NSDAR celebrates Constitution Week

There are two documents of paramount importance to American history: the Declaration of Independence, which forged our national identity, and the United States Constitution, which set forth the framework for the federal government that is still in use today. This year, the annual celebration began September 17, 2016.

Front row: First Vice Regent Ann Story, Regent Kitty Watters, Past Regent and State CWL Chairman Lydia McGill, Georgia State Regent Joyce Patton, State of Georgia First Lady Sandra Deal, Miriam Machida, Helen Grigsby, Joyce Howard. Second row: Past Recording Secretary Judy Dyer, Librarian Becky Davenport, Past Regent Peggy Freeman, Corresponding Secretary Lee Schermerhorn, Registrar Elizabeth Jaeger, Second Vice Regent Connie Rifkind, Chaplain Linda Olson, Anne Lockhart, Jamie Parker. Not pictured: Marcia Robertson, Helen Dalton, HODARS Jim Freeman, Frank Marchese.

The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) initiated the observance in 1955, when the organization petitioned the U.S. Congress to dedicate September 17–23 of each year to the commemoration of Constitution Week. Congress adopted the resolution, and on August 2, 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed it into Public Law #915.

GC Proclamation, from left to right: Traci Zierk, Corresponding Secretary Lee Schermerhorn, Second Vice Regent Connie Rifkind, Regent Kitty Watters, First Vice Regent Ann Story, Registrar and Chapter Chairman Constitution Week Elizabeth Jaeger, Gwinnett County Commission Chairman Charlotte Nash.

The beginning of Constitution Week for Georgia Daughters was a luncheon at the Piedmont Driving Club in Atlanta on September 17, 2016. Philadelphia Winn Chapter NSDAR Past Regent, Lydia Rainey McGill was the State Chairman for the Constitution Week Luncheon. There were 19 Philadelphia Winn Daughters and two HODARS (husbands of DAR) in attendance along with 273 Daughters, from around the state, including Children of the American Revolution (C.A.R.) State President Rachael Fitzgerald. First Lady Sandra Deal brought greetings and presented the Constitution Week Proclamation signed by Governor Deal that she presented to Georgia State Regent Joyce Ball Patton, who also brought greetings to the guests. Philadelphia Winn Junior Member, Helen Grigsby assisted with the presentation. The guest speaker for the luncheon was the Honorable Attorney General of the State of Georgia, Sam Olens.

Philadelphia Winn Chapter also promoted Constitution Week by sponsoring radio ads from Georgia Public Broadcasting Radio (on the radio dial at 88.5 FM). They requested and received the Monday through Sunday morning drive, 5:00-10:00 AM time slot.

On September 20, 2016, the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners presented Philadelphia Winn Chapter with a Proclamation commemorating Consti-tution Week. Chairman Charlotte Nash presented Elizabeth Jaeger, Chapter Constitution Week Chairman, with the document. On hand were Regent Kitty Watters, First Vice Regent Ann Story, Second Vice Regent Connie Rifkind, Registrar Elizabeth Jaeger, Correspond-ing Secretary Lee Schermerhorn, and Traci Zierk.

For more information regarding the Philadelphia Winn Chapter of the NSDAR, please visit our website at:

philadelphiawinn.georgiastatedar.org

Children of the American Revolution, Constitution Week, NSDAR, NSDAR Daughters, The Daughters of the American Revolution