RW250 Newsletter February 2019

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Celebrating Westchester County’s Revolutionary War History

NEWS AND UPDATES A great turnout of eager volunteers – nearly 30 – gathered on Sunday, January 27 in Irvington. The group represented local history organizations and others from across the county for the first strategic planning meeting of Revolutionary Westchester 250. The theme was “Working Together With You!”

Look forward now to the formation of subcommittees. We will bring to life the plethora of ideas generated by the planning group’s brainstorming session. Ideas ranged from K-12 school programs, food and drink adventures (Benedict’s Brew), colonial crafts with a sustainable “conserve and reuse” focus to a Revolutionary Westchester YouTube channel. Of course many spoke about reenactments, landscaping monuments, tours and talks and even the first submarine launch near Dobbs Ferry!

A second planning session with a smaller group ready to help structure those initiatives will be scheduled in March or April.

‘This Man’s a Spy!’ John Paulding and the Capture of Major John Andre

Invasion! July 1776 to January 1777

RW250 introduced these and at least three more programs, all exciting expansions of Dr. Erik Weiselberg’s well-received general overview slide presentation, The Revolutionary War in Westchester. These specialized topics will roll out over the next few months. Local groups can contact RW250 now to host. *

MARCH 2019 Our next Revolutionary Westchester 250 lecture series is on Sunday, March 3 at 2:00 pm at Briarcliff Manor Public Library. Erik Weiselberg, PhD will include a focus on John Odell, General Washington’s Westchester Guide, and other tidbits on local Briarcliff-area history.

WEBSITE EXPANSION Visitors to www.RW250.org will now view local Revolutionary War happenings with one click, all thanks to the volunteer efforts of our web professional. The Events Calendar is launched. Send in your events for posting.

*For future information on the lecture series and the full notes from our January 27, 2019 Strategic Planning Meeting, email our Executive Director Constance Kehoe at 1776RW250@gmail.com.

Regards,
Constance Messerly Kehoe
Executive Director, Revolutionary Westchester 250
Deputy Mayor, Village of Irvington, NY 10533
Email 1776RW250@gmail.com
Website www.RW250.org

What is Revolutionary Westchester 250? Read about our mission at www.RW250.org

In July 2016 the Congress of the United States passed and President Obama signed Public Law 114-196, the "United States Semiquincentennial Commission Act of 2016." This law’s purpose was to:

...Establish a Commission to provide for the observance and commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States and related events through local, state, national, and international activities planned, encouraged, developed, and coordinated by a national commission representative of appropriate public and private authorities and organizations.

Revolutionary Westchester 250 is a private group being organized as a not-for-profit corporation to further the purpose of the Semiquincentennial Commission by providing for the observance and commemoration of Westchester County’s pivotal role, in American Independence and in the Revolutionary War.