I have had a lot of travel this month for both personal as well as North Carolina SAR activities.  The month started with a bang when the le Marquis de Lafayette chapter hosted a remembrance of the Battle of the House in the Horseshoe followed by a grave marking for Benjamin Williams.  SE District VP David Mann then hosted a District #2 meeting to make the weekend a resounding success.  I, on the other hand flew to New York State to attend my 50^th high school class reunion.  It was amazing how those classmates have aged!

The following weekend, I travelled to Bessemer City, NC to attend the remembrance of the Tryon Association which was later named the Tryon Resolves.  Many family members of the signers of the Association resolutions were in attendance that was hosted by the Battle of Kings Mountain chapter as well as several DAR chapters in the local area.  It was noted that these resolutions eventually led to the Halifax Resolves on 12 April 1776.  We also presented Compatriot David Alls with his Silver Color Guard medal for sustained performance in support of District and National Color Guard activities.

During the Board of Managers meeting in Raleigh on August 20, we held a Candidates Forum for compatriots wishing to attain national leadership positions.  We heard from Secretary General, Larry Guzy (GA), who is running for President General, Librarian General C. Bruce Pickette (AL) who is running for Registrar General, Mark Anthony (SC) and John Thornhill (NC); the latter two are running for Historian General.  After presentations and question and answer periods, the North Carolina Society compatriots voted on the two contested races, Registrar General and Historian General.  The Board also heard from North Carolina compatriots in support of Warren Alter (AZ) for Secretary General and Doug Collins (KY) for Librarian General.  The North Carolina Society later voted to endorse Larry Guzy, Warren Alter, C. Bruce Pickette, John Thornhill and Doug Collins for their respective races for national office.

During the business portion of the meeting, the Board voted to approve combining funds from the Alamance BG chapter with the State funds to increase productivity of both funds; approved clerical changes to the NC Handbook, Vol 1 proposed by Sr VP Strunk; and, voted to become a sponsor of the High Point Museum Program.  I then conducted a review of the new SAR web page and advised the Board that the Membership application portion has been approved by the National Congress as the primary means for new as well as supplemental applications.  I reviewed the Sharefile program and demonstrated some portions of the North Carolina web page.  I reviewed the Reconciliation, Americanism and Stark Reports for the Board.  Compatriot Tim Berly discussed the National SAR Library and showed a video describing how we can help.  Compatriot Sam Powell then reviewed the SAR Center for Interpretive Learning plan that is commencing its fund raising activities; he also showed a conceptual video of the Center.

Following the Candidates Forum, Sr VP George Strunk distributed several awards earned by compatriots and chapters during the National Congress in Boston.  National recognition went to Compatriot Steve Avent for the best Single Page newsletter.

Also singled out for national recognition was the le Marquis de Lafayette chapter for being the best chapter of its size in the nation in the President General’s activities.

The week after the Board of Managers meeting, I travelled to Kill Devil Hills to meet with the Outer Banks chapter to determine their plans for sustaining or dissolving the chapter.  They will vote in the near future and let the society know some time in November what their plans will be. I advised them of the North Carolina Bylaw requirements and encouraged them to continue to work together to determine their future.

I have asked for members of the society to fill some committee positions.  Wayne Davis, Chapter President of the Col Alexander Erwin Chapter, has agreed to become the State JROTC/ROTC Medals Committee chair and he will also be in charge of the selection of the State Enhanced JROTC cadet youth award contest.

We need compatriots to step up for state leadership positions.  We are searching for the next state Secretary en route to becoming a future State Society President.  Please let the nominating committee chair, Tim Berly, know if you are interested.