1925 Invitation to Annual Reunion
This document is an invitation to the annual reunion of the Eighth Regiment of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry, sent to the former members of the regiment by the President of the Reunion Association, Charles H. McCowen. The reunion is scheduled for September 6th and 7th of 1925. The document is found in the Frank Gerlach.
Transcription
Eighth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry REUNION ASSOCIATION
C.H. McCOWEN, PRESIDENT 440 EAST HIGH STREET ALLIANCE, OHIO E.B. SILVER, TREASURER C. O WILEY, SECRETARY
ANNUAL REUNION AT ROCKHILL PARK, ALLIANCE, OHIO, SEPTEMBER 6TH-7TH, 1925
Dear Comrade:
If you have not attended the previous reunions of the old outfit you have missed exceedingly profitable occasions of which were filled with pleasant associations, good cheer, reminiscences of the days training at Akron, Camp Bushnell, Camp Alger and those exciting days during which we were getting ready for and making the trip to Cuba on the St. Paul and those stirring early days there followed by the monotonous days of quietness which ensued after the Protocol was signed and then the weary days of our journey back home when so many dropped by the wayside form sickness.
From present indications the attendance this year will greatly exceed all previous events and every comrade will return home vowing never to miss and subsequent reunion.
Sunday will be largely given over to registration and renewing old acquaintances and making of new. The only formal event will be the Memorial service at 3:30 in honor of those who have answered their last reveille during the past year and also in honor of our beloved Major Chas. C. Weybrecht and will be held at his grave in the City cemetery close to the Park. Col. Chas. Dick has been asked to deliver the address. Am sure you will not want to miss this service.
Monday we will meet at the park for registration and a general good time. At noon we will be served a splendid dinner by the American Legion Auxiliary. Cost $1.00 per plate. See enclosed post card and fill it out at once and mail. This is necessary of the ladies are to give us the best meal possible. After dinner has been enjoyed there will be a few short talks. Each Company is asked to have some member who attends ready to give us a talk.
Later on Col. Dick and Chaplain Campbell will have something of interest to tell us, as they always have. Business meeting and election of officers for 1926 and choice of meeting place for next year will follow.
Aside from the above the reunion will be very informal but will be filled with good fellowship which will so well started on Sunday and more yarns of our experiences ’98 to ’02 and the World War, for quite a number of our “buddies” got into that too, ‘jes could not resist the call to arms.
We should keep alive the memories and comradeship of those days and take every opportunity to meet one another. We were boys then but boys no longer as out hair is thinning and graying and our step is slowing a bit more every year, tho we try to kid ourselves that we are just as good as we ever were. So let us attend this reunion and enjoy ourselves as we will.
As Veterans of the War with Spain, we owe all that we enjoy in the way of pensions and other favorable laws, to the United Spanish War Veterans and every comrade not a member should join up or if no camp near his home then he should take out a membership at large. Thus he can assist the good work being done for ourselves and the widows and children of deceased comrades.
Yours in comradeship,
Charles H. McCowen, Pres.