Compatriots,
Happy Independence Day! The day that John Adams said – “I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires, and Illuminations from one end of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more”. I hope that you and your family enjoy your time together on the day we set aside each year to celebrate our freedom.
Speaking of family, wives, daughters, and granddaughters of members in good standing are eligible to join the Ladies Auxiliary. Membership Applications and additional information is available on the LACASSAR website - ladiesauxiliarycaliforniasar.org. The ladies meet, and host planned activities during our spring and fall meetings and new members are always welcome.
If you have not received your voting credentials for Congress, please contact me. It is not too late to plan to join us for this year’s National Congress in Renton Washington July 10-14, 2021. Registration information can be found in this edition of the Compatriot.
Looking forward to seeing you there,
Brian Stephens
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Congratulations! Welcome to the California Society, Sons of the American Revolution. We are honored that you have elected to join our society of descendants of those patriots and heroes who gave us our freedoms. The California Society conducts many patriotic, historical, and educational programs in our communities, and we rely heavily on our member volunteers to keep them strong and vibrant.
If you haven’t yet been, you will shortly be contacted by a representative of your chapter; I urge you to meet your fellow compatriots, join them in their chapter programs, and become an active member of your chapter and state society. I am looking forward to meeting and working with you in the future.
D. Craig Anderson, Executive Vice President, California Society
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During the fall of 2020, our effort to present EMT awards to employees of American Medical Response of Napa, CA was stymied by COVID19 restrictions. These awards were presented by Bill Nay, President Redwood Empire Chapter, and Bill Van Valkenburg, VP North in June.
During the LNU Lightning Complex Fire and the Glass Complex Fire, Paramedic Jason Bond oversaw the evacuation of Adventist St Helena Hospital, twice within 40 days. As the hospital became being threatened by the fast-moving fires, hospital leadership reached out to local EMS providers to assist in evacuating their patients. Jason’s leadership helped to ensure that the AMR Napa team, in collaboration with local EMS, Fire, and Law Enforcement Providers were able to successfully evacuate medically fragile patients from the 151-bed acute care hospital both times.
The Glass Fire was believed to have started around 4 a.m. and by 7 a.m. the hospital had reached out requesting assistance. At 9 a.m. ambulances from AMR Napa County, and surrounding AMR operations began evacuating patients, completing the process by noon.
In the days and weeks following both evacuations, Mr. Bond supervised ambulance crews that were deployed across the region to support fire suppression efforts, often driving hundreds of miles each day to deliver essential equipment, such as radios and supplies, as well as food to the crews stationed in the fire base camp and at multiple locations in Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino Counties. When 16 firefighters at a CAL-Fire base camp in Santa Rosa reported symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning during the Glass Fire response, Mr. Bond coordinated with neighboring AMR operations to deploy a strike team of ambulances to the base camp to assess and treat the firefighters. Through out this incident, Mr. Bond, JohnRey Hassan, Regional Director of AMR Napa County, AMR Napa County Supervisors and Managers, and the front line EMTs and Paramedics continued to provide uninterrupted 911 services for the residents of Napa County, responding to almost 2,000 calls for service.
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ORANGE COUNTY CHAPTER
4TH ANNUAL PICNIC - AUGUST 14TH
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Registration for the 131st National Congress is now open. |
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The Quilt Reaction force presented Doug Bergtholdt of the Silicon Valley Chapter with a Law Enforcement themed quilt. Doug is a retired officer of the San Jose, CA Police Department. Doug is a past president of the Silicon Valley Chapter, and he served several years as CASSAR Secretary and CASSAR Vice President Membership.
Special thanks to Charmella Secrest and her team for creating this beautiful quilt.
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CASSAR SEA CADET OF THE YEAR - 2021
Sea Cadet Chairman, Bill Nay, of the California Society Sons of the American Revolution presented the 2021 Sea Cadet of the Year Award to PO2 Miguel Barlisan. (Left to Right) Chairman Bill Nay. Robert Taylor, CASSAR Past President, ENS Devin Rodrigues USNSCC, and Cadet Petty Officer Miguel-Aris Barlisan
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Valley Forge Teachers Recognition Program
This award is open to all 5th Grade Elementary School Teachers, 8th Grade and High School American History Teachers, either public, private or parochial who teach the American Revolution. The selected teachers (up to two each year) will receive a trip to the Summer Graduate Teacher Workshop related to the American Revolution presented by the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. (The chosen workshop will be the one most closely related to the American Revolution.) The Award, valued up to $1,700 includes tuition, room and board*, and transportation expenses (transportation limited to $500.00). (*meals are provided when on-campus only; meals for off-campus visits to workshop sites are not included.)
The Chairman for the California Society Valley Forge Teacher Scholarship Award Program is Robert “Bob” Taylor. Contact him for additional information.
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American Hero Sgt Moses Adams
By Tom Adams
On Memorial Day we often look for an American Hero to recognize and honor. I propose Sgt. Moses Adams. We do not have a photograph of Sgt. Moses Adams, for he died at Valley Forge on June 13, 1778, six days before General Washington led his Army out of the encampment in pursuit of the British Army toward Monmouth, New Jersey. We were not even left a grave marker as Washington did not want anyone to know the number of sick and dying in his army, particularly the British quartered across the river in Philadelphia.
We probably would not even know of Sgt. Moses Adams had the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) not done something rather remarkable. Typically, organizations name a program after a famous person, or often a major financial donor. But in 2011, the SAR named one of its national youth programs after a heretofore unknown soldier, The Sgt. Moses Adams Memorial Middle School Brochure Contest, for the sole reason that he was an unknown soldier who gave his life for our freedom.
The hope is that across this land young people will ask, “Who was Moses Adams?” – and that will be a teaching moment for all to talk about the thousands - some believe over 20,000 – who gave their life during America’s long struggle for independence.
On Patriots’ Day, 2021, in Sgt. Adams’ hometown of New Marlborough, Massachusetts, American Legion Post 350 and local SAR Pomeroy Chapter dedicated an 11-foot Monument to the town’s 211 Veterans of the American Revolution. On the face of the monument is a bronze plaque created by the American Legion listing the veterans. Curiously, by virtue of an alphabetical ordered listing, Moses Adams is the first name listed. On another side of the monument is a bronze plaque commemorating Sgt. Moses Adams. The plaque reads:
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SGT MOSES ADAMS
A SOLDIER OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
30 NOV 1748 - 13 JUNE 1778
In 2011 the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) named one of its National Youth Programs: ”The Sgt Moses Adams Memorial Middle School Brochure Contest” honoring a representative soldier of the American Revolution who made the ultimate sacrifice. Moses Adams of New Marlborough, Massachusetts joined with his brothers and neighbors and marched with their Minute Man Company in response to the Alarm of Lexington and Concord, 21 April 1775. He then joined the Continental Army and rose to the rank of Sergeant in the 13th Massachusetts Line. He died at Valley Forge 13 June 1778. Sgt Adams and many thousands of others gave their lives and made the ultimate sacrifice in the establishment of the United States of America.
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A website has been created of the list of the 211 veterans: WWW.NMARVet.org
Clicking on any veteran’s name brings up his service record. Click on Menu in the upper-right corner and click on the third page down, takes you to the page dedicated to Sgt. Moses Adams.
Thank you for the opportunity to share the story of this Hero of the American Revolution.
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The Mother Lode Chapter President, Mike Muetz, had the privilege of presenting the Bronze C.A.R.-SAR Medal of Appreciation to Sabine Adams Hall, for her over ten (10) years of service as a Senior Leader in the local C.A.R. Society in El Dorado County at it recent Chapter Meeting – The Sacramento C.A.R. Society. The award lists three purposes for which the Medal can be awarded, and Sabine meets all three:
A local Chapter, may present the Bronze C.A.R.-SAR Medal of Appreciationto a member of the C.A.R in good standing in recognition of and in appreciation for:
1) For outstanding services rendered to a local C.A.R. Society The Sacramento Society of the C.A.R. was re-activated by Jeannette Barrett, of Placerville, in September 2007 with the understanding the society would serve the children of El Dorado County. In 2008 Sabine brought her four (4) children, along with eight (8) of her nieces and nephews, from her three sibling’s families, into the C.A.R. Sabine immediately began to serve as a Senior Leader and eventually Jeanette passed the baton as Senior President to Sabine. In 2020 Sabine was informed by the C.A.R. State President that she had served the maximum number of years allowed as President, and so she has stepped aside.
2) Assistance in promoting C.A.R. members to obtain SAR memberships Sabine’s three sons have become SAR members, along with three nephews. In all, Sabine has brought six (6) young men, from her C.A.R. Sacramento Society, into the Mother Lode SAR Chapter and the California Society.
3) Significantly aiding SAR programs, or SAR members
Sabine has promoted participation in the SAR Contest to her Sacramento C.A.R. Society’s young members. Several were able to participate in the Poster Contest and the Brochure Contest through their school. One nephew, whose school did not participate in the poster contest, was able to enter the SAR Contest by being a member of a C.A.R. Society, as the National SAR rules permit. Sabine, who personally feels strongly about patriotic service, has found opportunities for her C.A.R. young members to participate in patriotic programs, like Wreath Across American. Also, several Mother Lode members will recall Sabine and her C.A.R. young members, joining other veteran groups, planting flags along US 50 in Placerville on Memorial Day.
Besides being a C.A.R. Senior Member, Sabine, and also former C.A.R. daughter Eden Grace Hall, are both members of the El Dorado Chapter, NSDAR in Placerville.
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The President of Redwood Empire Chapter, California Society, Sons of the American Revolution presented a SAR Outstanding Citizen Certificate and Pin to Robert "Rob" Quick, Past National President American Veterans (AMVETS) Riders. Rob Quick has dedicated his time and efforts to bring awareness to Veteran issues. Most recently he helped coordinate the AMVETS sponsored "Rolling To Remember" demonstration ride in Washington DC to bring awareness to the Missing In Action and Prisoners of War (POW/MIA) and the Veteran issues of Jobless, Homeless and Suicide. |
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The Sacramento Chapter Color Guard presented the colors at a Flag Day event sponsored by the Sacramento Chapter DAR. Left to Right - Commander David Beach, Russ Kaiser, Craig Anderson, Ernie Garcia, and Don Littlefield. |
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The Sacramento Chapter held their first in-person on June 18th after COVID restrictions were lifted. They used this occasion to thank Past President Don Littlefield for his service as CASSAR President during 2020 -2021. |
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PRESIDENT
BRIAN R. STEPHENS
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
D. CRAIG ANDERSON
VICE PRESIDENT, SOUTH
JAMES KLINGLER
VICE PRESIDENT, NORTH
WILLIAM VAN VALKENBURG
VICE PRESIDENT, MEMBERSHIP
James C. Bunker
SECRETARY
FRED SCHUSTER
TREASURER
JOHN FERRIS
REGISTRAR
OWEN R. STILES
CHANCELLOR
JOHN L. DODD, ESQ.
GENEALOGIST
TERRY L. BRIGGS
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HISTORIAN
SCOTT KNECHT
CHAPLAIN
RT. REV. LOUIS V. CARLSON, JR.
SURGEON
DR. MATTHEW BOWDISH, MD
TRUSTEE OF THE INVESTED FUNDS
(2020-2023)
STEPHEN RENOUF
TRUSTEE OF THE INVESTED FUNDS
(2019-2022)
DR. M. KENT GREGORY
TRUSTEE OF THE INVESTED FUNDS
(2021-2024)
JOHN L. DODD, ESQ.
PAST PRESIDENT
DONALD B. LITTLEFIELD
NATIONAL TRUSTEE
DEREK BROWN
ALTERNATE NATIONAL TRUSTEE
ROBERT TAYLOR
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Cyber Scams
If you receive an email from a purported Compatriot in need of help that is unsigned, with no personal contact information seeking contributions to any type of fundraising site; or an email ad-dressing you by name from another member of your Chapter requesting the expenditure of funds or the purchase of gift cards consider it a hoax. These messages are getting more sophisticated and may even include the unauthorized use of the SAR logo and/or a pseudo SAR email address.
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The California Compatriot is the official newsletter of the California Society, Sons of the American Revolution. Unless explicitly stated, the opinions expressed herein are the opinions of the authors, and not necessarily those of the California Society SAR
Editor: D. Craig Anderson
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