Constitution Week Will Still Happen - But at Another Date and Time

L to R: Diana Fotinatos, Constitution Week Chair and Carol Jutte, Brunswick Town DAR Regent watch while  Mayor Ahlers signs our proclamation for Constitution Week.

Seated Mayor Deorah Ahlers  Standing L to R: Carol Jutte, Regent, Martha Koletar,  Public Relations Chair, Diana Fotinatos, Constitution  Chair, and Phyllis Wilson, Historian. Mayor Ahlers signed our proclamation for Constitution Week and will display the proclamation at the Caswell Beach town offices for the month of October. Missing from photo is Sandi Winstead former Constitution Chair.

    CONSTITUTION WEEK CHAPTER REPORT 2018

It's been an interesting and unusual Constitution Week this year for our chapter as a result of hurricane Florence and Hurricane Michael.  In spite of mandatory evacuations, we are determined to honor the 231st anniversary of the signing of the United State Constitution.  

Thanks to Susan Zimmerman, Heather Holbrook, and Mary Sands, we did get Constitution Week bulletin boards up at Virginia Williamson Elementary and Supply Elementary, as well as a beautiful display at Harper Library in Southport before the mandatory evacuations were ordered. And thank you to Jo-Ann Alford and Vicki Wade who were ready to help at Southport Elementary but the schools closed due to the hurricane before we could get there.  

Ringing of the Bells was to have a great turn out this year but given the event was to take place on day three of a slow moving hurricane, we were forced to cancel with the Cub Scouts who were to ring the bell at Oak Island Presbyterian Church, as well as with all the other churches that agreed to participate.  We would still like to thank all chapter members who reached out to their churches to have them include the event in their church bulletins and invite their churches to participate.  Especially Dale Spencer, who invited three churches to participate.  We did salvage the event though, thanks to a brilliant suggestion from Sandi Winstead to invite chapter members to set their cell phones to ring at 4PM on September 17.  We had no way to know who had internet service or received the message, but Martha Koletar and Carol Jutte helped us reach out to chapter members and we extend a big THANK YOU to all chapter members who were able to participate.  

This speaks to the fact that the Constitution stands as a testament to the tenacity of Americans throughout history to maintain their liberties and freedom, and to ensure those inalienable rights for every American.  We certainly were not going to let hurricane season stand in our way of honoring one of America's most important documents.

As for our classroom presentations scheduled for Constitution Week, they were rescheduled at at Southport, Supply, and Virginia Williamson Elementary Schools but are in the process of being rescheduled again as we brace for hurricane Michael.  Bolivia Elementary, unfortunately, remains closed due to damaged sustained to their building from hurricane Florence but has invited us back next year.

And lastly, I'm happy to report Mayor Deborah Ahlers of Caswell Beach, who during hurricane preparations for her community, was kind enough to reschedule our proclamation signing and is displaying the proclamation in the Caswell Beach town offices for the month of October.

So, while it was not the Constitution Week we planned, it has certainly been and continues to be a memorable one!

                                                            

Diana Fotinatos  

Constitution Chair         

Cell: (917) 363-5510

 Diana Fotinatas leading a discussion  about  Constitution Week a few weeks later after Hurricane Florence hit the area so hard. Diana and Sandi Winstead provided exceptional information about the Constitution and brought the students into the discussion.

Diana Fotinatas, Carol Jutte, Regent, and Sandi Winstead pose for a photo after presetting their program as the Virginia Williamson Elementary School in Bolivia, NC.