CWRT Congress

By Matthew Borowick · Originally published January 2018 · p. 2

Can sharing information and ideas among Civil War Round Tables make them better, stronger, and more successful? That was the topic of the first Civil War Round Table Congress, held in September 2017 in Centreville, Va., just a few miles from the site of the Civil War’s first major battle. The Congress was the brainchild of Mike Movius, president of the Puget Sound CWRT, John Bamberl, president of the Scottsdale CWRT and Wally Rueckel, past president of the Brunswick (NC) CWRT. The Congress hearkened back to the days when the late Jerry Russell of the Arkansas CWRT would gather groups through the National Congress of Civil War Round Tables; but that organization disbanded years ago. The organizers of this Congress wondered “Would round table leaders show up and pay a modest fee to learn new ideas?” The answer was: absolutely! Over 100 leaders gathered for a day long discussion about best practices. They traveled from as far as Canada and California and as close as Centreville. They all shared one thing in common: an awareness that round tables are at a critical time in their existence. The interest emanating from the War’s sesquicentennial celebrations has abated. The esteem held for many Civil War and Antebellum leaders is being questioned. There are concerns about whether younger generations have any interest in knowing and promoting the study of America’s war against itself. Round table leaders know their organizations play an important role in perpetuating the study of the War and its still-lingering effects. But if their organizations are losing members, losing revenue, losing interest, then what good will they be in fulfilling their missions? Thus the Congress. Without a central organization guiding round tables, each is left to its own devices to not only thrive, but, in many cases, to merely survive. “When developing this Congress I looked at hundreds of round table web sites,” notes Mike Movius, “and what I saw stunned me. Outdated web sites, broken links, ‘upcoming’ speaker calendars from 2014; all told me that round tables not only need, but are seeking guidance.” That led Mike to conceive the idea of a Congress. Mike recruited other like-minded leaders, some of whom he met at Civil War Trust tours. “I got to know John Bamberl as a leader in the battlefield preservation movement; but when I learned of the strides he made in turning around the Scottsdale CWRT, I just knew he would be a perfect partner in this effort.” Mike also recruited Wally Rueckel, whose 1,000+ member Brunswick Civil War Round Table is the largest in the world. “One thousand members!” adds Mike. “I knew that Wally would have a few best practices to share. And he certainly does.” Sue Golden from the Kernstown Battlefield Association and Jay Jorgensen from the R.E. Lee CWRT rounded out the presenter lineup. Mike asked me to serve as the Master of Ceremonies. Our group met over the course of almost two years, planning the program, selecting a venue, developing a mailing list and, importantly, recruiting a host round table. The established and effective Bull Run CWRT served as our local contact, with its leader Mark Trbovich and several members handling all the administrative logistics of the day-long event. Jay opened the Congress with a brief history of Civil War round tables and the work of Jerry Russell. He shared his perspectives about CWRT governance. Jay described the types of leadership structures and the pros and cons of each. Sue presented her experiences both in media relations and fundraising, sharing ideas about effective communication to promote round table programs and recruit members. John explained the simple, low cost but highly effective steps any round table can take to increase membership, enhance revenues, and develop greater awareness in the community, sharing what he has done in Scottsdale. Wally described the experience of the Brunswick CWRT, which in just a few years has grown to unimaginable membership levels, attracting nationally known speakers and serving as a model of what can be accomplished with the right plan and volunteers. Mike explained the value of technology in round table communication and shared several easy to use methods for enhancing any round table’s online presence to keep current members engaged and recruit new members. The day concluded with a wide-ranging question and answer session with broad attendee participation. Mike sent all attendees a survey afterward. The responses were highly encouraging. Attendees found the session “highly worthwhile” and “would not change anything” while they asked how soon the next Congress would be held. For the organizers, the Congress was a tremendous success. The basic question was answered: yes, round tables would not only pay a modest fee to attend but would travel great distances to learn. Yes, they would engage with each other during the networking time to speak with each other, to build their own relationships and to exchange contact information. And, yes, they would embrace additional sessions in the neverending effort to improve the work they do and the important roles they play in perpetuating the study of the American Civil War. The next Congress is being planned for August 2018 in Harrisburg, Penn. For more information, contact Mike Movius at [email protected]. Matthew Borowick can be contacted at mbwick@comcast. net.