05-02-2021, 03:13 PM
Greetings Compatriots of the SAR!
I am deeply honored to be chosen to serve as your new Indiana SAR Society President. My primary goal will be to continue the highest tradition of leadership set by our Past President, Kevin Waldroup, during the past two years. His service, actions, and guidance focused the entire membership of our Society on dealing with change, embracing innovation, collaborating with each other, and assuming new roles and duties that we would have previously not thought possible. He looked at this past year of 2020 and found opportunities for all us to excel in social interaction at multiple levels and distances of our Society, and to participate broadly on committees and work tasks with new levels of access. We are eternally grateful to Compatriot Past President Kevin Waldroup.
In addition to continuing our State Society traditions, I would like to find more ways to expand our compatriot opportunities and participation. My intention is to expand our committee membership rolls, and to conduct regular Executive Committee meetings that include state committee representation. The outcome that I am hoping for is a regular “heartbeat” of State Society business and continual communication between committees at the State and Chapter levels.
Our Annual House of Delegates (April meeting), hosted by the Clarence A. Cook Chapter, was hugely successful. It was our first in-person meeting in a very long time. Instead of struggling to meet a minimum quorum to conduct society business, we instead had most seats filled, with many supporting Ladies of the Auxiliary and the DAR present. This meeting was the first time (in my memory) that we had a virtual component using ZOOM to bring members to the meeting that could not attend otherwise. We offer many thanks to Jacob Vink and his crew for their support. In addition, Chaplain McGriff conducted a very solemn memorial service where we “remembered” 42 deceased Compatriots. Even though this represents 5% of our membership, they are gone but “truly not forgotten.”
We have a number of important events that are occurring in the near future. Please make plans to attend our Summer House of Delegates on 31 July in Lafayette. The William Henry Harrison Chapter will host this meeting. I would love to be challenged to find everyone a seat, because so many of our Compatriots attended. The State Leadership will be at the Annual Summer Congress in Seattle in the middle of July, and we will have full reports to bring to our State meeting on the 31st. Please take a few minutes and review the Society calendar (on the State website) and to make sure the Chapter activities are up to date.
July 4, 2026 will mark 250 years since the United States of America declared its independence as a nation. As this momentous anniversary approaches, Americans have an unparalleled opportunity to reflect on our past, to celebrate the rich tapestry of our present, and to advance the promise of our democracy for future generations.
Congress established the U.S. Semi-quincentennial Commission to lead the nationwide commemoration of this historic milestone. The America 250 Foundation serves as the operational arm of the Commission, leading its programs, events, and partnerships. The Commission and the Foundation envision the America 250 commemoration as a monumental, multiyear initiative, engaging each American in what we expect to be the largest and most inclusive anniversary observance in our nation’s history.
I hope you will join me in finding ways for our State SAR society to plan for, and participate in this upcoming major celebration.
I would like to close with again thanking our Past President for his service and to thank each of our Compatriots in their support of the SAR. I look forward to our continued fellowship and successes!
Jeff
I am deeply honored to be chosen to serve as your new Indiana SAR Society President. My primary goal will be to continue the highest tradition of leadership set by our Past President, Kevin Waldroup, during the past two years. His service, actions, and guidance focused the entire membership of our Society on dealing with change, embracing innovation, collaborating with each other, and assuming new roles and duties that we would have previously not thought possible. He looked at this past year of 2020 and found opportunities for all us to excel in social interaction at multiple levels and distances of our Society, and to participate broadly on committees and work tasks with new levels of access. We are eternally grateful to Compatriot Past President Kevin Waldroup.
In addition to continuing our State Society traditions, I would like to find more ways to expand our compatriot opportunities and participation. My intention is to expand our committee membership rolls, and to conduct regular Executive Committee meetings that include state committee representation. The outcome that I am hoping for is a regular “heartbeat” of State Society business and continual communication between committees at the State and Chapter levels.
Our Annual House of Delegates (April meeting), hosted by the Clarence A. Cook Chapter, was hugely successful. It was our first in-person meeting in a very long time. Instead of struggling to meet a minimum quorum to conduct society business, we instead had most seats filled, with many supporting Ladies of the Auxiliary and the DAR present. This meeting was the first time (in my memory) that we had a virtual component using ZOOM to bring members to the meeting that could not attend otherwise. We offer many thanks to Jacob Vink and his crew for their support. In addition, Chaplain McGriff conducted a very solemn memorial service where we “remembered” 42 deceased Compatriots. Even though this represents 5% of our membership, they are gone but “truly not forgotten.”
We have a number of important events that are occurring in the near future. Please make plans to attend our Summer House of Delegates on 31 July in Lafayette. The William Henry Harrison Chapter will host this meeting. I would love to be challenged to find everyone a seat, because so many of our Compatriots attended. The State Leadership will be at the Annual Summer Congress in Seattle in the middle of July, and we will have full reports to bring to our State meeting on the 31st. Please take a few minutes and review the Society calendar (on the State website) and to make sure the Chapter activities are up to date.
July 4, 2026 will mark 250 years since the United States of America declared its independence as a nation. As this momentous anniversary approaches, Americans have an unparalleled opportunity to reflect on our past, to celebrate the rich tapestry of our present, and to advance the promise of our democracy for future generations.
Congress established the U.S. Semi-quincentennial Commission to lead the nationwide commemoration of this historic milestone. The America 250 Foundation serves as the operational arm of the Commission, leading its programs, events, and partnerships. The Commission and the Foundation envision the America 250 commemoration as a monumental, multiyear initiative, engaging each American in what we expect to be the largest and most inclusive anniversary observance in our nation’s history.
I hope you will join me in finding ways for our State SAR society to plan for, and participate in this upcoming major celebration.
I would like to close with again thanking our Past President for his service and to thank each of our Compatriots in their support of the SAR. I look forward to our continued fellowship and successes!
Jeff
Jeffrey W. Jones
(260) 418-3005
(260) 418-3005