The Board of Assistants of the SMDNC, at a special meeting on Monday, 16 August 2021, unanimously approved the formation of a new, non-territorial (virtual) colony to be known as the “Speedwell Colony.”  All applications received before the first broadcast on 10 September will be classified as “charter members.” Becket Soule was appointed acting Colony Governor until elections. An appropriate date for the charter would be 2 August 2021, four hundred and one years after the departure of the original Speedwell from Delfshaven in The Netherlands with the Leiden Pilgrims. The Speedwell’s original (1577) name was Swiftsure, which sounds appropriate for a virtual enterprise.

Regular meetings are on the Third Thursday of the month; there will also be projects (educational, fundraising, research, giving Silver Books, etc.), trips (both in person and virtual, with enough lead time), lectures, presentations, and workshops.  This will appeal not only to our numerous At Large members, as well as members from smaller or inactive colonies; and it may bring in more members who live elsewhere but simply can’t participate in SMD functions where they live, as well as those who would prefer this sort of connection.  It will have its own e-newsletter, the “Leaky Speedwell,” and a private Facebook group.  There will also be discussions of books (like ones reviewed in the Mayflower Quarterly, since the book review editor of the Quarterly is also the acting Colony Governor) or the Mayflower Day-by-Day blog (posted on the SMDNC Facebook page).

The Speedwell Chapter can obviously handle social distancing easily, and thus can keep meeting throughout any pandemic, national emergency, traffic jam, company from out of town, etc. 

MEETING: The first meeting will be Friday, 10 September at 7:00 PM, and broadcast from the General Board of Assistants in Plymouth, hosted by Becket Soule (acting Deputy Governor General, Canadian SMD) and Martha D’Alessandro (Assistant Governor, North Carolina SMD).  We will talk about what that meeting is, and hope to have brief interviews (either recorded or from the hotel).  The regular September meeting will be the Third Thursday (16 September) on “Mayflower DNA”; to discuss experience [or lack thereof] with researching Mayflower lines with DNA after a brief [20 minute] presentation.  Meetings will be forty-five minutes, with social time before and after.  Once a quarter, the meeting will be the more formal webinar.

DUES: $10 a year, going towards either a Zoom Meeting or a GoToMeeting platform; we can waive it, if necessary.  Please send no money now -- we need to set up a bank account first.

OFFICERS: Needed are Governor, Treasurer, Secretary, and Techno-Whiz or Zoom Guru-to be voted on and elected by members. 

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REGISTRATION: Applicants must be members of SMDNC in order to register and be a member of the colony; they can also be a member of another NC colony.  One must have an e-mail address (and an internet hookup) to join.  Members of other GSMD member societies may be “Associate Members” - contact Becket Soule (at wbsoule1620@gmail.com) for more information.