November 30, 2011

Gentlemen:

The VSSR has had a great year and I am pleased to report that the state of our organization is good. According to our finance committee, led by Brooks Zerkel, the VSSR is financially healthy. There is money in the bank and we are without debt. The annual “President’s Letter” is customarily published at year’s end, but having just returned from the General Society’s Annual Meeting, I am energized and could not wait to share with you my report.

We had another spirited meeting of the State Societies. This year the meeting was held in the suburbs of Boston, and First Vice-President Billy Tunner and I were privileged to attend and represent the VSSR. It was a fun and educational four days and there is much to report. Virginia has been awarded the site for the 2021 Triennial Meeting, so start getting ready now. Next year’s Triennial meeting will be held in Savannah GA. The Georgia Society has planned numerous activities and a good time should be had by all. There is genuine interest by the nominating committee to have increased participation by the VSSR at the General Society level.

The matter of the General Society’s headquarters was also discussed. For those who may not have heard, the Board of the General Society is preparing to move its headquarters from Independence, MO, to an undetermined location, by no later than October, 2012. The Virginia Board of Managers notified the General Society that we are interested in having the headquarters here, and Virginia is now one of three States being considered. We are busy putting information together on various sites and will make our pitch around the first of the year. The feedback has been positive, and Virginia has a real chance to become the host state for the headquarters. Our task is to decide which site is our “best” offering and to put together a quality proposal. If you would like to assist with this effort, please contact our second Vice-President, Doug Payne.

While in Boston, we were given advance copies of the next Drumbeat and the Virginia Society was prominently featured in a front page article about our membership success. Several Societies pulled me aside to inquire about the particulars of our campaign. Many thanks go out to Carter Reid and Bev Mauck for all that they have done for us to be so recognized. Through their efforts, we should be very close to our goal of 500 members this year. For all of you who do not yet have your sons, nephews, grandsons or even dads on our roll, please contact our new membership chairman, Robert Ross, to obtain a short form membership application. January 13, 2012 is the membership application deadline for induction at the upcoming GWB.

Planning for the 2012 George Washington’s birthday dinner is well underway. Our guest speaker is Brigadier General Alan F. Farrell. Many know him as an English and French professor at either VMI or Hampden-Sydney. Others may know him as a decorated Vietnam veteran from the Fifth Special Forces. Others still might know him as the honorary Brother Rat to the VMI Class of 2001. However you know him, he promises to be an entertaining and enlightening speaker. This year’s dinner will be on Saturday, February 18, 2012. First Vice-President Billy Tunner is heading up this event, so if you would like to get involved with the planning and execution of the evening, please let Billy know.

The Third Annual Oyster Roast at Fort Pocahontas was a grand time thanks to the efforts of Tom Vance and the hospitality of Paynie and Harrison Tyler. This event has quickly become a mainstay to our calendar and serves not only to bring together our families for a great outing, but also to introduce ourselves to new member prospects and other SR brethren. I trust everyone enjoyed themselves, loaded up on VSSR paraphernalia and enjoyed being fired upon by the British Ship “God Speed.” We will do it again next year. If there are other activities or functions you think the VSSR should host; please let me or any of the board members know.

Since the May election, your Board has been hard at work. We have a new Patriots’ Fund committee comprised of Scott Bussels and Huntley Galleher. You will be hearing more from them later. It is the Patriots’ Fund and it alone that allows us to do all the good works with which we are charged. This endowment, under the watchful investment eye of J.E.B. Stuart, IV, enables us to award college scholarships each year, support many historic organizations and promote the causes we select. However, there is an ever increasing need to increase this endowment in order to keep pace with demand; therefore we must continue to contribute to the Patriot’s Fund so that we may continue our mission, helping so many worthy causes.

Frank Galleher has completed an audit of our very impressive stand of fifty-four (54) flags; and as a result, we have undertaken repairs to two finials, four staffs and four actual flags. Our Captain of the Color Guard, Page Moffit, is working with the Virginia War Memorial, to determine if it is a viable alternative site for the display of our flags. I have also challenged Page to re-form a permanent Color Guard that can participate, not only in our events, but also in other patriotic and historic celebrations. The VSSR will be the host society for the 2015 Yorktown Day celebration, so we need to ready ourselves for that event. Please contact Page if you are interested in being a part of this special group.

For the first time in my memory, the VSSR has applied for the General Society’s Trent Trophy Award. This is a prestigious General Society award that recognizes all that we as a State Society do for the community. Our newly appointed secretary Carter Reid is leading the charge for this award. This prospective award spans activities over the course of the calendar year, and is scheduled to be reviewed in the 1^st quarter of 2012 (for 2011). Look for our updates at the annual meeting in 2012.

I owe a general thank you to all of the officers and Board members for helping me transition into my new role as president of the VSSR. It is an exciting time and we are poised to do great things. For those of you who are still looking for a way to get involved, we are always seeking dedicated men to serve on our Board of Managers. If you are so inclined or know someone whose talents need to be put to use, past-president Tom Vance heads up our nominating committee. Please reach out to him with any suggestions.

In closing, let me remind everyone that this is your Society. In order to fulfill our purpose of honoring those who fought for the ideals of freedom and independence, we need your involvement and participation. Please find a way, however you are able, to advance our cause by being an active member. Thank you to the Board of Managers and to each of you for allowing me the honor to serve as your President.

Sincerely,