The Philip Perry Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) held its awards ceremony honoring the winners of the annual Good Citizens Award and American History Essay Contests. The ceremony took place on February 25, 2014 at the Central Brevard Library, Cocoa, Florida. Cocoa High School Junior ROTC provided the color guard (Lt. Col. Rachel Robinson, Major Courtney Decker, Capt. Levi Cowart, 2nd Lt. Jarell Wilson, 2nd Lt. Patrick Tognaci, and Sgt. Westley Izquierdo).
The American History Essay Contest (Chairmen Barbara Hendriksen, Delores Spearman) is open to students in grades five through eight in public and private schools and those who are home schooled. A topic is assigned by the National DAR. Essays are judged on historical accuracy, organization, originality, grammar and spelling. This year’s winners are: Lena Stazoiano, Grade 5, St. Mark’s Episcopal Academy; Rowan Richter, Grade 6, St. Mark’s Episcopal Academy; Mansi Patel, Grade 8, Edgewood Junior Senior High School. Recipients of the awards read their winning essays to the assembled family members, teachers, coaches, principals and DAR members.
The DAR Good Citizen program and Scholarship Contest (Chairman Jeanette Sullivan) is intended to encourage and reward the qualities of good citizenship. The program is open to all senior class students enrolled in an accredited public or private secondary school. The student selected as a school’s DAR Good Citizen Award recipient must have the qualities of dependability, service, leadership and patriotism to an outstanding degree. Students chosen for this recognition may also choose to enter an essay in the scholarship contest. This year’s winners are: Lacey Mae Goodwin, Space Coast Junior Senior High School; Rachel Lea Rintelmann, Cocoa High School; John Wilcox, Rockledge High School; Indiaella Lee Kemm-Pineiro, Merritt Island High School; Emily Bennett, Edgewood Junior Senior High School. After the awards were presented, there was a patriotic sing-a-long with Sue Perry at the piano, followed by refreshments.
The 12th Annual George Washington Luncheon, hosted by the Brevard Space Coast Regents Council, was held February 15th, at the Cocoa Beach Country Club. Philip Perry Chapter members turned out in force for the event. The colors were presented by a guard from the Brevard Chapter Sons of the American Revolution. After a luncheon featuring many of our first president’s favorites, Martha Washington, AKA Jeanne Roach, regaled the assembly with stories about herself and her husband, George. With drawings for 50/50, door prizes, and voices for the six baskets brought by the different DAR chapters, there were a lot of happy attendees.
A big “shout-out” attending the January 28th, meeting were 73 members & guest. Six new prospective members Lucy DelBene, Susan Lavoie, Jacqueline Allen, Molly Thomas, Betty Sutton and Sue Pooler were introduced to the membership.
Speaker for this meeting was Norman Desmarais, who spoke on the American Revolution, the program was enjoyed by all attending.
Inducted into the chapter were two new members Kathy Gardner and Sandy Tisdale. The membership welcomed two additional members into the chapter Pat Peterman and Deborah Collinge, who will be installed at a later date.
Please, one and all, don’t forget to make your reservations for the 12th Annual George Washington Luncheon, hosted by the Brevard Space Coast Regents Council, February 15th, at the Cocoa Beach Country Club.
Hostesses for the meeting were: Karin Mann and Sue Schafer.