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News & Events

George Washington Chapter

Chartered June 5, 1924

Pennsylvania Society ~ Sons of the American Revolution Vol. 96, No. 1 Washington, Pennsylvania January / February 2019

FEBRUARY LUNCHEON Saturday, February 16, 2019

Arrival & Greetings @ 12:00 PM Union Grill

13-1/2 East Wheeling Street Washington, PA

Phone: (724) 222-2860 DAR/SAR Members and guests welcome

Directions: The Union Grill is located on the corner of Main and South Wheeling Streets in downtown Washington, PA. Street parking is available in the vicinity of the restaurant as well as down the block at the Citizen Library lot. Buffett Menu: Stuffed Chicken & Pasta w/meetballs

Includes: Salad, Potatoes, Green Beans, Rolls and Butter, Fresh Coffee, Hot or Iced Tea. Price: $25.00 per person

Reservations with meal choice MUST arrive by

Friday, February 8, 2019 Make checks to: George Washington Chapter-SAR Send to: Larry Ridgway – Treasurer

Box 355 - 113 Railroad Street Stockdale, PA. 15483-0355

Phone: (724) 938-2197 NOTE: For 2019 the chapter is going to try holding a meeting or event every month with several meetings being held at the Citizen Library (NO meal). Please see President Winter’s message and calendar on page 4 of this newsletter. ALSO, please save the dates as there will only be 6 newsletters for months when we have a luncheon meeting.

Program: Compatriot Ed Schreiber will present a program on the Lewis & Clark Expedition.

Minutes ~ Saturday, December 8, 2018 Call to Order: President Kurt J. Winter called the annual Chapter Christmas party to order at the Union Grill in Washington, PA at 12:05 PM. After welcoming all, Robert K. Grumbling gave the Invocation. Attendance: Twenty-seven (27) people: Guests (13) Compatriots (14): Mary Beth Busha; Ralph Busha; Dolores “Shorty” Clegg; Eleanor & Charles D. Curry; John K. Folmar, Jr.; Walter P. Goodboy; Robert K. Grumbling; Nathanel Kegel; Sam Mellon; Michael D.C. Merryman, Jane & Ronald E. Miller; Linda & Larry L. Ridgway; Marie & Edward W. Schreiber; Ruth & John C. Schreiber; Trudi Smith; A. J. Swerbensky; Clarinda & Gary W. Timmons; Cindy & Kurt J. Winter; Byron W. Zajdel & Daniel Zajdel.

In an abbreviated meeting President Winter installed new junior member A. J. Swerbensky (center above). Gary Timmons reported on the Wreaths Across America Campaign for 2018 (see following article). Michael Merryman reported that 34 applications have been approved this year. Compatriot Ron Miller displayed a story board he is proposing to use at the Whiskey Rebellion next year and asked for feedback. Everyone enjoyed good food, fellowship and Christmas music. Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 1:48

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We did it!! The George Washington Chapter has had the best wreaths campaign ever! For the first time since we began partnering with Wreaths Across America we broke 2,000 actual wreaths. We received sponsorships for 2,024 actual wreaths and the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies received 3,044 in our name. Thanks goes out to everyone who participated in any way. Whether you helped stuff envelopes at our chapter picnic, sponsored a wreath(s), or helped place wreaths this past December, we thank you! This year we stuffed over 375 envelopes to previous sponsors requesting their participation again in 2018. Form these letters we received almost a 90% response. This year we received over 362 responses. Most new sponsors were due to newspaper articles that were published in Weirton and Wheeling, West Virginia, Steubenville and Martins Ferry, Ohio as well as the Washington Observer-Reporter. These numbers do not include our own chapter members that sponsored wreaths. We received donations from as far away as Iowa, Florida, South Carolina and New York. Then on December 15, with a brisk wind and steady rain, Compatriots from our George Washington Chapter as well as the Fort Jackson and Ebenezer Zane Chapter (OHSSAR) met at our George Washington Chapter “boulder” in the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies for a brief ceremony followed by a wreath laying at our marker.

2018 Participants (L-R front row) Ronald Miller, Bob Grumbling,Evertt Meer, Kurt Winter, Sherl Vernon,(back row) Larry Perkins, Gary Timmons, Karl Meer, A. J. Swerbensky and Dan Wood.

All then joined an estimated crowd of 2,000 volunteers who attended this year’s ceremony to place the wreaths. This year, over 12,100 wreaths were scheduled to be delivered. Nearly every grave was marked. Although on the day of the ceremony they were10 boxes short. Cemetery Director Ronald Hestdalen contacted WAA headquarters and a special box truck was dispatched with the missing 10 boxes. As a result, with graves that were already decorated by families, again this year every grave was marked! We would like to acknowledge this last list of corporations, individuals and groups that have sponsored wreaths since our last newsletter: 84 Lumber, Daryl Allegretti, American Legion Post # 1, American Legion Post # 590, Lorraine Anderson, Mary Jo Andres, Donna Antone, Arden Athletic Club, Ann Atkinson, Gloria Backner, Eydie Baker, Linda Balcar, Roberta Bannister, Debbie Battaglia, Stephen Bayard Masonic Lodge # 526, Phyllis Bayha, Sue Beels, Jean Belski, John Berg, John Bernaciak, Bethel Fife & Drum Chapter-DAR, Carol Berthold, April Betzner, Karen Biela, Allen & Elva Boissin, Ann Bopp, Linda Brezinski, Barbara Brinsky, Margaret Brown, Melissa DeJohn, Donette Buchanan, Julie Burkhart, Carolyn Burkle, Cadiz American Legion Post 34 and Ladies Axillary Unit 34, Judith Cain, Tori Calvert, Gary & Roberta Cameron, Gregory Carpenter, Ann Celento, Mark Chaney, Diane Clark, Shirley Clark, Claysville Sportsmans Club, Colerain Presbyterian Church Friendly Circle, Elsie Cook, James Coyne, James Craft, Ernie Csak, Louise Curley, Sharon Curry, Marilyn Dague, John Darby, Kenneth Dornbush, Carol Dorwarth, Joseph Dudas, Joseph Dyga, Betty Eddy, Thomas Eld, Mary Lou Fal, Debra Farabee, First Christian Church, Janet Ford, Kenneth & Margaret Foreman, Irene Franz, Ft. Steuben Chapter-DAR, Larry Fuchs, Carl Garrett, Fred Gashel, Barbara Gibbs, Joseph Gilbo, Daniel Gill, Grace Lutheran Church, Lillian Hamel, John Hargleroad, Nicole Henderson, Martha Hepburn, Sherry Hindman, Tina Hines, Nancy Holden, David Homerosky, Karen Huggins, Melodee Hyde, Jacob Ferree Chapter–DAR, Patricia Jakiel, Dave & Fran Jones, Donna Jones, Rebekah Jones, Lois Jornson, Stan & Cindi Karoleski, Jeanie Keenan, Marie Keener, Linda Keller, John Kepner, Jack & Jean Kloss, Mark Kness, Linda Knudson, Cheryl Kondik, Trudy Kosey, Thomas Kreger, Paula Krensavage, Lory Kujawa, Marie Kunselman, Laboratory Presbyterian Church, Catherine Laur, Howard Laur, Rosalind Laur, Beverly Livingston, Gary MacArthue, Janet Madden, Pamela Maniecki, Jim & Nancy Matijevich, Cheryl McDermitt, Deanna McDowell, Ester McElravy, Bonita McGowan, Julie McLaughlin, Robert Mead, Tina Miller, Mary Minderlein, Rebecca

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Moore, Therese Moore, Carole Morrison, William Murphy, Deb Murry, Marsha Muscaro, Cathy Narhood, National Pike Chapter-DAR, Robert Newcomer, Barbara Noble, James & Dorothy Oberg, Ohio Valley Navy Retirees, John O’Leary, Margaret Ottena, Susan Ozolins, Ronald Pabian, Rita Pagendarm, Eleanor Pantely, Judith Parks, Frank Pasden, PASSAR, Mary Pattison, Pizzuti Family, Polaris Lodge 375 F&AM, Emilie Poplarchik, Fred & Ann Puchany, Ronda Puskarich, Felix Pyzowski, Robert Redlinger, Andrea Remish, Karen Renne, Gregory Richardson, Judy Ridge, E. Ritson, Sandra Robbins, Ferne Rogers, Patricia Roupe, Cynthia Rowan, Nancy Rubis, Geraldine Rush, Jeanne Russo, Phyllis Sams, Brian & Pam Sanders, Kathleen Schirra, Bertha Simich, Kathryn Simon, Julia Smith, Somerset Cambria Chapter-SAR, Sons of the American Legion, Sandy Sprowls, St. Francis Childrens School, Donald Stark, Starkweather LGAR, Sandra Stinogle, Patricia Stritzinger, Joe & Nancy Tencer, Mary Lou Thomas, Rebecca Thomas, Elvera Ursic, William Ursic, VFW Post 274, VFW Auxiliary Post 6553, Marlene Vizyak, Nancy Waddle, Mary Walters, Washington County Chapter-DAR, William Watkins, Dan & Joyce Weiss, Mary West, Wheeling Chapter–DAR, Wheeling Elks Lodge # 28, Ruth Williams, Womans Club of Upper St. Clair, Zane Trace Chapter-DAR, Bonnie Zellie. With the help of these generous sponsors and the ones listed in the last couple issues of our newsletter, Our George Washington Chapter continues to be the largest out of 34 other groups to gather sponsors for this cemetery. Thank you!

Some of the estimated crowd of 2,000 place wreaths in one section of the cemetery.

Members of the DAR & CAR joined with the George Washington, Fort Jackson and Ebenezer Zane Chapters of the SAR for the ceremony and to help place wreaths.

Welcome Aboard The George Washington Chapter is honored and delighted to extend the warm hand of friendship to our newest members. Father, Thomas William Parry and sons Julian, Florian and Sebastian. Their Patriot ancestor is Philip Gilman who served as a Ranger on the Frontier. Again, we welcome the Parry Family and hope to see them at future meetings. This past year, through the hard work and determination of chapter VP, genealogist and registrar, Michael D. C. Merryman, our chapter has seen the largest growth of new members in many years with 34 new and junior members joining our ranks. Kudos to Michael on all his efforts. Keep up the great work!!

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President’s Message Compatriots! Happy New Year! I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays and are looking forward to a great year ahead. This is the time that plans are made for the George Washington Chapter activities for 2019. A leadership meeting was held on January 5, 2019 to work on a schedule. As with every year, the goal of this planning is to better serve the chapter membership with the communication of events and to schedule meetings with quality programming consisting of interesting and informative speakers. In furtherance of this objective, it was decided to continue the “every other month” luncheon meetings on Saturdays at 12:00 am. This has been the schedule for meetings for many years now. However, it was suggested that some of our membership may prefer additional meetings scheduled on the “off months” without the luncheon included. This meeting format will be accommodated by reserving the meeting room of the Citizens Library in Washington. These meetings will be conducted as regular meetings with a speaker/program starting at 10;00 am. There will be no charge or reservation necessary. Anyone attending this meeting format could get together with other members after the meeting for lunch “on your own” at any nearby restaurant, if desired. In summary, this new schedule for the year will consist of the six luncheon meetings starting in February and for every other month through the Christmas meeting in December. And on the “off months” starting in March, there will be a meeting at the Citizens Library in Washington or an event. We believe that this schedule will present an increased opportunity for members to participate in our Chapter. I sincerely hope that with this new schedule Compatriots, who have not been to a meeting for a long time, will have an opportunity to attend. Remember, there was a reason you joined the Sons of the American Revolution. Please get active. Your humble and obedient servant, Kurt Winter

Congratulations The Chapter wants to extend congratulations to Michael D. C. Merryman on receiving the Lafayette Volunteer Service medal. This medal is presented by the National Society to individuals that render 40 hours or more of service to the organization. Michael has worked on the National Patriot Bios project and continues to post bios of Revolutionary War Patriots. Thank you Michael for all your hard work! Save the Date Dates to Remember 2019 Feb 16 GW meeting - Union Grill Mar 23 GW meeting - Citizen Library Program: Bradford House Apr 13 GW meeting - Century Inn May 3 &4 PASSAR Annual meeting - Erie May 18 GW meeting Citizen Library Program: Oliver Miller Homestead May 31 Memorial Day Parade – Claysville June 15 GW Meeting – Meadowcroft Jul 13 Whiskey Rebellion – Washington Jul 27 Fort Laurens – Bolivar, Ohio Aug 2 & 3 PASSAR BOM Picnic - TBA Aug 31 Fort Henry Days – Wheeling, WV Sep 1 Fort Henry Days – Wheeling, WV Sep 7 Wheeling 250 parade & Zane grave Sep 21 GW meeting – Citizen Library Program: Genealogy workshop Oct 5 & 6 Battle Days – Point Pleasant, WV Oct 19 GW meeting - Breezy Heights Nov 1 & 2 PASSAR BOM meeting – TBA Dec 7 GW Christmas Party – Union Grill Dec 14 Wreaths Across America

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George Washington Chapter Sons of the American Revolution c/o Scott M. Helfrich, D.Ed. 267 California Road, Suite 613 Brownsville, PA 15417-9373