Our membership is at an all time high with 110 members on our roster. As a camp we’ve had a reasonably good rate of growth for the past six to eight months, and we should continue that momentum. Each of us can and should make an extra effort to recruit at least one new member in the next three months. If you can get a prospect to one or two of our meetings, he’ll most likely want to become an SCV member. By just getting them to attend a meeting, you will have achieved the most difficult part of the recruiting process. Sometimes it’s hard to get someone to commit to come to a meeting with a group of people they don’t know.

The top priority project for Camp #158 is the restoration of the 145-year-old Confederate Powder Works Chimney. I have appointed a committee of four camp members (myself included) that is going to work aggressively to obtain the funding needed for the restoration of the chimney, which will take approximately $200,000. The other three members of the Confederate Powder Works Chimney Restoration Committee are Lee Herron – Chairman, David Powell and Bill Quattlebaum. If any of you have suggestions on how we can obtain part or all of this money, or if you have contacts that could assist us in getting funding, please pass this information on to me or one of the other committee members. It is of the utmost importance that we complete this project within the next two years.

I’m encouraging our membership to attend and support the 6th National Confederate Memorial Service at Stone Mountain Park on April 14th. This event is co-sponsored by the Georgia Division SCV. (See Announcement section for more details.)

As all of you know 2007 is the Year of Robert E. Lee. We are celebrating the bicentennial of his birth in 1807. Our program speaker for Thursday’s meeting, Dr. Russell K. Brown, has put together a

special presentation for us on "Robert E. Lee’s visit to Augusta in March 1870." Robert E. Lee traveled to Augusta in March of that year to visit with the Confederate veterans. Six months later, in October 1870, Lee passed away. Probably like a lot of you, I wasn’t aware of Lee’s visit to Augusta in 1870. Russell Brown always gives a very informative and entertaining talk, and I’m sure his presentation on Lee’s visit to Augusta will exceed our expectations. Make plans to attend the meeting this Thursday night and bring a prospective member.

Robert Garrett Busbee was accepted for SCV membership through his Great Grandfather, Private Thomas Lamb of Company I, 22nd South Carolina Infantry.

Christopher John Lane was accepted for SCV membership through his Great-Great Grandfather, Private Absalom Rhodes of Company F, Georgia Battalion (Georgia Light Artillery).

Daniel Martin and Douglas Martin, father & son, transferred their membership to our camp from the Brigadier General John C. Carter Camp #207 in Waynesboro.

B/G E. Porter Alexander Camp #158: http://www.eporteralexander.homestead.com/Index.html

GA Division SCV Website: http://www.georgiascv.com/ 

SCV National Website: http://www.scv.org/

■ Thursday, March 8th – Brigadier General E. Porter Alexander Camp #158 will meet at Sconyers Bar-B-Que Restaurant at 7:00 p.m. Our program speaker will be Dr. Russell K. Brown, speaking on "Robert E. Lee’s Visit to Augusta in 1870."

■ Saturday, March 10th – Camp #158 members will setup a booth at the Barnyard Flea Market of Augusta to sell camp store items. Camp #158 re-enactors will be there to give living history presentations to patrons of the flea market.

■ Saturday, March 31st – The next meeting of the Georgia Division SCV Executive Council will be held at the Napier-Hoffman House in Forsyth, the site of the proposed Georgia Division Headquarters. The street address of the house is 350 Indian Springs Road. The meeting will start at 11:00 a.m. A barbecue lunch on site is planned at a cost of $8.00 per person. Drinks are not included.

■ Thursday, April 12th – Brigadier General E. Porter Alexander Camp #158 will meet at Sconyers Bar-B-Que Restaurant at 7:00 p.m. Our program speaker will be Don Gordon, Past Commander of Lt. General Wade Hampton Camp #273 in Columbia, South Carolina. He will speak on "Wade Hampton`s Cavalry."

■Saturday, April 14th – 6th National Confederate Memorial Service at Stone Mountain Park. This event is hosted by The Georgia Society Military Order of Stars & Bars and the Georgia Division Sons of Confederate Veterans. The program speaker will be P. Charles Lunsford, a member of Camp #158. The service will be held at 10:00 a.m. in front of the Carving Reflection Pool. For more information contact David Denard at 770-441-1645.

Saturday, April 28th – Camp #158’s Confederate Memorial Day Service: The Heritage March from the Confederate monument on Broad Street to Magnolia Cemetery will begin at 11:00 a.m. The Memorial Service at Magnolia Cemetery will start at 11:45 a.m.

The man whispered, "GOD, speak to me" and a Bluebird sang but the man

did not hear.

So the man yelled, " GOD, speak to me"

And the thunder rolled across the sky but the man did not listen.

The man looked around and said

" GOD let me see you" and a star shone brightly but he did not notice.

So, the man cried out in despair " Touch me GOD and let me know that you are here" whereupon GOD reached down and touched the man but the man brushed the Butterfly away and walked on.

Don’t miss out on GOD`S blessings,

just because they aren’t packaged the way you expect them to be…

■ Christopher John Lane submitted application for membership through his Great-Great Grandfather Private Absalom Rhodes, Company F, 12th Georgia Battalion (Georgia Light Artillery).