The 2010 Sons of Utah Pioneers National Convention will be held in beautiful southern Utah. The weather in St. George during October is always a perfect blend of sunshine and cooler air – just right for enjoying the spectacular scenery and pioneer history that abounds here.
The headquarters for the convention is the stunning St. George Dixie Center conveniently located near a wide selection of partner hotels with special rates for SUP members. The sponsoring Cotton Mission Chapter has teamed up with the Hurricane Chapter and the new Dixie Encampment Chapter to come up with a full schedule of events to honor the pioneers past, present, and future.
A choice of four outstanding bus tours will provide historic and scenic options that stretch from one end of the county to the other. And what would a visit to St. George be without golf? So we’ve put together a Thursday morning golf tournament at the popular Sunbrook Golf Course with awards and prizes. And we haven’t forgotten the women either. A truly special program is planned for the ladies during both the Thursday training sessions and the Saturday business meeting.
Wednesday October 20, 2010
5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Golf Meet and Greet
Holiday Inn (Host Hotel)
850 So. Bluff Street (I-15 Exit 6)
1-800-457-9800
Those coming early for the golf tournament can meet-and-greet at the Holiday Inn Hospitality Room from 5pm to 7pm. Tournament format Information will be given and foursomes will be made up.
Thursday October 21, 2010
7:30 am to 1:00 pm
Golf Tournament
Sunbrook Golf Course
2240 Sunbrook Drive, St. George, UT
Shotgun Start at 8:00am. Golf Digest rates Sunbrook as “the best golf course in Utah.” A variety of awards and prizes will be presented at the Opening Dinner Thursday night.
11:00 am to 6:00 pm
Convention Registration Begins at the Dixie Center
Pick up packets with history notebooks, lapel pins, name badges, and tickets. Registration will continue at the Dixie Convention Center throughout the event.
2:00 pm to 5:00 pm
National Leadership Training Meeting & Chapter Presidents Meeting
Holiday Inn (Host Hotel)
850 So. Bluff Street, St. George (I-15 Exit 6)
Women’s Activities (sponsored by Dixie Encampment Chapter)
Women can choose between:
(1) St. George Temple Session
(2) St. George Live Tour
(3) Presentation on what’s new from Deseret Book manager Glen Moore
(4) Spotlight on the St. George City Sesquicentennial Activities by Mark Mortensen, St. George City Director of PR.
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Opening Ceremonies and Banquet
St. George Dixie Center
Horse and antique buggy display by SUP member Dean Terry’s Twin Springs Ranch Collection
Entertainment: Old Time music from Clay Davis, Ann and Nolan Lowe and Abe Young
Greeting: St. George Mayor – Dan McArthur, SUP member
Speaker: Dr. Douglas D. Alder – Former Dixie College President and St. George Temple President.
Dr. Alder moved to St. George to serve as president of Dixie College after teaching European History for 23 years at Utah State University. He was president of the Washington County Historical Society 1996-97 and created “St. George Live” an ongoing program of first person historical re-enactments at ten historic sites to share the history of St. George. He has also served on various preservation committees, including the Grafton trust, Pioneer Center for the Arts, Downtown Redevelopment Advisory Board of St. George, the Washington County Library Board, and St. George Public Arts Committee. With historian Karl Brooks he co-authored “The History of Washington County. “
Friday October 22, 2010
7:30 am to 6:00 pm
Registration continues at Dixie Center
8:30 am to 5:00 pm
Scenic Bus Tours
All tours will begin and end at the north St. George East Stake Center parking lot across from the St. George Temple. Cars may be left there for the day. After boarding the touring coaches at 8:30am we will move to the Tabernacle where we will kick off the tours with a “live” visit from Brother Brigham Young, Erastus Snow, and Jacob Hamblin. They will tell about themselves and the history of the St. George area. We will then load the busses for day-long historic tours guided by knowledgeable historians who will provide insight, pioneer stories, and historic background on all the places visited. Each person will also receive a notebook with printed materials, maps, and guides to enhance the experience. Box lunches and drinks will be provided. All tours will end with a visit to the St. George Temple Visitor’s Center.
Click Here for Tour Itineraries.
6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Dinner and program at Historic Town Square
Corner of Main Street and 100 South, St. George
Dinner begins at 6:00 pm at the Community Arts Building (old Dixie Academy Building). Take the elevator to the top floor ballroom.
7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Southern Utah Heritage Choir Concert
St. George Tabernacle, Corner of Main Street and Tabernacle Street
Following dinner we will walk next door to the historic St. George Tabernacle to hear a special pioneer concert from the world-renowned Southern Utah Heritage Choir. With a goal of bringing people to Christ through music, this outstanding choir has travelled the world presenting a variety of sacred, patriotic, and classical music. They are proud to make the historic St. George Tabernacle their home.
Saturday October 23, 2010
9:00 am to 11:00 am
National Business Meeting
Dixie Center, 850 South Main, St. George
The men will meet to take care of national business, as well as election of the national president-elect. The women will meet separately for a special presentation by noted LDS artists Julie Rogers and Roland Lee, and pioneer historian/author Jolene Allphin.
12:00 pm to 2:00 pm
National President’s Luncheon – Sunday Dress
Dixie Center, 850 South Main, St. George
Speaker: Hyrum Smith
Luncheon and Special Keynote address by Hyrum Smith, co-founder of Franklin Quest and its successor company Franklin-Covey. He is a co-originator of the popular Franklin Dayplanner time management system and is one of today’s most sought-after speakers. Hyrum serves on several national advisory councils, holds three honorary doctorate degrees, and was the recipient of the Silver Beaver Award from the Boy Scouts of America. He and his wife Gail enjoy their ranch in southern Utah where he is a member of the Cotton Mission Chapter, Sons of Utah Pioneers.
9:00 am to 11:00 am
Women’s Meeting
Dixie Center, 850 South Main, St. George
Music: Clive Romney
Dressed in period costume and armed with a battery of musical instruments, musician, songwriter, and story-teller Clive Romney re-enacts the songs and poems of pioneer times.
With over 30 years of experience both recording and performing, Clive was the founder of the popular folk/period group “Enoch Train” and devotes countless hours to preserving pioneer arts and culture for the next generation with the organization “Utah Heritage Arts.”
Speaker: Roland Lee
Roland’s paintings are in over 1,000 collections worldwide and have appeared in The Ensign magazine, the SUP Pioneer Magazine, and Deseret Book publications. The current president of the Cotton Mission Chapter of the Sons of Utah Pioneers, Roland’s paintings reflect his interest in the pioneer heritage he inherited from his own ancestors whose faith carried them through the early days of the Church.
His ancestors were among the first to join the church after it was organized in 1830, the last to enter the Salt Lake Valley with the Willie and Martin group in 1856, and were among those called by Brigham Young to settle St. George in 1861. Over the past three years, Roland has followed the trail of his own ancestors, both sketching and painting scenes from their lives.
Speaker: Julie Rogers
Julie is one of the best-known LDS artists of pioneer themes. She devoted several years to study and painting of images relating to the handcart pioneers. Her unmistakable pastels and oil paintings, packed with drama and emotion are in the permanent collection of the LDS church and have graced many church magazines and publications including Jolene Allphin’s classic handcart story collection “Tell My Story Too.” An artist since childhood she has been awarded Best of Show by the Women Artists of America and received many other awards for her work.
Speaker: Jolene Allphin
Starting with a handcart re-enactment trek in 1999, Jolene’s casual search for stories from the lives of the handcart pioneers escalated into a passionate quest to remember and document all of the handcart pioneers. Her efforts culminated in the amazingly thorough and heart-wrenching historical collection “Tell My Story Too” which chronicles the tragedies and triumphs of the Willie, Martin, Hodgett, and Hunt Emigration companies of 1856.
A special art show featuring historical paintings by Roland Lee and Julie Rogers will be on display in the Dixie Center lobby during the convention.
Tours: Click here to see complete tour itineraries.
Lodging Options: Click here to see complete list of lodging options.
Registration: Click here to register online.
Transportation and Directions: Click here to see Travel Options.
