Before our business meeting began, awards ceremonies were held for our Post winner of Patriots Pen, Voice of Democracy and Teacher of the year. Shown below with Don Stapleton, are Voice of Democracy winner Maverick Cradduck at left and 5th grade essay winner Cataleya Moore who were present and read their essays to the assembled membership. Two other younger winners, Harper Seal and Fletcher Seal were not able to be present, but we hope to have them at a future meeting.
Our Teacher of the Year is Olivia Peterson of Serene Lake Elementary in the Mukilteo School District. Peterson teaches 5th grade at Serene Lake and is aid to incorporate a variety of activities to creatively engage kids in the curriculum.
For Veterans Day, Peterson had students write essays to acknowledge and honor the day and the people who served. Peterson is shown at left being introduced by Don Stapleton.
We inducted two new members into the Post at the January meeting. Shown below as they take the oath are, at left, Darryl Roberts a Navy Veteran of Vietnam and on the right, Katherine Lindsey, an Army nurse, also serving in Vietnam. Please help us to welcome these new comrades to our ranks.
Commander Carl Kurfess presented a plaque to Past Commander Rose Gilliland, in recognition of her ongoing service to the Post, both during and since her command period. Well done, Rose!
Past Commander Fred Apgar, present via our Zoom hook-up, expressed thanks for our support in replacing the fence surrounding the Captain John Herbert Dent, USN Family burial plot at the Old Bethel Presbyterian Church in Jacksonboro, South Carolina.
Fred has done an exhaustive tour of historical places in the east since leaving our area a few years ago and found this burial place of an honored veteran in very poor condition. Fred reports that he was successful,
Dent was an officer in the United States Navy during the Quasi-War, (with France) the First Barbary War, and the War of 1812. He was acting captain on the USS Constitution during the attacks on Tripoli in 1804.