Yankee Fall 2010
THE CONNECTICUT YANKEE FALL 2010
Treasure the Past The Connecticut with C.S.C.A.R. YANKEE Hear Ye! Hear Ye!
Senior State President’s Message Please send in all photos and articles by February 10! Treasuring the Past with C.S.C.A.R. Wow! I look over this newsletter and am so impressed by all the things that our societies Larkin Brown, Editor have accomplished over the past few [email protected] months. I hope all of you will take in and [email protected] appreciate the many wonderful things that Coming up next issue: other societies do to learn about and promote C.A.R. programs and projects. • State Officer Slate Congratulations to all of you! • Valentine’s Activities I also want to note that we have three • Winter Fun Winter societies Sarah Whitman Hooker, Captain Joel Cook, and Captain David Hawley who all are • State Conference Details reactivating and have new Society Presidents. We look forward to hearing more from them in the future. Our State President Lauren Bacon has been doing a wonderful job with the state project that she has chosen for the year--a treasure chest full of 1700’s children’s toys to be placed at the Teri Fischer C.S.C.A.R. Jonathan Trumbull homestead. This is a CT DAR property and Senior State President C.A.R. is proud to support it. The photo above of Lauren shows 363 Limestone Road her holding our State calendar which has generated funds for this Ridgefield, CT 06877 very worthy project. 203-244-5290 Our activities with the DAR, SAR, and SR have been wonderful 203-650-2763 (cell) and you will see many of those things in the newsletter. [email protected] Supporting each other is essential. Lauren Bacon I look forward to the fun we are about to C.S.C.A.R. State President have at our State Fun Meeting in 10 Eggleston Lane Norwalk on Feb. 4 and our State Old Greenwich, CT 06870 Conference coming up in Fairfield on [email protected] March 6. I treasure being with you, getting to know you, and seeing you grow. Teri Fischer (Mrs. Fish) Senior State President
PAGE 1 THE CONNECTICUT YANKEE FALL 2010 Calendar & Deadlines
DAY DATE TIME LOCATION TYPE Friday 2/4/11 6-8 p.m. Laser Tag/ Fun Meeting-My 3 Sons, STATE Norwalk, CT
Sunday 3/6/11 1 p.m. State Conference STATE
Friday-Sunday 4/15-17/2011 All Day National Convention, Arlington, VA National
Friday-Saturday 7/8-9/2011 All Day New England Regionals, National Massachusetts
Great Reads by Jason Bacon, State Librarian I encourage everyone to look at books about Independence Hall and Those who signed the Declaration. I love books that have an offbeat way of approaching subjects, and I found a book called, “Signing Their Lives Away- The Fame and Misfortunes of the Men Who Signed the Declaration of Independence” by Denise Kiernan. This book has a chapters dedicated to each state of the signers and talks about the unique personalities and interesting facts of those who sat in the Continental Congress to debate independence in 1776. About the Connecticut delegation, they Kids Helping Kids covered Sam Huntington, Roger Sherman, William For the 2nd year in a row, the Capt. Stephen Betts Williams, and Oliver Wolcott. As everybody Society baked their hearts out and sold their goodies to knows, the national project is to support Independence Hall in Philadelphia, where these buy costumes for the children at the Carver Center in men met. For those who can’t make it to the Norwalk annual Halloween party. The Carver Center is a library, I suggest looking up these websites about safe place for children who need it to go and play games Independence Hall. Here are some websites and get help with school work. that you can read about Independence Please send your Kids Helping Kids activities for the Hall State Newsletter. http://www.nps.gov/inde/independence- hall-1.htm Don’t Forget to Pay your dues! http://www.answers.com/topic/ independence-hall by Morgan Fischer, State Treasurer http://www.ushistory.org/tour/ Don’t forget to have your parents send in your membership dues. National dues are twenty dollars and state dues are five dollars. They independence-hall.htm are now PAST DUE if you haven’t paid. http://www.independencehall.org
PAGE 2 THE CONNECTICUT YANKEE FALL 2010
Taylor Fischer, Wreaths Across America by Taylor Fischer State Chaplain The National Chaplain’s program for C.A.R. this year was Wreaths Across America. Connecticut Societies all over the state really did a great job supporting this huge event and I look forward to receiving your contest entries and urge you to also submit them to National Chaplain Katy Davis. Also check out: www.wreathsacrossamerica.org
Sgt. David Thompson
Captain Stephen Betts Society
Charles Merriman
Wreaths Across America--PRICELESS
Mary Bush Society
PAGE 3 THE CONNECTICUT YANKEE FALL 2010 Picture Perfect Card Making by Larkin Brown Sgt. David Thompson making cards & This year many of our Connecticut societies have eating pizza made cards for Veterans and soldiers! Thank you all for your great hard work and dedication. Your work and time is greatly appreciated!
Mary Bush
Captain Stephen Betts
Betty Oderwald, Senior V.P. of Thaddeus GeneralMary Bush David for HumphreysToys for Tots Burr, has a great suggestion for societies to honor veterans without even getting in the car. www.virtualwall.org The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington DC honors the fallen of the Vietnam War. Relatives and friends leave letters, poems, and photographs there and on this web site named The Virtual Wall ®. We bring the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to your home. You can look up by name or by state and town. Please give us your suggestions of other ways we can honor veterans.
PAGE 4 THE CONNECTICUT YANKEE FALL 2010 kudos corner •Graduating Mary Bush member, Meg Williamson, accepted the Pamela Hudak CT DAR Scholarship at the Putnam Hill Chapter DAR annual meeting held at Riverside Yacht Club (see photo left) •Lizzy Verish (SDT Society)was promoted to 2nd gup (Red Belt) in Tang Soo Do karate in November. •State Organizing Secretary Eliza Marshall was inducted into the National Junior Honor Society (see Liza’s Life Member photo below) • Senior State Chaplain Stephanie Pruitt is engaged to our Senior State Historian Chris Rehnberg! hurray! (see photo right) •Clarissa Verish (SDT Society)was accepted into the People to People Ambassador program and will be traveling to Europe this summer as part of a delegation from Milford, CT. •Connecticut SAR qualified for the C.A.R. Activity Streamer for their Society Flag at their National Congress. Way to go SAR! Thank you so much for your support-nice to see you awarded for it! Please don’t forget to send YOUR kudos in!
Welcome New Members! Be a Life Member! Lifetime Captain Stephen Andrew Joseph Sama Member Betts: Sebastian James Sama State Hadley Ewes Lineberger Pickett Sama Organizing Alden Lee Lineberger Secretary Eliza Mary Bush: Sgt. David Marshall. Kasey Anne Crossman Thompson: Consider becoming a Kristen Joan Crossman Elizabeth Marie Verish C.A.R. Life Diane Elizabeth Leykum Clarissa Anne Verish Member Evan Cuttings Mills Andrew Culver Verish yourself! Life Patrick Dawson Callen James Wallace Member has McCann-Anthony Braden Thomas Wallace its privileges! Aidan Hugh Sama
PAGE 5 THE CONNECTICUT YANKEE FALL 2010 Philadelphia Freedom!
portrayed. The group was privileged to be joined by This fall, there were 2 organized members from NH trips to Philadelphia, the site of the including our VP of NE Regional Erin National Project--the Great Jackson. Then, members from Essentials at Independence Hall. Pennsylvania joined in and then Mrs. The first was an over-night Schaefer, our SENIOR NATIONAL organized by the Sgt. David PRESIDENT honored us by joining Thompson Society and one thing the group as well! What a wonderful lead to another and then joined way to learn more about the Capt.Stephen Betts, Charles National Project and get to know Merriman, Thaddeus Burr and other C.A.R. members and seniors. Gen.David Humphreys. Activities Mary Bush Society also organized included a walking tour of Historic their own day trip to Philadelphia Philly, a private tour of the Betsy where they received their own Ross house, flower laying at private tour of the Great Essentials Revolutionary graves, dinner at the Exhibit when State President Lauren historic City Tavern, and an after- Bacon pleaded for her society to be hours performance at Independence able to see the exhibit even though Hall where the fight for the it was closed that day to the public. Declaration was wonderfully PAGE 6 THE CONNECTICUT YANKEE FALL 2010
PAGE 7 Patriotic Events!
State Treasurer Morgan Fischer and State Historian Alec Marshall with DAR State Regent Joyce Cahill at the Veteran’s Day Parade in Hartford.
Members of the Sgt. David Thompson Society keeping up their yearly tradition of marching in the Torchlight Parade in Old Saybrook!
Mary Bush Society serving refreshments and answering questions about colonial life at the Holiday Candlelight Knapp's Tavern Open House on December 5th. Don’t they look great!
PAGE 8 On November 11th, three of Captain Stephen Betts's members took part in a Veterans Day service to welcome the town of Wilton's new Veterans Memorial Green. During the ceremony, Kelsey Brown, Emma Bendix, and Alex Bendix each portrayed friends and relatives of the historic soldiers to bring their memories to life. They all dressed up in period clothing and gave speeches as if actually the relatives of these soldiers. Great job CSB!
State Veteran’s Chairman Trevor Brown and State Historian Alec Marshall really getting into the spirit of things at the State Meeting at Putnam Cottage in Greenwich in November. The boys are displaying some of the wonderful items that will be in the Treasure Chest at the Trumbull House because of our State Project this year: “Treasure the Past with C.S.C.A.R.”
Chelsea Bacon, Mary Bush President deliver toys to Marines for the Toys for Tots program
The Mary Bush Society learned about the history of the Marines Corps and also listened to Marine Corps Band "The President's Own" Greenwich veteran, Ms. Dorothy Darlington's about the interesting customs and protocol of the Marine Corps. In honor of her service the students presented a cake to honor her and other veterans service to our country and to celebrate the 235th anniversary of the founding of the Marine Corps on Nov,10,2010 and Veterans Day on Nov 11. THE CONNECTICUT YANKEE FALL 2010 Puzzles, games, & quizzes
Mary Bush & the Girl Scouts Mary Bush Society members, who also happened to be older girl scouts with the help of the Putnam Hill Daughters of the American Revolution DAR, ran a “1776”: The Musical-A Review! successful Local Lore Girl Scout Badge Program. Thirty I had the great opportunity to see the live production of the musical four Junior Scouts from four different troops enjoyed the “1776” on Oct. 22, by Curtain Call in Darien, CT. The original play was on day learning about history and local lore's and legends Broadway. Seeing this musical was a great way to learn more about the of Greenwich CT. Lauren Bacon, CSCAR President and Cadet Scout, who is working toward her Gold leading up to the singing of the Declaration of Independence which took Award Girl Scout Award with the help of her fellow CAR place during the sweltering hot summer at Independence Hall at member, Stephanie Williamson, researched colonial Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was a colorful play with wonderful children's lives and toys and presented a station on performances by the cast, and while “1776” was about a serious topic, it colonial children's lives to the younger scouts. The presented itself in a very humorous way. As the musical unfolds with all the students learned how colonial toys were used to help neat songs, and colonial clothing, I learned about how the Continental children of the colonial era learn skills needed later in life. Lauren created an original word puzzle to aide in Congress came to the decision to declare independence from Great Britain the scouts learning on the subject. The C.S.C.A.R. and how Thomas Jefferson had a rough time writing the Declaration. I Project this year will be setting up a kid friendly hands- encourage all C.A.R. members to visit your local library and take out a DVD on museum exhibit on colonial children's lives, which on the musical or to read the book by Peter Stone. will include colonial toys, a wooden question board --Jason Bacon, C.S.C.A.R. State Librarian about colonial children's lives, and a tourist picture wooden cut out board at the Governor Trumbull DAR House in Lebanon, CT . As CAR society members the students also have been learning about the Philip Syng Thaddeus Burr Scavenges inkstand at Independence Hall. They visited in In late October, Thaddeus Burr all got together to find! something. Philadelphia, PA and shared their new knowledge on The scavenger hunt at the Burr Mansion had members running quill penmanship where the students made their own everywhere searching for many clues about the Burrs, nature, quill pens and learned about the craft and history of them. The Junior Scouts also completed the badge by and the history of Fairfield. Thanks Mrs. Oderwald for organizing learning about a formal tea ceremony. They leaned how the clues and questions that we had to find! After the search, we the town has physically changed, made pomander balls had a blast playing Frisbee; who!s up for another round and ended the day with a flag ceremony and were given soon? the custom Putnam Cottage patch. Pictured trying their Also at this meeting, the yearbook was handed out and the website hands at quill penmanship are Cos Cob Junior Troop was officially launched. Check it out yourself: http:// 50732 and Mary Bush CAR members Stephanie www.carthaddeusburr.org Williamson and Lauren Bacon, helping them.
PAGE 10 Hi everyone!
My name is Catie White and I’m Fairfield’s Thaddeus Burr Society president. I’m a freshman in high school and enjoy history, math, and art. I really enjoy volunteering at the Fairfield Historical Society’s summer camps and at their Fall Festival. I look forward to our society’s winterTHE and springCONNECTICUT schedule of events. In January we’ll be atYANKEE the Home for FALL 2010 the Brave in Bridgeport. March finds us going to the Historical Society and Ogden House. In April we’ll be at the State Conference. And in May we’ll be in Fairfield’s Memorial Day parade. Please feel free to join us. Please make sure to visit our website, http://www.carthaddeusburr.org/index.html , the next time you’re on the web! MEET THE SOCIETY PRESIDENTS
Catie White, Fairfield’s Thaddeus Burr Society President. Catie is a freshman in high school and enjoys history, math, and art. She also really enjoys volunteering at the Fairfield Historical Society’s summer camps and at their Fall Festival.
Justin Cross, First Vice President of the Captain Stephen Betts Society is 18 years old and a senior at Wilton High School. Justin plays the drums for the Wilton High School jazz band, wind ensemble and marching band. He is a swimmer on the Wilton High School team and also on the Wilton Y Wahoos. As publicity chair of the Operation Smile Club at Wilton High School, he helps to spread the word and raise money for surgery to correct cleft palates in children in developing countries.
Kiernan O'Herlihy Sgt. David Thompson Society President has been a member since 2003. Currently in the 7th grade at Old Saybrook Middle School, Kiernan is a member of the school's basketball team and school band, where she plays the bass clarinet. In her spare time, Kiernan likes to volunteer at the Tracy Art Center and the Acton Library, play basketball and the Park and Rec, as well as play her guitar, practice on her drum pads, and voraciously read just about anything that she can get her hands on! Chelsea Bacon, Mary Bush Society President is a Senior at Greenwich High School who is graduating early. Chelsea a lifetime CAR member, joined the local Mary Bush Society in Greenwich CT at 9 months, in which she participated in planting flower bulbs at the historic Tomac Cemetery with 27 Revolutionary gravesites and has not stop running around with various CAR events ever since. Besides being honorary CT CAR President. She has served in various offices in CT CAR including Vice President & Recording Secretary and in the local society has served in almost every office.
Cerise Taylor is a new member of the C.A.R. this past year and has been asked to be President of the Sarah Whitman Hooker Society of Wethersfield, CT. Cerise is a Junior at the Lewis Mills High School in Burlington where she is the Team Captain of the girls Varsity Volleyball team. To fully enjoy the winter Cerise is a snow board instructor at Mt. Sundown where she earned her Level 1 Certification. Cerise is looking forward to meeting more girls in the C.A.R. and to recognize the valuable history of our organization and country.
Unfortunately, not a of our presidents were able to send us information for this issue, but wi be featured in a future one!
PAGE 11 To C.A.R. from Afghanistan! by Justin Cross In December the Captain Stephen Betts Society collected items for the troops in Afghanistan. Two big boxes containing hard candy, Febreze, chewing gum, eye drops, powdered drink mix, Gold Bond powder and lotion, pocket tissue packs and Starburst Fruit Chews left Wilton, CT on a Monday and arrived in Afghanistan just four days later! These items were sent to a friend of the Cross family who deployed to Afghanistan on Thanksgiving Day and he shared the items with the men in his unit. In early January a package arrived for the Captain Stephen Betts Society from Afghanistan. Enclosed was an American flag, official certificate and the following letter:
Dear Members of the Captain Stephen Betts Society:
Please accept this flag and certificate on behalf of myself, my crew and our entire task force ODIN –A3 Team. I present these in appreciation of your continued support of our team and our mission.
This flag was “flown” over Baghlan Province, Afghanistan on 22 Dec 2010, aboard U.S. Army BE-30 Aircraft #N535PN, crewed by Pilot-CW5 Jim Marley IL ARNG Pilot-CW2 Robert L. Davis, Jr. DE ARNG Massing of the Colors in Lebanon
C.S.C.A.R. as well as three local societies--Mary Bush, Gen.David Humphreys and Sgt. David Thompson presented their colors at the Massing of the Colors in November at a historic church in Lebanon--just right down the street from Governor Jonathan Trumbull’s house where we are contributing this year for our state project. The “Governor” (see photo to the right) was on hand to wish us well and thank us for our state project. We “treasured” our time with him. The photo on the bottom shows the wonderful group of members who participated.