112th General Court – Boston, Massachusetts
May 23rd to 25th, 2008

The historic and centrally-located Omni Parker House Hotel will be the site of the 112th General Court when it convenes in Boston, Massachusetts on Friday, May 23, 2008. The last General Court in Boston was 1975 so all Associates should be looking forward to this one as a very special and memorable occasion. The Founder and Patriot ancestors of many of our Associates were from the Boston area or one of the nearby towns. As we all know, the Boston peninsula (initially named "Trimount" after the three hills-- Beacon, Pemberton, and Mount Vernon-- which dominated its topography) received a huge boost with the arrival of the Winthrop Fleet in 1630. It grew rapidly in the years thereafter, becoming the central hub of commerce and government for the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and for what eventually would become the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. As everyone knows, Boston is bountifully rich with history not only of the Colonial era but also the Revolutionary War period and thereafter. The Massachusetts Society and the Order both look forward to providing a memorable visit for all who attend.

HEADQUARTERS
Established in 1855, the Omni Parker House Hotel is located in the heart of downtown Boston, situated immediately adjacent to the historic "Freedom Trail" which is having its Fiftieth Anniversary in 2008 during our General Court. It also is very near other historical sites such as the Massachusetts Statehouse, Boston Common, Boston Public Gardens, Faneuil Hall Marketplace, and the New England Aquarium. There is plenty of nearby shopping, including Macy’s, Filene’s and Filene’s Basement, Quincy Market, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord & Taylor, as well as the Copley Place Mall, and the plethora of shops along Newbury Street. Last but not least, it is not far from the New England Historic Genealogical Society Library and the Boston Public Library, both of which contain a wealth of genealogical records and documents. It also is only about one block from the "T" subway system, which has links to all parts of Boston, including Logan Airport. Taxis are readily available from the hotel's front door.
A Special Group Rate block of rooms has been reserved at only $229 per night (single or double occupancy) plus tax. This rate applies to all room reservations received before April 22, 2008. The Omni Parker House Hotel is located at 60 School Street, Boston, MA; phone 617-227-8600. To make a reservation, call 1 (800) 843-6664 [800-THE-OMNI], ask for the "Founders & Patriots" special rate of $229/night. Please identify your affiliation with "Founders & Patriots". If you have any questions or problems, you can contact Governor General Michael Phelps.

REGISTRATION FOR THE 112TH GENERAL COURT
Members of the General Court include all General Officers, Past Governors General, Past Deputy Governors General, Counselors General, Incumbent Officers of the State Societies, Past State Society Governors, and the Editor of the Bulletin. Each of them is encouraged to send in their hotel reservation and General Court registration forms as soon as possible. All Associates, regardless of whether they are members of the General Court, also are encouraged to attend with their spouses and family members and may use the forms provided in this Bulletin.
The regular registration fee is $299.00 per person. A special discounted "Early Bird" registration fee of $285.00 per person will be offered to all registrations received by March 1, 2008. The Late Registration fee for all checks received after March 1, 2008 is $345.00 All checks should be made payable to "OFPA Treasurer General" and should be mailed, along with the registration form (contained elsewhere in this issue), to OFPA Treasurer General Charles Hampton, 2024 Abercrombie Road, Culloden, GA 31016-9746, who may be contacted at home 478-994-2708 or via e-mail wch2024@aol.com. [Note: e-mail contact is preferred.]

THURSDAY MAY 22, 2008, INFORMAL COCKTAIL RECEPTION
The Order will host an informal welcoming cocktail reception in the Governor General's Suite from 6:30 pm to 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 22, 2008.

FRIDAY MAY 23, 2008 ACTIVITIES AND DINNER
The opening session of the General Court will convene from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Friday, May 23, 2008 in the Press Room of the Omni Parker House Hotel. [Note: all meetings of the General Court will be held in that same room, located on the Second Floor of the hotel. The Press Room was where John Fitzgerald Kennedy gave his first public speech, where he later announced his candidacy for the U.S. Congress, and where still later he hosted his bachelor party.] Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. while the Associates are occupied by the General Court and related meetings, the ladies will take a guided tour of the Museum of Fine Arts (465 Huntington Ave.) with its treasure trove of fine art and artifacts.
That evening registered Associates and their guests will dine at the exquisite Union Club of Boston, where the food will include the Club's famous Boston Clam Chowder and a tantalizing entrée of Scrod.

SATURDAY MAY 24, 2008 DAYTIME ACTIVITIES
The closing session of the General Court will convene from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 24 in the Press Room. During that same time period, the ladies will be set loose on their own for shopping at the various nearby stores and shopping venues. At 11:45 a.m., immediately after the conclusion of the General Court, the traditional photo of all General Court participants will be taken. For both Friday and Saturday lunches, Associates and their spouses are on their own. After lunch, starting at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, all Associates and their spouses will take a two and a half hour bus tour of numerous sights of Boston, including the USS Constitution, Bunker Hill, and some of the other farther-away stops of the Freedom Trail. (The assumption is that Associates can visit many of the Freedom Trail stops on their own, as several are within two or three blocks of the hotel.) Bring plenty of film, and hold on tightly to your seats for a memorable ride through Boston's tangled and colorful streets and past a myriad of its most famous sights.

SATURDAY MAY 24, 2008 EVENING: GOVERNOR GENERAL'S RECEPTION AND BANQUET
One of the high points of the entire weekend will be the Governor General's Reception, which takes place in the Press Room and which starts at 6:15 p.m. on Saturday, May 24. Then at 7:15 p.m. the Procession of State Flags will commence, followed by the banquet, also in the Press Room The choice of entrees will be Grilled Chicken Provence or Grilled Filet of Salmon, with both entrees accompanied by Hearts of Romaine Salad, Fresh Fruit Tart for dessert, and Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve wine. The banquet will feature the customary banquet toasts, annual awards, Governor General's remarks, and dancing to the music of an outstanding local dance band. This elegant evening will be one to remember!

SUNDAY MAY 25, 2008 CHURCH SERVICE
There will be a church service at 9:00 a.m. Sunday morning, May 25 at the Old North Church (193 Salem St., Boston; 617-523-6676). All Associates and their spouses and guests are invited to attend and participate in the services, at which the Order will be recognized. Following the services, we hope to have a tour of the church.

THURSDAY MAY 22, 2008 OPTIONAL TOUR OF LEXINGTON AND CONCORD
On Thursday, May 22, 2008, from 9:00 am to 4:30 p.m. there will be an optional bus tour of the historic Revolutionary War battlefields and related sites of interest at Lexington and Concord. The cost of the optional Thursday tour is $100.00 per person ($125 if registration is received after 1 March 2008), which includes all transportation, lunch, and entrance fees to the historic sites.

MONDAY MAY 26, 2008: MEMORIAL DAY
Although details still are being discussed, we also hope to have some sort of ceremony for those who are able to attend to celebrate Memorial Day at some appropriate nearby historical site. Further details will be made available.