The Red Cedar Chapter met at The Cedars on May 7. The hostesses were Monica Lonergan and Sharon Jensen. The opening Ritual was repeated and the President General’s message was read by Judy Brown. The 124th Continental Congress will be held June 24 – 28 at the historic DAR Constitution Hall, Washington, D.C.

Marilyn Prenosil gave the National Defender report which noted a small town in Georgia and the traditional Independence Day parade. “There was the bright eyed, striped polo-shirted youngster, the veteran with the Vietnam hat, the over fifty sisters dressed as twins in their red, white and blue with silly glasses. All were different and yet all had one thing in common. They stood as the flag went by and grabbed for the flag that was given freely,” She said.

The Red Cedar was awarded the following Outstanding Achievement Awards at State Conference in April: Third Place in Commemorative Events; Historic Preservation; Americanism; American History; Cheryl Potter, VIS – Computer Use; DAR Service to Veterans; Activities re Women’s Issues; Donation of books to Veteran’s Hospital in Hastings; Wreath Laying Ceremony on Memorial Day 2014, remembering Jay C. Hormel and his service during WWI.; Small Chapter State Winner for Publicity/Print, given by Public Relations and Media Committee.

A box of personal items and clothing for Project Patriot/Chaplain’s Clothes Closet will be mailed to Landstuhl, Germany this month. When our active duty military in Europe and Africa are severely injured they are sent by medevac to Landstuhl, Germany. Landstuhl Regional Medical Center is the largest American hospital outside of the United States.

Dr. Annette Drewes, Forest Ecology Instructor at Leech Lake Tribal College in northern Minnesota, gave a very interesting and informative presentation. She introduced herself in the Ojibwe language and discussed the new Forest Ecology Degree program. Dr. Drewes gave a short history of education for American Indians during the boarding school era. She concluded her presentation with an emphasis on the role tribal colleges play in supporting and affirming the language and culture of a people who have lived and thrived in this place called Minnesota, for hundreds of years. The Leech Lake Reservation is located in the heart of the Chippewa National Forest, home to bald eagles, wolves and wild rice. Dr. Drewes is a wife, mother, educator, writer and passionate explorer of the natural world. She earned her doctorate in Land Resources at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, studying the relationship between wild rice and the people who gather this natural grain. This was an excellent program and an interesting question and answer period followed after her presentation.