Prattville Dragoons Compatriot Attends 2019 Sons of Confederate Veterans National Reunion in Mobile AL

Dragoon Tyrone Crowley attended the SCV National Reunion which was held Thursday through Saturday, 11-13 July, in Mobile, Alabama.  The Reunion was hosted by the Raphael Semmes Camp #11.  This was the 124th SCV Reunion and was held at the Mobile Convention Center at 1 South Water Street in Mobile.  Reunion attendees stayed at the Renaissance Riverview Plaza Hotel, across Water Street from the Convention Center.

Others from the Montgomery local area and Alabama Division attending included Henry C. Semple Camp Commander John Land, Butch and Pat Godwin from Selma, Past Alabama Division Commanders Gary Carlyle and Jimmy Hill, and current Division Commander Carl Jones.   Alabama members all sat together in one section of the auditorium.

News of interest to Alabama Division compatriots learned at the 2019 Reunion included 1) that the Alabama Division Education Conference scheduled for Saturday 3 August has been cancelled due to low registration numbers and 2) that Dr. Charles Estell Baker, revered Past National And Division Chaplain, is now in a nursing home in Missouri.

On Friday, Tyrone accepted, on behalf of the Prattville Dragoons, a certificate of appreciation and a blue ribbon awarded as a result of the donation recently made by the Dragoons to The Confederate Legion.  The certificate was signed by Donnie and Ronnie Kennedy, twin brothers from Louisiana who published the popular book, The South Was Right! back in 1994 and have written several others since, in defense of Southern Heritage.  Walter Donald "Donnie" Kennedy is also National SCV Chief of Heritage Operations and was a speaker at the Reunion.  Tyrone made a picture with the Kennedy twins, holding the certificate of appreciation presented to the Dragoons.

All staff at the Reunion Center and the Renaissance Hotel, were courteous, friendly, and went "above and beyond" when assistance was requested for any reason.  On two different occasions, Tyrone asked directions of staff and both times the staff member stopped what he was doing and walked with them to point out the direction in which they needed to go to get to a particular table or location.  SCV logos and Battle Flags were present everywhere, including a 20' x 30' Battle Flag hanging over the speakers' podium.  

The Reunion began on Wednesday July 10th with registration and a shrimp boil hosted by the Raphael Semmes Camp at the Battleship Alabama park on Mobile Bay.  On Thursday the SCV Prayer Breakfast at 6:30am started the day followed by the Opening Ceremony at the Convention Center.  During the morning business meetings, a tour was offered of the Mobile Mardi Gras Museum.  The SCV Heritage Luncheon was at noon on Thursday where the Kennedy brothers appealed for support for the SCV "Make Dixie Great Again" Confederate Legion campaign.  A tour of the Fort McDermott Blakeley Battlefield was conducted in the afternoon.  

On Friday another business session was held in the morning with an Awards Luncheon at noon.  In the afternoon, a bus tour to Beauvoir in Biloxi was offered.  A Memorial Service to fallen compatriots was held at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception there in downtown Mobile and the day's activities concluded with a Oratorical Contest that evening hosted by past CiC Chuck McMichael.  

Saturday the final business session and Army meetings were held in the morning and in the afternoon, dance lessons were offered followed by the Commander's Reception, the Banquet and Grand Ball that evening.