Daughters of the American Revolution

WESTFIELD — A regular meeting of the Benjamin Prescott Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution was held at the Patterson Library. The meeting was called to order and the opening ritual performed by Regent Brenda Johnson. The DAR President’s Message was read by Deborah Cenni about Native Americans and their challenges to receive U.S. citizenship. Deborah Cenni also read the National Defense message about the Mayport Naval Base in Jacksonville, Florida and the 106 DAR Chapters that support the base, its 20 ships and naval personnel.

Plans are progressing for our 120th Anniversary at Chautauqua Institution on April 27. The group will settle on a date for the next committee meeting at the Christmas Party at Webbs on Dec. 1. It will also take a collection for Tomassee DAR School in South Carolina for the holidays.

Members decided to have our first regular meeting of 2019 at the Patterson Library on March 7 at 1 p.m. as the McClug Museum is undergoing renovation.

It selected a nomination committee to recommend candidates at our March meeting for a vote in April 2019, to fill our officer slate.

The state Contribution to charity was decided by vote, to contribute to the NYS Cottage at Tomassee DAR School and to the Buffalo VA hospital for Veteran Patient Services.

November is Military Family Month and Veterans Day was Nov. 11. To celebrate we sent packages to soldiers in Afghanistan and we collected money for the Blue Star Mothers to help pay postage on the holiday packages they send to troops overseas.

Group members also noted The Fenton Museum in Jamestown was opening a Military Room this month.

If you had an ancestor that fought for freedom in the Revolutionary War and would like to join the Daughters of the American Revolution, call Barbara Pietro at 366-4600 or email jbpietro@gmail.com.