As we come to the close of 2014, I would like to share with you a piece of our shared history that you may have not previously encountered. In his Second Thanksgiving Proclamation, President George Washington recommends “…to all religious societies and denominations, and to all persons whomsoever, within the United States to set apart and observe…a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, and on that day to meet together and render their sincere and hearty thanks to the Great Ruler of Nations for the manifold and signal mercies which distinguish our lot as a nation…” President Washington went further, and asks us “to beseech the kind Author of these blessings graciously to prolong them to us; to imprint on our hearts a deep and solemn sense of our obligations to Him for them; to teach us rightly to estimate their immense value; to preserve us from the arrogance of prosperity, and from hazarding the advantages we enjoy by delusive pursuits…and by a correspondent conduct as citizens and men; to render this country more and more a safe and propitious asylum for the unfortunate of other countries…”

Our Assistant Chaplain and Compatriot, Paul Reed Peak, is one who devoted a lifetime to making the United States “a safe and propitious asylum” for his family, colleagues, and “for the unfortunate of other countries.” I regret to inform you that Paul passed away on October 19, 2014 after a brief illness. His daughter, Marty, has provided some reflections of her Dad and the days surrounding his death at her blog site. Reading through these posts reminded me of many things, but mostly of how much we all have to be thankful for. God speed, Paul. And God bless the Peak family.

Very respectfully,

William W. “Bill” Price, President

Fairfax Resolves, SAR