December 2014 - rcwrt.org
Bruce Venter, President Gary Cowardin, Editor 2315 Bexley Wood Run 1404 Lorraine Ave. Goochland, VA 23063 Richmond, VA 23227-3735 bruceventer@aol.com cowardin@juno.com4602 Cary Street Road, 23226. A parking lot is available behind the church with an entrance off the parking lot to the right and up a few steps into the DINING HALL on the left.
John Walker Guss "A Dawn of Peace: Surrender at Bennett Place" 7:30pm, Tuesday, December 9, 2014, at the First Presbyterian Church, Richmond, VA.,
John Walker Guss
JWG was born in Asheville, NC growing up in communities throughout the
Tarheel State while his father held a successful 23 year career in
management with Burlington Industries. Burlington is considered home,
where John graduated from Walter Williams High School. While there, he
played on the school's first two North Carolina State Championship
football teams. Following high school, John went on to study at the
University of Georgia joining Pi Kappa Phi fraternity and graduating
with a business degree in marketing.
After college, John had the privilege of working on the Oscar winning
film, Glory, through his hobby of Civil War reenacting. He then
continued a 13 year career in film and television producing beginning at
Universal Studios Florida. In addition to working as a reenactor,
stand-in and double in Glory, John became an assistant director and
earned membership into the Directors Guild of America. Some of his film
and television credits include Gettysburg, Return to Lonesome Dove,
Andersonville, Black Dog, Class of 61, October Sky, The Gingerbread Man,
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, and Forces of Nature.
John began a full time career in historic preservation in 2001 serving
as the site manager at Fort Jackson National Historical Landmark in
Savannah, GA. He returned to his home state in 2005 and became Director
of Marketing and Development at Historic Rural Hill near Charlotte, NC.
He later accepted an opportunity to move to Virginia serving as the
Director of Marketing and Membership Services at Pamplin Historical Park
& the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier. In May 2007 John
returned to North Carolina accepting the position as site manager of
Bennett Place State Historic Site.
During his career, John has written and published three historical
books, The History of Pierce County, Georgia; Fortresses of Savannah,
Georgia; and Savannah's Laurel Grove Cemetery, along with numerous
articles in newspapers and magazines. John enjoys travel, visiting
historic sites, and college football and basketball, especially his
Georgia Bulldogs as well as the North Carolina State Wolfpack.
Meeting Attendance for: November Dinner 2014 = 81 (full house)
NOTE: Please put on your NAME BADGE on when you arrive for the meeting.
(They will be on a table near the back or side of the room.)
Our December meeting is the occasion for the annual business meeting of the RCWRT and election of members of the Executive Committee. We will hear reports from Sandy Parker and Richard Grosse before conducting the election of officers for 2015. The slate for your review and approval includes the following: President - Robert Dunkerly 1st VP - Bill Welsch 2nd VP - Troy Arnold Secretary - Sandy Parker Treasurer - Richard Grosse Gary Cowardin has also agreed to serve again as Webmaster and Newsletter Editor Three former Round Table Presidents, as selected by the membership and the immediate Past President will comprise the remainder of the Executive Committee for 2015. Nominations from the floor will be welcome.
Message from Our President As my term draws to a close, I would first like to express my sincere appreciation to the RCWRT membership who allowed me to serve this great organization as your president for 2014. It was an honor and privilege that I will long remember. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank a number of folks who were so helpful to me this year and made my time in office much easier through their assistance. Bert Dunkerly did an outstanding job bringing us excellent speakers this year and organized a terrific dinner meeting last month. Bill Welsch was always there taking care of the more mundane tasks of opening the church, putting out name badges and running the book sale. He also put together a great field trip last June and I know you'll enjoy the speakers he has arranged for next year. Gary Cowardin made sure our newsletter was out on time and never failed to make sure our speakers had the right AV set up so their presentations were first rate. Sandy Parker and Richard Grosse provided the perennial support a president needs by carrying out their respective duties of secretary and treasurer with dedication. The RCWRT is extremely lucky to have such officers who do their jobs so expertly. Past president Brent Morgan was always supportive during my three years of "going thru the chairs." A special thanks to Janette Walker who jumped in when I needed a raffle organizer; her enthusiasm is inspiring. A sincere thank you also to Hobson Goddin for agreeing to read General Lee's General Orders No. 9 "one more time" during my term-there is no one who can do it better. I never had to worry about our monthly snacks and soda because John Marakovitz never forgot to bring them. Thanks, John. In addition, I would like to thank our board of directors, Jack Ackerly, Bobby Krick and Jack Mountcastle for their sage advice and helpful suggestions during the last year. I would especially like to express my sincere appreciation to Jack Mountcastle and David Whitehead for convincing me several years ago to accept the responsibility of serving the RCWRT. Jack and I had many enjoyable lunches at Panera Bread as we figured out ways to better serve the RCWRT membership. Thanks, Jack, for all your great advice. Finally, let me say that if you have not served the RCWRT as an officer up to this point, it is not too late. We are always looking for dedicated members who are willing to make the commitment to carry on the proud tradition established by the Richmond Civil War Round Table sixty years ago. Your decision to serve as an officer of the RCWRT will honor the men on both sides, who fought for the cause they thought was right. You will not be disappointed. Bruce
The RCWRT Dinner was a Great Success
Help Us Save Postage Costs If you have an E-mail address and internet access and are not currently receiving your newsletter notification via E-mail please let me have your NAME and E-mail address. My E-mail address is: cowardin@juno.com (You can also use this link to change E-mail addressess just click my E-mail address above. If you are changing an E-mail address be sure to include the old address.)
Civil War Trust For the latest CWT news visit: www.civilwar.org
Upcoming Events/Links
www.virginiacivilwar.org
Virginia Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission
NPS Richmond - Sesquicentennial - 1864/2014
Chesterfield Historical Society Winter Lecture Series
Visit The Museum of the Confederacy Online www.moc.org and their Events Calendar for MOC Events Calendar
Richmond Battlefields Association News & Events www.saverichmondbattlefields.org/events.htm
Visit The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar www.tredegar.org and their Events Calendar
Pamplin Historical Park and The National Museum of the Civil War Soldier www.pamplinpark.org and their Special Events Calendar
RCWRT Monthly Speakers for 2014
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