Green Swamp, NC - Hiking, Venus Fly Traps, Spiders and Wildflowers

photograph Venus Flytrap, Skip Pudney

Gwen Causey, Honorary State President gave a program about the Green Swamp. It was first owned by John Green and called John Greens Fields and in 1795 the land was valued at 4.2 cents an acre. Civilian Conservation Corps Camp built roads, railroads and buildings in the Green Swamp. Gwen's brother was the first caretaker of the Nature Conservatory, which in 1974 received over 13,000 acres. In the Green Swamp there are Long Leaf pine, Pond Pine, 14 different carnivorous plants and 10 different orchids.

Civilian Conservation Corps

 

Colonial Dames Meet on May 18th

Honorary State President, Gwen Causey

The next Lord Craven Meeting will be held Saturday, May 18, 2013, at the Carolina Bar B Que on South College Street in Wilmington.  The meeting will begin at 11:00 a.m.   Our special guest and speaker will be Honorary State President Gwen Causey.   She will install our new officers and do a short program related to the colonial period in the Lower Cape Fear.

THE PRESIDENT! (children's song about Washington and Lincoln)

Posted through You Tube video.
Be sure and have your children and grandchildren view this video.

President's Day 2013 - Washington to Obama

Posted through You Tube videos.

Lap Blankets for the Veterans in Fayetteville, NC

Fran Carlsen, Veterans Committee Chair for Lord Craven Colonial Dames and Carol Jutte, Colonial Dames member hold two lap blankets that Carol created from beach towels. She cut them to size and sewed a dark blue backing to each lap blanket. These beautiful patriotic blankets will be donated to the veterans in Fayetteville, NC. These blankets were on display at the February 16th meeting held at the Carolina BBQ in Wilmington, NC. Thank you Carol.

Gary E. Trawick, author of "Born in Reconstruction" The story of Pender County, 1524-2012 was the Feb. 16th guest speaker.After finishing basic and advanced infantry training with the North Carolina National Guard, he returned to Pender County where he engaged in the private practice of law for twenty-six years. He was elected Resident Superior Court Judge and served in that capacity for four years. He was appointed a Special Superior Count Judge by Governor James  B. Hunt, Jr in 1999. Trawick has been appointed a Special Superior Count Judge by Governor James B. Hunt, Jr . and has been reappointed that position by Governors Easley and Perdue.

Gary Trawick,holds his new book, "Born in Reconstruction" with President Bonnie Hardy Becmer.

Fran Carlsen having Gary Trawick sign his new book for her.

Colonial Dames Meetings

Lord Craven Chapter NCSCDXVII meets the third Saturday of September, November, February and May. The February 16th meeting will be held at the Carolina Bar-b-cue on 1602 S. College Road, Wilmington, NC. The time is 11:00 a.m.

LORD CRAVEN MEETING - November 17, 2012

The  Lord Craven  Chapter held their fall meeting on  Saturday, November 17, 2012 in the Nicholas Room  at the Reserve Golf Course at St. James Plantation in Southport, NC.  The meeting was attended by 37 dames.

The guest speaker was Dr. Clarence Willie, Lt. Col., USMC, retired, and resident of Winding River.  He presented a slide show and spoke to us about the Montford Point Marines. These marines were African Americans, who enlisted and served in WWII. They were segregated and trained at different facilities than white troops.  The Montford Marines were trained at Montford Point, now named Camp Johnson, near Camp Lejeune.

Dr. Willie served as interviewer and consultant for a documentary production entitled "The Marines of Montford Point: Fighting for Freedom," which was produced by the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.  This documentary was narrated by Louis Gossett, Jr. and aired nationally on PBS.  This documentary chronicled the experiences of these first African Americans to serve as United States Marines. 

In 2012 Dr. Willie completed his work on his book entitled "African American voices from IWO JIMA: PERSONAL ACCOUNTS OF THE BATTLE."  In his book he interviewed eleven of the veterans who were among the 1,000 African American who participated in the Iwo Jima campaign. This book is available through amazon.com.

Dr. Willie brought with him two retired marines, Darryl P. Monroe and F. M. Hooper, Jr.  Mr. Hooper was one of the eleven men who participated in the Iwo Jima campaign and was one of the veterans that Dr. Willie had interviewed for his book.  Mr. Hooper was also the recipient of a  Congressional Medal of Honor Award presented  to him as a member of this elite group of Marines.  He proudly wore that medal to our meeting.  This program turned out to be both very interesting and appropriate as we remember and honor all veterans especially during the month of November.

Darrell P.Monroe,  Bonnie Becmer, Dr. Clarence Willie, Carol Canales,
 F.M. Hopper, Jr. (Recipient of the Medal of Honor) and .Nora Hickam

 

Donations to the veterans in Fayetteville, NC.

Colonial Dames member, Pat Elsaesser spoke about her trip on Oct. 19th to Hertford NC to the Newbold White house there to attend the live oak tree planting dedication in honor of Mrs Shirley Spaeth who is an Honorary President General and is beloved by all NC Dames.