Correspondent photo / Karla Dines Member Karen Andrus serves the tea at the Mary Chesney Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution Saturday afternoon at Christ Episcopal Church. More than 100 members and guests attended the chapter’s only annual fundraiser, the George Washington Tea.

WARREN — More than 100 men and women ventured out in Saturday afternoon’s extreme cold to attend the Mary Chesney Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution George Washington Tea at Christ Episcopal Church.

The annual event is the chapter’s only fundraiser every year. Chapter Regent Martha Yoder said word of the event, which is attended by both members and guests, is spread by word of mouth. Many members are also members of other organizations and word of the fundraiser is spread at those organizations as well.

The afternoon began with lunch of small sandwiches, fruit, a vegetable tray, cookies, tea, punch and coffee followed by a prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, reading of the American’s Creed, and singing the national anthem.

The induction of two new members, Sheryl Baker and Brenda Claypool, took place during the event, with the swearing-in ceremony performed by Marilyn Kegarise.

“We are not just a lineage-based organization. We are also a service organization. We have three objectives — historical preservation, education and patriotism,” Yoder said.

Guest Lisa Mamula of Warren has attended many other DAR events, including the fundraising teas, as a guest of her mother, Karen Mamula, who is a member. This year, Lisa Mamula brought her son, Patrick Kenney. It was his first time at a DAR event.

Regarding other DAR events Lisa Mamula has attended, she said “I enjoy watching the performances. It gives you a historical context. It brings history alive. Plus, there is also the socialization aspect.”

Kenney is a student at John F. Kennedy, where he is involved in many activities, and is a Boy Scout.

“Patrick just turned 13, so we are venturing out into some adult activities now,” Mamula said.

“I have been to retirement ceremonies of flags, including some burials and some burnings of retired flags. I have been trying to be part of everything I can be,” Patrick said.

The event included a “Missing Man Table” wherein every item on the table represented the feelings and emotions of those who were Missing in Action or were Prisoners of War and never returned home.

Guest speaker National McKinley Birthplace Museum Director Belinda Weiss spoke about George Washington’s camaraderie with, his religious tolerance of, and in particular his acceptance of Irish immigrants at a time when there was no religious tolerance of Irish Catholics. Her talk focused on George Washington’s Irish housekeeper, Elizabeth Thompson, a key figure who served as Washington’s housekeeper from 1776 to 1781.

“Spain and France were American allies during the Revolutionary War. Irish people were escaping England to avoid religious persecution. However, there were 300,000 Irish people living in the colonies at that time. Many did not have the money to leave England, so they came as indentured servants. They were required to work five to seven years for whomever paid for them to come to America before they were free,” Weiss said. “The Irish were the first people to use the words ‘United States of America’.”

Elizabeth Thomspson began her position as a housekeeper for George Washington at age 72. She oversaw 25 servants, acquired all the food — at a time when resources were scarce — and prepared all the meals. By the end of the war, Thompson had helped move Washington 90 times in an effort to avoid the British.

The afternoon concluded with the distribution of baskets from the basket raffle. There were 33 baskets this year, which organizers said was a record for the event.