Rebecca Hold,
Okemah DAR Chapter Regent and Publicity Chairman
The Okemah Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution met February 18 at Pepino’s Restaurant in Okemah. The tables were beautifully decorated with a patriotic theme by hostesses June Yahola and Geneva Bertges.
Regent Rebecca Hold opened the meeting and led the opening ritual, flag salute, The American’s Creed, and the Preamble to the Constitution, and Sherrie Case led the group in the singing of the National Anthem.
Regent Hold was very pleased to welcome our very distinguished guest, State Registrar Etta Reid. Happy Birthday to these members who are celebrating birthdays this month: Judith Drennan, D’Andra Musick, and Velda Jo Bradley.
Etta Reid, the honorable Oklahoma DAR State Registrar, presented a wonderful program on “How to Write Your Family History,” giving many tips and ideas for obtaining that elusive family record or document. She also emphasized the importance of pedigree charts and the organization of genealogy records. etta reid
Rebecca Hold presented the President General’s Message; Judith Drennan the National Defense Report, which was a sample test that immigrants take to obtain their citizenship papers; Thelma Shields gave the Conservation Minute; June Yahola both the Constitution Minute and Flag Fact; and Dorothy Burden presented the Indian Fact teaching us the various Oklahoma town names which are the same as Indian town names in Georgia and other east coast southern states.
The election of officers was held for the 2020-2022 year. Officers elected were Becky Hold, Regent; Sheldon Starr, Vice Regent; Dorothy Burden, Chaplain; June Yahola, Recording Secretary; Ann Jackson, Treasurer; and Thelma Shields, Registrar. Judith Drennan was appointed Parliamentarian.
Plans were made to co-host the naturalization ceremony at Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa on March 11. We will be furnishing cookies and drinks. Three voting delegates were elected to represent our chapter at the Oklahoma State DAR Conference to be held April 23-25 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Norman. They are Becky Hold, Ann Jackson, and Sherrie Case. So far there will be at least five members attending.
After the business meeting tickets for door prizes were drawn, and the winners were Dorothy Haynes, Becky Hold, and Velda Jo Bradley. The meeting was closed with the benediction by Chaplain Dorothy Burden.
The next business meeting will be March 17 at 11:30 am at Pepino’s Restaurant in Okemah. The hostesses will be Thelma Shields and Becky Hold. Becky Hold will be giving the program on “Eddie Burgess, Famous Creek Indian Rodeo Star,” an historical topic that should be of interest to persons of the area. Okemah chapter is very excited to also be installing at this meeting Savannah Crawley and Elizabeth Crawley, new junior members and granddaughters of longtime member, Theo Crawley. Prospective members are always welcome to attend our meetings, and we are willing to help them with their DAR applications.
Those attending were Thelma Shields, Dorothy Haynes, Ann Jackson, Theo Crawley, Elizabeth Crawley, Dorothy Burden, Velda Jo Bradley, Judith Drennan, Sherrie Case, Becky Hold, Yvonne Sowder, Mary June Cashman, Sheldon Starr, hostess June Yahola, and guest speaker, State Registrar Etta Reid.