Fort du Rocher DAR to host final Mendota Lunch in the Park on Sept. 20

The Fort du Rocher Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution met Aug. 17 at the Community United Methodist Church in La Moille.

Regent Donna Jungnickel presided over the meeting. The chapter will be hosting the final Lunch in the Park on Sept. 20 at Mendota Veterans Park. Carolyn Schultz and Janet Koch will co-chair this event.

DAR Days will be in Lisle on Sept. 7, Jungnickel will be driving. She announced a grant for replacing an American flag in the community. Members are to report to the next meeting if they know of a flag that needs replacing and if they want to apply for the grant.

Registrar Ruth Meinhardt introduced new members to the chapter: Cheryl Mooney Midnight and Sharon Spinks Presse. They placed their patriot ornaments on the patriot tree. The American Indian minute was on the Oneida tribe. They openly supported the American Revolution, providing the troops with troops and supplies. The patriot missionary Samuel Kirkland greatly influenced their loyalty. When the British said they’d march through Oneida lands to attack Fort Schuyler, the Oneida warned local patriots and fought to help defend the fort. The tribe also helped the troops during the winter at Valley Forge.

The Patriot minute recognized Elizabeth Griscom, better known as Betsy Ross. She was shunned by her Quaker family when she married John Ross, an Anglican church member. During the war she manufactured items such as tents, clothing and blankets for the cause. After her husband’s death in the early part of the war, she made flags, ensigns and banners for the Pennsylvania Navy. She married Joseph Ashburn, who was captured and died in British prison. Her last marriage was to John Claypoole who had been in prison with Ashburn. After the war, she resumed her upholstery and seamstress shop. Although it is not certain that she created the American flag, her various flag designs certainly influenced the final design.

Bev Richardson reported that August is Physical/Mental Health-National Wellness Month. She listed the five determinants of health: healthcare access and quality, education access and quality, social and community context, economic stability and spiritual and social well-being. Social and physical environmental factors account for 80% of a population’s health outcomes.

Members learned the first Fourth of July celebration was July 4, 1777, with a spontaneous celebration in Philadelphia. Most every home displayed candles in the windows in celebration. Richardson reported she had the new membership directories. They will be available at the next meeting. To avoid postal costs, members were asked if they could deliver to members who couldn’t attend.

Audrey and Kasha will do the Christmas and March issues of the chapter newsletter. Audrey is willing to continue the Book Nook section. It was suggested that each section have an editor. A new team will be needed after March. Jungnickel thanked members who stitched bookmarks to take to the fall meeting.

Diane McCully announced that Amanda Simpson would help with the September library display celebrating the Constitution. The program was given by the Illinois State Registrar on Supplementals. Supplemental memberships help add new ancestors to assist potential members. She advised only sending in one application at a time, so problems could be resolved, and then not repeated. This will save members on fees. She also recommended all applications be reviewed by a registrar or knowledgeable person before submitting. The meeting closed with prayer and a light lunch.

The next meeting will be 10 a.m. Sept. 14 at the Mendota Museum & History Society Offices, 907 Washington St., the former Pella Window store. The program will be on how to clean gravestones.

The Fort du Rocher web page may be viewed at fortdurocherchapternsdar.com. Any woman older than 18 years of age 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.