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Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon August 31st
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Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon August 31st
By Dolores Hoctor
The last Thursday in August found thirty-five volunteers of the Stratford Historical Society assembled in the Museum for the Annual Thank You Luncheon. Food was provided this year by the Open Door Tea shop at Paradise Green. Pam Hutchinson took charge of the food, Barbara Firisin handled the set-up and Dolores Hoctor issued the invitations
The assembled volunteers enjoyed a lunch of finger sandwiches, quiche and three kinds of tea including 'Liberty Tea', a staple of those patriot colonists who refused to pay the tax on tea. Desserts were prepared by volunteer docents Gail Liscio, Carolyn Shannon, Judy Kurmay, Liz Rivera, Marie Guman, and Mary Ann Vlahac.
Carol Lovell received special recognition from the volunteers for her years of untiring service to the Stratford Historical Society. She is a life member who has served as docent, past president, research assistant to authors of Society publications and accessions chair responsible for accepting and cataloguing the Society's enormous collection of eighteenth century artifacts. She is presently Curator and Director of the organization.
Ray Vermette was again called upon to speak about an illustrious early citizen of Stratford. This time his subject was William Samuel Johnson, son of Stratford's first Anglican minister, Samuel Johnson. Ray recounted his early life in Stratford, his father's influence on his early education and William Samuel's struggle to break from his position in the Anglican ministry to the broader field of law. Another struggle began with the approach of the Revolutionary War when he believed in reconciliation with England in order to avoid the horrors of war.
As a result of this view, he sat out the war, but gained subsequent fame as a framer of the United States Constitution, the first of two Connecticut senators to the newly elected Congress and president of Columbia College in New York City. Ray included many interesting anecdotes and family connections, a fitting close to a very satisfying occasion.
Announced were upcoming events that will include a Business Member Reception, a Civil War Re-enactment, sale of the Society's 2018 medallion, Colonial Life school tours for third graders and a fall 2018 Event.
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