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GJBSAR Events
​UPCOMING

Jul 4 ● Independence Day
Jul 13-17 ● 135th Annual NSSAR Congress, Uncasville, CT
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​Read the GJBSAR July 2025 Issue of The General's Newsletter and the​ Fall 2024 ILSSAR State Newsletter of ​​The Illinois Patriot

More Events Details​​

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Carol Castellon's large collection of "Flags of Our Fathers" at the Flag Day GJBSAR event, June 14th

Carol Castellon presented her research on early American flags along with her collection of flags in a talk titled "Flags of Our Fathers." Carol is from the Alliance DAR Chapter of Champaign-Urbana IL

New member, Mark Gurra, with his wife Amy, and GJB President, Jay Cummins. North Aurora IL, April 26, 2025

Welcome to the General Joseph Bartholomew Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) website. Our mission is to promote patriotism and to reaffirm those values on which our country was established. Our chapter is one of 15 SAR chapters in the state of Illinois, serving Iroquois, Livingston, McLean and Woodford Counties. 

The SAR is a patriotic, historical and educational lineage society headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. It was founded on April 30, 1889 and chartered by an Act of Congress on June 6, 1906. SAR has more than 30,000 members living in all of the 50 states and 23 foreign countries. Throughout its history, SAR has admitted more than 165,000 members from all walks of life. Among them are 15 Presidents of the United States, including George W. Bush and his father George H. W. Bush, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Harry Truman and Theodore Roosevelt. SAR also has among its members Sir Winston Churchill and King Juan Carlos I of Spain, both of whom trace their ancestry to Revolutionary War patriots. We are a society of gentlemen who enjoy the fellowship of a common interest and who want to preserve the memory of our Patriot Ancestors and keep the freedoms that they won for us with their service and sacrifices.

We believe in perpetuating the stories of patriotism, courage, sacrifice, tragedy, and triumph of the men who achieved the independence of the American people in the belief that these stories are universal ones of man's eternal struggle against tyranny, relevant to all time, and will inspire and strengthen each succeeding generation as it too is called upon to defend our freedoms on the battlefield and in our public institutions. 

Proving that you have a Patriot Ancestor can be challenging but it is far from impossible and, once it is proven, it is good for generations to come. Perhaps a family story places a forefather in the Revolutionary War or has them supporting the cause in another way. The ancestor need not have your last name and may be on either your maternal or paternal side, but you must document the direct line. If you have a possible ancestor, that's a good first step. Contact us and we may be able to help you document your lineage.​

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250th Anniversary of the SAR and the "Decade of Celebration"
 Boston Tea Party 1773 to the Treaty of Paris 1873
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2025 250th Anniversary Events
 
​Commemoration of the Battle of Lexington & Concord, 
NSSAR's 2025 250th signature event, April 18-21, in Massachusetts

​GJBSAR Luncheon Commemorating 250th Event, April 21st.

Revolutionary War Rarities Podcasts
Provided by the Sons of the American Revolution with new episodes every two weeks

GJB Chapter Dinner Meeting, St Luke Union Church, Bloomington.
Speaker: “The Battle of Lexington & Concord”, Kevin Roberts
March 11th

GJB Chapter Dinner Meeting, St Luke Union Church, Bloomington.
Speaker: Dr   Matthijs Tieleman, ISU Professor speaking on the
250th Anniversary of the American Revolutionary War
August 12th

GJBSAR 50th Anniversary Luncheon.  Bloomington Country Club
Oct 18, 11:30 a.m.

Selected Readings
A PERFECT FRENZY: A Royal Governor, His Black Allies, and the Crisis That Spurred the
American Revolution. By Andrew Lawler (NYTimes Review)
THE INDISPENSABLES: The Country, Formed the Navy, and Rowed Washington
Across the Delaware. By Patrick K. O’Donnell (Grove Atlantic Review)
REVOLUTION SONG: A Story of American Freedom.  By Russel Shorto (NYTimes Review)
THE FATE OF THE DAY: The War for America, Fort Ticonderoga to Charleston, 1777-1780 (
Revolution Trilogy, 2). By Rick Atkinson. (NY Times Review)
REBELLION 1776, by Laurie Halse Anderson (NYTimes Review; for young readers)
JACK JOUETT's RIDE, by Gail E. Haley (basis for Eagle Scout awardee's essay, for young and old)

For more in depth reading see "Essential American Revolution Library?" on the Journal of the American Revolution website.​
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• 2023 Boston Tea Party
• 2024 The Continental Congress
• 2025 Battles of Lexington and Concord
• 2026 Declaration of Independence
• 2027 Battle of Saratoga
• 2028 French Alliance 

• 2029 Siege of Vincennes/Fort Sackville Battle of Kettle Creek
• 2030 Battle of Kings Mountain
• 2031 Siege of Yorktown 
• 2032 Battle of Blue Licks 
• 2033 Treaty of Paris

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GJB SAR YOUTH AWARDS 2025
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GJRSAR SILVER ROTC MEDAL & SCHOLARSHIP: 2025 Winner is Cadet Tyler Evans.  Cadet Evans is a sophomore at ISU from Naperville, Illinois. Presenting the award is GJBSA President Jay Cummins and Dan Leifel, Veterans/ROTC chair. The Silver ROTC medal and certificate endeavors to foster the principle of “citizen-soldier” exemplified by the original Minutemen. 

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GJBSAR CHAPTER 2024 EAGLE SCOUT AWARD. The GJBSAR chapter has chosen ​Robert Null II for the 2024 GJBSAR Eagle Scout Award.  Congratulations to Robert (Troop 918): the presentation of his award and recitation of his patriotic essay "Jack Jouett's Ride" was made at the  GJB meeting on Flag Day, June 14th, 2025. See the photo above of the award presentation with Robert's parents.

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Photo by Brooklyn Shaw

April 10th, 26th Annual GJB SAR Outstanding Good Citizenship/ Scholarship Luncheon with speaker Dr. Sheahon J. Zenger, IWU President.  20 H.S. seniors from McLean & Woodford counties received citizenship commendations and three seniors received the GJBSAR Citizenship Scholarships: Meika Bender (Eureka H.S.), Nathan Steffen (Lexington H.S.) and Bohdan Zeleznik (LeRoy H.S.).

​See the  GJBSAR Good Citizenship Program page for details and images.
AND, see the GJBSAR special newsletter edition featuring the Citizenship awardees

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Meika Joy Bender (Eureka H.S.) presented with A.M. King GJBSAR Citizenship Scholarship. Photo by Brooklyn Shaw

Nathan Samuel Steffen (Lexington H.S.) receiving the A.M. King GJBSAR Citizenship Scholarship. Photo by Brooklyn Shaw

Bohdan Louis Zeleznik (LeRoy H.S.) receiving the A.M. King GJBSAR Citizenship Scholarship. Photo by Brooklyn Shaw

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Livingston County Outstanding Citizenship Awards for 2025
GJB Chapter has awarded 4 Outstanding Citizenship awards to high school students in Livingston County:
Kasandra Hughes:  Tri-point High School (2025)
Jacob Dewald: Pontiac High School (2025)
Tiffany Rustman: Flanagan-Cornell High School (2025)
Kyle Bliss: Woodland High School (2025)

GJBSAR President Jay Cummins presents an Outstanding Good Citizenship award at TriPoint High School in Cullom to Kasandra Hughes.

Jacob Dewald, Pontiac High School, awarded the GJBSAR Outsanding Citizenship Award

Flanagan-Cornell High School GJBSAR Outstanding Citizenship Award recipient, Tiffany Rustman. presented by Rick Milner, GJBSAR Secretary & Membership Chair

Kyle Bliss, Woodland High School, awarded the GJBSAR Outstanding Citizenship Award by Jay Cummins, GJBSAR President

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134th SAR Annual Congress NEWS from Lancaster PA
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​Shreya Nallamothu receiving the National Rumbaugh Oration Award at the 2024 National Congress with President General of SAR, John Dodd (rt), and John Bredenfoerder (left), Chairman of the Rumbaugh Contest.

Congratulations to SHREYA NALLAMOTHU! Shreya was recognized at the SAR 134TH Annual Congress in Lancaster PA (July 2024) as the NATIONAL AWARD WINNER of the RUMBAUGH ORATION CONTEST.

View the video of Shreya's oration at the National SAR Congress
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Shreya had previously been recognized as the GJBSAR  Chapter and the State ILSSAR winner of the Rumbaugh Oration competition. Shreya Nallamothu is a student at University High School, Normal IL. Recognized at the April 4th GJBSAR Outstanding Citizenship Luncheon​ Shreya is shown with her mother, Swathi Nallamothu, and GJBSAR President, Jay Cummins. See more information on the Rumbaugh Oration Contest on the GJBSAR ​Educational Programs

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GJBSAR Events

RECENT​
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The May special CITIZENSHIP AWARDS newsletter 2025 featuring the youth of the GJB area! Check it out!

The GJBSAR chapter Liberty Tree project now has a dedicated page in on our website.  Take a moment to view the details.

The new GJB webpage featuring "Members New & Past" shows our ever expanding membership and pays respect to our members who have recently past.

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Jun 14 ● Flag Day Program:  Flag Day Award to William & Marlene Landstrom; New member recognition, Andrew Argo;  Liberty Tree planting project; King Eagle Scout Award recitation of award essay by Robert Null, 2024 award winner; Carol Castellon's presentation of her collection of "Flags of Our Fathers."

Steve Kern, Flag Day committee chair, presents 2025 Flag Day Award to William & Marlene Landstrom of Bloomington

Landstrom's home prominently displaying Stars and Stripes of USA Flag.

June 14th Flag Day. Robert Null II presented with the 2024 GJB King Eagle Scout Award with his parents, Angela & Robert Null, Steve Kern, Eagle Scout Committee Chair. Robert then recited his patriotic themed essay titled "Jack Jouett's Ride."

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Patriot's Day, April 21st. Nine of met at Bob Evans. L to R (Steve Kern, Dale Simpson, Ray Owens, Jay Cummins, Julie Hyland, Don Hyland, Rob Jones, Alan Washburn, Rick Milner)

Apr 21 ● Patriot’s Day - GJB Breakfast Meeting, Bob Evans Restaurant
 
Apr 18-21 ● Commemoration of the Battle of Lexington and Concord, NSSAR's 2025 250th signature event in Massachusetts 

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Twenty seniors from McLean & Woodford Counties honored for Good Citizenship by GJBSAR chapter. Photo by Brooklyn Shaw

Some 130 students, parents, and school representatives in attendance for the annual GJBSAR Good Citizenship luncheon at Bloomington CCwith over 20 SAR & DAR members. Photo by Brooklyn Shaw

Apr 10 ● 26th Annual GJB SAR Outstanding Good Citizenship/ Scholarship Luncheon, Bloomington Country Club. SPEAKER: Sheahon J. Zenger, Ph.D., President of IWU. Twenty McLean & Woodford County high school students honored for citizenship accomplishments representing the nation's founding principals; 3 students received $1000 scholarships: Meike Bender, Bohdan Zeleznik & Nathan Steffen.  
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March 11th ● GJB Chapter Dinner Meeting.   St Luke Union Church.  GJB business & reports, recognition of new GJB members, and Kevin Roberts talk on the Battles of Concord & Lexington.

Jay Cummins, GJB President, followed by new members Kyle & Brandon Roberts, Bob Harschbarger for sons Tim & Michael, Steve Jiles, and Clay Held

Member Kevin Roberts, the evening speaker, gave a talk on his patriots & their role in the Battle of Concord & Lexington

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Dec 14 ● Wreaths Across America, Evergreen Cemetery, Bloomington. Some 75 people placed over 250 wreaths at the gravesites of fallen soldiers.

Rainey and cold! GJB members (L to R: Steve Kern, Jay Cummins, Clay Held and Sonny Rudsinski) braved the cold & rainy weather on December 14 to be present for the Wreaths Across America event.

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Dec 13 ● The GJB Chapter of the SAR presented Outstanding Citizenship awards to six high school seniors from Iroquois County. The event, hosted by the DAR Princess Wach-ee-kee Chapter, included a presentation on the Lincoln Tomb by Christina Lee Smith. The GJB chapter is inviting the DAR to their 2025 Outstanding Citizenship & Scholarship Program.

L to R: Jay Cummins, Dr Albert Day; award recipients Gage Vogel, Ava Carlson, James Newell, Madison Smith, Keegan Reed & James Newell; new GJB member Jay Herrman

Nov 8 ● Veteran's Day GJB Meeting. St Luke Union Church, Bloomington. PROGRAM: SPEAKER: Justin Anweiler, Director, Peoria Veteran’s Center. As our President, Jay Cummins, expressed "Our ancestors' spirit of resilience and patriotism continues to inspire us, and it is our duty to remember and celebrate the contributions of all veterans who have followed in their footsteps."​

Veteran GJBSAR members & guests honored at the November 8th Veteran's Day Luncheon

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Sept 29th ● Stout’s Grove Cemetery Patriot Grave Marking. 90+ in attendance for the unveiling of a new marker for 3 Revolutionary War patriots buried here. ​MORE INFORMATION
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Thomas Ashby (Illinois Society of SAR Color Guard) & Steve Kern (Chairman of GJB SAR Patriot Graves Committee) with the new memorial marker at Stout's Grove Cemetery, Danvers, Illinois

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