May, 2021
To vaccinate or not to vaccinate? Believe it or not, the quandary is age- old, dating all the way back to pre-U.S. history. Look in the May newsletter for a story about the consequences of vaccine policy and practice during the Civil War. A second story, with a post-Civil War beginning, extends to present day and serves as a reminder of just how thin the line between war and peace really is.
Our drive-yourself field trip to Gettysburg on May 1 is filling up nicely. I’m excited by the prospect of being able to meet in person and catch up in a “non-virtual” way. If you haven’t signed up yet, no worries: there’s still time for you to join in. Take a look at pages 2 and 3 of the newsletter for details about the trip and sign-up instructions.
Ironically, our May speaker will also serve as one of the tour guides for the May 1 trip. Dr. Mark Snell is an Army veteran and a retired professor. On May 4, he’ll be sharing a presentation informed by his latest book, “Gettysburg’s Other Battle: The Ordeal of an American Shrine during the First World War.”
With just a little more than a month left in Campaign 43, our membership renewal rate stands at 84 percent, which equates to $625 fewer dollars to cover expenses and/or donate to preservation efforts. That said, I do want to extend my thanks once again to all of those who have sent in donations.
A reminder that our print raffle will run until the end of May, so there’s still plenty of time to purchase a booklet of tickets.
Barry