CADIZ — The Moravian Trail Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution met April 21 at the Harrison Community Hospital with eight members present.

Dessert was served by the hospital staff. Patty Vaughan was the hostess. Regent Vaughan and Chaplain Kay Singer led the DAR ritual. Chaplain Singer shared a lighthearted devotion titled the “Prayer Rock.”

Sheila Perkins read President General Ann Turner Dillon’s message. She shared how much she has been enjoying attending state conferences and hearing about all the great work being done in DAR. She invited members to Washington, D.C. to the Continental Congress and to West Point to a memorial for a Revolutionary heroine. She announced that the DAR Museum will be ready to welcome guests this summer and announced the availability of a $500 grant for classroom teachers. She encouraged staying in touch through the DAR Blog and the DAR magazine.

Janice Yager gave the National Defense message dealing with the conflict in Syria. She shared that a few months ago it looked like the seven-year war in Syria might be coming to an end, but now both Iran and Russia are involved and the risk of escalating is high. The chlorine gas attack on children by their own leader has put the U.S. in a conflict over wanting to retaliate against Assad and putting peace keeping operations into the hands of Syrian neighbors.

Since this month is the anniversary of the adoption of the American’s Creed, a brief history of the formulation of the creed was given. It was first written by Thomas Jefferson, then redone by William Tyler Page and finally adopted on April 3, 1918, making America the only nation in the world founded on a creed.

The secretary and treasurer’s reports were given by Yager and Jackie Gebhart. Perkins will attend a registration workshop today, April 29, and she is working with the SAR chapter to put together a joint meeting with Moravian DAR chapter in June. It will celebrate Flag Day and the program should be about Fort Laurens. The May meeting will be at the Cadiz hospital and will be a welcome to anyone interested in knowing about DAR.

The September meeting will be a lunch at the home of Charlotte Thomas in St. Clairsville with a representative of the Passport Agency doing the program. The group will continue the summer Tea Party which will be held on Aug. 15. Gebhart will make invitations. This has been a good fundraiser as members stay at home, all drink tea at the same time and send a donation to a cause which will be determined a the next meeting.

Group members were saddened by the passing of one of their over 90-year-old active members, Jean Ater, who loved DAR and was responsible for bringing two daughters and a niece into membership. Some members held a DAR service for her on March 17 at the Koch Funeral Home in Freeport. They noted she will be missed.

The program was presented by Singer titled “Our Constitution Rocks.” It was taken from a book for young people written to help them understand this important document. Both Laura and Barbara Bush had endorsed the book and it helped explain that the U.S. didn’t just happen. Our Constitution, unlike any other, was written through the collective genius of our founding fathers in 1787 and the American people have kept it with few changes ever since. Its seven articles and 27 amendments establishes the nation’s form of government, protects its freedoms and rights with checks and balances to protect against dictatorship, and provides for a way to amend it if necessary. The book was very colorful and attractive and members are considering purchasing copies for area schools.

The next meeting will be at 1:30 p.m. May 19 at the Harrison Community Hospital with Yager as hostess. Anyone who has ever had any interest is invited.