In April, the South Carolina Society of the Sons of the American Revolution held their 127th Annual Meeting in Columbia, SC. Many members and spouses representing the twenty state chapters came together to conduct society business and network with a brotherhood of fellow Compatriots who share similar values of love of country.

Special guests of honor included South Atlantic Regional VP General Ed Rigel who inducted and swore in the new state officers. Included in the new slate of state officers was Wayne Cousar, a local Seabrook, SC resident where he and wife Gladys reside. Cousar has held a number of state positions over the past few years including President of Beaufort's Gov. Paul Hamilton SAR Chapter. He's a native of South Carolina, having been born and raised near Manning and is a graduate of the University of South Carolina. A United States Air Force veteran, Cousar is a retired Delta Airline Captain and a member of The Parish Church of Saint Helena.

The meeting wrapped up with state awards, most notably the Americanism Poster Contest winner selected from the winning submission from each of the participating state chapters. South Carolina elementary school students studying the American Revolution were asked to make a poster celebrating the American victory against the British at Fort Sullivan (SC) on June 28, 1776. Holy Trinity Classical Christian School student Mary Elinor Chumney's poster was selected to represent the Gov. Paul Hamilton Chapter and was declared the state winner. Her poster will be taken to the National SAR Congress in Boston in July to compete for National Honors against other state winners. Ms. Chumney is the daughter of Elinor Borgert and granddaughter of Dr. John and Molly Gray.

[caption id="attachment_28557" align="aligncenter" width="640"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/COMMUNITY-SONS-OF-AM-REV-2..jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-28557"><img class="size-full wp-image-28557" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/COMMUNITY-SONS-OF-AM-REV-2..jpg" alt="Members of Beaufort's Gov. Paul Hamilton SAR Chapter joined in the honor from left are Claude Dinkins, Tom Wilson, Frank Gibson, Carroll and Nancy Crowther, Gladys and Wayne Cousar, Anita and Jody Henson. Photo by Frank Brown." width="640" height="480" /></a> Members of Beaufort's Gov. Paul Hamilton SAR Chapter joined in the honor from left are Claude Dinkins, Tom Wilson, Frank Gibson, Carroll and Nancy Crowther, Gladys and Wayne Cousar, Anita and Jody Henson. Photo by Frank Brown.[/caption]