Welcome!
GJBSAR Events
UPCOMING​
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  • ​Jan 7th ● Knight Essary Entries DUE
  • Jan 7th ● Rumbaugh Oration Entries DUE
  • Jan 15th ● Schweizer History Teacher Award Entries DUE
  • Feb 27 ● The General’s News - (submission deadline of Feb.18)
  • Feb 27 – Mar 1 ● NSSAR Spring Leadership Meeting, Louisville, Ky
  • Mar 1 ● McLean and Woodford Co HS Citizenship/Scholarship applications due
  • Mar 11, 6:00 p.m. ● GJB Chapter Dinner Meeting, St Luke Union Church,
    Bloomington. PROGRAM: “The Battle of Lexington & Concord”, Kevin Roberts, Eagle Scout Winner Presentation, HOST: Jay Cummins
  • New 2025 GJBSAR Calendar of Events Posted. See Events
  • ​Checkout the GJBSAR November 2024 Issue of 
    The General's Newsletter​
  • ​​Fall 2024 ILSSAR State Newsletter of
    ​​The Illinois Patriot

More Events Details​​
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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.​
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.
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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
​The GJBSAR Website wins 1st place General R.B. Vance national award for best SAR chapter website in a tie with the Jeremiah Clark chapter of Davisburg MI
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GJB President, Jay Cummins, presenting David Williams, GJB Web Administrator, with the National SAR 1st place award for the General R.B. Vance best national chapter website 2024


​​​​250th Anniversary of the SAR and the
"Decade of Celebration"
 Boston Tea Party 1773 to the Treaty of Paris 1873
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  • 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

​Livingston County Outstanding Citizenship Awards for 2024
GJB Chapter has awarded 3 additional Outstanding Citizenship awards to high school students in Livingston County:
Madelyn Stites:  Tri-point High School
Dylan Jenkins: Woodland High School
Emerson Weber: Flanagan-Cornell High School
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April 4th, 25th Annual GJB SAR Outstanding Good Citizenship/ Scholarship Luncheon with speaker Mr. Adam Hickman, SVP PNC Bank.  Four adults, 20 H.S. seniors from McLean & Woodford counties received citizenship commendations.
See the SAR May Citizenship News
​More photos in the GJB SAR Gallery​
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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 will be at an upcoming GJB meeting in 2025.
Cadet Kaitlyn Halcomb with the ISU Redbird ROTC Battalion, winner of the GJRSAR Silver ROTC Medal & Scholarship
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GJBSAR Events
RECENT​
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PictureRainey 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.
​Dec 19 ● GJBSAR 2024 Eagle Scout Award goes to Robert Null II of local BSA Troop 918 
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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.
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.
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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."​

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Veteran GJBSAR members & guests honored at the November 8th Veteran's Day Luncheon
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Rick Milner, Chair of the Membership Committee (Left) and Jay Cummins, GJB President (Far Right) welcome three new GJBSAR members James "Jay" Herrman, Tony Norman, and Kevin Crutcher
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Franklin "Bud" Lewis. Bud is a Navy WWII veteran who is turning 99 in December. So fun to celebrate with you Bud! Bud's son Bill joined us to celebrate as well as Past GJB President, Gordon Bidner.

​Oct 10th ● GJB Chapter Dinner Meeting.   St Luke Union Church, Bloomington. PROGRAM: Why Y DNA, Rand Veerman presenter along with recognition of new members, Lance McCormick with a Roger Sherman award for his service, Sonny Rudskinski for his donation to the George Washington Endowment Fund, David Williams as web administrator for the GJBSAR 1st Place SAR national award for best website, among other business.  37 members in attendance
New Members to SAR
Jay Cummins, GJB President, followed by new members Terry Willis, Jeff Stout, Todd Smith, Dale Simpson, Rodger Salzman (Wyoming transfer) & Kevin Roberts
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Rand Veerman, Pres. McLean County Genealogical Society (tmcgs.org)
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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Image of marker Stouts Grove
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
Sept 20 ● SAR-DAR Constitution Week and 1st Responder Awards Program, Grace Church in Normal. Community first responders were honored. 
Constitution Day Awardees
Photo shows Steve Kern, GJBSAR Chair Public Service & Heroism Committee, Cameron Boers of ISP Troop #4 awarded the SAR Law Enforcement Medal, Christopher Beaupre of ISP Troop #4 awarded the SAR Law Enforcement Medal, Christoper Greene of ISP Troop #4 awarded the SAR Heroism Medal, Master Sergeant Ross Green of ISP Troop #4 awarded the SAR Heroism Medal, Officer Ronald Fryman of the Bloomington Police Department awarded the SAR Life Saving Medal, and Greg Mohr (retired), Normal and Carlock Fire Department the SAR Fire Safey Medal, and GJBSAR President Jay Cummins​

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Web Administrator David Brian Williams.