SAR Alexander Hodge Chapter #49
BUSINESS MEETING – August 27, 2024, 1:00 p.m.
Location: Spring Creek BBQ on Hwy 6 South, Missouri City, Texas
Attended: Carl Hill, Mike Green, Don Rollins, Steve Barber and Jim Penny.
Treasury Report: Balance $10,318.41- All outstanding bills paid. One JROTC check for
$500.00 not paid. There are two outstanding JRPTC checks outstanding from 2023 for
$300.00 and $500.00. These 2023 checks will need to be canceled by the end of 2024.
Registrar Report: Carl Hill and Mike Green reported three new applications have been
submitted for membership into the Alexander Hodge Chapter #49 SAR.
1) Randal Glenn – Retired Dentist
2) Robert Rhodes
3) Richard Loughlin
Richard Loughlin’s application had many issues that had to be resolved due to family
history with adoptions and references to family bible. Most of the delay time in
applications, once they are submitted are at the National SAR office, is primarily due to
the high turnover rate of the Registrar at National level and budget restraints at National
SAR.
For some reason National SAR has also been bypassing the State SAR in the
processing of new members, Applications are submitted to National, who is to send an
accepted applicant to State SAR, and then the Chapter is notified of the approved
applicant.
processing of new members, Applications are submitted to National, who is to send an
accepted applicant to State SAR, and then the Chapter is notified of the approved
applicant.
We have 6-7 applicants in the process of completing applications or have contacted and
shown interest in joining SAR.
Newsletter and Blog and Facebook page:
On the Web Site, the Memorial section was not working with linking up the posted
obituaries. This has been fixed.
Need more pictures for the Chapter history.
New Business:
1) Carl Hill recognized the passing of Lovell Aldrich’s wife Sharon Aldrich. Sharon
died this last week after a long fight with illness. There is a Memorial Service for
her this Wednesday, August 28 th ,2024 at 0:200 P.M. at the St. Martin Episcopal
Church located at 717 Sage Road, Houston, Texas 77506.
Carl recognized that Sharon made significant contributions to the Chapter while Lovell was Chapter
president and as Social Chairperson.
president and as Social Chairperson.
Besides hosting Christmas Parties and SAR meetings at their home, Sharon arranged many social gatherings for the Chapter including dinners, plays, sporting events and visiting the George Bush
Library.
Library.
In lieu of flowers, the Alexzander Hodge Chapter voted to give $100.00 contributions to two organizations that the Aldrich’s supported, Saint Martin’s Episcopal Church and Texas A &M University Corps of Cadets.
2) It was proposed by Carl Hill that we should have a memorial service with a tolling ringing of a bell for each passing member of the year at the last Chapter meeting of the year in November. This was seconded and passed by a unanimous vote.
3) It was brought up with all the new members and some less frequently attending members that all the pledges given at the beginning and end of the Chapter meetings are not known. Of course, all know the Pledge to the American Flag, but the pledge to the Texas, SAR flag and the SAR pledge at the end are not well known. It was suggested that this should be available in a plastic laminate for each attending member to learn and recite all the pledges.
These would be turned in for each meeting or could be incorporated into the name tag system
being used. This was voted on and passed by a unanimous vote.
being used. This was voted on and passed by a unanimous vote.
4) New Flag Certificates are being prepared to present to the Sugarland Police and Fire Fighting Stations. No flag retirement programs are planned for this date.
5) Planning needs to start for the State SAR Business Meeting in Houston in the fall of 2025 that the Alexander Hodge Chapter #49 and the Carrington Chapter are to host. The meeting is being planned to be help at Houston Christian College Independence Hall. WE will need a chairperson to head up the planning for this important event.
6) There is a project proposed to give a Gray Granite Bench for the 2026 anniversary from the SAR to Houston Community College to sit outside Independence Hall of the HCC campus. This $3,000.00+ will require some fund raising and multiple Houston SAR Chapters contributing.
Service Events Opportunities:
1) It was announced that there is another “Honor Flight” occurring at Hobby Airport, Delta Terminal on September 21 st at 7:00 P.M. This event happens about once a quarter where a plane full of US Veterans are flown to Washington DC to visit the Was Memorials. When the Veterans return home
to Houston, they are greeted by various patriotic groups including SAR, DAR, CAR, Boy and Girl Scouts, VFW, American Legion, etc. at the Delta terminal. There is usually an orchestra playing patriotic music during the flag waving followed by a short service with awards and recognitions.
2) We have been approached by the Boy Scout Girl Scout and Cub Scout unit associated with Saint Lawerance Church in Sugar Land to come in and present a program on the SAR or a flag ceremony. Jacob Counts is the Scout Master at phone 832-541-2789
3) The DAR Alexander Hodge Chapter has invited the Alexander Hodge Chapter to have a table presentation this fall at the Del Web Retirement community to promote the groups and solicit new members.
4) The DAR group will be having their annual Wreaths Across America Drive as their primary fund raiser. With the fund raising there will be ceremonies at the Alexander Hodge Cemetery and at the Needville, TX. historic cemetery to lay wreaths on Veterans graves. The SAR Alexander Hodge Chapter has been asked to provide a Color Guard for ceremonies at these two sites.
Dates to be announced.
5) The Alexander Hodge Cemetery in Sugar Land has put out a call for help to clean up the cemetery after the hurricane damage that occurred there in July. If we can set a date before the Wreaths Across America ceremonies and have a sign-up sheet at the next Chapter meeting to help with that
clean up at some date before the ceremonies, that would be a great service project.
Other News:
The next Alexander Hodge Chapter #49 meeting will be held at the Spring Creek BBQ restaurant on HW6 south in Sugarland, TX on September 24 th , 2024 at 07:00. Come early to eat some great BBQ and get a good seat. Carl Hill announced the speaker for the night will be Justice Ken Wyeth on Indian Raids in Civilian Courts.
End of Business Report
Alexander Hodge Chapter #49