Join us on Monday, May 14 as John Duchesneau, past president of the Rhode Island Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution and fellow Varnum Continentals member, takes us back in time for a look at our organization’s namesake, General James Mitchell Varnum. Although many of us may be familiar with the General’s background and his historic contributions to our fight for Independence, there are always some new things to learn about Varnum’s distinguished career. Our newer members will especially enjoy this presentation. Born in 1748, Varnum packed a lot into his 41 years of life. He was not only a recognized and respected member of the legal profession; he became one of George Washington’s most trusted officers.
John Duchesneau is a Connecticut native and a 1984 graduate of Providence College. In 1991, he moved to Newport, RI, where he soon became involved with Fort Adams where over a 10-year period he conducted more than 2,500 tours of this historic military facility. John is a member of the Artillery Company of Newport and was appointed its sergeant major in 2004. He is a member of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, the Sons of the American Revolution, the Military Order of Foreign Wars, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion. Between 2000 and 2010, he served on four deployments with the Rhode Island National Guard. He has been awarded the Bronze Star, the Combat Action Badge, two awards of the Commendation Medal and the Army Achievement Medal. John is presently a Veteran Service Representative with the Providence Regional Office of the Veterans Benefits Administration.
Reservations for this dinner must be received by 5:00 pm Friday, May 11. Call Scott Seaback at 401-413-6277 or email him at scott@ritemps.com.
TIME: 5:30 p.m. (social hour); 6:30 p.m. (dinner followed by program)
LOCATION: Varnum Memorial Armory Museum, 6 Main St., East Greenwich, RI, 02818.
FEE: $20 including dinner (BBQ ribs, pulled pork, coleslaw, potato salad, corn on the cob, corn bread, and watermelon sorbet)