I look forward to working with all of the members of the Fairfax Resolves over the next year and a half as chapter president. I have big shoes to fill, especially since we have lost several long term hard-chargers with a wealth of corporate memory. I will need your help to sustain the good reputation Fairfax Resolves has earned among our brother chapters. I will start with – owing to relocations and such, we do not have a full slate of officers. We are one of the most active SAR Chapters in Virginia, and we have no plan to reduce our community and public service commitments. Our feedback is that Fairfax Resolves Chapter has a healthy impact within the community and we will stand the course. Please consider accepting an open vice president office, chaplain, or generally assisting the registrar, secretary, or other officer in some way.

Fairfax Resolves has recently been challenged to secure a conveniently located meeting place, a fact that has affected our membership attendance greatly. We will never locate a perfect meeting location, but a site easily accessible to the majority of members will increase our effectiveness in attracting prominent speakers and subject matter experts on the American Revolutionary Era. We have had fantastic speakers recently, such as Marc Leepson, who is scheduled for our September meeting.

I want to point out that as much as we need increased attendance at our periodic meetings, our basic creed printed at the head of this letter does not include “having big attendance at meetings so we can claim the highest numbers”. No one SAR template fits every individual, yet every individual can support in one way or another. Attending meetings or taking an officer’s position might not fit you because of professional, family, or health reasons. However, there are other things you can do that are even more fun. Being a service organization, our creed encourages us to conduct youth activities, such as History Day, essay, oration, and poster contests; and recognition of public service, including law enforcement, EMS, Fire Safety, and teaching. These are all enjoyable and you take pride that you have done something worthwhile by recognizing public service or by enriching the learning experience of the community’s youth. Check out our Facebook and web page for a complete list and for photos of these events. You will find a place suiting your interests and skills. The photos on our social media were taken by the same 3 or 4 photographers. The photographers can use your help, because their attention is on working the event and they miss some excellent snapshots. If you are a shutterbug, consider coming along with our Revolutionary War color guard local/regional events (fun for the whole family too), or be our photographer of JROTC awards, for example. The historical events are not just for color guard participation, you and the family can have fun taking in the living history exhibits (surgeon, blacksmith, soldier), and wear a period outfit if you like. Photographing events is just one area where we can always use help from members and non-members. Note that Fairfax Resolves is a 501c3 organization - donations, including mileage & hotel expenses for participants, are tax deductible (refer to IRS rules & regs as to how this applies to you).

A chapter roster has been sent to each chapter member. My first objective is to validate/update information on the roster the officers can alert the membership of upcoming meetings or changes of meeting venue. A second objective is to alert the membership to our social media presence of website and Facebook. We will not overload your email account with emails, but I do want to alert members to meetings and events by email a week or so before each event to encourage the fellowship and participation that comes from increased attendance. A third objective is to promote member-to-member communication.

Please check out our Facebook page, search on Fairfax Resolves Chapter.

I hope to see you at our Sept 10 meeting at Falcon’s Landing Retirement home in Sterling.

Very respectfully,

Vern Eubanks, President

Fairfax Resolves, SAR