DECEMBER 26, 2012
DAR Chapter reflects on community activity in 2012
SCOTTSDALE – As the Grand Canyon Chapter (GCC), National Society Daughters of the American Revolution concludes the 2012 year, they reflect on some of the outstanding work that has been done in the community. The service organization’s three main objectives are promoting patriotism, preserving American history, and securing America’s future through better education for children. Here are a few places you may have seen these women in the community over the last year.
Grand Canyon Chapter officers, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, pictured from left to right, top row: Stephanie Troth, Suzanne Young, Susan von Hellens, Betty Heenan, Kathy Shields; bottom row: Kandy Wagenbach, Marian Hulka, Katie Paulsen, Ann Curry, Yvonne Henricks
To promote patriotism, the first of the DAR’s three objectives, GCC members participated in a naturalization ceremony at the Sandra Day O’Connor Courthouse in Phoenix, welcoming the new citizens. Members attended the welcome home ceremony for World War II veterans from the Phoenix area, who flew to Washington DC to visit the WWII Memorial and other sites, as part of Project Honor Flight. The GCC made donations of items to the Phoenix Veteran Affairs Hospital, as well as to Camp Atterbury in Indiana, a training base for the National Guard. The DAR chapter welcomed Lt. Col (Ret.) Carol Jeannine Dahl RN, who is a member of the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame and Adjunct Professor at Grand Canyon University, as a speaker at one of their meetings, to present an interesting program on advocating for veterans.
In order to work for better education for children, the DAR’s second objective, GCC members donated school supplies at the beginning of the 2012 school year to the American Indian children at Navajo School, which is adjacent to the Salt River Indian Reservation. Several chapter members also served as senior leaders to the Hohokam Society, Children of the American Revolution, in order to provide leadership training and teach the fundamentals of the society’s objectives. At one chapter meeting, Gladys Johnston, Ph.D, one of Arizona’s 48 Most Intriguing Women spoke about the role of women in education. The Shadow Mountain High School Choral Ensemble, directed by Rick Ross, gave a beautiful performance at another meeting, and a donation was made to the choral program at the school. Members also attended the dedication ceremony for a new American Indian Veterans National Memorial at the Heard Museum.
To support the third and final objective of the DAR, historic preservation, a plaque was dedicated to the Scottsdale Police Department K9 Unit, which is permanently on display. Speakers at meetings included Paul Messinger, a city historian and preservation advocate; Scottsdale Police Chief, Alan Rodbell; and Ingrid Baillie, State Chairman for Memorial Cemetery Ladies, who attend every burial of a soldier in Arizona.
This year was busy for these local DAR members, and they are looking forward to an equally successful year in 2013. The Grand Canyon Chapter will hold their next meeting on Saturday, January 5, 2013. Peggy Boyd will be welcomed as a guest speaker, to deliver a program on Colonial Housewifery. For information on upcoming meetings or the DAR, contact Regent, Katie Paulsen, at [email protected].
The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was founded in 1890 to promote patriotism, preserve American history, and support better education for our nation's children. Its members are descended from the patriots who won American independence during the Revolutionary War. With more than 165,000 members in approximately 3,000 chapters worldwide, DAR is one of the world's largest and most active service organizations. To learn more about the work of today's DAR, visit www.DAR.org or for Grand Canyon Chapter, visit http://grandcanyon.arizonadar.org/.
