Page 5 - Sojourner Newsletter-SPRING 2022-5

Vol. 99 Iss. 2 5

NATIONAL COMMANDER’S MESSAGE

Greetings to all Heroes of ‘76 wherever you are enjoying this spring weather. Hopefully,
you all made it through the winter with no weather-related problems. In southeast
Virginia we did have some snow, but it was not too bad for us compared to northern
Virginia.

I was privileged to present the Charter to a new Camp in Allentown, PA on 2 February. It
is George Taylor Camp of Lehigh Valley Chapter No. 561. There was an excellent
turnout for the event which was held at the local VFW facility.

Gulf Area held their first area conference and encampment on 19 February in Pensacola
Florida. Our National Junior Lieutenant, Brother MCPO John J. Hillyer III stood in for
me.

From the newsletters and other information items I have received, our Chapters and Camps are trying to get
back to some form of normalcy. However, as the news reports there are still spikes of COVID appearing
throughout the country. With that in mind I encourage all to do their due diligence in planning your events.

And as always, if you do have an event coming up and would like your National Commander to attend, please
let me know and I will do all I can to accommodate you.

It has been a pleasure for both Lady Nancy and me to travel and meet you all, our Heroes and Ladies.

Paul Pennybacker
National Commander

Heroes of ‘76 Centennial Celebration

Spring is here and life is exciting as we prepare to kick-off our Heroes of ’76 Centennial Celebration in just a couple of
months. I invite you to resolve now to be a part of the year-long celebration of this historic milestone and suggest you
start by reviewing the Centennial Toolkit. The Toolkit may now be found on the website www.nationalsojourners.org)
located in the SOJOUNERS ONLY SECTION — look under “Members Only” and ‘click on” the Heroes of ’76
Centennial tab. The Toolkit is filled with information and opportunities for members, Camps, and Chapters to get
involved in this historic once-in-a-lifetime event. It is also an excellent time for the leadership of our Order (especially,
incoming Camp Commanders and Chapter Presidents, as well as Area and Regional Representatives to begin developing
celebration plans which leverage the information and opportunities provided in the Toolkit. They will create interest and
excitement and contribute to the success of the celebration at all levels. So, spend some time looking over the Toolkit,
become very familiar with it, and begin planning your Centennial journey now! By the way, check the Heroes of ’76
Centennial tab periodically for future information and updates on Centennial Events.
If you do not have access to the website yet, simply open the website, click on the Sojourner Only Button and then
MEMBER REGISTRATION to apply for a Username & Password. Our Webmaster, Brother Bill Hickey, will register
you right away and you’ll be off and running. When you register, you will get a message that an email will be sent to
you. Please note that this email will come from wordpress@nationalsojourners.org and may be blocked or put in your
Spam folder if your mail program does not recognize it. So, check your Spam folder and/or put the email address in your
Contacts List. If you have any issues with registering, please contact our Brother Hickey, Webmaster at
webmaster@nationalsojourners.org and provide the details of what you have attempted.
I look forward to seeing and greeting you and your family at our Annual National Convention and Encampment in
Atlanta, GA, from 13-17 June, where we will officially kick-off the Heroes of ’76 Centennial Celebration. You will be
so glad you attended! Be safe and stay healthy and remain engaged with your Chapter and Camp. Finally, I am deeply
honored and humbled by the opportunity I will have to serve as your Centennial National Commander as we join
together to re-dedicate ourselves to Fostering Patriotism through Service in the year ahead!
EIAR
Randy Geck
National Chief of Staff
Heroes of ‘76