The Lakeland
Chapter was chartered in December 1925, with 20 members.
The organizing regent was Mrs. Annie Hanna
Darracott, whose great-great-grandfather, colonial
ancestor, Captain Andrew Barry, fought in the American
Revolution. Since that time, our chapter has grown to more
than 125 members.
The ladies of the Lakeland Chapter take the Society's goals very
seriously. For many years, the chapter distributed flag codes
to every fifth grade student in Polk County, and additional copies
to Girls, Inc., and other youth groups. Each year
we hold a special Flag Day celebration for members, families and
guests.
To
support educational programs, our chapter members sell more than 500
pounds of pecans each year. We support NSDAR and FSSDAR
scholarships, while concentrating on local students. In the
past 10 years, the chapter has awarded more than $10,000 in
scholarships to graduating high school seniors and to women students
needing assistance to raise themselves to self-sufficiency.
By working with the community college, our awards receive
matching state funds, thereby doubling our efforts.
Also
supporting education, our annual George Washington Tea honors Good
Citizens from eleven high schools and American History Essay Contest
winners in middle schools. The students' families,
counselors, and school principals join us for this meaningful event.
Each Essay winner receives a pin, certificate, and check from
our chapter. We present $200 to the Chapter Outstanding Good
Citizen, $150 to the runner-up, and $100 to each of the other Good
Citizens. Our Good Citizen and eighth grade winner also
receive an additional $100 from the family of past regent and committee
chairman Shirley Lykes.
The
American History Essay Contest is held each year
for students in grades five through eight. The
subject for the essay is different each year. The 2009-2010
Topic: "The Completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad."
Students should describe how you felt on May 10, 1869, when the golden
spike was driven at Promontory Summit, Utah, to celebrate the
completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad. Pretend
you are either a settler planning to use the train to travel to your
new home in the West, an Irish or Chinese worker who helped build the
line, or a Native American whose way of life was greatly affected by
the railroad.
Our
chapter supports many projects for veterans and soldiers. We
recently purchased a harness for a trained guide dog, furnished by the
Paws for Patriots program for veterans. Members supplied
personal items and funds for women residents in the Tampa VA nursing
home, and mailed cards and filled shoeboxes with toiletries and
sundries for soldiers in the Middle East. To honor Polk
County soldiers, our chapter name appears on a brick in Bartow's
Millenium Park and on Lakeland's Vietnam War Monument. The
chapter and members also donated to Haley House and a local
transportation fund for veterans going to VA facilities in Tampa.
We award JROTC medals to the outstandaing cadets at
five high schools and an ROTC medal to a cadet at Florida Southern
College.
The
Jeannine Riley Minisci Collection of genealogy books is in the DAR
chapter house, Rhinebeck, New York. The Marie Graves Library
is at the Imperial Polk Genealogical Society in Lakeland.
(Both ladies were members of the Lakeland Chapter.)
We also donated books to the Lakeland libraries and the
Historical and Genealogical Library in Bartow and donated for the
purchase of a 1900s Census Soundex microfilm reel for the Orlando
Library.
Chapter
members also collect Campbell's
soup labels and General Mills Labels for Education which help buy
clothing and supplies for DAR-sponsored schools. Additionally, the
chapter contributes money to assist in educating students at an
American Indian school.
The Lakeland, Florida area is a great
place to live. Located about 30
minutes from Tampa and less than an hour from Orlando, just off
Interstate 4, residents and visitors enjoy the diverse recreational
activities the city offers. There are 13 lakes, many with picnic and
boat launching areas. Some lakes are surrounded by walkways to
encourage leisurely walks or jogs around the lake. Some folks prefer to
relax on a bench and watch the swans as they glide gracefully across
the water. Various festivals and cultural programs held around the
lakes attract people of all ages. The city's Lakeland Center brings
many types of big name and local talent to patrons. Lakeland can also
boast of its talented Symphony Orchestra and stimulating Museum of Art.
Sports fans can watch the Detroit Tigers play their spring season games
at the city's Marchant Stadium, or enjoy the area's many fishing,
boating, golfing, parks and other facilities.
Back
|
Date
|
Program
|
|
|
Coming November
7th... an all day "Genealogical Training Workshop" open
to women and men. Sponsored by the Lakeland Chapter DAR.
Presenters have been trained by NSDAR. $10 registration fee
includes materials, box lunch, snacks, and drinks.
Pre-registration is required. For registration or
information,
contact Doris
Wooden
or Gay Harlowe.
|
Sept.
2, 2009
Wednesday |
"The U.S. Constitution," Presenter:
Paul R. Weaver
|
|
|
Sept.
17-23
|
"Constitution Week" (See our
displays in the Lakeland, Mulberry & Auburndale Libraries
|
|
|
Oct.
7, 2009
Wednesday
|
"Tea,
Beautiful Tea," Presenter: Angela Large
|
|
|
Nov.
3, 2009
Wednesday
|
"Coins of the
Revolution," Presenter: Nick Hauser |
Dec. 11 , 2009
Friday |
"Fans and
Lace," Presenter: Florida State Regent Barbara
Makant (reservations required) |
Jan. 13,
2010
Wednesday |
"Our Greatest Presidents," Presenter: Michelle Hubenschmidt (chapter member & Mulberry High history teacher)
|
| Jan. 15, 2010 |
Florida
Arbor Day --Joining the Garden Club, we will each plant a sycamore
tree at Lake Bonnie Park as a memorial to our deceased members.
|
|
|
Feb. 3, 2010
Wednesday |
"George Washington
Tea," Present winners of American History Essay and Good Citizens
Contests
Presenters: Nancy Dotson, Jane Wood, Peggy Snow
|
Mar. 3, 2010
Wednesday |
"Creating the
Constitution," Presenter: Edna Benson |
Apr. 7, 2010
Wednesday |
"Berry College,"
Presenter: Pat Blaga |
May 5, 2010
Wednesday |
"Memorial Service"
Presenter: Paula Morgan |
June 5, 2010
Saturday |
"Annual Flag Day
Celebration" |
Back
Back
Membership in DAR is
very rewarding. To become a member, a woman must be at least
18 years old and be able to prove blood descent from a person who
rendered patriotic service during the American Revolution. If you think
you are eligible, come to one of our meetings or send an e-mail to our
registrar,
Doris Wooden. Many of our members are willing to help you
find ways to document your lineage.
We're anxious to meet you and have
you be a part of our chapter.
These
are the patriots associated
with our members.
|
CONNECTICUT
|
|
John Dewey
Daniel Doolittle
Nathan Hatch
Joseph Johnson
Ephraim Loomis
Timothy Munson
Robert Potter
Samuel Spencer
Private Uriel Strong
John Whiting
|
|
GEORGIA
|
|
Pvt William Hicklin
Drury Mims
Thomas Moffett
Matthew Nail
Sampson Wilder
|
| MAINE |
|
Isaac Freese
Lewis Simpson
|
|
MARYLAND
|
|
Robert Fenwick
LT John Hyland Price
Capt. Peter Rich
Henry Spalding
|
| MASSACHUSETTS |
Thomas Akeley
James Bates
William Beatman
Capt. Timothy Burr
Capt. Joseph Clapp
Phineas Clark
Pvt. Benjamin Coomer
Moses Crafts
Oliver Drake
|
Jabez
Eaton
John Farrar
John Griswold
Daniel Hooker
George Kimball
John Merrifield
Willoughby Nason
Lewis Simpson
Joseph Tolman |
| NEW
HAMPSHIRE |
John Brooks
Moses Hunt
John McLaughlin
Sgt. William Sibley |
| NEW
JERSEY |
Sgt. Joseph Feurt
Capt. Nathaniel Leonard
John Phillips
Lt. Col. Mattias Shipman
John Tschudi
Daniel Van Reypen |
| NEW
YORK |
Henry Cargill
Henry Ellsworth
John Henry Hayes
Asa Haynes
Pvt Simeon Krom
William Purdy
Johannes Rynex
Eli Seeley
Nicholas Stickle
Johannes Van Deusen
Cornelius Westervelt
Icabod Williams |
| NORTH
CAROLINA |
David
Alderman
Gov. Samuel Ashe, Sr.
Robert C. Brashear
Col. John Bryan
Nathan Bryan
William Grady
Henry Haggard
William Hicks, Jr.
|
George
Ingle
LT John Murphy
Matthew Nail
James Outlaw
John Pearce
Joshua Taylor
John Weaver
Joseph Whiteley
William Whitfield |
| PENNSYLVANIA |
Leonard
Bayer
Henry Black
Lawrence Brindle
James Buchanon
Jonathan Buck, Sr.
Henry Bush, Sr.
John Clark
Barnabus Doyle
Conrad Foltz
Abraham Hathaway |
Daniel Hillman
Peter Hufnagel
Frederick Lieser
William McClure
John R. Mahaffey
Ensign Dewalt Mechlin
Obediah Mellott
Frederic Nagle
Michael Ohl, Sr.
Daniel Purcell
Captain Daniel Womelsdorf
|
| RHODE
ISLAND |
Pvt. Sweet Briggs
William Capwell
Christopher Ellery |
| SOUTH
CAROLINA |
Jonathan Adams
John Bethea
Benjamin Chew
John Craig
Henry Dyess
John Harden
Charles Frederick Lesesne
George Martin
Matthew Nail
Mrs. Sarah Southwell |
| TENNESSEE |
| Arthur Sheffield
|
| VIRGINIA |
Sgt. William Andrews
Aaron Ball
Pierce Bayly
Isham Blake
John Bonner
Richard Bouldin
Reese Bowen
Joseph Brand
Henry Browne
Lt. Hugh Caperton
Howard Cash
Capt. Adam Clement
Private Peter Coffee
Joseph Cole
John Conway, Sr.
Robert Cooke
Rev. Arthur Emmerson, Jr.
Adj. Chandler Fowke
John Gritton
Benjamin Harris
Pvt Thomas Harvey
|
Captain Edward Herndon
Pvt William Horrall
Peter Thomas Hull, Sr.
Samuel Humphries
John Jackson
Jesse Johns
James Johnston
William Robert Leslie
John McMullen
Sherwood Maddox
Daniel Maupin
Francis Meadows, Jr.
Col. Samuel Meredith
Col. Isaac Reade
Benjamin Robinson
Colesby Smith
Meriwether Smith
Benjamin Swinney
Francis Thorton
Col. Nathaniel Venable
John Winfree |
Back
Please
direct any
comments about this web page to:
Webmaster, Lakeland
Chapter.
This page last updated December 20,
2009
Special
thanks to Polk
Net for hosting
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Web hyperlinks
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