Fort du Rocher Chapter of DAR welcomes new members

The Fort du Rocher Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution met Dec. 9 at the First Presbyterian Church in Mendota.

Regent Donna Jungnickel conducted the meeting. Members were reminded to record their volunteer hours on the dar.org website by Dec. 31. Ornaments were placed on our patriot tree for new members in 2023 – Malinda Jaht, Lonnie Shaefer, Lisa Liscio and Kim Meinhardt.

Amanda Simpson reported the DAR Good Citizen Award winners for this year. They were Madalyn Becker, Mendota High School, Makaela Lockwood of Leland, Chesney Auter of Earlville and Addison Duttlinger of La Salle-Peru. Lockwood’s essay has advanced to district level.

Committee reports followed. Members learned of Nancy Ward, a Cherokee of Tennessee, who became a political leader and advocated for Indian women. Alma Grimes of Ohio served in the Women’s Army Corps. She was a communication specialist and received the Living Legend Proclamation. Patriot Margaret Cochran Corbin ‘Captain Molly’ assisted her husband John who was in charge of the cannon. When he was killed, she took over until she too was wounded. She became the first woman in the U.S. to be awarded a lifelong pension.

Jan Koch read tips for winter travel. To check your battery, turn on lights, then start engine, if lights get brighter with engine running, the battery is going to die soon.

Kasha will be looking into a possible program featuring Kathleen Walvogel, author of “Spies, Soldiers, Couriers, and Saboteurs: Women of the American Revolution.”

The next meeting will be at 10 a.m. Feb. 10 at the Zion United Methodist Church, 808 Jefferson St., Mendota. At that time the DAR winners will be recognized along with their parents and counselors with a breakfast.

Any woman older than 18 whose lineage traces back to a Revolutionary War patriot, who wishes to learn more about Daughters of the American Revolution is invited to attend the next meeting or go online to dar.org.