Annual Report President, MDSSAR James F. Engler, Sr. (2014-2015)

The President shall perform the duties usually pertaining to that office, and shall, unless otherwise especially provided, appoint all Committees. – MDSSAR Bylaws, Article III, Section 1 (Duties of Officers, President) This simple statement covers a wide variety of activities since my inauguration at the Annual Meeting in April 2015. As such, my report covers my activities at the state level, in addition to my work with my own chapter. The following are covered in this cumulative report:  Committee Operations  Operational Handbook  Chapter Development  Non‐Chapter SAR Meetings  Progress Tracking In addition, I was involved in several short‐term projects and in other SAR‐related activities. Committee Operations The first month of a President’s term requires appointment or re‐appointment of Committee Chairmen and members of the Board of Trustees for the Maryland 400 Fund. Committee Chairs are listed in the BOM agenda. The primary changes to the committees this year are: Duane Tackitt (#2) as Budget Chair; myself for the GW Luncheon; Paul Bannister (#3) as sole chairman of the Retention Subcommittee; Don Deering (#2) as the SAR Logo Tag Subcommittee Chair. The three Presidential appointments to the Maryland 400 Fund Board of Trustees are William C. Batton (#9); James D. Schaub, Ph.D. (#10); and George Satterthwaite (#11). As part of the themes of my PARTY Line (Partnership, Assessment, Response, Transition, and You) to improve transparency and accountability, I asked each state chairman to work on documenting all their processes and procedures. This includes transition plans; assistants to each chairman still are to be identified. Similarly, I have requested work be done on developing written guidelines and procedures for the Maryland 400 Fund; 1VP Smithson provided Chairman Adkins with recommendations based on his experiences as chairman last year. Some progress was made throughout the year, but not many the committee chairs provided their inputs. I am hoping that this project can continue and complete within the next year. Operational Handbook I began work on an operational handbook, to include all procedures and guidelines for officers and committees. Sections for the Vice Presidents have already been drafted. As material came from other officers and chairmen, they were added as part of a first draft, which remains incomplete. Once the draft does get completed, committee procedures will also be submitted to the chapters for review, to make certain everything is included that they need from the state society to make these programs successful locally. Chapter Development Also as part of my PARTY Line, I requested that all chapters address the following:  Where would you like to see your chapter in five years?  Who are the contacts in your chapter for each of the SAR program positions/activities?  What are your chapter's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats?  Do you have procedures in place to make transitions?

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This was intended to be the first step in a dialogue with each chapter to develop a long‐term, action plan for chapter development, tailored to local needs and circumstances. I attempted to follow up with all the chapters; only four responded (Westminster, Little Meadows, John Hanson, GEN William Smallwood). I continued to reach out to our chapters, although the majority of responders did not appear to feel they wanted or could use any help citing an number of issues, typically regarding recruitment and retention; I strongly disagree, but a chapter must want help to get it. Related to this, I worked for the completion and submission of Americanism Scorecards to National Headquarters for all Maryland chapters and the State Society. A few chapters had points of contact who worked hard to complete the entries for their chapters and I completed the balance of the chapters. In each case, I did send copies of what I believed were the final submissions to each chapter prior to the final submissions on 1 March 2016. While I felt they were good summaries for each chapter, I suspect that I still missed items. Subsequently, I created a set of charts that could help points of contact more accurately record their activities in the 2016 Scoresheet throughout the year. I sought points of contact for each chapter and held a teleconference training session, to which most chapters were able to attend. The question session afterward brought out concerns from some chapters that the Scoresheet was more work for them at a time when they had difficulties getting volunteers to just handle their current projects. The Scoresheet Project also exposed concerns in two of our chapters regarding their organization and activities. I am still working with both chapters, which need to arrange for meetings and elect new officers. Non‐Chapter SAR Meetings I have attended the following meetings at state, district and national levels:  June MDSSAR Board of Managers Meeting  National Congress in Louisville, Kentucky at the end of June.  Atlantic Middles States District meeting in Bridgewater, New Jersey in August.  Fall Leadership meeting in Louisville, Kentucky at the end of September  Patriot’s Ball in Ellicott City, Maryland in December  Maryland BOM in January 2016  MDSSAR George Washington Luncheon  Spring Leadership meeting in Louisville, Kentucky at the end of February 2016  Maryland Annual Meeting in April 2016 My goal was to attend as many chapter events as I could. I attended chapter meetings or events of 12 of 15 chapters (the only ones I was not able to attend, either because of schedule conflicts or no notice of events, were John Paul Jones, COL Henry Hollingsworth, and Thomas Stone). I presented the MDSSAR state wreath at the Poe, Monocacy, and Beard grave markings as well as the COL John Eager Howard Birthplace Commemoration and the CAPT Joseph Ogle Memorial Dedication (listed elsewhere in this report). A complete list of meetings and events that I have attended can be found at the end of this report (also listed is when I presented the State SAR wreath). I am also serving at the National Level. I was elected to serve as the Secretary of the Council of State Presidents at the 2015 Congress, and have been present for three meetings to date. I serve on the 250th Anniversary Committee, the Patriot Biographies Committee, and have attended the Graves Committee’s meetings. I am also running for election as Member‐At‐Large on the SAR Foundation Board; while I have picked up numerous endorsements, the National Nominations Committee was not one of them. Progress Tracking I tracked progress by the MDSSAR Vice Presidents of their activities (3VP on June BOM and Brooklyn Trip; 2VP on PR, Semi‐Annual Meeting; 1VP on Annual Meeting). I was involved and monitored progress of the Patriots Ball Committee; chaired by Immediate Past President Doug Favorite (the event had one of the largest turnouts in over a decade).

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Additional Projects There are other projects that arose in the course of the year: the President General’s Patriot Biography Initiative; my work on Chapter Health; funding requests; and heading the George Washington Luncheon planning. Patriot Biographies I worked with our chapters to achieve the President General’s initiative for state societies and chapters to submit by 1 June 2015 of a number of patriot biographies equal to 25% of their membership (on 1 Jan 2015). I volunteered to track our progress (National Committee would send out weekly summaries and I would then get more detailed reports of what they thought MDSSAR and its chapters had submitted, comparing with messages I received of submitted entries, sending status to chapters) and urge participation from all of our chapters and at‐ large membership. Due to the efforts of our Compatriots — especially Christos Christou and Christopher Smithson — our state society and 12 of our 15 chapters met their goals. Our state society stood as one of seven out of 59 societies to achieve the goal and stood in second place in terms of percentage submitted in respect to our total numbers. I brought flag streamers back from the National Congress and presented these to all the successful chapters. I thank everyone for their efforts. Chapter Health Project As mentioned above, I tracked the activities of each chapter and entered them into copies of the Americanism Scoresheet; a couple of chapters had their own points of contact that were filling in their chapters throughout the year. My efforts also included tracking Compatriot attendance of various chapter non‐meeting events (and who wore Colonial attire or presented wreaths) as well as what is published in local media outlets. I met my goals: to submit entries on 1 March 2016 from each chapter and MDSSAR and to have a Compatriot in each chapter to take over the data entry for the 2016 calendar year. The Scorecards will provide a baseline of chapter health. Galvez Memorial Approved at the 2015 Annual Meeting, I supplied the inscription for the brick, which was limited to 16 characters on each of five lines: HONORING GALVEZ MARYLAND SOCIETY SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION Maryland Flag for Connecticut Venue Also approved at the 2015 Annual Meeting (my activity was limited to monitoring the message traffic): the flag, flag stand and cross bottony flag head were purchased and are now with the Governor Oliver Wolcott, Sr. Branch #10 SAR in Connecticut. There was a slight savings which was reimbursed to the MDSSAR Treasury. Funding Requests Late in May there were two requests for funding that came across my virtual desk, both related to the arrival of L’Hermoine (a replica of the ship of that name that brought Lafayette back to America in 1780 with news of the dispatch of more French troops to support America’s cause). The one request sought several thousand in funds to support events related to the ship’s arrival in Annapolis, while the other was to fund a historic marker for the Washington–Rochambeau Revolutionary Route. Both had short turnaround times and required Executive Committee review and voting rather than a vote of the Board of Managers, the latter of which would have occurred too late. The first proposal was voted down, the other, for $1,000, was approved as one immediate $600 payment to cover the marker’s printing and the other $400 to be approved at a later date. The new marker includes a copy of the previously funded MDSSAR painting of troops marching in Annapolis and will show the MDSSAR logo, unlike previous markers we have supported. Both were commendable projects in Annapolis, but there was no cause for the sudden, last‐minute circumstances under which they were presented. The ship’s arrival had been known of for months, so the proposal could have been presented at an earlier Board of Managers meeting. Without well‐documented and ‐publicized procedures and guidelines, though, I expected we would see more of the same situations, as we had in the past. It is for that

3 reason that I pushed for the Operational Manual, mentioned above, to include our policies and procedures for all committees and the Maryland 400 Fund. It was my hope and intent that these last‐minute funding requests will be the last of their kind. I have already asked that Compatriot Robert Reyes, who proposed the marker, provide a more detailed, comprehensive plan for any remaining markers as a pilot for the expected new procedures of the Maryland 400 Fund; while much information was provided, a complete proposal has not appeared. We did, however, have several applications for funds that did go through the new process, listed below with their status:  Phase II of the Maryland 400 Biographies Project. Phase I was proposed and approved at the 2104 Annual Meeting after considerable debate. The results were less than expected. At my request, the Chairman of the Maryland 400 Fund Board of Trustees, Third Vice President Jim Adkins together with the fund’s Board, developed a set of procedures to make more consideration, more transparency and more accountability a part of the process of making grants from the Maryland 400 Fund. Third VP Adkins along with Christos Christou worked up a proposal and met with the Project Lead to include in the proposal what the expectations were for the new grant. The Grant was approved, following this procedure.  Funds to support the Monocacy Cemetery grave markers. GEN William Smallwood Chapter President Michael Saunders submitted a request for funding of six stone markers engraved with the SAR Logo and placed in the Monocacy Cemetery. I prepared a proposal and submitted it for approval.  Maryland CAR Annual Meeting Event Funding. In early 2015 there was a request to help fund the social activities at the annual meeting of the Children of the American Revolution. Toward the end of the year, I met with Sr. President Holly Atherton during the GEN William Smallwood Quarterly Meeting and she asked about help again. I then worked with her to create a one‐page proposal that showed what the different events were that they requested to be funded. The proposal was brought before January 2016 Board of Managers in written form, discussed, and not only approved for one event, but for two of the three requested, with a challenge made to the chapters to fund the remaining event. The check was presented by the state SAR at the George Washington Luncheon, and checks from six chapters sent directly tom the Maryland CAR. The result was that they were able to decrease the total cost of attending the Annual Meeting, which was a great help to the families involved. These cases show that we can have a better regulated way of making requests and increase the efficiency of the entire process. George Washington Birthday Luncheon I served as the planner and executor of the 2016 George Washington Luncheon. This included arranging the location and menu, determining the budget and getting out the flyer. I coordinated the speaker and worked with Compatriot Duane Tackett on the awards. I created and printed the program. Overall, I feel that the event itself was a success. I would recommend the future Presidents have someone else do all the planning and coordination for this event. Other SAR Activities I continue to be active in my local chapter. I also completed work on an out of state Patriot grave marking. Chapter Tasks I was installed on March 2015 as the Westminster chapter President and continue as Webmaster and Newsletter Editor. This year I have done the following:  I compiled the 2015 Americanism Score Card for the Westminster Chapter for consideration for the Americanism and President’s Streamer Awards.  I participated in the Westminster Memorial Day Parade  I presented two of the Outstanding Citizenship award to graduating seniors at Carroll County High Schools  I led the chapter’s Summer and Fall 2015 meetings as well as the Spring 2016 meeting.

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Out of State Grave Marking I started working in September 2013 on getting marked the grave of CAPT Joseph Ogle, my patriot ancestor through whom I became a member of SAR. Raised in Frederick County, Maryland, he served in the Virginia state militia for Ohio County (now part of West Virginia). I am the Immediate Past President (President 1 Jan 2003 to 31 Dec 2009) of the Ogle/Ogles Family Association (O/OFA), a family genealogy group. O/OFA held its triennial convention (September 2015) in St. Louis, Missouri, just across the Mississippi from where my Patriot is buried (he was an early settler to the area, arriving in 1785). I coordinated with the local SAR and DAR chapters to perform a joint Patriot Grave Marking service among the three groups during the O/OFA convention. The dedication was on 27 September 2015. There was a very large turnout of local members of the community, members of O/OFA, descendants of CAPT Ogle from across the country, and a very large contingent of DAR and SAR members: more than 200 in total attended. An article on the event appeared in the Winter issue of SAR Magazine. Conclusions While I did not accomplish as much as I had hoped, especially with my PARTY Line, I think my term as a whole was very productive. As I leave office, I see that there is much that still needs to be done, and I hope that I can continue to contribute to further improving our state society and chapters. Respectfully submitted, James F. Engler, Sr. Album

With the New Officers at the Annual Meeting, 18 April Attending SGT Lawrence Everhart Chapter’s marking 2015 at Baldwin’s Station, Sykesville, MD of Patriot George Poe’s Grave, 26 April 2014

At GEN William Smallwood Chapter’s Monocacy Presenting War Service medal to Westminster Cemetery Marking, 24 May 2015 with members of SAR, Chapter’s Compatriot Lou Abel (right) at the DAR, the Society of 1812 and the Daughters of 1812 Westminster City Memorial Day Parade, 25 May 2015

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Attending The Little Meadows Chapter Meeting 6 Jun Presenting the MDSSAR Wreath at the COL John Eager 2015 with 1VP William Smithson (not shown) and 2VP Howard Chapter’s Commemoration 7 Jun 2015 Don Deering

Attending 125th National Congress with the Maryland Society Delegation and their Ladies 1 July 2015

The Maryland Monument in Prosepect Park, Brooklyn, With GEN William Smallwood Chapter President New York 28 August 2015 Michael Saunders presenting new member John Pelosi with his SAR membership certificate 3 September 2015

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Presenting Patriot Biography Streamer to the Little Presenting The Maryland SAR Wreath during the CAPT Meadows Chapter 12 September 2015 Joseph Ogle Memorial Dedication in Shiloh, Illinois 27 September 2015

At the Repudiation Day Parade (photo courtesy of Ed At the Repudiation Day Dinner, congratualing all the Chambers) participants who made the day possible

Presenting Flag Certificate at JHU/APL With First Lady Joanne heading the receiving line at Patriots Ball 2015.

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Attending the COL John Eager Howard Annual Meeting Presenting the MDSSAR Check for the CAR Annual at the Johns Hopkins Club Meering to Maryland President Emily Ruhm and Senior President Holly Atherton at the GW Luncheon

Presenting with Westminster Chapter Eagle Scout Presenting the Silver SAR Appreciation Medal to Chairman Arthur Petrucelli to Eagle Scouts Vernon Maryland CAR Sr. President Holly Atherton and the Rippeon and Austin Cincotta at Westminster Spring Bronze SAR Appreciation Medal to Maryland SAR Meeting President Emily Ruhm at the CAR Annual Meeting

Meetings Attended Below is a list of the meetings and events I attended. Date Location Description 4/23/2015 Nick's Airport Inn Attended Christian Ardinger Chapter SAR Dinner/Business Meeting 14548 Pennsylvania Ave. Hagerstown, MD 21742 4/26/2015 Israel's Creek Meeting House Attended SGT Lawrence Everhart Chapter’s Cemetery Revolutionary War Patriot George Poe Grave Marking Ceremony Walkersville, MD NB: Presented State Wreath 5/24/2015 Monocacy Cemetery Attended GEN William Smallwood Chapter’s Commemoration Ceremony for Beallsville, MD 20839 Revolutionary War Patriots : James Allnutt, Jr.; Lawrence Allnutt; Robert Doyne; Dawson Edward Jones; Nathan Tolbert Talbott; Robert Willson NB: Presented State Wreath 5/25/2015 Monroe Ave. Marched with Westminster Chapter SAR in Westminster, MD Memorial Day Westminster, MD Parade 6/2/2015 South Carroll High School Presented Westminster Chapter’s Award for Senior Taylor Boeckmann of the 1300 W Old Liberty Rd SAR Outstanding Citizenship pin and certificate Sykesville. MD

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Date Location Description 6/4/2015 Century High School Presented Westminster Chapter’s Award for Senior George Weiber of the SAR 355 Ronsdale Rd Outstanding Citizenship pin and certificate Sykesville. MD 6/6/2015 Perkins Restaurant Attended Little Meadows Chapter Luncheon/Business Meeting 24584 Garrett Highway McHenry, MD 21541 6/7/2015 Grey Rock Mansion, Pikesville, Attended COL John Eager Howard Chapter’s MD Annual Memorial to COL John Eager Howard NB: Presented State Wreath 6/13/2015 Fifth Regiment Armory Conducted MDSSAR Board of Managers Meeting 219 29th Division St. Baltimore, MD 21201 ‐ 2288 6/22‐ The Galt House Attended at NSSAR National Congress 7/2/2015 Louisville, KY 8/6/2015 The Buttersburg Inn Led the Westminster Chapter Business/Dinner Meeting Union Bridge, MD 8/7‐9/2015 Bridgewater Marriott Participated in the Mid‐Atlantic States Conference Bridgewater, NJ 8/12/2015 Mama Stella's Ristorante Italiano Attended John Hanson Chapter Meeting. 7918 Old Branch Ave. Clinton, MD 20735 8/28/2015 The Old Stone House & Prospect Participated in the commemoration of the 239th anniversary of the Battle of Park Long Island and the Maryland 400’s sacrifices Brooklyn, NY NB: Presented State Wreath 9/3/2015 Knights of Columbus Hall Attended at GEN William Smallwood Chapter SAR Quarterly Meeting 707 Rosensteel Avenue Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 9/12/2015 Perkins Restaurant Attended Little Meadows Chapter Luncheon/Business Meeting 24584 Garrett Highway McHenry, MD 21541 9/13/2015 Grace Rocky Hill Lutheran Church Marked grave of Patriot Peter Beard with the SGT Lawrence Everhart Chapter Woodsboro, MD. NB: Presented State Wreath 9/25‐26/2015 The Brown Hotel Participation in Fall Leadership Meetings. Louisville, KY 9/27/2015 Shiloh Valley Cemetery Marked memorial of Patriot CAPT Joseph Ogle with: the Ogle/Ogles Family Shiloh, IL Association; the Louis and Clark Chapter SAR, the George Rogers Clark Chapter SAR, the Long Knives Chapter SAR (all ILSSAR); the MOSSAR Color Guard; and the Belleville Chapter DAR NB: Presented State Wreath 10/3/2015 Dutch’s Daughter Restaurant Led the MDSSAR Semi‐Annual Meeting Frederick, MD 10/10/2015 Board Room, Jerusalem Mills Attended Board Meeting of the COL Aquila Hall Chapter Mingsville, MD 10/11/2015 MSSDAR Historic Chapter House Attended NSDAR Founder's Day Champagne and Hors d'oeuvres Reception 4701 Roland Ave. Baltimore, MD 11/05/2015 Large Meeting Room, Led Westminster Chapter’s Fall Business Meeting Westminster Branch, Carroll County Public Library Westminster, MD 11/07/2015 Fifth Regiment Armory Attended COL John Eager Howard Chapter Meeting 210 W Hoffman St Baltimore, Maryland 21201 11/07/2015 Barebones Restaurant Attended Charles Carroll of Carrollton Chapter Meeting Ellicott City, MD

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Date Location Description 11/14/2015 Heron Point Community Center Attended COL Tench Tilghman Chapter Meeting 501 E Campus Ave Chestertown, MD 21620 11/14/2015 Bayou Restaurant Banquet Room Attended COL Aquila Hall Annual Dinner and served as guest speaker 927 Pulaski Hwy, Havre de Grace, MD 11/15/2015 Battersea Room, Harmony Hall Attended John Hanson Chapter Meeting and Law Enforcement Awards Regional Center Luncheon 10701 Livingston Road Fort Washington, MD in 11/21/2015 Frederick City Hall (101 North Attended and participated in day and evening celebration events of the 250th Court Street, Frederick, Anniversary of Repudiation Day Maryland) and Brewer's Alley, 124 North Market Street, Frederick, MD 21701 12/03/2015 Silver Spring KoC Hall Attended GEN William Smallwood Chapter Quarterly Meeting 9707 Rosensteel Avenue Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 12/05/2016 Perkins Restaurant Attended Little Meadows Chapter Meeting. 24584 Garrett Highway McHenry, MD 21541 12/15/2016 Johns Hopkins University Applied Presented the Security Department Head with the State President’s Flag Physics Laboratory Certificate for 2015 Laurel, MD 12/19/2015 Turf Valley Country Club Served as host for the 2015 Patriots Ball Ellicott City, MD 01/09/2016 Maryland Club Led January MDSSAR Board of Managers Meeting 1 East Eager Street Baltimore, MD 21202 Johns Hopkins Club San Martin Center, 2nd Floor 1/30/2016 COL John Eager Howard Chapter Annual Luncheon 3400 N. Charles St. Baltimore, MD 21218‐2696 Eagle's Nest Country Club 2/20/2016 12801 Stone Hill Rd Led the Annual MDSSAR George Washington Birthday Luncheon Phoenix, MD 21131 2/25‐28/2016 The Brown Hotel Louisville, KY Participation in Spring Leadership Meetings. Silver Spring KoC Hall 9707 3/3/2016 Rosensteel Avenue Silver Spring, Attended GEN William Smallwood Chapter Quarterly Meeting Maryland 20910 Buttersburg Inn 3/5/2016 9 North Main Street Led Westminster Chapter’s Spring Business/Social Meeting Union Bridge Maryland 21791 Edenwald 3/7/2016 800 Southerly Court Attended COL Nicholas Ruxton Moore Chapter Annual Meeting Towson, MD 21286 3/23/2016 TELECONFERENCE Conducted training for all chapters on use of SAR Americanism Scoresheet Turf Valley Country Club Ellicott 4/2/2016 Attended and brought greetings to Maryland CAR Annual Meeting City, MD Jefferson Memorial Attended the Thomas Jefferson Birthday Commemoration 4/13/2016 Washington, DC NB: Presented a State Wreath American Legion Post #47 Led MDSSAR Board of Managers Meeting and Annual Meeting 4/16/2016 501 St John Street NB: Presented State Wreath Havre de Grace, MD 21078

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