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Regional Activities Southwest: 7. MID-WEST: Post 1, (Mercer-Alexander) Philadelphia, Pa The Post presented our annual Dirk Award to an outstanding cadet at Valley Forge Military Academy and College in Wayne, PA last May and we hope to do so again in 2009. The Post had our usual Color Guard presentation at the Bonnie Brae Scottish Games in Liberty Corners, NJ last June and it was a beautiful day for our booth. We wanted to be at Graehame Park in July but the day was just to hot for me. We were at the McClain Gathering in Carlisle, PA and the Green Lane Festival in September. We lost one day at Green Lane because of heavy rain but Sunday turned out well. Sadly, we lost Post member Rae Newhall, our piper and a good friend, who passed away after a year’s illness in January. He had a long career in the US Army. He will indeed be missed and our sympathies are extended to his wife Barbara and other members of his family. The Post also presented the Colors at the annual Friends of Robert Burns Dinner at Williamson’s Restaurant in Horsham, PA. The Post would like to thank Jim Nethery, George Yarns, Greg Huntington, and Lynn McCall for their help at the various events. —Blair C. Stonier PC Post 7 (Lt. Hugh McKay) Savannah, GA We began March with a Low Country Boil at the home of Post Comptroller, Jay Harrison. The members had plenty to eat and good camaraderie. The Post was busy in March helping our Irish cousins in Savannah. We provided a Color Guard for the Irish Festival, Terra Feis, a children’s celebration, at the Revolutionary War hero from Ireland, Sgt. William Jasper, memorial ceremony, and the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The Savannah Parade is reportedly the second largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the United States. The parade is long and can be exhausting by the time we get to the end. The Color Guard is always well received at these affairs. Switching gears we then went to a Kirkin O’ the Tartans at Darien First Presbyterian. The church is the oldest Presbyterian Church in Georgia, established by Scots who founded Darien to protect Georgia’s southern flank. The following week the Color Guard was back for the Darien Blessing of the Fleet parade. In April we presented 12 medals to local high school Junior ROTC units in the surrounding communities. We also presented three engraved highland dirks to the ROTC programs at Armstrong Atlantic State University, Savannah State University, and Georgia Southern University. This award has become the most sought after award at these three universities. We began May by providing the Color Guard for the opening ceremonies of the Savannah Scottish Games and finished it by participating in the ground breaking ceremonies for the Chatham County World War II Memorial on Memorial Day. “with fire and sword” —Charles R. Rogers, PC |
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Post 26, Michigan On May 19th the Post was active at the 2009 National Honor Society Awards Program held at Van Dyke Public Schools Auditorium in Warren, MI. This activity included the presentation of awards to meritorious members of the Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC). High School cadet Christopher Gardner was presented with several military related decorations, including the SAMS medal and ribbon for his outstanding work as a leader and an athlete. Mr. Brendan White, one of the organizers of the event and veteran was presented with the SAMS challenge coin for initially contacting us. After the well attended and colorful event, refreshments were served, this was a good opportunity to share information with other attendants about SAMS. Groups represented ranged from the American Legion, AMVETS, Daughter of the American Revolution, and many others. —Doc Benedict, Acting Commander Post 48 (Colonel Alexander O. Brodie) Phoenix, AZ We have been somewhat busy here in Arizona already having done our Remembrance Table for the Vietnam Traveling Wall in Apache Junction and then again three weeks later in Buckeye, AZ. This is one program that we have been getting many requests for with recommendations coming from the former Color Guard Commander of the Luke Air Force Honor Guard and also from the Commanding Officer of Luke. The most recent was an Air Force Pilots group that served together in the first Gulf war holding a reunion. When they asked the C.G. of Luke about using the Base Honor Guard to do a Table, he recommended our Post to do the honors. I am so very proud of our Post 48 members, they always step up and get the job done and every time they do it with the utmost pride. Being on this “Table” always gets to each and every one of us. I feel the reason for that is because when doing this, each member is thinking about and remembering someone that we have served with that is no longer with us on these occasions. We are not only thinking about the POW/MIA’s, but every man and women who ever served our Country and cannot be there. We recently returned from the Prescott Highland Games where we were invited to do the opening ceremonies as we have done for the past five years since they started, however after speaking with some of the SAMS members in Prescott, it looks as if they are about ready to get their own Post started. I have already spoke with them about us sharing some of the events, especially when one post is committed and the other is available to assist. This will be good for SAMS and good for Post 48 now that there will . . . continued |