Submitted by Kathy Hagler
Mena Mayor Seth Smith proclaimed September 17-23 as Constitution Week. Members of the James K. Polk Chapter, NSDAR, looked on as Mayor Smith signed the proclamation. This is the Constitution’s 236th anniversary.
The aim of Constitution Week is to emphasize citizens’ responsibilities for protecting and defending the Constitution, inform people that the Constitution is the basis for America’s great heritage, and to encourage the study of the historical events which led to the framing of the Constitution in September 1787. The Constitution is America’s most important document. It stands as a testament to the determination of Americans throughout history to maintain their liberties, freedoms and unalienable rights.
The observation of Constitution Week began in 1955, when the Daughters of the American Revolution petitioned Congress to set aside September 17-23 as an annual week-long observance commemorating the history and importance of the Constitution, and brining attention to how it still serves us today.
The public is encouraged to help celebrate the signing of the U.S. Constitution by participating in Bells Across America, an annual celebration in which participants gather to ring bells, much as the church bells of Philadelphia rang out on September 17, 1787, after the delegates reached an agreement and emerged from Independence Hall. James K. Polk Chapter, NSDAR, encourages individuals, churches, businesses and organizations to unite at 3:00 p.m. on September 17 to ring a bell for one minute.
Daughters of the American Revolution is a 134-year- old service organization dedicated to historic preservation, education and patriotism. DAR members come from a variety of backgrounds and interests, but all share a common bond of having an ancestor who helped contribute to securing the independence of the United States of America. Any woman aged 18 or older, regardless of race, religion or ethnic background, who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution is eligible to join. For more information, contact Carolyn Hannah at carolynhannah@gmail.com or Dotty Kinnun at thekinnuns@gmail.com. For additional information about DAR and its relevant mission, visit dar.org.
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