Last week’s film shoot in Atlanta was a total success. The documentaries that we are producing at the U.S. Marshals Service will showcase the extraordinary work done by the fugitive task forces and we now have hours of great footage to choose from. Unfortunately it seems that my spring schedule refuses to allow me to slow down. I just accepted an invitation to judge the ‘History Books’ category of the National Federation of Press Women’s Annual Communication Contest. I also have another speaking engagement at the Richmond Civil War Roundtable to prepare for and several new posts including the audio of last week’s talk at the Civil War Forum and the new baseball book release. Stay tuned for sporadic posts on all these commitments as time permits. (Photo by Shane McCoy, U.S. Marshals Service)
This Sunday (March 18) I will be giving a lecture at St. George’s Episcopal Church on ‘The Great Revival’ as part of their Civil War Forum Series. It begins at 9:55 am and will take place in their Sydnor Hall. My presentation will include a brief overview of challenges faced by the church due to the outbreak of war and the events and experiences of both soldiers and civilians during the revival of 1863. The address is 905 Princess Anne St. (Enter the hall from beneath the church's nave, from George Street.)
I also wanted to say that I have just finished reviewing the final poof of “You Stink! Major League Baseball’s Terrible Teams and Pathetic Players” written by Eric Wittenberg and myself. The final result is 350 pages of glory and clearly a breakout title for us. There will be lots of press on this one so look out ESPN, here we come! Eric and I are developing a blog for “You Stink!” and there will be lots of baseball book-related posts here as well.
Marshals Service. RSM also announced the release of their next film’s website: blackwaterfilm.com, which they are now in the process of pursuing funding for.
Check out two of The Angel’s cast members at the Civil War Forum, featuring 50-minute talks by local historians and authors Robert K. Krick, John J. Hennessy, Donald C. Pfanz and Michael Aubrecht. When: 9:55 a.m. Sundays, March 4, 11, 18, 25. Where: Sydnor Hall, St. George's Episcopal Church in Fredericksburg, 905 Princess Anne St. Enter hall, beneath the church's nave, from George Street. See article in The Free Lance-Star for more information.
This weekend I dusted off our wheelchair equipment in anticipation of this year’s upcoming tourist season. Since AABT’s launch last year, we have received great support from both the local tourist and national wheelchair-traveler communities. Our inaugural trips were a surprising success and it seemed like we were just getting started before the season turned cold. Much like the soldier’s whose footsteps we follow, we too went into winter quarters. I was able to give several walking tours during the off-season and this enabled me to identify some new areas that I had not considered before. As a result, AABT has expanded our tour of the Fredericksburg Battlefield to include an extended hike on the Slaughter Pen Farm. Tours begin booking again in April.
My goal this year is to get some special programs going with organizations such as the Wounded Warriors Project and Disabled Veterans of America. Nothing gives me more satisfaction that helping to provide folks with a specially-paced and safely-maneuverable tour of our area’s hallowed grounds. It is a real privilege for me to do that and I cannot wait to begin again. I am really looking forward to working with my fellow AABT guides Mark Jones and John Cummings.
I just can't believe we were standing on hallowed ground and the both of you so invaluable in bringing it all back to life----chills!! We are truly thankful to you and John and the amazing work you both are doing to keep history alive, thank you. With much thanksgiving. - Mike & Irene Breshears, OR
If you’re new to All-Access Battlefield Tours, here’s a brief background on us: AABT is a private tour service designed especially for wheelchair travelers who wish to fully explore and experience the hallowed grounds of Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania, VA. AABT’s all‐accessible individual or group tours take visitors, their families and friends directly to historical hotspots while moving at their own pace. In order to provide a safe and comfortable expedition, visitors have the option of being transferred to customized travel wheelchairs that feature special wheels and canopies. These rugged outdoor chairs, combined with portable ramps, enable visitors to traverse fields, trails and roads that are otherwise inaccessible. Each experience includes complete accessibility assistance and the highest quality tours, featuring a unique staff of experts made up of local historians, authors and preservationists. For more information, please visit our website.
Please spread the word to anyone who may be interested in our services. We are a small, locally owned and operated business who needs all of the promotion that we can get. Thanks!