In September 2023, three members of Betty Lykes Stringer, President Carolyn Jordon, Florida Division Treasurer Bonnie Tenney and Chapter Treasurer Donna Schneider attended the Florida Division Convention in Orlando, Florida.
Donna was proud to serve as personal aide to the President of General Jenny Widowski. The ladies sold cookbooks and had a great response to their basket, which included two handmade beaded bracelets, two handmade quilted American Flag and United Daughters flag table runners, handmade wine bottle wind chine decorated in red, white, and gray with a clear star etched with UDC hanging off the chime, a crystal dish, and a Boyd’s Confederate stuffed bear proudly holding his UDC official flag, along with many other wonderful items that made a beautiful gift basket.
The chapter received two awards: Honors Chapter and The Mrs. R. E. Oliver Silver Pitcher Award, presented to Margaret Anne Brown for her Historical Magazine article about the Double Barrel Cannon.
In October, a meeting was held at Beef O’Brady’s, where our speaker was Marcea Oetting, who gave an excellent program on the life and death of Mary Surette, the woman who was hung in the belief she helped with the assassination of President Lincoln.
The chapter continued with plans for outreach to the community, which included finding new members and giving to a local food bank. Other projects were discussed.
On October 14th, Carolyn Jordon, Donna Schneider and associate member Sharron Balser attended the Confederate Memorial Service at Homeland Cemetery in Polk County, Florida, which was presented by the Order of Confederate Rose Florida Society. This was to honor the 106 Confederate soldiers, Union soldiers and soldiers from the Indian Wars who are buried there. Members of this society and of Betty Lykes Stringer Chapter are sisters Donna and Mary McPherson, who do an amazing job of marking the graves of Confederate soldiers.
