HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE -- The Baseline-Meridian Chapter, United States Daughters of 1812, recently held its first in-person meeting since the pandemic began at DeSoto Club in Hot Springs Village. Members attended from around central Arkansas.
The luncheon meeting, presided over by Chapter President Patricia McLemore, featured guest speaker Captain Stephanie Hargis of The Salvation Army of Hot Springs, who spoke on the history of The Salvation Army and the past year when "in a year where everything seemed different, our mission remained the same," a news release said.
Hargis said that The Salvation Army's efforts to serve the community in 2020 included over 27,000 meals served, almost 2,500 individuals helped, volunteers who gave nearly 2,000 hours to the community, and distributing food boxes and Christmas gifts.
Two new members in attendance were introduced. New member Bobbie Lovell has already accepted committee chairman positions for National Defense-JROTC and Veterans War of 1812 Grave Markers. Lovell is training under the previous JROTC chairman, Frankie Ochsner. Also introduced was Caryn Cosper from Hot Springs. Cosper, a Texas native, is still employed with limited time for volunteering, the release said.
Lovell, along with her husband Dale, has already located seven grave sites of War of 1812 veterans buried in Arkansas and plans to mark and dedicate the graves soon. Dale Lovell is a member of the Sons of the American Revolution and the General Society War of 1812. The Lovells said many of the grave sites are in rural, unkept cemeteries. The Arkansas State Societies of U.S.D. 1812 and the GSW1812 have joined in bearing the expenses of marking graves of War of 1812 veterans' graves, it said.
"Founded nearly 130 years ago and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the National Society U.S.D. 1812 is a nonprofit, nonpolitical, women's service organization for descendants of patriots who aided the American cause during the War of 1812. Members of U.S.D. 1812 have dedicated themselves to patriotism, historical preservation and education. These goals are as relevant today as they were when the organization was founded in 1892," the release said.
