and declared his support for Secretary Warren Alter.  There remains on contested election for the next congress, that for the position as Registrar General.

Virginia Trustee and President Mike Elston skillfully keeping the discussion on track at the Trustees' Meeting.

    

Cat & Bill Schwetke at the 2020 Congress / 2018 AMS table.

  


   On both Friday and Saturday the Virginia SAR and our wives  manned a table advertising both the 2020 Congress and our hosting of the 2018 AMS Meeting in Newport News.  Information books were passed out, questions answered, and lapel pins and brooches given to those who contributed specified amounts to our effort.

     Saturday evening was a formal banquet to celebrate the success of the meeting.

NSSAR Color Guard at the Saturday evening banquet.