DAR members at Lake Havasu Library for a Constitution Week Celebration with community council members. From left to right: Sharon Eaton, Janet Schutte, Gina Olson, Susie McCollaugh, Michelle Guthmiller, Milly Morris in front of Michelle, Vice Mayor Cameron Moses, Council Member Nancy Campbell, Susan Bremmer, Jonnie Sheehan, Debbie Stetner, Council Member David Lane. Photo by Phaedra Veronique
LAKE HAVASU CITY – Last week the Lake Havasu community celebrated our third annual Constitution Week. Celebrations kicked off on Monday, September 16 all the way to Saturday, September 21 with various keynote speakers, patriotic films, and historic clubs enthusiastically sharing their history and love of the United States.
Initially approved by the American Confederation on September 17, 1787, it wasn’t until 1956 that President Dwight D. Eisenhower enacted the day from a congressional solution requested by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). DAR is a nonprofit organization that is a strong advocate in promoting patriotism and education throughout communities. Members of the group consist of women who are direct descendants of individuals associated with America’s difficulty to gain independence. In 2012, President and Founder of Grand Lake U.S. Constitution Week in Colorado, Tom Goodfellow along with his wife Mary, began to question why the historic week was not being celebrated in the same way Americans honor Independence Day.
They began creating seven days of patriotic celebrations in their own community and enthusiasm for giving the constitution some much deserved recognition, continued to thrive. In 2022, the week-long observance of the American Constitution came here to Lake Havasu.
The first day, Havasu welcomed husband and wife professors Dr. John and Dr. Elizabeth Eastman of Claremont Institute. The couple each made speeches at Restoration Hope Church. Dr. John Eastman is most famously remembered for initiating the overturn of the 2020 U.S. presidential election to keep current presidential candidate Donald Trump in office. He shared what occurred after his efforts which was a criminal indictment and losing eligibility to practice law in California state courts.
His wife, a professor of philosophy, history, and American politics discussed ‘The Rule of Law Peril,’ in the justice system. The following day, members of Havasu’s DAR, invited the community to the library for a moving ceremony that shared the history of DAR, and sang patriotic songs. The gathering had a few prominent leaders in attendance like Vice Mayor Cameron Moses along with Council Members Nancy Campbell, and David Lane, all showed up to participate and show support.
Later that evening and Wednesday night, it was all about patriotic movies that featured films created by famous actor turned movie Producer Kirk Cameron. Cameron’s films ‘National Monument to the Forefathers’ and Revive U.S.,’ were both shown at Restoration Hope Church. Other passionate speakers that made an appearance at the church for the later days of the celebration week, was author Steven Maikowski who spoke about understanding our constitutional republic and Mr. Constitution himself, Douglas Gibbs who shared ‘Birth of American Liberty’ discussion with attendees.
Lake Havasu’s Constitution Week was concluded with the return of Gibbs at the Constitution Week rally celebrating liberty and freedom at Golden Valley’s Great American Pizza with live music and socializing. Much like Independence Day, the importance of celebrating Constitution Week is a time to learn about the relevance of the document, America’s responsibility to protect it, and gain appreciation for our freedoms.
Phaedra Veronique
