Samuel Phoenix Chapter, NSDAR

08/02/2026

07/20/2026

On Saturday, July 18th our Samuel Phoenix Chapter DAR held a tombstone cleaning event at Little Prairie Cemetery in Troy Twp in NE Walworth county. We were very ably assisted by Jeff and Sandi Streich, the Sextons for Little Prairie Cemetery. Little Prairie Cemetery was chosen to be the location for the 2026 Wreaths Across America event to be held on December 19th, 2026. There is a a Revolutionary War Soldier named David Janes buried there and in our 250th birthday year for our nation, the cemetery choice was clear. There is a plaque near the grave of David Janes that was installed years ago by the SAR and is in need of restoration. Funds were donated by the Questers, Samuel Phoenix DAR chapter and the Williams Bay VFW and the plaque is now being restored. There will be a rededication by the SAR when the plaque is returned.
We decided to clean the tombstones of ALL of the Veterans including the War of 1812, Civil War, WW1, WW2, Korean War, Gulf War and Peacetime service.
We gathered together with a group comprised of DAR members and/or family and guests and the Sextons. DAR provided the D2 biodegradable cleaning solution with directions for use.
There was a brief explanation of the mission of DAR and Wreaths Across America, and the workers were on their own! We were lucky to have a day without Canada wildfire smoke and at 10am the temperature was only 79 with cloudy skies. A nice breeze was always present as the sky became sunny and temperature warmer. We stopped at noon, some people could stay less time, but it looks like we got at least 50 done in less than 2 hrs!
For those of you that couldn't attend this time, we will schedule another event in September or early October, perhaps to coordinate with the plaque rededication.
The total count for volunteers present was 18, including families with children who were very good helpers!
I am attaching pictures of the volunteers at work along with a picture of the Sextons Jeff and Sandi Streich standing behind the Wreaths Across America table with Peggy Schutt in the middle.
I am also attaching a picture of the David Janes tombstone that Brenda and Peggy cleaned on May 29th, and a picture of what it looks like now. Definitely worth the time and work to honor these Veterans in this caring way🇺🇲. Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy weekend to help each other and teach the children, great parenting!
Attendees: Judy, Linnea, Pat, Brenda, Kelly and Husband Ross, dau Emma, son Cooper, Timmie and John, Barb and Husband William, dau Laurie, granddaughter Charlotte, Jennifer, Peggy and Sextons Jeff and Sandi.

07/05/2026

On the 250th birthday of our blessed nation's beginning, our Samuel Phoenix Chapter of NSDAR participated in Sharon Wisconsin's 4th of July parade. It's a lovely small town in Southwest Walworth County and for many many years they have organized a large parade and festival that draws big crowds from a wide area. They have a well organized Festival in the local park after the parade, it's a lovely place to spend celebrating our USA and expressing your Patriotism. Sincere thanks go to Susan Steele and Sharon resident Dave Sorensen for organizing our participation so well, we all enjoyed the day, thank you again. We all met at Dave's home and he shuttled us back and forth to and from the parade route, it worked out so well🇺🇲😊
Here are some pictures of pre-parade activites and also during the parade. We ran out of candy just at the very end, but we did pretty well.
Some of us rode on the very nice wagon with seating, some walked with the DAR banner, some rode in JaNelle’s red convertible driven by a couple of Hodar's, (husbands or partners of DAR women)so much fun!
Enjoy the pictures and if any of you have more, feel free to add them to this post.
We are all blessed to have this nation as our homeland...🇺🇲❤️.

06/28/2026

Our Samuel Phoenix Chapter received an invitation from the Delavan, WI Historical Society to attend the first night of their 10 day Celebration of the Semiquincentennial on Friday, June 26th, at Delavan Phoenix Bandshell Park. They asked us to give a speech informing the crowd about the Daughters of the American Revolution, its Mission and Motto. Peggy Schutt spoke to the crowd and with the assistance of Pat Blackmer, they struck up a conversation with Paul Revere riding by on his way to warn our ancestors that the British were coming! Pat informed him he was 250 years late...even tho we both knew he is really 251 years late😊. We also used the opportunity to do some recruiting and we have 6 new names of Prospective Members! It was a lovely summer evening to enjoy listening to the First Brigade Band, have some munchies, and enjoy the camaraderie with our fellow DAR daughters. Simple pleasures are the best!

06/14/2026

A Short Story of Flag Day

The first formal observance of Flag Day was in 1885, at Stony Hill School in Waubeka, Wisconsin. The flag at that time had 38 stars. Working as a grade school teacher, Bernard J. Cigrand held the first recognized formal observance of Flag Day.

From the late 1880s on, Cigrand spoke around the country promoting patriotism, a respect for the flag, and the need for the annual observance of a flag day on June 14, the day in 1777 that the Continental Congress had adopted the Stars and Stripes.
He moved to Chicago to attend dental school and, in June 1886, first publicly proposed an annual observance of the birth of the United States flag in an article titled "The Fourteenth of June," published in the Chicago Argus newspaper. In June 1888, he advocated establishing the holiday in a speech before the "Sons of America," a Chicago group. The organization founded a magazine, The American Standard, in order to promote reverence for American emblems and Mr. Cigrand was the editor-in-chief.
Mr. Cigrand became president of the American Flag Day Association and later of the National Flag Day Society, which allowed him to promote his cause. Cigrand once noted he had given 2,188 speeches on patriotism and the flag. National Flag Day became a national observance in August 1949 by an act of Congress.

Our Prayer of Gratitude for America
On this Flag Day, we thank you Lord God for the blessings of freedom and the journey of our nation. We remember the sacrifices made by generations before us and honor the courage that helped shape America. We cherish our liberty with humility, kindness, and a thankful heart. Preserve our freedoms and inspire us to use those freedoms for good. May our nation grow stronger through faith and may the spirit of unity remain stronger that anything that divides us. Amen
Happy Flag Day, 2026!

06/14/2026

June 12, 2026 dawned sunny and cool after days of rain and high humidity. It was a perfect day to visit “Eric’s Secret Gardens.” A large group of Samuel Phoenix Chapter members gathered and Eric and his helper Margarite took us through his gardens. Eric is an artist and one of his pallets and passions is planting and arranging trees, shrubs and plants in a pleasing landscape. From the road edge, along the sidewalk, between houses and in the front and back yards there is no grass but walkways meandering through lush foliage of trees and plants that you will not see growing any place else in the area. Here and there is a flower blooming, adding color and softness. Several dogwoods were in bloom sending off a divine fragrance throughout the area. Eric’s garden behind his present residence has been in process for about 12 years. The huge ivy-covered wall of the The Starline Building forms a natural barrier to the north winds and allows plants to thrive in a kind of natural nursery. The gardens surrounding the other rental homes (that Eric owns) along 5th Street have been evolving for about 20 years. I call the area Eric’s Secret Garden because you don’t see what is hidden as you drive along 5th Street. If you don’t look, you don’t realize how different this small section of the road is landscaped. Be sure, now that you know where the area is, to go in the fall and see how The Starline Building’s Ivy-covered walls change color and transform the area into an even lovelier magic spot.

After visiting the gardens, we enjoyed a nice lunch at the Stanchion in the main part of The Starline Building. After lunch, some of the members visited the shops in the building.
Timmie Clemetsen

06/04/2026

250 years ago next week, on June 12th, 1776, our DAR ancestors were showing courage in the face of the adversity they knew was coming because of their actions. Courage is not measured by the absence of fear, it is best measured by knowing fear is present and proceeding anyway. We are all very grateful to our Patriot ancestors for the courage shown. They served in the Military, performed Civil service, or did Patriotic service by contributing to the cause monetarily or by donation, or by the swearing of a loyalty oath. Here's to the 250th Anniversary of the birth of the Greatest country on earth now and forever. 🇺🇲❤️💙

05/25/2026

In the quiet of this Memorial Day, we pause to honor those who gave their all—your legacy lives in every heartbeat of this nation.

Freedom isn’t free. We remember and salute the brave souls who paid the highest price.

Their service was selfless, their sacrifice immense. We carry their memory in our hearts this Memorial Day.

05/14/2026

On Friday May 8th, our Samuel Phoenix DAR chapter installed 12 fellow daughters into our welcoming embrace, including 2 transfers, 2 reinstated members, and 8 new members.

The Welcoming Ceremony was led by our Regent JaNelle Powers, Chaplain Judy Bartlett, and Registrar Peggy Schutt. The Regent read the opening statement and the Chaplain then administered the Oath of Membership. The new members were then congratulated and greeted by the Regent and presented with a DAR pin. They were then introduced individually by the Registrar and presented with a DAR legal size folder containing their copy of their original application, their proof of lineage documents, a DAR notepad, a DAR pen, a DAR membership card, and a DAR name tag. They were also gifted with a red rose to take home.

Our Samuel Phoenix Chapter is so proud to welcome these new members, especially in this 250! Year of celebrating the birth of our great nation. These members are already engaged in Committees and we can easily see the leadership roles they will hold in the future. We are truly Blessed, and there are even more new members coming shortly! Please join us in welcoming them to our lively chapter!

Congratulations to:
Diane Bettes
Margaret Bhardwaj
Sharon Busch
Kelly Cartwright
Barbara Fadrowski
Linda Gianoni
Brenda Harmon
Kimberly Kohls
Jennifer Muraski
Dolores Schutt
Ellen Schutt
Susan Steele

Not everyone was able to attend the ceremony but will be given their gifts at the first opportunity.

05/13/2026

Preserving Our Heritage: The America 250 Time Capsule Initiative
To honor our patriots and commemorate this significant event, the NSDAR Samuel Phoenix Chapter of Delavan has received a grant to undertake the creation of a time capsule. This initiative serves as a lasting tribute, ensuring that the history of our chapter and community is preserved for future generations. Projected date for re-opening is 2076 to celebrate the tricentennial of America.
The time capsule which will be kept at the Walworth County Historical Society will be filled with memorabilia and historical items from our chapter, which is proudly celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2026. In addition to chapter artifacts, we invite community members to contribute items in honor of America 250, reflecting the unique celebrations that have taken place within our county.
Among the items to be included are: a brochure highlighting the heroism of Revolutionary War patriots who are buried in Walworth County; symbolic student artwork inspired by America 250; essays written by students for the Good Citizen Award; recognition of our Youth Leadership Award winners; an America 250 flag; acknowledgments of other patriotic organizations within our area and a comprehensive list of all veterans currently buried in our county. This project is designed to involve the entire community, welcoming participation from people of all ages. By coming together to preserve these memories and achievements, we reflect the founding principles of our country: the preservation of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.