De Anza DAR honored at State Conference

In March, De Anza Chapter DAR members attended the 104th California State Society Daughters of the American Revolution Conference in Burlingame, California. Attendees included Regent Bettybob Williams, Solana Beach; 1st Vice Regent Laurel Lemarié, Rancho Santa Fe; 2nd Vice Regent JoAnn LaGasse, Carlsbad; Registrar Marti Meiners, Whispering Palms, and Honorary Regent Joanne Murphy, formerly of Rancho Santa Fe now of San Marcos. They are shown holding the 1st Place Weaving “Contemporary Sampler #3” by member Beth Jureki of Carlsbad. Jureki spun the cotton and linen threads, dyed them with berry juice and wove them into a six foot long table runner on her tabletop loom. Her piece went on to regional judging.

De Anza won many other awards at the conference, including one for gaining 22 new members between July 2010 and March 2012. Honored were Registrar Marti Meiners and her lineage committee that works with prospective members (lineage committee members include Jennifer Anklesaria of Del Mar; Jeanne Bednorz of Solana Beach; Martha Gresham of Cardiff; Kathy Loftman and Laurel Lemarié of Rancho Santa Fe; Joanne Murphy of San Marcos and Norada Wilkey of Encinitas).

The State Society gave De Anza 1st Place in American History, Chapters with 60-99 members; 1st Place, Public Relations and Media – Best Print Media; 1st Place, Most Volunteer Hours Donated to National Projects (Laurel Lemarié); 2nd Place for its Newsletter (Charlotte Gresham); 2nd Place in Broadcast Media/Community Events (Laurel Lemarié); 3rd Place, Historic Preservation Committee (Nancy Eggert, Marti Meiners and Martha Gresham); Appreciation for adopting a high school Spanish class at the Kate Duncan Smith DAR School and for Outstanding Support as DAR School Committee Chair (JoAnn LaGasse); Outstanding Service as ROTC State Chair (Joanne Murphy); Historical Marker (Nancy Eggert); Award to JoAnn LaGasse for Utilizing the Computer; Outstanding Participation in the American History Essay Contest (Joanne Dudek of Fairbanks Ranch, Martha Gresham, Kathy Loftman and committee); Honorable Mention for the State Conservation Award (Beth Jureki, Charlotte Gresham of Encinitas, Julia Ryan of Carmel Valley and Bettybob Williams).

Two of De Anza’s programs were recognized. One was “National Security and the Border City of San Diego,” speaker Col. Ron D. Harris, MD, USAFR; the other was “Wounded Warriors, their Corpsmen, Medics and Support Staff,” chaired by Joanne Murphy. Joanne Murphy was given a certificate as a “precious resource” as a member of the CSSDAR Speakers’ Staff.

De Anza members hale from Del Mar, Cardiff, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Leucadia, Rancho Santa Fe, Solana Beach and other areas. Meetings are held in Rancho Santa Fe. A woman 18 years or older is eligible for membership who can prove direct lineage from a Revolutionary War patriot. The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was founded in 1890 to promote historic preservation, education and patriotism. For more information, call Bettybob Williams 858-344-6233 or visit www.deanzadar.org.