On Sunday September 16th the Chapter held its popular Annual Wreath Laying at the DAR Monument, Stop 2 of the Saratoga Battlefield tour road. The event for the past several years has been sponsored with the Saratoga Chapter, NSDAR and now includes other patriotic organizations.
Again this year we were blessed with another sunny, pleasant September day (I can remember only one wreath laying were it rained hard and that was when Lewis Slocum, Jr. was chapter president). As usual our members and guests had a great time greeting one another and picture taking. We were again grateful to have re-enactors camping at the battlefield be our color guard. Dave Bernier was back in good health and was in command of the troops this year as General Horatio Gates. Dave is with the 25th Continental Regiment from Massachusetts.
We are always happy to see past state society president and current chapter genealogist and his lovely wife Sandra - they again did not disappoint us. We were pleasantly surprised to see current ESS president Richard W. Sage and past president Peter K. Goebel; Philip Mosher, 2nd vice president, N.Y.S.S.C.A.R., N.Y.S.S.C.A.R. past senior N.Y.S.S.C.A.R. president Sandra Zerrillo and current N.Y.S.S.C.A.R. senior president Elizabeth Mosher and N.S.C.A.R senior president Hans Jackson who travelled here from New Hampshire for two Schuyler Society, C.A.R. / Peter Gansevoort Chapter, NSDAR events that were also being held on the 16th.
Wreath layers were:
- National Society, SAR: Past President, Empire State Society — D.F. Marr
- Empire State Society, SAR: Vice President, Capital Region — Duane Booth
- Virginia Society, SAR: President — Henry P. Williams III
- Saratoga Chapter, NSDAR: Vice Regent — Heather Mabee
- Saratoga Battle Chapter, SAR: 1st VP & Registrar — Thomas L. Dunne & Chapter Member — Patrick J. Festa
- Schuyler Society, C.A.R.: President — Ryan Hare
Re-enactors present colors under the command of General Gates Photo: Joyce
Armstrong
Chapter President Primitivo Africa welcomes us Photo: Joyce Armstrong
(l-r) Chapter Member Pat Festa & 1st V-P & Registrar Tom Dunne present
Saratoga Battle Wreaths Photo: Joyce Armstrong
(l-r) President Africa, Saratoga Chapter; NSDAR Regent Corrine Sirocco;
Schuyler Society C.A.R. President Ryan Hare; ESSSAR V-P Capital Region
Duane Booth; Past ESSSAR President Dennis F. Marr; Heather Mabee, Vice-Regent
Saratoga Chapter, NSDAR; Virginia Society President Henry P. Williams.
Missing from photo are 1st V-P & Registrar Thomas Dunne
and Chapter Member Patrick J. Festa Photo: Joyce Armstrong
Post Ceremony SAR Member Photo (l-r) Tim Mabee, Duane Booth, Bret Trufant,
Mike Companion, Karl Danniel, Peter Goebel, Dennis Marr, Richard Sage,
Tivo Africa, Phil Williams, John Sheaff, Pat Festa, Tom Dunne, &
Hans Jackson Photo: Duane Booth
This year's meeting was held at the Holiday Inn, Saratoga Springs, NY. Toward the
end of the meeting, President Africa announced that a new award had been created
to recognize those in the chapter who go above and beyond to help officers and
members past and present. The inaugural award was presented to Past Chapter President
Duane Booth, and is named the Duane Booth Minuteman Award in honor
of him. Needless to say Duane was surprised at creation of the award, and was pleased
to receive the award and also humbled to have the award named in his honor.
President Africa presents Past President Duane Booth with the Duane Booth Minuteman award.
A photo of the certificate and the statue seen on the front page of the website in
the "Photo Highlight" area (lower right) Photo: Joyce Armstrong
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