DAR to host essay contests, other events

The James Monroe Chapter of National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution of Paris, Mo., met Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2008, in the Farmers’ Mutual Insurance Building meeting room. Regent Jan Smiley Carter called the meeting to order and the roll was taken with Regent Carter, Secretary Sarah Crow, Registrar Nancy Stone, Parliamentarian June Popkes, Chaplain Lola Worley, Juanitta Turnbough and Dorothy Walser in attendance. 
Regent Carter announced that Dorothy Post Walser’s supplemental patriot submission of John McGee (Mary McCounhis wife) through his son James McGee has been verified.  This opens a new line of DAR lineage to John McGee.  Members discussed several other topics and projects that will be fleshed out in the next couple of months.  The chapter is sponsoring the DAR American History and Christopher Columbus essay contests again this year. Nancy Stone is in charge of the contests. The chapter will decorate Mrs. Johnson’s Parlor at Roslyn Heights in Boonville on Nov. 23.  Roslyn Heights is the state home of the DAR organization and each room will be decorated by various chapters from the state and then the week of Dec. 6-13 will be open house for the public to view the home. Soup luncheons will be served each day.
 The chapter was happy to introduce both Bob Riley, representing Quail Unlimited, and Jamie Ebbesmeyer, Private Land Conservationist with the Missouri Department of Conservation, who is working on a project with Quail Unlimited. They presented a very informative program on care of Quail and other birds native to the area.  Ebbesmeyer is working with land owners in a huge acreage southwest of Paris to upgrade Quail habitat and increase the Quail population.  Quail numbers have decreased remarkably in the past quarter century and the hope is to work to bring habitat specifications back to be more useable.  Riley is one of the land owners upgrading his property to what is needed. It would be a sad day to no longer hear the call of the bob white.  For anyone wanting more information about the project or to book the gentlemen to present the program please contact Ebbesmeyer via email at James.Ebbesmeyer@mdc.mo.gov or phone the local office.
 Refreshments of spice cake, apples, summer sausage and crackers, and nuts/mints along with cider, soda, and tea were furnished and served by Sarah Painter Crow. The next meeting of the chapter will be at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2009, with all chapter members presenting a historical sketch of their DAR patriot. Nancy Stone will be hostess.
Anyone interested in joining DAR should contact Jan Smiley Carter in Paris or Annette Azdell in Mexico.