Events & RSVPs

Join us for our annual Luncheon in honor of George Washington’s Birthday.  For over 125 years, the Western Reserve Society SAR has been holding this event which is open to the public.  This year’s featured Speaker will be West Point historian Lt Col Sherman Fleek.

Start (Color Guard enters):  12pm
Where:  Shaker Heights Country Club, Shaker Heights, Ohio
What:  Luncheon featuring petit filet, potato, vegetable, rolls, salad and apple pie a la mode
Speaker Topic:  Washington’s role and participation at West Point during the REV War and his desire to establish a military academy during his presidency.

Cost which includes meal, valet parking, coat check (all donations above $38 are tax deductible):
Basic Lunch ticket $38
Militia man ticket $50
Captain’s ticket $75
General’s ticket $150
Commander in Chief ticket $250
Founding Father ticket:  $500 or greater

Sherman Fleek retired from the U. S. Army in 2002, after a 25 year career, as a lieutenant colonel.  He served as an aviator, Special Forces officer, and enlisted armor crewman, ending his career as Chief Historian of the National Guard Bureau.  Lt. Col. Fleek joined the Army in 1973, serving in Mainz, Germany. Commissioned from the ROTC in 1982, he has also served in air cavalry, air assault, and fixed wing support units. He was commander of several units, served two joint tours, and served in combat arms units from platoon through division.

As a historian, he has more than thirty articles published on military, frontier army, Mexican War and Civil War history in national periodicals and historical journals.  In 2006, his first book appeared, the award-winning History May be Searched in Vain: A Military History of the Mormon Battalion; his second book, Place the Headstones Where they Belong, a biography of Thomas Neibaur, a World War I recipient of the Medal of Honor, appeared in 2008.  He later published two historical novels on the Mexican War in the Far West.  His latest book, Saints of Valor: Mormon Medal of Honor Recipients, was published in late 2011, and again in 2013.

He served from 2002-2005 as historian for a Civil War preservation foundation, telling the Civil War story in the Shenandoah Valley.  In 2005, the U.S. Army appointed Mr. Fleek as the historian to record and to write the Army’s official history of the reconstruction efforts in Iraq, then served in Iraq in early 2006.  In May, 2007, he became the first ever historian for Walter Reed Army Medical Center.  In 2009, he was appointed the command historian for the United States Military Academy, West Point, NY. Also Fleek has taught military history to cadets at West Point since 2013, and a graduate history course to Army officers affiliated with Columbia University’s Teachers College.

Lt. Col. Fleek’s awards include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal and eight other decorations including the Master Aviator Badge, being qualified in several rotary and fixed-wing aircraft with more than 2,200 flying hours. He also received the Army Parachutist Badge, Special Forces Tab and Air Assault Badge. In May 2016 Fleek received the Secretary of the Army Award for Valor for disrupting an armed robbery at a restaurant in California in May 2015.

Join us for our annual Youth Outreach Contests at Rose Senior Living auditorium off of I-90 in Avon.  Come support high school students from around the region who compete for cash awards and the chance to represent the WRSSAR at the Ohio and maybe even national levels.

At 11:00am, we will watch students perform 5 minute original orations (speeches) related to the American Revolutionary War – without any notes!  Following the oration contest, wander the front of the building and enjoy the WRSSAR Elementary School Poster contest entrants and the WRSSAR Middle School Brochure Contest entrants.

For the first time, this event is not a luncheon.  But, you can stay at Rose Senior Living and enjoy a wonderful lunch in the cafeteria or their cafe with friends and fellow SAR members.   There is no charge to attend this event and you will pay your own way for lunch (cash or credit card).  Parking is free.

Bring your friends, neighbors and family to support our programs and the students and then stay for a nice lunch.

Quarter 2 Board Meeting held at the Union Club of Cleveland

WESTERN RESERVE SOCIETY AT THE SHOREBY CLUB!

            On Thursday, May 14^th (5:30pm – 8:30pm), we will be holding a first ever event at the beautiful and exclusive Shoreby Club Mansion in Bratenahl on the shores of Lake Erie.  The theme of the early evening event is to honor the World War II service of Marine corpsman and Silver Star recipient Emory Crowder, a friend of the Western Reserve and a member of the “Greatest Generation.”  Dr. Edward Horvath, former Chief Medical Officer, US Forces Iraq, will introduce Emory and both will offer some brief remarks.

In keeping with the event’s theme, LIVE period music (big band) will be offered.  A silent auction is also anticipated.  The timing of the affair is set to conclude prior to nightfall.

Tickets are $125.00 a person, which includes valet parking, non-alcoholic drinks, and a sit down dinner (cash bar also offered).  Patron tickets at $250.00 are also available.  For more information, please email wrssar.communications@gmail.com  There is a maximum of 70 tickets so buy your tickets early!

Please join the Western Reserve at the Shoreby Club on May 14^th to honor Emory and the Greatest Generation, together with supporting the Western Reserve’s historical and educational efforts

Board Meeting – all officers and trustees requested to attend if possible

Join us for our annual Night Out with the Cleveland Indians.

This summer, we picked a Tuesday night game against San Diego since it is a rare pairing to see in Cleveland.  We have reserved 14 CLUB SEATS for this game.

For those who have not been to the Club Seat area before, CLUB SEATS are in a restricted area for club seat ticket holders only with UNLIMITED – all you can eat and drink (non-alcoholic) food from various restaurants and stands in that section.  There is also an air conditioned lounge with a bar and TV screens – the entire club area was renovated two years ago.

We are not adding a penny to the cost of the ticket since it is steep. Each ticket is $90.  You can pay for the ticket by cash, check or credit card. We have to sell them on a 1st come/1st served basis since we only have 14 seats and we cannot get any more.  Club Seats sell out by early February.

We need to cap ticket purchases at 4 tickets per person in order to ensure that several members can take advantage of this great event.

To purchase tickets, you can either do so ONLINE using our RSVP and PREPAY section of the Events page or you can mail us a check.  But, please contact us BEFORE mailing a check just to make sure that we still have seats. You can email us at wrssar.communications@gmail.com or call 216-357-1646.

In early summer, I will email the tickets to those who have purchased them.

If you have other thoughts of sporting or social events that you would like us to sponsor, please let us know.  Our goal is to find ways to attract our members to our events.  We can only do so with your feedback.

Board Meeting – all members requested to attend if possible

Quarter 3 Board Meeting at the Union Club of Cleveland

Please JOIN US for our annual SAR / DAR Veterans Day Luncheon to honor all of those who have served.

Where:  The 100th Bomb Group Restaurant
When:  Thursday, November 12th, 2020 starting at 12 noon (Color Guard enters at noon).
Cost:  $35 per person

Speaker and event details:  TBA closer to the event

Quarter 4 Board Meeting at the Union Club of Cleveland

Join us for an Annual Meeting and Holiday Party at the 100th Bomb Group Restaurant.

When:  530pm  Christmas music, warm cider and social hour
6pm:  Color Guard Enters – Annual Meeting begins
6:20pm:  Presentation of the Highest Honor: The Archibald Willard Award
6:30pm:  Short sing a long
6:35pm:  Buffet Dinner
Events, activities or speaker TBA closer to event