Daughters of the Utah Pioneers

r By Judy ElsnerrOn December 2, the Springville/Mapleton Daughters of the Utah Pioneers held their annual Christmas Party. The Springville Senior Citizen’s Center was decorated beautifully for the season and set the stage for a festive occasion.

Music is such a large part of our pioneer heritage and always adds to the celebration. D’anne Blackburn played Christmas music on the piano and Nancy Athay led the group in singing.

Patricia Maxey, the Springville/Mapleton DUP President, introduced the Days of ’47 Royalty. The Queen and her court were selected in April during a pageant sponsored by the International DUP. The Queen is Maren Cline of North Salt Lake. Her first attendant is Tess Hanson and her second attendant is Brittny Millington both of South Jordan. Judy Binns accompanied the young women as their Royalty Advisor. These young women were selected because they exemplify the high standards of pioneer spirit, past and present, as they represent the state of Utah, the DUP and the Days of ’47 through the 2017-2018 year. The Queen and her attendants are descendants of pioneers who arrived in the Valley between 1847 and 1869. They mingled with those present and shared their stories and musical talent.

The luncheon was from Grandma’s Kitchen (Joyce Whiting) and served by volunteers from the Merit Academy. A special thank you was given to all those attending and supporting this event.

This time of year brings many memories of Christmases past and of family traditions. In the Outreach program of the DUP an idea to promote our heritage is given every month. For January, it is suggested to pick a night where you invite family members to gather for storytelling. Have an audio or video recording equipment available. Invite all participants to share a story about a specific topic. By recording the evening with audio or video equipment, those stories can become permanent records. Make sure to make the recording available to everyone. Make a New Year’s Resolution to set a family goal to do something each month together to get better acquainted with your ancestors.

For information about joining the DUP, you may call Patricia Maxey at 801-489-0990 or go to WWW.dupinternational.org. For information about the Pioneer Museum in Springville which is closed for the winter months, call Susan Bartholomew at 801-489-7811 for assistance. Look for more information regarding another Springville Pioneer Film Festival in the spring. Honor your Pioneers.