Olde Towne Fenton Chapter, NSDAR Reception

At a recent reception, the Olde Towne Fenton (OTF) Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) awarded Carol Watanabe, Founder and Executive Director of Little Patriots Embraced, with their distinguished Community Service Award. DAR’s National Board of Management created an opportunity for DAR chapters and states to recognize worthy individuals and organizations for outstanding unpaid voluntary achievements in cultural, educational, humanitarian, patriotic, historical, citizenship, or environmental conservation endeavors. The OTF Chapter was honored to recognize Carol for her steadfast service since 2004 towards the mission of enhancing the lives of our Military families in need, while their loved one is protecting our freedom. Carol’s patriotic contribution to the community has been exceptional. Little Patriots Embraced’s objective is to reduce the emotional stress that military family members have due to the separation, relocation or the death of a loved one, to recognize our military families and their children for their service to our country, and their personal sacrifices. Little Patriots Embraced’s main focus is on the children.

Also presented at the reception were the OTF DAR Women in American History Awards. March is National Women’s History Month, and in commemoration, the OTF DAR Chapter chose to honor two women who, prior to their deaths, were examples of inspiration for their outstanding historical contributions to their communities. A database of women so honored is archived yearly on the National DAR American History website. Honored were Magdalena Tesson dit Honore (wife of the trader Louis Tesson) and Harriet Beecher Stowe. Patricia Murphy accepted the award for her Ancestor, Magdalena Tesson dit Honore, who warned Lt. Governor Fernando de Leyba in March of 1780 that the British and Indians were planning an attack on St. Louis. Eleanor Gibson accepted the award for her Ancestor, Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1851) and more than a dozen other literary works. Uncle Tom’s Cabin caused public discussion of the slavery issue.