Prattville Dragoons Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1524 Monthly Meeting for September 2024 - Confederate Memorial Park

A good crowd of members and friends of SCV Camp 1524 gathered on Thursday evening September 12th at the Prattville Masonic Lodge for their monthly meeting.  Compatriot Rob Schwartz provided music playing his guitar and singing before the meeting while everyone socialized.   Commander Grooms got the meeting started providing updates on news for the camp including upcoming events.  Salutes and pledges to the US, Alabama state and Confederate flags were recited led by Dragoon Larry Miller as well as the SCV Charge by Harold.  2nd Lt Karl Wade updated everyone on the upcoming Autauga County Fair and sign-ups for the Dragoons' booth as well as the upcoming holiday season canned food drive for Thanksgiving and Salvation Army bell ringing for Christmas.  Adjutant Wayne Sutherland handed out everyone's latest SCV membership cards to all members present.  Calvin Chapelle who is the curator at the Confederate Memorial Park was the guest speaker.  Calvin informed everyone of a couple upcoming events at the park including the Christmas at the CMP post office and the reenactors Winter Quarters.  Calvin said they have recently hosted a couple of school days at CMP which he very much enjoys.  Plans are still in the works for building a new pavilion at the park where the old one had fallen but they have otherwise replaced the roof on another and washed and painted some of the structures at the park.  Calvin also provided a slide show and stories of the history of the park from its establishment as a Confederate Veterans retirement home showing many photos from the early 1900s of the home and cabins on the property which were all destroyed by fire or razed when the Veteran's home was closed with the passing of the last of the Confederate soldiers and their widows. Calvin indicated they are rotating historic flags with the State Archives to display in the museum at CMP.   Larry Miller presented Calvin with a print of a battle scene from the War Between the States and Commander Grooms presented Calvin with a donation check for $250 to continue the great work CMP does educating the community.  Rob closed the meeting with a Benediction.