Sgt MajSgt Maj John Champe SAR celebrates 250th Anniversary of our country at the Loudoun County Courthouse

The Leesburg Independence Day parade was cancelled due to extreme heat, leaving the multiple organization display and public interface at the Charles Hamilton Houston Courthouse as the only public means in Leesburg to celebrate the 250^thAnniversary of the Nation’s birth. Several organizations elected to withdraw participation. The Sgt Maj John Champe Chapter VA SAR operated under a canopy provided by County Court organizers and filled two tables with information and give aways. One of the tables had a large format unsigned Declaration of Independence that visitors were invited to sign.

At 1:00pm Compatriots Barry Schwoerer, David Welker and Bob Anderson, each in Revolutionary War militia attire, read the Declaration of Independence from the Charles Hamilton Houston Courthouse steps to a large crowd assembled under the trees in front of the courthouse. Compatriot Steve Van Deusen also participated by explaining the mission of John Champe and the fact Loudoun County provided more militiamen than any other county in Virginia.

At the end of the day, the County Court organizers counted 608 visitors. SMJC completely filled one Declaration of Independence with visitor signatures, and filled about ¾ of the space in a second. Multiple visitors were very interested in the display of replica, non-firing flintlock weapons of the Revolution and were entranced by David Welker’s stories of Revolutionary War militiamen from Loudoun County.

SMJC compatriots participated in the Ketoctin Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution sponsored “Take a photo with a Revolutionary Soldier” at a backdrop on top of the steps of the courthouse.

The Sgt Maj John Champe Chapter Virginia SAR serves Loudoun County and parts of surrounding counties. For more information about the Chapter please visit our website at: https://johnchampe-sar.org