Virginia SAR 1st Vice President Mike Elston led the SAR participation in celebrating James Monroe's 258th Birthday at his birthplace in Westmoreland County.  Seven Chapters presented wreaths and James Monroe Chapter President Charles Belfield was the keynote speaker.  CMM Past President Mike Lyman helped organize the event, participated in the color guard, and represented the CMM.  The James Monroe Foundation sponsors this event each year, as well as the continuation of the program at Richmond's Hollywood Cemetery at James Monroe's tomb on the actual date of his birth.

     Today 73 compatriots from 11 chapters, including the Virginia SAR President, 2nd Vice President, Secretary, Chaplin, Registrar, Surgeon, Color Guard Commander, and 3 past Virginia SAR Presidents, attended the Muti-Chapter Meeting at Graves Mountain Lodge.  This was the 21st such meeting, beginning in 1995.  CMM attendees included Larry & Beverly Alexander, Len & Mary Ann Cowherd, Tom and Suzan Hamill, Jerry Hubbard, Jim Lillard, Lance Lyngar, Bill Mutziger, Bill & Cat Schwetke, and Ben Works.  Prospective members that attended were Doug Graves, Charles and Michele Jameson.  Larry Alexander, Lance Lyngar, and Bill Schwetke participated in the Color Guard.

     Today two CMM members, President Bill Schwetke, and Gerry Culver, attended the Culpeper Rotary Club meeting in the Culpeper Country Club.  President Schwetke gave a brief twenty minute overview of the history of the SAR and what the SAR does today.  The Tri-Fold Brochures designed by Virginia SAR President Ed Truslow were given to each attendee.

     About 75 people, including two members of the CMM, gathered in Petersburg for the dedication of a memorial to the 19 Revolutionary War Patriots buried in Blandford Cemetery.  This memorial was a Virginia SAR Presidential initiative and Virginia SAR President Ed Truslow was the keynote speaker.  Other speakers included the local Delegate Lashrecse Aird, local State Senator Rosalyn Dance, and Petersburg Vice Mayor Samuel Parham.  Virginia SAR Revolutionary War Graves Chairman Mike Lyman also talked on the significance of preserving the graves of Revolutionary War Patriots.  The CMM were represented by Past President Mike Lyman and President Bill Schwetke, both of whom participated in the color guard.  Cat Schwetke also attended and participated in the program.

     Today was the annual Remembrance Service at Little Fork Episcopal Church in Rixeyville.  Two CMM members, Bill Schwetke and Bill Mutziger; one compatriot from Col William Grayson Chapter, Paul Chase; and one wife, Cat Schwetke, attended.  Little Fork Church was under construction from 1773 to 1776 and many of the members during that time joined the Culpeper Minutemen.

     Three members of the CMM, Jake Lay, Ron Messick, and Bill Schwetke, and one prospective member, Sean Megeath, attended the Fauquier Court House Chapter, NSDAR's April meeting, which includeed the installation of their officers for 2016-2019.  Three spouses of CMM members were installed as officers, Cat Schwetke as Regent, Kathryn Schulin as Chaplain, and Cindy Messick as Corresponding Secretary.  Also installed as Recording Secretary was Kathy Truskey, wife of CMM prospective member Craig Truskey

Compatriots and Friends,
     Spring is here with good weather for outside ceremonies.  There is a wide range of events on our calendar to choose from; I strongly encourage you to take a look and find one or two you like, and then join us.  Our next major event, Sunday, April 10th, is the Revolutionary Era Church Service at Little Fork Episcopal Church in Rixeyville.  This is a great event, usually tied to Culpeper Remembrance Days (which were cancelled this year).  Period dress is desired, but not required.  Afterwards some of us may travel to Middleburg to help the DAR mark a patriot’s grave, but that is on hold awaiting information from the DAR.  Next is Thomas Jefferson’s 273rd Birthday Celebration at Monticello on Wednesday, April 13th.  That is a beautiful ceremony, well done, and in an awesome setting.  They really could use some color guard help this year – I am in Louisville for a conference and unable to attend.  I also could use your help on Saturday, April 16th at Petersburg.  I will lead the state color guard in the president’s initiative ceremony to mark patriot graves there and could use some more support.  There is a lot more, including a great time at Graves’ Mountain Lodge on Saturday April 23rd.  Seven chapters, a great time, and a wonderful setting for springtime in the Mountains (many thanks to past CMM President Dewey Lillard, Jim’s cousin, for starting this tradition in 1987).
     Our chapter also needs some stalwart compatriots to pick up some parts of the work that needs to be done to make our chapter fully active in all the activities of the SAR, as the chapter has done in the past.  This is a list of our committees, and you will notice many vacancies in Youth Activities & Education, areas were we are not serving the community as other chapters are doing.
 
            Awards – Lance Lyngar (by Constitution, immediate past president)
            Boy Scouts – Lance Lyngar, Gerry Culver, Len Cowherd
            Color Guard – Lon Lacey
            DAR Liaison – Len Cowherd & Bill Schwetke
            Constitution & Bylaws – Bill Schwetke
            Flag Recognition – Bob Bowen, Bill Schwetke       
            Graves Registration and Marking – Scott Mitchell
            History Day Support – Bill Schwetke
            Nominating – Lance Lyngar (by Constitution, immediate past president)
            Public Safety & Heroism – Lon Lacey
            250th Anniversary of the American Revolution – Bill Schwetke
                        Revolutionary War Walk Project – Lon Lacey
                        Veteran Affairs – MG Greg Schumacher
            Webmaster – Len Cowherd
            Youth Activities & Education  - 
                        Elementary School Posters - VACANT
                        Essays - VACANT
                        Middle School Brochures - VACANT
                        JROTC – Don Jennings
                        Orations – VACANT
                        Teacher Recognition - VACANT
 
     If you would like to take on one of these tasks contact me and we will figure out a way forward.  Some of these responsibilities have been neglected for several years and we will need to restart programs.  You might also be interested in a task covered by someone who is covering many others – consider that an opportunity for yourself.
     Another initiative of Virginia Society President Ed Truslow is recognition for members of the SAR who are veterans.  We have done a good job of awarding Military/War Service Medals to our members – if you don’t have one that you deserve, let me know.  There is another program, with slightly more stringent criteria, for Certificates of Patriotism and membership in Veterans Service Corps.  There is a form that Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Greg Schumacher, or I can complete and submit for both programs.  What we need is documentation, such as a DD214, to prove service in a war zone.  This is a separate program from the medals for service and has no impact on the award of Military/War Service Medals.
     In another capacity, as your registrar, I am requesting copies of your record copies of SAR Applications and Supplementals.  I have copies of all that have been submitted since I became registrar, but very few before that.  We should have these on file and I would like to bring the registrar records up to date.
     Hope to see you at one of our events this spring.
Your Servant,
Bill