Congress Is Coming!

Saturday, July 9, through Wednesday, July 13

SAR Magazine
Spring 2016

The upcoming Annual Congress is only weeks away, so you should be preparing to come to Boston and enjoy some New England hospitality and warmth. Here are a few things you should know about the event.

Saturday is the big tour of Lexington and Concord. We have room for 150 people on this all-day trip. It will take in multiple sites in both the Lexington and Concord areas, so wear comfortable shoes. One new addition is a tour of Buckman Tavern, the place where Paul Revere awoke Samuel Adams and John Hancock with the news that the British were coming. Then Saturday evening, come and join the MASSAR for the host reception at the Westin Copley Place.

Sunday begins with the Color Guard Breakfast, Rumbaugh Orations contest and the Memorial Service in the Old South Church, where the Adams family worshipped. The U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Fife and Drum Corps Platoon will help with the procession over to the church. Following the service, the ladies will go upstairs for the First Lady’s Tea and the men will have meetings in the afternoon. The evening’s finale is the finals of the Rumbaugh Oration.

Monday dawns bright and early with the opening of Congress followed by the Youth Awards Luncheon. A select group of people will be invited to the New England Historical and Genealogy Society building for a reception and then the final events are the Minuteman ceremony and the presentation of state and chapter awards.

Tuesday we have district breakfasts, and another session of Congress for the important business of nominations for the leadership of the Society in the coming year. The Ladies Luncheon will be held across the street in the Boston Public Library. The George Washington Fellow and VPG luncheon follows the morning session. There are committee meetings and the voting for officers in the afternoon. The evening concludes with the President General’s Banquet.

Wednesday is the final morning session for the election of National Trustees and any unfinished business. Then there are two tours for members. The Adams Historical National Park and U.S.S. Constitution Museum has two groups of 45 each going to visit these sites. An alternative is a walking tour led by a Victorian guide of the Harvard and Cambridge area of the city. This is an easy walking tour for those who wish to see some of the unique architecture of the city. Wednesday evening is the Installation Banquet and final actions of the Congress.

Registration for the Congress will be only online. You will have to register using the online registration format, and there will be detailed instructions published on the Congress website prior to registration opening. This is the same system we used for Spring Leadership, but there are some changes being made to hopefully make it easier to use.
Hotel accommodations at the Westin are full. We have been successful at getting people to let the Congress chair know when they cancel and he is working to get replacements.

Alternative hotels are listed under the Congress tab on the MASSAR website.