Chapter History
2025
January 2025 Wreaths Across America
Picking Up Wreaths & Recycling Bows
2024
2024 Bells Across America
Members and a few passers-by joined in the one minute of ringing bells to celebrate the start of Constitution Week.
Inducting new 2024-2026 Board
Left to right: Regent Shirley Lipa, Vice Regent Linda Gillette, Chaplain Millie McKeever, Recording Secretary Karen Elking, Corresponding Secretary Beccy Hash, Treasurer Catherine Culver, Registrar Doris Lobue, Historian Virginia Howerd Mullan, and Librarian Launi McCombs (missing).
2024 Can Collection
Norma Delivering CRV cans to the Diane Cathey Center in Fortuna (a nonprofit support agency that services adults in our local community who have a developmental or intellectual disability).
2023
Wreaths Across America
This is the first year our chapter has participated in the national Wreaths Across America program. Their mission is to “Remember the fallen, Honor those who serve, and Teach the next generation the value of freedom”. We sold wreaths, then in early December received the beautiful fresh evergreen wreaths with a red bow, and placed the wreaths on a veteran’s grave in the Fortuna Sunrise Cemetery. Our short ceremony before placing the wreaths explained a little bit about the program and gave instructions for the proper placement of the wreath.
2023 Holiday Tea
Linda Gillette again hosted our 11th Annual Holiday Tea in her beautifully decorated home. After a very brief meeting we enjoyed tea sandwiches, scones and lemon curd and many varieties of cookies to go along with the tea. It is such a great day to enjoy each other’s company and admire all of Linda’s decorations.
2023 Quilt Project
In 2022 twenty quilt blocks made in 1938, with embroidered signatures, were found by Lucille Huddleson in a closet. The blocks were given to our member, Norma Allman, to see if she could organize getting the blocks made into a quilt. In 2023 the blocks were assembled into two quilts by Doris LoBue. We found out the block name was called “Strawberry” of “Full Blown Tulip”. A member of the Eel River Valley Quilt Guild did the quilting for us, then Shirley Lipa bound them and made the labels. One of the quilts was entered into the Humboldt County Fair and won a red ribbon in the Group Quilt category. The two quilts were donated to the Fortuna Depot Museum. The signatures on the quilts are: June Anderson, Bernice Bagley, Josie Banta, Doris Huddleson, Grace Johnson, Evelyn Nelson, Freda Pratt, Nellie Rogers, Hilda Stevens.
2022
The Times Standard, September 21, 2022
Daughters of the American Revolution members and other citizens are celebrating Constitution Week Sept. 17 through 23 all over the nation. Constitution Day is observed each year on Sept. 17 to commemorate the signing of the Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787.
Last Saturday was the 235th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution, which is commemorated annually by the “Ringing of the Bells” across America.
Several members of the Eel River Valley Chapter DAR gathered in Fortuna at the Veterans Building to ring bells at 1 p.m., which coordinated with bells across America ringing in unison.
Eel River Valley also had a member on her porch ringing a bell at 1 p.m. in Ferndale as hundreds of people walked by her house toward the citywide yard sale. Children received bells with patriotic ribbons to take home.
The Times Standard, June 21, 2022
The Eel River Valley Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, celebrated Juneteenth with a special luncheon. The celebration was a follow-up from an informational program on Juneteenth that the group heard in February. The hostess, Sarah Turner, provided a 10-question quiz between the main dish and dessert with prizes awarded to the top three finishers.
The Times Standard, May 19, 2022
The Times Standard, April 29, 2022
Two local chapters of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution recently donated art kits to the Court Appointed Special Advocates of Humboldt.
“Receiving these kits was amazing. It is a great example of how caring and connected our community is,” said CASA of Humboldt Executive Director Jeanne Gordon.
The nonprofit CASA of Humboldt serves children who are involved with the child welfare system and have experienced “adverse childhood experiences (ACEs),” Gordon said.
“It has been shown that having a consistent, caring adult and having a sense of purpose are two of the strongest resiliency factors for children who have experienced ACEs,” she said. “Our volunteer advocates serve as the consistent mentor in lives of children. These art kits provide a wonderful opportunity for advocate and child to have fun together and to build their relationship. For many youth, especially those who have experienced trauma, art becomes an outlet to express themselves and discover a hobby that fosters a sense of purpose.”
Members of the Eel River Valley Chapter in Fortuna and Del Norte Chapter in Crescent City donated art kits to CASA of Humboldt as part of the California State Society, Daughters of the American Revolution Community Classroom Project and, specifically, Project heART, which focuses on students in foster care.
“The kits were purchased from local craft and art supply stores in both Humboldt and Del Norte counties,” said Eel River Valley Chapter Vice Regent Catherine Culver.
The art kits have different focuses, she said, from creating scrapbooks and making friendship bracelets to weaving and painting — and more.
“The activities were varied and covered younger children up to late teens,” Culver said. “The purpose of the kits was to allow foster children to create something that, until that point, was only imagined. The period of quiet reflection gives children permission to relax and ponder. Art augments emotional intelligence and enhances the development of empathy and personal communication.”
She added, “With the act of creation, recognition of the world outside of oneself and the world within oneself becomes more understandable and less frightening. Educationally, art opens the door to learning through all senses. All students, but especially foster care students, benefit from access to the creative arts.”
Though art kit donations are part of a statewide effort, local DAR members were adamant that the kits stay on the North Coast to help local youth.
“This is the most important part of the project,’ Culver said. “Eel River Valley Chapter Regent Virginia Howard Mullan was determined that the chapter’s and Del Norte Chapter’s contributions remain in the area. She worked with the Community Classroom Committee northern co-chair to convince her that CASA Humboldt is the appropriate entity to receive the art kits for this area. Otherwise, the contributions would have likely gone to the Bay Area.”
Gordon says that over the last year, CASA of Humboldt has served approximately 60 children in the county, with many more who are waiting to be matched with an advocate.
The Times Standard, March 27, 2022
Over St. Patrick’s Day weekend, 446 California Daughters of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution met in Irvine on behalf of the 10,107 members statewide.
Representing Humboldt County were Catherine Mace and Caitlin Strevy from the Redwood Forest Chapter in Eureka; Virginia Howard Mullan and Linda Gillette from Fortuna’s Eel River Valley Chapter; and Wendy Malone and Rachel Malone-Olson from Crescent City’s Del Norte Chapter.
One aspect of the conference was to recognize outstanding achievements at the chapter level. The Del Norte, Redwood Forest and Eel River Valley chapters all won awards. In addition, Eel River Valley Chapter had success at the Southwest Division level (comprised of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah) for teaching American history and commemorating the following events:
• First place for the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage for its float in the 100th anniversary Fortuna Rodeo Parade, the suffragette march through Fortuna on Aug. 19 and programs at Cuddeback and Bridgeville schools.
• First place for the 250th anniversary of the Committees of Correspondence for a trip to Philadelphia in September by four Eel River Valley members in which, in addition to other activities, they visited the Museum of the American Revolution and learned about the Committees of Correspondence. Shirley Lipa, Catherine Culver, Lesley Free and Linda Gillette shared this information at a chapter meeting, which led to lesson plans for local schools.
• Honorable mention for the 200th anniversary of the Santa Fe Trail for creating an educators’ box that local teachers can borrow to enhance Santa Fe Trail instruction including the impact on Native Americans.
Those Southwest Division first-place reports and pictures have moved on for award consideration at the national level.
DAR event Tuesday
The fifth anniversary of National Vietnam War Veterans Day is Tuesday. On that day, the Eel River Valley Chapter NSDAR will be remembering Vietnam veterans at 4 pm. at Sunrise Cemetery with a short ceremony. Boy Scout Troop 8 will serve as the color guard. Fortuna High School band members under direction of Ian Campbell will play a few patriotic songs and Bridgeville 4-H will also be in attendance. Community members are invited to join in by the Vietnam bench.
The Times Standard, March 20, 2022
NSDAR’s Eel River Valley Chapter honors students
Students from Fortuna Middle School, Cuddeback School, Bridgeville School and Ferndale Middle School were recognized and celebrated at a ceremony held March 12. The Eel River Valley Chapter of the National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) hosted the students, their families, counselors and teachers at a reception to honor the students’ achievements.
The following contests were recognized: Cursive Writing, American History Essay Contest, Junior American Citizen and DAR Good Citizen.
In the cursive writing contest, students are asked to write out the Preamble to the Constitution in cursive (long hand). Chair Shirley Lipa announced that the winners were: First — Nelly Torres-Catana, Fortuna Middle School, Second — Tinnley Pidgeon, Ferndale Middle School, Third — Amanda Avelar, Ferndale Middle School, and Fourth — Brida Lester, Cuddeback School.
The American History Essay Contest asked students to write about the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Grades six through eight were judged. Chair Rebecca Hash announced the winners: Grade Eight: First — Brida Lester, Cuddeback School, also first at the District Division which covers the state from San Francisco to the Oregon Border, Second — Gracie Olson, Fortuna Middle School, Third — Anna Campbell, Fortuna Middle School. Grade Seven: First — Chloe Doerner, Fortuna Middle School, also first at the District Division, Second — Eryn Hunter, Fortuna Middle School, Third — Jayden Taylor, Fortuna Middle School. Grade Six: First — Peyton Lockhart, Cuddeback School, also first at the District Division, Second — Maxwelle Orr, Cuddeback School, Third — Ellyott Branchini, Cuddeback School.
Junior American Citizen contests are open to students from preschool through grade 12. Chapter Regent Virginia Howard Mullan described the JAC contests and announced winners. JAC creative expression includes two categories-poetry and short story. Aiyanna Wallace of Cuddeback School received first place in creative short story for eighth grade locally and in the California Division, the Southwest Division (comprised of California, Colorado, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, Utah and New Mexico) and the National Division (comprised of all 50 states and Puerto Rico).
Lorena Zepeda of Cuddeback School received first place in creative short story for seventh grade locally and for the California Division. Her story won second place in the Southwest Division. Young Loveless won a special award locally from Eel River Valley Chapter JAC for extensive research for both a banner and a written piece about the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Myla Kirk, Calvin Comarsh, Eden Benavidez , Todd Perras, Shiloh Perras, Kayla Kirk and Annabelle Enstminger entered the JAC Community Service Contest through Bridgeville 4-H. Bridgeville 4-H won first place in California and fifth place in the Southwest Division for providing the color guard on Sept. 11 at the Humboldt Wildlife Refuge service honoring Richard Guadagno and the other passengers who died on Flight 93, creating valentines and place mats for veterans in assisted living and preparing bells for Cuddeback and Bridgeville schools to ring during Constitution Week.
The DAR Good Citizen recognized was Hannah Uutela from Fortuna High School.
2021
The Times Standard, September 30, 2021
The Eel River Chapter of the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution held a weeklong celebration of Constitution Week Sept. 17 to 23.
Members kicked off the week by hanging a banner at the VFW hall in Fortuna. On display around the base of the banner were decorative patriotic rocks that members painted. A bell ringing ceremony was performed on Sept. 17, with bells rung for one full minute to celebrate the signing of the Constitution of the United States of America.
On Sept. 11, the Eel River Valley Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution sponsored a wreath-laying ceremony to honor Richard Guadagno, former manager of the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Guadagno lost his life aboard United Airlines Flight 93 when it crashed in a field outside of Shanksville, Pennsylvania on Sept. 11, 2001. He was one of 40 passengers and crew members aboard Flight 93 who thwarted an attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Twenty-five people attended the wreath-laying ceremony.
Recycling for Two Feathers Community Center
Supporting "No Straw September"
The Times Standard, April 11, 2021
DAR chapter honors history essay winners
The Eel River Valley Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution recently honored nine students for their participation in the American History Essay Contest during a virtual awards ceremony.
The contest is open to students in fifth through eighth grades in public, private, parochial schools and those who are home schooled. The 2020-2021 essay theme was “The Boston Massacre.”
March 5, 2020, marked the 250th anniversary of the Boston Massacre, considered to be a pivotal event that paved the way to the American Revolution.
First place winners are Bryce Raven, eighth grade, Bridgeville; Dane Campbell, seventh grade, Fortuna; Chloe Doerner, sixth grade, Fortuna; and Grayson Crenshaw, fifth grade, Cuddeback. Each student received a certificate, a bronze medal for American history, a first-place ribbon, a check for $25, a copy of the U.S. Constitution, a lapel flag pin and patriotic pens and pencils.
Second place winners are Kimberly Castanerya-Gonzalez, eighth grade, Fortuna; Eryn Hunter, sixth grade, Fortuna; and Ellyott Branchini, fifth grade, Cuddeback. Each student received a certificate, a second-place ribbon, a check for $20, a copy of the U.S. Constitution, a lapel flag pin and patriotic pens and pencils.
Third place winners are Tyler Kane, eighth grade, Bridgeville, and Hugo Dinur-Loranger fifth grade, Bridgeville. Each student received a certificate, a third-place ribbon, a check for $15, a copy of the U.S. Constitution, a lapel flag pin and patriotic pens and pencils.
2020
Stockings for Veterans in Assisted Living Facilities
2019
| Five members of the Eel River Valley Chapter, NSDAR, attended the 2018 California State Society DAR (CSSDAR) Conference. |
| The Eel River Valley Chapter, NSDAR, joined the Rancho Cordova Chapter, NSDAR, to collect and donate kitchen supplies to veterans. |
Installation of Vietnam Commemorative Bench at Sunrise Cemetery.
| Past regents of the Eel River Valley Chapter, NSDAR, receive certificates of appreciation. |
| Volunteering at the Humboldt Ice Rink in Fortuna. |
Humboldt Beacon August 15, 1991
DAR - Fortuna will soon have the honor of becoming the home of a new chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
At an informal gathering held at Rohner Park and hosted by the Redwood Genealogical Society, it soon became apparent there are enough members who can qualify for membership to guarantee the formation of a local chapter of this worthy organization.
The NSDAR was founded on October 11, 1890. Its more than 204,000 members are women who can trace their ancestry back to someone who provided a service to America during the Revolutionary War. However, it is not an organization that dwells on pedigree, but rather one that unites people with common interests and concerns.
According to one of the society's publications, its objectives are historical - to perpetuate the memory and spirit of the men and women who achieved American independence; educational - to carry out the injunction of Washington in his farewell address to the American people, "to promote, as an object of primary importance, institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge, thus developing an enlightened public opinion..."; and patriotic - to cherish, maintain and extend the institutions of American freedom, to foster true patriotism and love of country, and to aid in securing for mankind all the blessings of liberty.
To these ends, the DAR honors young people for achievement, offers scholarships, supports two schools for Native Americans and schools for under-privileged children. These are only a few of the services the National Society, in its 100 years of existence, has provided to this country.
The period between October 11, 1990, and October 11, 1991, has been designated as the Centennial Jubilee Year of the NSDAR. The chapter formed here in the Eel River Valley will have the distinction of being the "last ever" to bear the title of Centennial Chapter.
When discussing possible names for the chapter, it was asked if there was a special Revolutionary War soldier who might be honored. "Oh," one woman whispered, "there are so many."
As the meeting drew to a close, prospective members were busily filling out forms and looking for their ancestors' names in the books provided by the NSDAR.
National Society Daughters of the American Revolution
California State Society Daughters of the American Revolution