SCV Camp 1524 placed two electronic billboard advertisements on boards in downtown Prattville and on Hwy 231 just south of Wetumpka for the holiday season between Thanksgiving and New Years. The ad campaign is an annual effort of the Prattville Dragoons and flashes a wonderful manger scene, Christmas tree and the SCV logo on a bright red background to passers-by. A message is also conveyed, "Merry Christmas. Christ's Blessings in the Holiday Season."
Although the date for the annual Vida Christmas parade conflicted with the date chosen for the Prattville Dragoons to volunteer for the Salvation Army Red Kettle campaign on Saturday December 16th, a few members of Camp 1524 made it out to Vida to participate in the community's wonderful country Christmas parade and BBQ to represent the Sons of Confederate Veterans and Camp 1524. Commander Waldo with his two children drove their Dodge Charger with a couple of Confederate Battle flags waving from the back windows. Compatriot Larry Miller drove his truck to which the camp's Christmas banner was affixed across the front brush guard. Candy was thrown to children spectating along the parade route which ran from the Vida community center south on County Road 19 before doubling back. Hundreds of mini Battle flags and SCV recruiting coins were also handed out to spectators young and old along the route. The camp's entry was warmly greeted and practically mobbed for the flags which were subsequently displayed all along the roadside. Following the parade, the community hosted a BBQ lunch in the community center for all the participants and spectators which was a delicious plated of BBQ pork, beans, potato salad, cole slaw, chips, camp stew and homemade desserts from pecan pie to cakes and fudge. Always a wonderful Christmas event to ring in the holidays.
Saturday, December 16th members of the Dragoons SCV camp 1524 withstood the cool damp weather to ring the bell and wish shoppers a "merry Christmas" while manning the red kettle at Winn Dixie in Prattville to help with the Salvation Army's annual Christmas Red Kettle donations campaign. 1st Lt Karl Wade took the lead in coordinating with the Salvation Army and enlisting volunteers for the camp's effort, manning the kettle from 9am til 8pm. Participants included camp Treasurer Billy Leverette, Adjutant Wayne Sutherland, Color Sgt John Dennis, Commander Stuart Waldo, Quartermaster Bill Myrick and compatriots Bill Branch, Tyrone Crowley, Thomas Griffith, Todd Rogers, Rob Schwartz, Mike Thomas, and Louis Turner. This is an outstanding and worthwhile community service project which helps a large number of people in our area who really need it.
Members of the Prattville Dragoons Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1524 attended the Children of the Confederacy Christmas program at Confederate Memorial Park on Saturday December 2. Dragoons' Commander Waldo as well as compatriots Bill Hamner and Tyrone Crowley with his wife attended as well as Alabama Division Lt Commander John Land. The event is sponsored by the United Daughters of the Confederacy who provided Christmas presents for the children as well as delicious food and beverages for a lunch prior to the event start. The program was led entirely by the children of the CofC including pledges and salutes to the US, Christian, Alabama and Confederate Battle flags. Songs including the Star Spangled Banner, Faith of Our Father, Alabama and Dixie were sung in between those pledges. The flags were posted by fathers of the children. The childrens' chaplain also led prayers and responsive readings and the CofC creed. Introductions were made of the ladies of the UDC. UDC VP Bearden provided a message of the importance of diaries from the period of the War Between the States which provided first person accounts of the struggles and sacrifices made by the soldiers in battle as well as their families at home. The children participated in the decoration of a Christmas tree there in the CMP chapel. Commander Waldo and Mr. Hamner helped hand out the goodie bags, journals and ornaments as Christmas gifts. A number of them performed songs on instruments including keyboard and stringed harp and Commander Waldo's children played the French horn and snare drum for the Twelve Days of Christmas. Afterward, a Christmas wreath was placed in one of the veterans' cemeteries there at the park. It was an enjoyable and meaningful Christmas event for the children and the adults there.
But then I remember why we gather through the month of December with
friends and family. We remember that
there is no gift under the tree that is greater than the gift of the Son of
Man, Jesus Christ. He was modestly born in a filthy stable. He would eventually
go to that Cross, die, and rise again! For me! For you! For everyone! This tiny
child would bring light to darkness, smash fear and anger with love. There is
no greater love, no greater gift, than a God who loved us so much that He sent
his son to be tortured and killed so that we can enter his presence in heaven.
I could go on, but there is nothing I can write that can attest to this great
gift adequately.
It is a gift, no, the gift that you can give yourself. If you have not
already done so, open your heart to the baby in the manger. Be still, get away
from the chaos of the world. Head to the manger and give yourself the gift of
salvation.
Merry Christmas!
Luke 2:1-20:
1 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar
Augustus that all the world should be registered.
2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria.
3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into
Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the
house and lineage of David,
5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.
6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her
to be delivered.
7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling
cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the
inn.
8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields,
keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of
the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I
bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.
11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who
is Christ the Lord.
12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in
swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly
host praising God and saying:
14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill
toward men!"
15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that
the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see
this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us."
16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe
lying in a manger.
17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which
was told them concerning this Child.
18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told
them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.
20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the
things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.
Saw a Tweet on X the other day inviting people to comment on
what one thing posters would proclaim as the truth in the face of
insurmountable opposition saying, “Yes, you all are wrong.” As we start into the Christmas season where
we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, it struck me that
more than one cited their evangelistic testimony of faith and belief that God
came to Earth incarnate thru the miraculous birth of Jesus to fulfill prophecy
and deliver mankind from our inherent sin to eternal life. But truly, in today’s culture it is
increasingly in vogue to attack as deplorables those clinging to their
fundamentalist Bibles while pushing doctrinal revisionism including homosexual
marriage and clergy and espousing the virtues of a diverse culture including
world religions like Buddhism, Hinduism, Islamism, and paganism. Agnosticism and atheism are trumpeted as the
most enlightened perspectives.
As Sons of Confederate Veterans, we have certainly seen the
opposition to our politically incorrect Charge to honor our Confederate
forebears for their courage and fortitude in their struggle for
independence. We tend to associate and
fraternize with compatriots who share our viewpoint that our ancestors did
their duty in defense of their homes and families against a marauding invading
army hellbent on forcing capitulation to a federal government intent on
subjugating their states and people and destroying their way of life for the
profit of their central imperialistic aims.
At all turns on X, there are those who maintain that the War Between the
States was caused by the secession of the Southern states who sought only to
perpetuate slavery, as their elementary school history books have indoctrinated
them into thinking, believing their government was wholly right in a crusade to
free the indentured Africans and crush a rebellion. And the government has been wholly correct
in its prosecution of every war before and since. Truly, a government which does not seek and
employ such patriotic brainwashing risks a breakdown of citizen’s allegiance, civil
disobedience and insurrection.
But we as SCV members and many as veterans of our country’s
armed forces are uniquely qualified to stand in the face of this opposition and
proclaim what is embodied by the SCV Charge.
We know true Southern history including the “motivating factor in the
South’s decision to fight the Second American Revolution…their belief in the
rights, liberty and freedom guaranteed by the Constitution.” (scv.org) Attended
a Children of the Confederacy Christmas event at Confederate Memorial Park and
noted the similar message conveyed in their Creed which states, “Because we
desire to perpetuate, in love and honor, the heroic deeds of those who enlisted
in the Confederate Army, and upheld its flag through four years of war, we …have
united in an organization (and brotherhood) in which our strength, enthusiasm,
and love of justice can exert its influence.
We, therefore, pledge ourselves to preserve pure ideals; to honor our
veterans; to study and teach the truths of history (one of the most important
of which is, that the war between the States was not a rebellion, nor was its
underlying cause to sustain slavery), and to always act in a manner that will
reflect honor upon our noble and patriotic ancestors." Here at Christmas and always, let us boldly
proclaim Christ as the reason for the season and also boldly advance the SCV
Charge to defend the Confederate soldier's good name, guard his history, emulate
his virtues, and perpetuate those principles he loved and which made him glorious. Deo Vindice.
Dragoons Christmas Social – Friday Dec 8th starting at 6pm at Buena Vista mansion in Prattville
Santa’s Post Office at Confederate Memorial Park
– Saturday Dec 9th
1pm at CMP, Marbury AL
Salvation Army Red Kettle Bell Ringing – Saturday Dec 16th from 9am-8pm
at Winn Dixie, Prattville
Vida Christmas Parade – Saturday
Dec 16th, lineup at noon and start at 2pm, Vida Community Center
AL Division Skeet and Trap Tournament – Dragoons’ team, Saturday Jan 13, 8:30am,
Barrett Field, Cullman AL
Millbrook Mardi Gras Festival and Parade – Saturday Jan 27th, 8am
festival and noon parade, Main St, Millbrook AL
AL Division Education Conference – Saturday Mar 16th,
9:30-3:30pm, Southern Cultural Center, Wetumpka AL
