Merry Christmas from the Prattville Dragoons Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1524

 

Prattville Dragoons Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1524 at Vida Christmas Parade

 After the cancellation of a number of Christmas events due to COVID, the Vida community held fast and hosted their annual Christmas parade on Saturday December 19th.  This is always an enjoyable event and a wonderful small town Christmas parade.  This year, even more spectators and participants wishing for a merry Christmas and a sense of normalcy in this tumultuous year.  The Prattville Dragoons SCV Camp 1524 again participated with a truck emblazoned with the camp's Christmas banner and Confederate Battle flags all around.  Commander Waldo with his children, Quartermaster Myrick, and compatriots Larry Spear and Rob Schwartz participated throwing candy and SCV coins and handing out hundreds of mini-Battle flags to the spectators lining county road 19.  Afterward, the gracious Vida volunteers provided a boxed BBQ lunch for all the parade participants and spectators.  The Dragoons paused to enjoy this meal together sitting about the bed of the truck and enjoying this festive holiday event for as long as possible.  

Prattville Dragoons Sons of Confederate Veterans Christmas Social 2020

The Dragoons of Camp 1524 held their annual Christmas Social on Friday evening December 18th at the historic Buena Vista antebellum mansion in Prattville.  Members and guests enjoyed a social hour starting a little before 6pm enjoying some General Lee eggnog and apple pie moonshine provided by Comms Officer Doug Butler and his wife.  A delicious meal was catered by Smokin S BBQ out of Wetumpka and toward the end of the social hour hostess Stacey volunteered that her son Michael could play the piano in the parlor. Phenomenal.  After a few songs to conclude the Social, after meal service and as everyone enjoyed their supper of smoked turkey, dressing, sweet potato casserole and green bean casserole with desserts, Michael again played a collection of Christmas songs.  To start the program Commander Waldo introduced the camp officers in attendance, welcomed the special guests and recited the Charge to the Sons of Confederate Veterans.  Then, 1st Lt Grooms read a Forrest Christmas poem which was penned by Lee Millar.  The Dragoons welcomed back Robert Adelson from Missouri who played his fiddle and banjo for a few songs including The Bonnie Blue Flag and Dixie.  He showed an 1880s photograph of his great grandfather, a Real Son of a Confederate Veteran, also holding a fiddle.  Robert's Montgomery ancestors lived in the Buena Vista house and so he volunteered his family's personal information during the history presentation by Darlene Leistner of the Autauga County Heritage Association which owns and manages the property.  Commander Waldo and his wife and Adjutant Sutherland conducted the doorprize drawing which included the wonderful table centerpieces provided by Quartermaster Myrick and his wife.  1st Lt Grooms led everyone in the singing of a number of classic Christmas carols to conclude the program.  After Mr. Adelson and 1st Lt Grooms led everyone in a rousing Dixie, Chaplain Brantley reminded everyone of the true meaning of and reason for Christmas and sent everyone off with a benediction to close the evening.  It was a very enjoyable evening to spend with Confederate compatriots to bring the tumultuous year to a close with a sense of normalcy and holiday fellowship. 

Prattville Dragoons SCV Camp 1524 Volunteer to Ring the Bell at the Salvation Army Red Kettle

Saturday December 5th and 12th, members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1524 manned the Salvation Army red kettle in front of the Prattville Winn Dixie to ring the bell and take donations for this worthy charitable organization.  The Dragoons have turned this into an annual community service event for the camp expanding from one to two Saturdays this year.  On Saturday the 5th, compatriots Dale Boyle, Tyrone Crowley, Larry Spears, Sam Reid, and Rob Schwartz worked shifts throughout the day along with camp Commander Waldo, Adjutant Sutherland, Color Sgt Dennis, Quartermaster Myrick and 2nd Lt Wade.  The report of receipts showed an outstanding day for the charity with the kettle providing over twice the amount of donations as for their average.  

On Saturday December 12th, compatriot Rob Schwartz anchored two separate shifts in the afternoon and the evening working the red kettle at the Winn Dixie.  Commander Waldo, Color Sgt Dennis and 2nd Lt Wade again participated along with Tyrone Crowley and Sam Reid.  Additionally, camp Treasurer Billy Leverette and Chaplain Brantley worked shifts ringing the bell.  The men are always quick to wish passers-by a merry Christmas and thank them for their generosity which encourages this charitable giving to the Salvation Army. It is a terrific way for SCV Camp 1524 to bring the spirit of Christmas giving to our community of Prattville. 

Prattville Dragoons SCV Camp 1524 Chaplain's Column for December 2020 - Christmas Wishes

         Well, we have made it to December. Many of us will be glad to turn the page on 2020,

In the darkness of this year, how did we, as Christians, respond with light?

Our camp gave money to those who were in need and food for those without.

Later this month several members will “ring the bell” for the Salvation Army.

I encourage each of you to participate in this and other events in your church and community to help those in time of crisis as Christ commands us to do.

 

I thought it would be a great way to end this year with the story of the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Remember in times of darkness to look for the star!

 

Luke 2:1-20 KJV

“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.”

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Prattville Dragoons SCV Camp 1524 Commander's Column for December 2020 - Personal Responsibility and Accountability for Liberty and Freedom

A month following the national elections, the final outcomes are still very much in question.  Despite the Main Stream media coronating Joe Biden as President-elect, President Trump has a number of lawsuits in process challenging the result on the basis of voter fraud from tampering with voting machines to introducing thousands of fictitious mail-in ballots.  Hearings are ongoing in a number of still contested states.  House and Senate races are still being counted including a runoff scheduled in Georgia.  We will be witness to a full exercise of our founding father’s constitutional provisions for ensuring legitimate elections or we will be subject to a disputed electorate. Our Alabama House Representative Mo Brooks has indicated he will be challenging some states’ electoral college results as illegitimate because of the rampant fraud and "flawed election systems".  And again the COVID pandemic has escalated with larger numbers of infected and hospitalized than the initial wave earlier this spring as flu season comes upon us.  Now again, cities and states are locking down despite the “science” that is proving that we have developed better insight into the targeted population this virus affects and have developed and have at our disposal better prevention protocols and treatments for the virus. 

We read about it and watch news stories of these lockdowns across the country.  A New York restaurant proprietor was arrested for daring to violate an order issued by Mayor Deblasio prohibiting eateries from opening, declaring his establishment an “autonomous zone”.  But similar draconian restrictions have happened right here in Alabama, in Montgomery and even Prattville.  Montgomery has implemented curfews and locked down restaurants, clubs and churches.  Prattville just announced they would have a Christmas parade (after the cancellation of their Independence Day parade in July) and then reversed the decision and cancelled it.  I took the opportunity to write the mayor and the event coordinator noting our disappointment with the cancellation saying, “That is the troubling aspect to the reactions to this COVID thing, that local and state governments feel the need to tell their citizenry how they must handle the situation instead of giving them the information and letting them make the decision for themselves.   That is kinda the basis of our liberty and freedom.” 

I’ll give the mayor props that he did call me in  response to my email saying that they were concerned about the thousands of people who come from the tricounty area to the parade and apparently them being concerned of a (potential) super-spreader event.  I granted my appreciation that he feels like he needs to guide those who are either unwilling or uneducated enough to not be able to make a good decision for themselves and their families. Therein lies the crux.   Our nation’s founders believed in an educated informed electorate who could responsibly exercise their freedoms and liberty.  They believed in moral values based on Judeo-Christian principles.  I am not sure if they could foresee a world brought so close together by technology enabling a pandemic spread like we have witnessed.  I am not sure if they could foresee an election process utilizing technology and systems which could be compromised and/or an epidemic used as an excuse for altering voting processes and verifications which could enable fraudulent vote tabulations. 

It is time for those who love their liberty and freedom to stand in the gap to defend these God-given rights and proclaim that they demand personal accountability and responsibility of ourselves and our elected and appointed leaders.  General Robert E. Lee said, “Duty is the sublimest word in the English language.  You should do your duty in all things. You can never do more. You should never wish to do less.” Our SCV Charge implores us to emulate the virtues of our Confederate forebearers, heroes and “the perpetuation of those principles which he loved and which made him glorious, and which you also cherish.”  Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas, continued health and safety and, a prosperous and Happy New Year.  

Prattville Dragoons Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1524 Make Thanksgiving Season Donation to Autauga Interfaith Care Center

 Thursday November 19th members of the Prattville Dragoons SCV Camp 1524 made a donation of non-perishables and cash to the Autauga Interfaith Care Center to help the needy in the community in the leadup to the Thanksgiving holiday. That afternoon 2nd Lt Karl Wade, Comms Ofc Doug Butler, and compatriot Rob Schwartz delivered over 100 pounds of dry and canned goods and also presented a check for $500 from the camp to AICC.  Paul Whaley also stopped by the Care Center and dropped off another 30 cans of pasta and mac n cheese as part of the Dragoons food drive.  This annual Thanksgiving canned food drive is in addition to donations the Dragoons made to AICC earlier in the year as part of COVID response, a community apartment fire relief fund and, firewood from the Indian Hill hurricane cleanup.  SCV Camp 1524 doing good work in the Prattville community for our neighbors.  

Upcoming Events for Confederate Compatriots

Prattville Christmas Parade – Friday December 4^th 7pm at the downtown courthouse - cancelled

Salvation Army Red Kettle Bell Ringing – Saturday December 5^th and 12^th, 9am-8pm, Prattville Winn Dixie

Dragoons Christmas Social – Friday December 18^th 6-9pm at the historic Buena Vista mansion

Vida Christmas Parade – Saturday December 19^th 2pm at the Vida Community Center

Millbrook Revelers Mardi Gras Parade and Festival – Saturday February 6th, 9am festival and 11am parade, Main St