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AND, AND GOOD MORNING.[DAR Dedication of America 250! Patriot Marker]
AMERICAN LEGION POST 3 77 FOR PROVIDING SUCH WONDERFUL PATRIOTIC MUSIC FOR THIS MORNING'S EVENT.AND THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR JOINING US TODAY.
UH, THE SEVEN NATIONAL SOCIETY DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION CHAPTERS AS WE DEDICATE THE AMERICA TWO 50 PATRIOTIC MARKER.
I AND MARY ELLEN MENGE, LOUISIANA SOCIETY SOUTHEAST DISTRICT DIRECTOR.
THE SOUTHEAST DISTRICT IS COMPOSED OF THE FOLLOWING CHAPTERS, BAYOU LAFOURCHE, FRANCOIS DELERY, NEW ORLEANS OLIVER P*****K, SPIRIT OF 76 ST.
IT IS THROUGH THE HARD WORK AND DETERMINATION OF THESE SEVEN CHAPTERS THAT THIS AMERICA, TWO 50 MARKER AND DEDICATION OF TODAY'S EVENT IS MADE POSSIBLE.
THE INVOCATION WILL BE GIVEN BY MS. PEGGY ACOSTA.
MS. ACOSTA, WOULD YOU PLEASE COME? I INVITE ALL TO PRAY IN THEIR FAITH AND TRADITIONS AS I DO GRACIOUS LORD, WE OFFER HUMBLE THANKS FOR OUR MANY BLESSINGS, AND ESPECIALLY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE OF SERVICE TO YOU AND OUR NATIONAL SOCIETY.
DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.
WE SEEK TO PLEASE YOU IN OUR DAILY SERVICE.
RECOGNIZING ALL IS POSSIBLE WHEN WE HAVE LOVE IN OUR HEARTS REASON, IN OUR HEADS AND WILLINGNESS IN OUR HANDS.
WE ARE ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE SERVICE OF OUR ANCESTORS WHO HAS SECURED THE BLESSINGS OF LIBERTY FOR OURSELVES AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.
WE DEDICATE OUR SPIRIT AND OUR WORK TO SERVICE GOD, HOME, COUNTRY IN THIS WE PRAY.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE HONORED TO HAVE JEFFERSON PARISH HONOR GUARD POST THE COLORS, OH LOOK, RESET.
THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WILL BE LED BY LEE PETRI LYNCH, REGION OF SPIRIT OF 76 CHAPTER.
THE AMERICAN CREED WILL BE LED BY MICHELLE LEHMAN, REGION OF NEW ORLEANS CHAPTER.
THE PREAMBLE TO THE CONSTITUTION WILL BE LED BY KAREN SCHLOSSER, REGION OF KORE CHAPTER, AND THE NATIONAL ANTHEM WILL BE LED BY SYRIA, MBE, REGION OF OLIVER P*****K.
CHAPTER MS. LYNCH, MS. LEHMAN, MS. LAUER, AND MS. MBE, WILL YOU PLEASE STEP FORWARD SO THAT YOU MAY LEAD US? DO YOU WANT ME? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
I'M GONNA DO IT FROM HERE BECAUSE I CAN'T GET UP TO THE, I BELIEVE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS A GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE.
IT'S JUST POWERS ARE DERIVED FROM THE DEMOCRACY IN EVERY, A SOVEREIGN NATION OF MANY SOVEREIGN STATES.
PERFECT UNION ONE, AND ESTABLISHED UPON
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WE THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES, IN ORDER TO FORM A PERFECT UNION, ESTABLISH JUSTICE, ENSURE DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY, PROMOTE COMING KIDS OF THE GENERAL WELFARE.THAT'S AS THINGS FOR OURSELVES AND OUR POSTERITY DO HERE.
A CONSTITUTION FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
THERE'S A LITTLE CHANGE IN PLANS.
I'LL HAVE SHARON MOCK, A MEMBER OF OLIVER P*****K AND ALSO OUR ARMY NATIONAL GUARD WHO WILL LEAD US AND SING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.
STRIPES AND BRIGHT STARS, THE AND THE LAND.
THANK YOU, MS. MOCK, MS. LYNCH, MS. LEHMAN, MS. SLUSHER, AND MS. GROBE.
WE ALSO HAVE TWO MORE REGIONS IN OUR DISTRICT, THE REGION OF FRANCOISE DELERY CHAPTER, AND, UM, GAIL BUCKLEY AND THE REGION OF ST.
LADIES, AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR STATE REGION.
MRS. CHERYL GOT, SHE'S, UM, THE STATE REGIONAL LOUISIANA SOCIETY, AND SHE WILL BE BRINGING US GREETINGS AT THIS TIME.
WE ARE CELEBRATING TODAY WITH OUR DAR SISTERS SOUTHEAST DISTRICT.
IT IS A GREAT HONOR TO GREET YOU TODAY.
ON BEHALF OF THE 2,800 LOUISIANA DAUGHTERS OF THE NATIONAL SOCIETY DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, WE CONGRATULATE SOUTHEAST DISTRICT FOR THEIR COMMITMENT AND OBVIOUS TEAMWORK THAT HAS MADE THIS MARKER DEDICATION TO TODAY POSSIBLE.
IT IS A VISIBLE TESTAMENT TO THE LOVE WE DAUGHTERS HAVE FOR OUR AMERICAN HERITAGE AND HISTORY.
THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF DAR IS ONE OF THE LARGEST WOMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS IN THE WORLD WITH APPROXIMATELY 3000 CHAPTERS AND 190,000 OVER 190,000 MEMBERS.
WHEN OUR SOCIETY WAS FOUNDED IN 1890, ITS PURPOSE WAS VERY CLEAR.
WE ARE DEDICATED TO BEING AN ORGANIZATION OF SERVICE, AND OUR MISSION IS BASED ON THE PILLARS OF OUR ORGANIZATION, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, EDUCATION,
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AND PATRIOTISM.TO ACCOMPLISH THAT MISSION, WE ARE COMMITTED TO SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY AND OUR COMMUNITIES.
IN THE TRADITION OF OUR PATRIOT ANCESTORS, OUR MEMBERS DESCEND FROM PATRIOTS WHO WON AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE IN THEIR SERVICE FROM THE BATTLE OF LEXINGTON ON APRIL 19TH, 1775, TO THE WITHDRAWAL OF BRITISH TROOPS FROM NEW YORK ON NOVEMBER 26TH, 1783.
MANY OF OUR ANCESTOR PATRIOTS LIVING HERE IN SPANISH TERRITORY SERVED UNDER GENERAL BERNARDO DE GALVEZ.
THEIR VICTORIES OVER THE BRITISH FROM THE BATTLE OF BATON ROUGE, SEPTEMBER 21ST, 1779 TO THE LONGEST SIEGE OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION AT PENSACOLA WERE CRITICAL TO THE AMERICAN COLONIES ACHIEVING FREEDOM FROM TYRANNY.
IT IS FITTING THAT WE DEDICATE THIS HISTORIC MARKER, HONORING THOSE PATRIOTS THAT SOAK THAT OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS NEVER FORGET.
THOSE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WITHOUT THEIR SACRIFICE GIFTED US WITH A COUNTRY THAT TODAY ANTICIPATES ITS SEMI QUINCENTENNIAL.
AND IT'S A WONDER TO BE IN A REAL DELIGHT TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY.
I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE SOME MORE MEMBERS OF OUR LOUISIANA SOCIETY STATE OFFICES.
LADIES, PLEASE STAND WHEN YOU RECOGNIZE LOUISIANA SOCIETY, DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, ORGANIZING SECRETARY HELEN NEWMAN, STATE HISTORIAN CHARLOTTE NAGI LIBRARIAN, JANICE LOWE, CURATOR BOBBY FOSTER, AND I'M SO SORRY I DID NOT INTRODUCE HER A SECOND AGO.
UM, SECOND VICE REGIONAL LOUIS SHAW.
WE ALSO HAVE THE SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION HERE WITH US TODAY.
UH, PRESIDENT OF GEORGE WASHINGTON CHAPTER, DR. KIRK BILLARD.
WE'D LIKE TO THANK AMERICAN LEGION POST 3 77 PASS COMMANDER MARTIN MIKE MARTIN, AND WE'RE HONORED TO HAVE GARY PHILLIPS AND CONNIE GAINES AS COLONIAL GENTLEMAN AND LADY.
TODAY'S MARKER WAS THE DILIGENT HARD WORK FROM THE AMERICA TWO 50 COMMITTEE, WHICH IS COMPOSED OF THE FOLLOWING LADIES, BOBBY FOSTER, JUDY MILLS, WHO'S UNFORTUNATELY UNABLE TO ATTEND WITH US TODAY, AND SO IS BONNIE COOK LEE PETRI LYNCH AND CAROL SLUSHER.
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK, UH, COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON BOBBY FOSTER TO COME FORWARD TO SHARE A FEW THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S DEDICATION.
BOBBY, I THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TO OUR SPECIAL DEDICATION.
ON JULY 4TH, 2026, OUR NATION WILL COMMEMORATE THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE UNITED STATES.
THE JOURNEY TOWARD THIS HISTORIC MILESTONE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PAUSE AND REFLECT ON OUR NATION'S PAST, HONOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALL AMERICANS, AND LOOK AHEAD TOWARD THE FUTURE WE WANT TO CREATE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION AND BEYOND.
IN TO, IN ANTICIPATION OF THIS, CONGRESS ESTABLISHED THE US SEMI QUINCENTENNIAL COMMISSION TO PLAN AND ORCHESTRATE THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE UNITED STATES, APPOINTED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE LEADERSHIP OF BOTH PARTIES.
THE NONPARTISAN COMMISSION IS COMPOSED OF 16 PRIVATE CITIZENS, FOUR US REPRESENTATIVES AND FOUR SENATORS, AS WELL AS 12 EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS FROM ALL THREE BRANCHES OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND ITS INDEPENDENT AGENCIES.
THE NATIONAL SOCIETY DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION PARTNERED WITH THE COMMISSION AND IS PRIVILEGED TO HAVE LYNN FORNEY YOUNG, THE DAR HONORARY PRESIDENT
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GENERAL SERVING ON THAT COMMISSION.IN ADDITION, THE DAR REVOLUTIONARY PATRIOT MARKER PROGRAM HONORS THE MEMORY OF THE MEN AND WOMEN WITH WHOM WE HAVE A SACRED COMPACT TO ENSURE THAT THESE UNITED UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CONTINUE AS A GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE.
IT IS ALSO DESIGNED TO RAISE APPRECIATION AMONG THE CURRENT AND FUTURE FUTURE GENERATIONS OF AMERICANS OF OUR PATRIOTS SACRIFICE FOR THEIR BENEFIT.
THE D'S GOAL IS TO PLACE AT LEAST ONE MARKER IN EVERY STATE IN ADVANCE AND IN CELEBRATION OF NATION OF OUR NATION'S.
UPCOMING 250TH ANNIVERSARY, THE HOPE IS THAT WE WILL CREATE A COAST TO COAST NETWORK OF MARKERS, AND WE HOPE THAT THESE NEW MARKERS WILL BECOME SOURCES OF PRIDE FOR OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
THIS IS THE FIRST AMERICA TWO 50 PATRIOT MARKER PLACED IN OUR GREAT STATE OF LOUISIANA.
THANK YOU, BOBBY, AND PLEASE REMAIN HERE.
AT THIS TIME, I REQUEST THE MEMBERS OF THE AMERICA TWO 50 COMMITTEE TO COME FORWARD AND STAND TO THE LEFT OF THE MARKER.
WELL, I GUESS THAT WOULD YOU AND KAREN AND LEE AND BOBBY GONNA STAND ON THE RECORD SIDE, AND MAY I ASK STATE RE IS THE CHERYL GOT TO PLEASE COME FORWARD AND TO ASSIST IN THE UNVEILING OF THE FIRST AMERICA TWO 50 MARKER IN OUR BELOVED STATE OF LOUISIANA.
AT THIS TIME, WE NOW HAVE GREETINGS BEING BROUGHT BY DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, COUNCILWOMAN JENNIFER VAN RANKIN, COUNCILWOMAN JENNIFER VAN RANKIN.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS IN REFERENCE TO TODAY'S MARKING BEING PART OF YOUR DISTRICT?
UM, YOU GET ANY, UH, LIKE THIS MOTORCYCLE PASS, YOU GET ANY GREAT GROUP OF HARDWORKING, INTELLIGENT WOMEN TOGETHER AND YOU LEARN SOMETHING NEW? QUINCENTENNIAL? YES.
IS THAT, I DID NOT KNOW THAT TERM, BUT I'M GONNA REMEMBER IT FROM THIS DAY FORWARD.
UM, WE PROBABLY FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC, TWO 50 IS BETTER
UM, IT'S SUCH A, A DELIGHT TO, UM, TO BE ON THE FOREFRONT OF THIS CELEBRATION.
UM, PART OF WHAT I'M APPRECIATIVE OF IS I REPRESENT A PARISH, JEFFERSON PARISH, UM, AND A DISTRICT.
THIS IS, IS MY CURRENT DISTRICT THAT HAS AT THE VERY HEART REMEMBERING OUR HISTORY, REMEMBERING OUR VETERANS.
WE ARE HERE ON VETERANS MEMORIAL BOULEVARD AT VETERANS PLAZA.
SO, UM, TO HAVE THIS BE THE PLACE FOR THE FIRST MARKER, I THINK IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL THING BECAUSE WE REALLY DO REMEMBER OUR HISTORY, REMEMBER OUR HERITAGE.
REMEMBER THAT WITHOUT THE SACRIFICES THAT CAME BEFORE US, WE WOULD NOT BE HERE CELEBRATING THE FREEDOMS THAT WE HAVE.
UM, AND THE COUNTRY THAT WE HAVE.
UM, I'M PARTICULARLY FOND OF DAR AND I DO PROMISE MY, MY COUSIN ANN VAN FRANKEN VILLARD AND KIRK VILLARD, DR.
VILLARD, THAT I, UM, DEFINITELY WILL FINISH MY PAPERWORK AND SUBMIT, UH, TO BECOME A MEMBER.
UM, BECAUSE NOT ONLY AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL AND AS THE ONLY WOMAN ON OUR PARISH COUNCIL, UM, WHEN WE THINK OF THE MOTTO AND THE THINGS THAT DAR REPRESENTS, GOD, FAMILY, COUNTRY, I MEAN, WHAT MORE CAN YOU SAY? THAT'S WHAT WE, ALL OF US, WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO.
AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO BECOMING A PART OF THE ORGANIZATION IN THE FUTURE.
ALSO, WHEN I WAS A YOUNG STUDENT, I KNOW PART OF WHAT DAR, UM, DOES IS FOCUSES ON SCHOLARSHIPS AND EDUCATION.
AND WHEN I WAS A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT AT SACRED HEART, I REMEMBER, UM, BEING HONORED TO HAVE AN AWARD GIVEN TO ME BY DAR.
UH, IT WAS A, A, A SCHOLARSHIP, AN ESSAY CONTEST, UM, THROUGH, UM, UH, TALKING ABOUT
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PATRIOTISM.AND SO EVEN FROM MY EARLIEST, UH, DAYS AS A, AS A STUDENT BEFORE CHOOSING THIS PATH OF SERVICE, UM, DAR WAS THERE AND ENCOURAGING ME.
SO I'M JUST SO APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THAT YOU DO DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
AND I DO WANNA THANK, BECAUSE I THINK ALL OF US ARE APPRECIATIVE OF THE TENT ON THIS WARM OCTOBER DAY.
UM, SO I DO WANNA THANK, UM, MY STAFF, UH, AS WELL AS OUR DIRECTOR OF PARKWAYS, WHO I SEE IN THE BACK, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR ACTUALLY THE PLACEMENT OF THE MARKER.
UM, AS WELL AS OUR GENERAL SERVICES WHO PUT UP THIS TENT, OUR JEFFERSON PARISH, HONOR GUARD, OUR AMERICAN LEGION, POST 3 77 BANDS WHO ARE ALWAYS AT THE READY, UM, TO HELP US MAKE OUR CELEBRATIONS ALL THE MORE SPECIAL.
UM, AND OUR PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE WHO ARE, ARE, ARE VIDEOING THIS SO THAT WE WILL SHARE IT AND BE ABLE TO SHARE IT WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT COULDN'T BE WITH US TODAY.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UM, FOR HAVING US BE PART OF YOUR CELEBRATION TODAY AND HONORING US WITH THIS PLAQUE.
JENNIFER VAN RANKIN, THE SOUTHEAST DISTRICT IS ETERNALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE DEDICATION.
YOU AND YOUR OFFICE IN JEFFERSON PARISH HAS EXTENDED TO US.
WE HAVE A TOKEN OF OUR APPRECIATION THAT HAS BEEN ISSUED FROM THE NATIONAL SOCIETY.
MRS. SCOTT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO STEP FORWARD ALSO AT THIS TIME AND PRESENT THE AMERICA TWO 50 GREAT COMMENDATION AND MEDAL.
IT'S THE NEW, UH, AMERICA TWO 50 MEDAL THAT HAS BEEN DESIGNATED BY OUR PRESIDENT GENERAL AND THE COMMISSION.
AND YOU ARE ONE OF THE FIRST RECIPIENTS.
I WOULD BE HONORED THAT IF WE CAN'T GET ADAR INSIGNIA HONOR, WE CAN GET THIS RIGHT NOW.
TELL ME LEFT BECAUSE IT'S CLOSEST TO ME.
SHE'S GOT A FEW ROOTS BACK IN MY PART OF THE STATE.
SHE WAS ONE OF OUR NEWSCASTERS IN HER
AND ON BEHALF OF THE SOUTHEAST DISTRICT, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MR. BRIAN PARKS OF JEFFERSON PARISH PARKWAY COMMISSION, HIS, HIS STAFF ALSO THAT HAS MADE CERTAIN THAT WE HAVE TODAY'S EVENT IN COMFORT.
THANK YOU MR. PARKS AND, UH, JENNIFER VAN RANKIN STAFF TOO.
MAY I ASK DEBORAH BRIDGEMAN OF ST.
TAMMANY CHAPTER TO GIVE OUR BENEDICTION IN AMERICAN LEGION.
POST 3 77, WE'LL CLOSE WITH GOD BLESS AMERICA.
MANY, MANY THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE MADE TODAY'S EVENT POSSIBLE.
AFTER THE SONG, WE HOPE THAT YOU HAD TIME TO ENJOY REFRESHMENTS PROVIDED BY ST.
TAMMANY CHAPTER AND FRANCOIS DELERY CHAPTER, I ASK YOU TO PRAY IN YOUR TRADITION AS WE PRAY IN OURS, OUR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ASK FOR YOUR BENEDICTION TO REST ON US THIS DAY.
AS YOU HAVE GRACIOUSLY PRESERVED OUR NATION THROUGH THE YEARS AND HAVE LET US IN WONDROUS WAYS, GRANT, THAT WE MAY BE WORTHY OF OUR HIGH CALLING A NATION.
MAKE US ENT IN THE USE OF FREEDOM, JUST IN THE EXERCISE OF POWER, AND GENEROUS IN THE PROTECTION OF WEAKNESS, INSPIRE THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO DIRECT OUR NATION THAT THEY MAY GUIDE IT WISELY.
AND WELL ESPECIALLY DO WE PRAY FOR OUR COMMANDER IN CHIEF AS HE LEADS OUR COUNTRY THROUGH THE ADVERSITIES THAT WE FACE.
GRANT HIM AND US THAT IN ALL OUR DUTIES, YOUR HELP IN ALL PERPLEXITIES, YOUR COUNSEL IN ALL DANGER, YOUR PROTECTION, AND IN ALL SORROW, YOUR PEACE.