De Anza Chapter DAR celebrates the spirit of giving

Over 40 members of the De Anza Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution gathered to celebrate the holidays and women veterans. Their December meeting was dedicated to the “Spirit of Giving” collecting items to support and honor women veterans during the holiday season. The chapter collected an abundance of toys, diapers, baby clothes, t-shirts, socks and knitted hats for The Foundation For Women Warriors and the San Diego Veterans Village respectively.

The meeting was packed with events, including awarding the NSDAR Women in American History Award to Agnes Tizard, the voice of Betty Crocker and Valley Center resident. Tizard, who passed away in 1979, was a home economist and nutrition consultant and one of several women who created and tested recipes and wrote cookbooks for what would later become known as General Mills. She became the voice of Betty in 1924 for the first radio broadcast of a cooking show. Accepting the award on behalf of the Valley Center Historical Museum was Sharon Bartholomew, who also serves as Regent for the Valley Center Chapter of the DAR.

De Anza welcomed speaker Cory Woodrow from Resounding Joy, who spoke about their Semper Sound program which provides music therapy to military service members and veterans. The program helps service members and veterans address symptom management, including PTSD, traumatic brain injury and anxiety. Cory movingly spoke on the impact the program on injured veterans.

NSDAR is a service organization comprised of members whose patriot ancestors served during the American Revolution. The De Anza Chapter serves the community in a variety of ways, such as supporting veterans through donations and service to the Foundation for Women Warriors, the San Diego VA Hospital and Operation Rebound Surf Clinic, as well as actively participating in the national Wreaths Across America program and San Diego Honor Flight. Other projects in the areas of education, serving local schools and programs, and historic preservation keep chapter members busy throughout the year.

For more information: www.deanza.californiadar.org, www.vchistory.org, www.resoundingjoyinc.org