A beautiful day at the Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge greeted the members of the SCDAR as they arrived from different parts of the state to attend the ceremony.
Members arrived where they signed a specially created sign in sheet and received a cockade symbolic of the event.
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| The use of the cockade representes the word "cockade" of the red-cockaded woodpecker. This aviary is preserved in our Tribute Grove to prevent its extinction. The color blue represents the DAR. The red feathers represents the red feather makings that make the red-cockaded woodpecker distinctive. The pine bough and pinecones represent the pine tree seedlings planted to create the Tribute Grove and that provides the habitat of the red-cockaded woodpecker. The gold color of the pinecones represents our 125th anniversary. |
They had the opportunity to view the permanent displays of the Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge as well as the display about the SCDAR Tribute Grove and the red-cockaded woodpecker which is preserved in our forest to prevent its extinction.
A few minutes before 2:00 P.M., we headed to the end of the refuge driveway for the ceremony where members had the opportunity to learn about our Tribute Grove and view the laying of the wreath at the boulder with the SCDAR bronze plaque located across the street in the Sandhills State Forest.
As Dianne (our state regent) and Penny (our state archivist) made their way with the wreath across the street, all of our members crossed the street with them. The wreath was placed followed by pictures. As we call it in the C.A.R., photo op! All of our members in attendance then gathered around the boulder for a group picture.
Following the benediction, the members headed to the refuge center for light refreshments and social time. The members were having so much fun that we actually ran over our allotted time for the refuge center!
Everything from the invitations, programs, tablecloths, pinecone cakelets, the serving pieces for the refreshments, the napkins, decorations, and more followed the theme of the pine trees of our Tribute Grove. Those who made the trip were glad they did and plan to go back to their respective chapters and share the information about the Tribute Grove with their chapter members.
For those of you who were unable to attend, I have included the complete script below. I have placed a line where the last names would be for security purposes.
We are hoping to be able to upload the video on the blog soon. We have had some technical issues with this. I will let you know if and when it becomes available. In the meantime, enjoy the script.
Script
for the Re-dedication Ceremony for the SCDAR State Tribute Grove
Carolina
Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge
October
28, 2017
Written
by Penny Renwick
DIANNE
:
On May 5, 1897, a group of ladies met and organized the
Columbia Chapter. As this was the first
chapter organized in our state society, this date also serves as the beginning
of the South Carolina State Society. The SCDAR will celebrate this milestone of our state
society throughout the 2017-2018 year. The first of the events is the
re-dedication of the SCDAR State Forest.
We will begin the re-dedication with invocation given by State Chaplain
Catherine _________.
INVOCATION:
CATHERINE __________ (original prayer
written by Catherine _________)
Lord
God, Maker of Heaven and Earth, we praise You today for Your creation and the
blessings you have provided for us through Nature. Thank you for the beauty and usefulness of
the trees planted here many years ago and dedicated to those who fought for
freedom and liberty in a terrible war, and to those who gave the ultimate
sacrifice – their very lives.
And
now Lord, we are grateful that the usefulness of this forest lives on as a
means to help preserve one of your creatures – The Red Cockaded Woodpecker. We
thank you for those who work diligently to care for this Wildlife Refuge so
that it can be a benefit to all of your Creation. Bless this place with
sunshine and rain so that the trees remain healthy and the wildlife have a
place of refuge for many years to come.
Help
us to continue to be worthy of the trust you have placed in us to serve God,
Home and Country, In Thy name we pray.
Amen.
DIANNE:
Thank you Catherine.
The Ritual will be led by State Historian Bettise ________.
RITUAL:
BETTISE __________
The Pledge
of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States
The
American’s Creed
The Preamble to the
Constitution of the United States
The Salute
to the Flag of South Carolina
DIANNE:
Thank you Bettise. Over the 125
years of the existence of our state society, the members have accomplished many
wonderful achievements. One of those was the planting of a
forest. I knew that each state was asked by NSDAR to participate in
a national project to plant a state forest and that South Carolina had
done so. I asked our State Archivist, Penny Renwick to locate our
forest so that we could re-dedicate it. She will now give a brief history
of the SCDAR State Forest or Tribute Grove.
HISTORY
OF SCDAR STATE FOREST: PENNY
Thank you Madam State Regent.
The United States was in the midst of the Great
Depression from 1929-1941. As part of
FDR’s administration, the New Deal was proposed in 1932. Part of the New Deal was the creation of the
Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) which was a federally funded organization
that put thousands of unmarried American males between the ages of 18-26 to
work. The work that the CCC would
complete reflected FDR’s deep commitment to conservation. In his plea for the New Deal’s passage, he
declared “the forests are the lungs of our land [which] purify our air and give
fresh strength to our people.” At the
time, the national forests of our country were in deplorable condition as a
result of over harvesting, forest fires, and little replanting which increased
the problem of erosion. The CCC became
known as “Roosevelt’s Tree Army.”
Now with the workforce of the CCC, the National Forest
Service would commence what would become known as the Penny Pines program. For a penny a pine tree seedling, the CCC
would begin replanting and growing pines in National nurseries throughout the
country. Pines could be purchased by
organizations and individuals. The
spirit of this program became a patriotic duty and buckets for pennies were set
up at local post offices and stores.
In 1939, then President General Mrs. Henry M. Robert
chose the Penny Pine program as one of her Golden Jubilee National
Projects. The program commenced in 1939
and was to culminate in 1941 on the NSDAR 50th anniversary. The goal of the Penny Pine program was to
have each chapter pledge not less than one acre of pine seedlings which was the
equivalent of 500 trees per chapter at a cost of $5. At the end of the project, many states had a
forest.
In the 1930s
here in South Carolina, farmers in the rural area where the SCDAR tribute grove
is located were struggling to survive with infertile, sandy soil. The U.S. Department of Agriculture developed
the Submarginal Lands Programs and agreed to purchase lands and resettle those
farmers that met qualifications. The
project was known as the Sandhills Lands project. It was all Federal land, and 45,000 acres
became the National Wildlife Refuge.
From 1939-1990,
the South Carolina Forestry Commission was leased 45,000 acres for multiple use
forestry benefits, i.e. a working forest.
The South Carolina Forestry Commission began replanting the forest to
reestablish the forest that had once covered the entire area. The Commission also sustainably harvested the
forest, created a perpetual forest through rotational plantings, thinning, and
removal. This working forest of which
our grove is located supported forest operations here and for all SCFC
properties throughout the state through the duration of the lease.
In the SCDAR 1946 yearbook, there is a reference to our
State Tribute Grove. From the yearbook
of 1946, the information reads as follows:
On motion of
Mrs. Wise and seconded by Mrs. von Tresckow, it was voted to buy for the
"Penny Pine Project" a bronze plaque for $30 F.O.B. Cincinnati with
the correction of placing the DAR Insignia at the top instead of at the
bottom as pictured in the blue print. The inscription reads, "These
Trees Dedicated in Honor of the Living, and in Memory of the Dead From South
Carolina in the Second World War." Erected by SCDAR in
1946. This plaque will be placed on a boulder where seedlings have
been planted along highway No. 1 approximately 4 miles east of McBee.
These pines are at a suitable size to be dedicated. The State Forestry
Department offers to assist and place the plaque on the shoulder.
Dedication will be in September and all shall be notified.
The
actual dedication took place on October 11, 1946. Notice the day that the dedication actually
took place. The SCDAR chose the 56th
anniversary of the NSDAR to dedicate its grove.
In 1990
following the end of the lease, the SC Forestry Commission began managing the
forest for US Fish and Wildlife through an exchange program. Through the
exchange program, management of the property includes fire protection, control
burning, and reforestation for 25 years.
That same year, our forest was also designated as a preserve for the
red-cockaded woodpecker. The property's sole purpose is to support the
recovery of this endangered species.
The SCDAR does
not own its grove but is proud to know that its use preserves and protects an
endangered species from becoming extinct and continues
to reflect on the NSDAR’s work in conservation.
For the complete history of the SCDAR State Tribute Grove, please visit my blog reflectionsofourtreasuredpast.blogspot.com
DIANNE:
Thank you Penny.
At this time, we will re-dedicate our SCDAR State Tribute Grove.
We of the Daughters of the American Revolution –
chartered by Congress to preserve “those things of value to the country…
historically, educationally, and patriotically” – do hereby recognize the
efforts of the daughters that came before us in service to God, Home, and
Country.
During the Great Depression, an all time low for our
nation, President Franklin Roosevelt stated that a “government worthy of its name must make a fitting response.” Through his deep commitment to environmental
conservation he developed a plan which would get our citizens back to work and
repair the damage done to our national forests through natural disasters and
over harvesting. He declared, “The
forests are the lungs of our land [which] purify our air and give fresh
strength to our people.”
The members of the SCDAR stand here
today proud to honor the work of our daughters of the past who rose to the
occasion at a time when our country needed us and created this grove. Today, this grove is a part of a forest that
continues to reflect on the NSDAR’s work in conservation by providing a habitat
to prevent the extinction of the red-cockaded woodpecker.
DIANNE AND PENNY CROSS THE STREET AND PLACE THE
WREATH. Remain in place for a moment of
reflection.
Return to where members are gathered to close the
ceremony.
DIANNE:
Following the benediction, you are
invited to view the monument for our tribute grove. Please watch your footing as you make your
way there and back. Light refreshments
will be served in the center. A refuge
staff member is with us today if you have any questions about the refuge and
its work.
Our state chaplain will now give the
benediction.
BENEDICTION: CATHERINE __________ (original prayer
written by Catherine __________)
Heavenly Father, as we leave
here today we thank you for the friendships and fellowship
we have enjoyed and ask that You give us all safe journeys home. Continue to
bless this place with your care and protection that it, and those that care for
it, may flourish and be able to continue the purpose for which it was
established. In thy name we pray, Amen.
