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Outstanding volunteer honored at luncheon

By Staff | Apr 26, 2013

Berkeley County resident Cyril L. Kammeier was recognized as the Outstanding Veteran Volunteer for 2012-2013 by the Pack Horse Ford Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution during its National Defense Luncheon held at the Historic MacFarland House in Martinsburg on Saturday, April 13.

Captain (Ret.) Kammeier has given over 1,300 hours of volunteer service at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Martinsburg. He serves as the chairman of the Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service (VAVS) Executive Council for the Martinsburg VAMC.

The National Defense program was given by Colonel (Ret.) Frank C. (Joe) Khare, Jr. and Colonel (Ret.) Cheryl A. Brown, who have a combination of over 53 years of military service. Their PowerPoint presentation focused on discussing the trends in U.S. National Defense including strategy, personnel and facilities. They also discussed trends in missions with drone warfare and manned aircraft, cyber security, civil affairs, Special Operations, missile defense and homeland security.

The West Virginia DAR State Conference will be held on April 19-21 in Morgantown. Chapter member Jenny Hamrick created a handmade quilted wall hanging of a flag of the United States of America to earn donations at the conference to buy large print books and Kindles for Veterans facilities around West Virginia. The chapter donated a glass vase and tear drop made in West Virginia to help raise funds for the State DAR operating budget.

Librarian Patricia Toffling announced that she won two first-place West Virginia DAR awards for her handmade quilt and cross stitch entries in the American Heritage Contests. First Vice Regent Kathy Sholl won a DAR visor for solving the chapter’s history crossword puzzle.

Second Vice Regent Mary Davis announced that Shepherdstown Middle School student Ally Ward (grade 8) received the State DAR award for her history essay. In March, Ward was awarded first place by the Pack Horse Ford Chapter for her essay centered on the theme, “Forgotten Patriots Who Supported the American Struggle for Independence.” Ward was honored at the State Conference on Saturday, April 20.

Seats are still available for family and friends to enjoy the chapter’s annual bus tour to Baltimore on Saturday, June 15. The day will begin with a custom bus tour of Baltimore’s historic sites. Lunch will be served in the beautiful Peabody Court Hotel’s private dining room with a spectacular panoramic view of the city. In the afternoon, participants will visit the Maryland History Society Museum’s special temporary exhibit featuring the life, love and fashion of Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte. Although Betsy was a native of Baltimore, her marriage to Napoleon Bonaparte’s younger brother became an international drama. Other highlights of the tour will include one of only three surviving Revolutionary War officer’s uniforms in America; an extensive collection of Confederate and Union uniforms; and the world’s largest collection of paintings by members of the Peale family.

For more information and to receive a bus trip reservation form, contact Regent Cheryl Brown at 304-876-3817. Bus trips like these help the DAR to “Preserve the Past, Enhance the Present, and Invest in the Future.” To learn more about the work of today’s DAR, visit www.DAR.org.