Lon Lacey planned and executed CMM participation in Warrenton Heritage Day.  It was a great chance to display some of our Revolutionary War History, educate the public, and advocate for our license plate.

     Six CMM members attended the Fall Leadership Conference/Trustee Meeting at the Brown Hotel in Louisville this past weekend:  past-President General Ed Butler, past-President General Steve Leishman, past President General Lindsey Brock, Vice-President General Doug Collins, CMM President Bill Schwetke, and Jim Mitchell.
     Actions that are of interest to the CMM include one of great significance:  the Congress Planning Committee recommended that Virginia host the 2020 Annual Congress.  We now must wait for the Trustees to act upon this recommendation.  We expected the Trustees to approve a site for 2020 at this meeting, but they did not consider the matter.  If Virginia Society dues are sent out prior to the Trustees' decision they will not include the $5 surcharge per year for 5 years that was approved at Semi-Annual contingent on Virginia's selection by the Trustees as the host for the 2020 Congress.

    Four members of the CMM are on the 250th Anniversary (of the American Revolution) Committee:  Ed Butler, Steve Leishman, Lance Lyngar, and Bill Schwetke.  The Virginia Society is also well represented, giving us a significant say in what should be one of the most important committees for the next 18 years.  This committee is initiating a contest for the design of a 250th Anniversary logo - details to follow, and has drafted a letter to the U.S. executive and legislative branches requesting the formation of a national committee to plan and oversee this national celebration.  With increased interest in the Revolution we have a great opportunity to formally honor our patriot ancestors, educate the community, and recruit new members.

     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 CMM were represented by three members and one wife: past-President Lance Lyngar, past-President Mike Lyman, and President Bill Schwetke with his wife Cat.
     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.
     At Semi-Annual the CMM received a streamer, awarded at the National Congress, for participation in Partners in Patriotism.
     The CMM's Culpeper Minutemen License Plate was also actively promoted at Semi-Annual.  Many individuals picked up applications and chapters received packets of material to take home.

     The Fincastle Resolutions Chapter conducted a ceremony to mark the completion of the first phase of the Colonel William Preston Memorial at the Greenfield Education and Training Center.  This ceremony was a Virginia SAR Presidential initiative.  The CMM were represented by President Bill Schwetke and his wife Cat.

     This evening the Culpeper Minutemen Chapter (CMM), and Community Leaders from Culpeper and the Commonwealth of Virginia, gathered in Yowell Meadow Park, near where the Culpeper Minutemen first mustered in 1775 to mark the 240th Anniversary of that event, honor those Minutemen, and launch a campaign for a Virginia Special License Plate in their honor.  CMM members helping and participating in the program included Jim Bayne, Tom Hamill, Jerry Hubbard, Lon Lacey, Alan Lacey, Jim Lillard and his wife Linda, and Bill Schwetke and his wife Cat.  Vern Eubanks from the Fairfax Resolves Chapter joined us and participated in the color guard.
     Community and state leaders participating included State Senator Jill Vogel, Culpeper City Councilman Jon Russell, Culpeper Board of Education member Nate Clancy, Virginia House of Delegates candidate Nick Freitas and Rev. Brad Jackson.  A small ensemble of the Culpeper County High School Band, directed by Mr. Duane Clore, provided spirited music, including our National Anthem.  The colors were posted by both the Culpeper County and Eastern View JROTC Honor Guards.
     Rev. Brad Jackson is the pastor of the Little Fork Episcopal Church, which still holds services in the brick church that was being built when some of the congregation answered the call to join the Culpeper Minutemen.  Rev. Jackson gave both the Invocation and the Benediction.  The history of the Culpeper Minutemen was presented by Lon Lacey, followed by the presentation of replicas of the Culpeper Minutemen Battle Flag to each JROTC Honor Guard.  Then Councilman Jon Russell introduced the Virginia Special License Plate, designed by Nate Clancy, to honor the Culpeper Minutemen. Senator Vogel and Mr. Freitas explained the legislative process required to approve the license plate.  At the conclusion of the program the crowd was invited to sign copies of 1775 enlistment papers to symbolically join the Culpeper Minutemen and pick up applications to pre-order the license plate.

     Today Lon Lacey led a search party of three: himself, CMM President Bill Schwetke, and local historian Mr. Buddy Simms to Stevensburg and the property of Mr. Medley Riley where Mr. Simms believed he had located Bloomsberry, the home of Gabriel Long.  Gabriel Long was one of the original Culpeper Minutemen who later served well in various units of the Continental Army.  He finished the war as a major, and then was Gen. Lafayette's escort during his visit to Culpeper in 1825.
     Mr Riley was very hospitable and helpful in allowing us explore the land.  Mr. Simms had done considerable work with land records, and thought he had a good idea where Bloomsberry was located.  Mr. Simms research seems to have paid off, and a clearing inside an area of trees is likely the site of Bloomsberry; and a series of depressions in the ground may be the adjacent grave yard, where we expect that Gabriel Long is buried.  Much more work must be done at the site to verify this.

     A combined Color Guard from the Culpeper Minutemen Chapter, VFW, American Legion, Culpeper County Sheriff's Department, and Culpeper Police Department participated in a Bugles Across America Program to honor the heroes of 9/11.  Gerry Schuck of Bugles Across America organized and executed this moving ceremony.  CMM Treasurer Don Jennings, CMM Color Guard Commander Lon Lacey, and CMM President Bill Schwetke participated in the Combined Color Guard; and Jim and Linda Lillard attended and helped with the pictures.  The Color Guard formed in front of the Culpeper Fire Station at 08:46 and saluted as taps was played in honor of those who died in the first World Trade Center Tower to be hit, and especially to honor the heroes of the NYFD.

     At 09:03 the same ceremony was repeated in front of the Culpeper Police Department and Sheriff's Office to honor those killed in the second tower to be hit, and especially the heroes of the NYPD and other law enforcement agencies in Manhattan on 9/11.

     At 09:37 the same ceremony was preformed at the Wine Street Military Memorial in honor of those killed at the Pentagon.

     At 10:03 the same ceremony was conducted at the intersection of Main and Davis in the heart of Culpeper to honor the heroes of United Airlines Flight 93 which was brought down near Shanksville, PA by the actions of heroic passengers who prevented the hijackers from reaching their intended target.
     This was followed by a second playing of taps to honor those slain at Bengahazi, Libya, on 11 Sep 2012.
     The ceremony concluded with Gerry Schuck playing "America the Beautiful".

     President Bill Schwetke attended today's meeting of the Culpeper Minute Men Chapter of the DAR and delivered a talk on "The Origins of the Sons & Daughters of the American Revolution" .  President Schwetke also announced the September 17th Ceremony to commemorate the 240th Anniversary of the Muster of the Culpeper Minutemen, and previewed the Culpeper Minutemen specialty license plate.

     This morning President Bill Schwetke attended the Fauquier Court House Chapter, DAR, meeting in Warrenton.  President Schwetke presented greetings and announced the September 17th Ceremony to commemorate the 240th Anniversary of the Muster of the Culpeper Minutemen, and previewed the Culpeper Minutemen specialty license plate. 
     The FCHC is again making the March to Great Bridge, in which chapter members do the equivalent exercise of the Fauquier members of the Culpeper Minutemen in marching from Culpeper to fight the British at Great Bridge.  The poster above will again be used to keep track of their progress.
     Other news of note is that the FCHC, host of this years 3-Chpater Christmas Party, set the date as Sunday, December 13, in the afternoon at a time and place to be determined.