SAR Alexander Hodge Chapter #49 BUSINESS MEETING – October 29th, 2024, 1:00 p.m.
Location: Spring Creek BBQ on Highway 6 South, Missouri City, Texas.
Attended: Carl Hill (President), Don Burns (Vice-President), Steve Barber (Secretary),
Don Rollins (Sargent of Arms), Mike Green (Newsletter), and Jim Penny (Web Master).
Treasury Report: $10,118.41 in the treasury.
All checks for Sharon Aldrich memorial have cleared, Two (2) outstanding checks still exist from the JROTC program. ($200.00 and $500.00). There are also two (2) $100.00 checks outstanding for the approved purchase of two bricks for the Galvez Memorial. One brick was given in the name of the SAR Alexander Hodge Chapter #49 and one brick in the name of DAR Alexander Hodge Chapter.
Thank you letters have been received from that organization for these donations.
Registrar Report:
Three new applications for were sent in by the Chapter Registrar committee (Carl Hill and Mike Green) for prospective new members Randal, Rhodes and Laughlin. Only the Laughlin application was returned requiring additional documentations. We have 12 additional new applications that are going along quite well in their completion that we are attempting to have all submitted by year end.
Newsletter and Blog and Facebook page:
Jim Penny reports that the work continues on military documentation of members ancestry military units and their activity during the American Revolutionary war. This mostly centers around patriots living in Virginia, where approximately 30 members of the Alexander Hodge Chapter has ancestry lineage in Virginia.
Jim also reports getting old and new photography on the Alexander Hodge Chapter #49 that will be posted on the Chapter Facebook page.
The Newsletter for November 2024 is ready for publication after the Presidents Message has been completed and submitted.
Any Chapter Minutes will be posted on the Chapter Web Blog site.
Old Business:
1) The flag certificates awarded to Sugar Land Fire and Police Departments have been documented and submitted to the State SAR organization for Chapter credit.
2) Mike Green and Carl Hill attended the memorial service for Compatriot Gus Sandstrom with several flags.
New Business:
1) Carl Hill proposed that a Memorial Bell Ringing Service be held at the last monthly Chapter meeting in November 2025. This service would recognize people that the Chapter has lost in the last couple years. The service would include Hugh Morgan Flora (deceased July 30, 2023), Frank Feleman (deceased May 10 th , 2024), Thomas B. Green (deceased July 16 th , 2024 Gustavo A. Sandstrom (deceased July 29, 2024) and Sharon Aldrich (deceased August 2024.)
The proposal was voted and passed.
2) Carl Hill warned that there are still false emails being sent out in his name.
3) We have been informed by our District Vice President that the SAR Carrington Chapter has agree to donate $3,000.00 for a granite bench commemorating the 250 anniversaries of the American Revolution in 2026. The bench total cost at this time from Texas Gravestone (281-503-2400) who is providing such a benchfrom other SAR chapters that will be placed at the SAR State memorial is $5,500.00. This cost includes the cost of manufacturing the bench, a granite slab for the bench to be placed upon and deliver and setting of the slab and bench.
It is suggested by Art Byram, VP of our District #7, that Alexander Hodge Chapter #49 and the Carrington Chapter could be recognized on this new bench with donations from each Chapter. It is proposed that the bench would be presented to Houston Christin College to sit outside of the Independence Hall building on the Houston, TX campus.
A diagram of the proposed bench with all engravings was reviewed and available.
4) Carl Hill also bought up the need to start next year planning with the Carrington Chapter and with our District VP, the hosting of the Fall State Business Meeting here in Houston, TX. The Chapter is in the need of a chairman to head up this service opportunity. Along with the bench placement. The idea was put forth of arranging for this State Business Meeting to be held at the Houston Christian College Independence Hall facility and have a dedication ceremony for the above mentioned granite bench.
5) In the first quarter of 2025, the Alexander Hodge SAR Chapter is looking to share a table presentation with our sister DAR Alexander Hodge Chapter at the Del-Web retirement community. The purpose is for promoting the organizations for new membership. Our Chapter was invited to attend this with the DAR Chapter.
Upcoming Service Event Opportunities:
1) The DAR Alexander Hodge Chapter will be having their 2024 “National Wreaths Across America Day” sale and the wreath laying event coming December 14th, 2024. The SAR Chapter supported this event in the past with buying wreaths and providing a Color Guard during the day of the laying of the wreaths. A brochure will be presented at the November SAR Chapter meeting for the purchase of these wreaths by SAR Chapter members and by our SAR Chapter.
Carl has also agreed to provide an SAR Color Guard for the DAR Wreath Laying ceremony December 14 th , 2024. Any Alexander Hodge Chapter #49 member that would like to participate in this Color Guard, please contact Carl Hill with your interest.
2) The Chapter is looking to renew having visits to the VA hospital twice a year. This was a tradition started with Fred Boatman when he was our Chapter president. In these visits small gifts to the veterans in the hospital where provided. (personal care items, puzzles, etc.) These visits where normally arrange during the year and not during holidays. A large part of the population of the Veterans hospital are paraplegics veterans. The next visit is being planned for February 2025.
3) Carl also bought up other community service opportunities that have been completed in the past that need a Chapter Chairman assigned to coordinate these other service opportunities for our SAR Chapter.
Beside the Outstanding JROTC Cadet Award that Carl has facilitated in the past, there is an Essay Contest for Grade 9-12, an Americanism Poster Contest Grades 3-5, and an Eagle Scout Program that the Chapter has sponsored in the past. There are six other programs that the Chapter have not sponsored in the past.
4) Mike Green bought up an opportunity for the Alexander Hodge Chapter to award local police, EMS and fire department personnel with various SAR awards that are available. Mike discussed with Sargent Fitzgerald of the Sugar Land Police Department the possibility of using the Sugarland 100 Club banquet scheduled for January 17th 2025 and a venue to present these awards on behalf of the Alexander Hodge Chapter #49. The officers agreed that this would be an excellent opportunity for the Chapter to get more community exposure, but a person must be chosen to lead a committee for this Chapter to communicate with the 100 Club if they would allow these presentations at their banquet and coordinate the selection and nomination of the public servants that would deserve such awards.
5) The Saint Lawence Catholic Church in Sugar Land, TX Boy Scout, Girl Scout and Cub Scout organization has inquired about the Alexander Hodge Chapters SAR Flag ceremony presentation. Jacobs Counts the Scout Master at 832-541-2789 has inquired for 2025.
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 November 26th, 2024 at 07:00. Come early to eat some great BBQ and get a good seat.
The speaker will be Mel Oller on the Masonic Masons role with most of the Founders of the United States.
End of Business Report
prepared by Steve Barber, Chapter Secretary
