LOUISE
LEIGH FOUNDED CONSTITUTION DAY, 1997
By Peggy
Mew
"HAPPY
CONSTITUTION DAY AMERICA"
CONSTITUTION DAY WILL BE CELEBRATED
ON SEPT. 17, 2007 IN MEMORY OF LOUISE LEIGH OUR FOUNDER.
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For
the last ten years Louise Leigh made the world aware that
September 17th was Constitution Day. She said her
life was changed when she gained an appreciation for the
U.S. Consitution and her ensuing crusade to educate others
about this historic document.
As outreach director for the California Bicentennial Commission in 1987 she
realized how little most Americans knew about the Constitution. She said "It
is the most unique government document in the history of mankind. It
guarantees our freedom. It is unique in that the government doesn't tell
us what to do, we tell the government what to do."
She once said, "I looked for Constitution Day on calendars, but it was
not there."
So in 1997, she founded Constitution Day Inc. to organize Constitution Day
celebrations throughout the country with school children, the military overseas
and Governors or their representatives from every state reciting the preamble
simultaneously on September 17th last year, Louise was instrumental in getting
Public Law 108-447 signed into law by President George Bush designating September
17th as Constitution Day.
Louise organized prominent people to recite the Preamble to the Constitution
with everyone joining in. In the past she had Congressman David Drier, President
George Bush (41) US. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, Alabama Supreme
Court Chief Justice Roy Moore, Governor Edward Rendell of Pennsylvania, General
Tommy Franks and this past year General Colin Powell.
She has received numerous recognitions for her dedication including the George
Washington Gold Medal Award from the Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge, and
the International Award from the National Center for Constitutional Studies. This
year she received the Daughters of the American Revolution's highest honor,
the Medal of Honor recognizing her achievements for Constitution Day.
So many of you got to know Louise because of Constitution Day but before that
she was already known as a great lady who loved this country. When she
volunteered to do something you knew it was going to get done and in a way
that no one else would. She poured her heart, soul and love into everything
she did.
In 1969 Louise was appointed CRA Historian, she proceeded to contact all past
CRA presidents and asked for memorabilia from their years in office. When
the material was received, it was all put in chronological order and suddenly
it evolved into a valuable history of California politics. In 1973, the
file was accepted at UCLA in their "Special Collections Library." Louise's
constant dedication to preserve the memory of CRA has produced a file
of invaluable CRA memorabilia. The CRA archives have been updated constantly
with materials by the Historian Louise Leigh and other members of CRA.
In the early 90's Louise was responsible for chartering 13 CRA units in the
San Gabriel Valley and formed the San Gabriel Coalition of Republican Clubs
and headed the Association of Republican Clubs in Los Angeles County. She
was active in running Republican Headquarters, working for candidates and organizing
fund raisers.
Linda Boyd, Chairman of the LA County Republican Party wrote, "Louise
was one of the most loving people I have known. She was so tiny and yet
had the biggest heart in the world."
Bob and Mimi McConnell: "She was a tireless golden nugget for the Republican
Party."
Louise has received numerous recognitions for her Republican actives.
*Outreach Director both Silver and Gold Key and Volunteer of the Year Award
from the CA Republican Party;
*Volunteer of the Year from the L.A. County Republican Committee
*Two time recipient of the Nellie Mae Howard Award.
We celebrate the wonderful life of a true friend and patriot and I'll miss
her "Hi Doll" but I know she is in heaven organizing and introducing
Ronald Reagan and George Washington and seeing all her old friends who went
before her.
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Constitution Day, Inc.
Founded by
Louise
Leigh, 1997
General
Colin Powell
National Figures who have led the Nation in the
Preamble.
Governor
Edward Rendell 2003
Chief
Justice Roy Moore
Alabama Supreme Court 2002
U S Supreme Court Associate Justice
Anthony Kennedy 2001
President
George HW Bush 2000
Congressman David Dreier 1997-1999 |
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America
is Invited
CONSTITUTION
DAY, INC.
10th ANNIVERSARY SEPT. 17 1997 TO SEPT. 17. 2007
GENERAL
COLIN POWELL WILL
LEAD THE NATIONWIDE ANNUAL TRADITIONAL
RECITATION OF THE PREAMBLE TO THE U.S.
CONSTITUTION ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17,
2007 (11AM PST/ 2PM EST). .
THIS
YEARS’ RECITATION WILL BE DEDICATED
TO AND HONOR OUR MILITARY ALL AROUND THE
WORLD. PLEASE JOIN US IN THIS SALUTE.
NATIONAL
FIGURES WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY LED THE PREAMBLE
ARE PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH SR., U.S. SUPREME
COURT ASSOCIATE JUSTICE ANTHONY KENNEDY,
GENERAL TOMMY FRANKS, ALABAMA SUPREME COURT
CHIEF JUSTICE ROY MOORE AND GOVERNOR EDWARD
RENDELL OF PENNSYLVANIA.
IMMEDIATELY
FOLLOWING THE RECITATION OF THE PREAMBLE
THERE WILL BE A “ROLL CALL OF THE
50 STATES”, THE FIRST 13 IN THE ORDER
THEY RATIFIED THE CONSTITUTION AND THE
REMAINING 37 IN THE ORDER THEY WERE ADMITTED
TO THE UNION. THE GOVERNOR, THE STATE FLAG,
DATE OF RATIFICATION/ADMISSION TO THE UNION
AND THE STATE NICKNAME WILL BE SHOWN ON
THE DVD.
THE
CELEBRATION ENDS WITH “BELLS ACROSS
AMERICA” LED FROM THE FREEDOM FOUNDATION
AT VALLEY FORGE , PENNSYLVANIA TO HONOR
THE FIRST AMENDMENT FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND
RELIGION. WEAR YOUR RED WHITE AND BLUE
AND TAKE A BELL TO RING AT YOUR CELEBRATION.
SHOULD
YOU HAVE PROBLEMS DOWNLOADING THE FILM
PLEASE EMAIL US AT constitutionday@cs.com.
THE DVD CAN BE PROJECTED ON A LARGE SCREEN
WITH THE PROPER PROJECTOR ( The DVD is
6 min 40 Sec long)
HAPPY
CONSTITUTION DAY AMERICA
May
God Bless America
If you have
any questions or concerns please email
us at ConstitutionDay@cs.com or Fax.:
626-443-8944
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Honorary Chairmen
George
H.W. Bush Presidential Library,
College Station, Texas
Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library,
Abilene, Kansas
Freedoms Foundation,
Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
Herbert Hoover Presidential Library,
West Branch, Iowa
Independence Hall,
Buena Park, CA
National Constitution Center,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Ronald W. Reagan Presidential
Library and Museum, Simi
Valley, California
Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential
Library, Hyde Park, New
York
Harry S Truman Presidential Library and Museum,
Independence, Missouri
Young American
Foundation, Santa Barbara,
California
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Honorary State Chairmen
| Governor
Robert R. Riley, Alabama
Governor
Janet Napolitano, Arizona
Governor
Ruth Ann Minner, Delaware
Governor
Jeb Bush, Florida
Governor
Sonny Perdue, Georgia
Governor
Linda Lingle, Hawaii
Governor
Rod
R. Blagojevich, Illinois
Governor
Ernest L. Fletcher, Kentucky
Governor
Kathleen B. Blanco, Louisiana
Governor
Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., Maryland
Governor
Jennifer M. Granholm, Michigan
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Governor
Matthew Blunt, Missouri
Governor
Jon Corzine. New Jersey
Governor John Hoeven, North Dakota
Governor
Brad Henry, Oklahoma
Governor
Edward G. Rendell, Pennsylvania
Governor
Mark C. Sanford, South Carolina
Governor
M. Michael Rounds, South Dakota
Governor
Christine Gregoire, Washington
Governor
Joe Manchin, West Virginia
Governor
Jim E. Doyle, Wisconsin
Governor
David D. Freudenthal, Wyoming
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