Chenault Family National Association
MINUTES OF THE 74th ANNUAL REUNION
21-23 July 2023 Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina
Registration for the 74th Annual Chenault Family National
Association Reunion commenced at 1:00 p.m. Friday, July 21, 2023, at The
Doubletree By Hilton at the Raleigh-Durham Airport in North Carolina. The
hospitality area opened providing informal visiting, as well as providing
attendees an opportunity to examine various displays of family and reunion
history, bid on silent auction items donated by attendees, and purchase
souvenirs from the association. Attendees were also provided registration
packets with name tags, meal tickets, programs, other printed material, and a
few treats.
Friday Evening, July 21, 2023 —
The get-acquainted
session began at 7:00 p.m. with a call to order by President Jerry A. Chenault.
He welcomed attendees and asked Sue Chenault to make a few announcements about
the weekend’s activities and logistics for the planned events. He then requested
Richard Stockton handle the invocation.
President Chenault then announced
that the reunion this year was being dedicated to a member who had been
incredibly supportive of our annual reunions over several years both with her
attendance and generosity. He asked Luisa deVarona Chenault to come forward. He
then presented her with a proclamation declaring the dedication to her. He also
provided her with a memory album with pictures of her with her family at several
reunions and written memories and best wishes from her “cousins.” We celebrated
“Aunt Luisa.”
President Chenault then invited each family group to the
front of the room to introduce themselves and be photographed as has become our
tradition in this session.
To encourage everyone to visit and get
acquainted with one another, Program Committee Chairperson Libby Chenault
introduced a game night. She provided several different board games and
encouraged attendees to choose one and get involved with each other to enjoy a
bit of fun. Refreshments were provided.
President Chenault made a few
additional closing announcements and reminded attendees to be on time for the
Saturday morning session to qualify for the drawing for door prizes. He then
adjourned the session.
Saturday Morning Session, July 22, 2023 —
President Jerry Chenault called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone. He
asked Sue Chenault to handle the drawing for door prizes. President Chenault
then announced that the program originally scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m., A
Tour of Spitalfields England, would be delayed until 11:00 a.m. due to technical
difficulties. Thus, the annual business meeting would begin and be followed by
the program.
Saturday Morning Annual Business Meeting, July 22, 2023 —
President Chenault called the annual business meeting to order and asked
Secretary Sue Chenault to give the invocation. He then asked her to present the
minutes of the 2022 business meeting. Since the minutes had been posted on the
website and copies were offered for review at registration, they were not read.
Sue asked for any changes or additions, and when none were requested, a motion
to approve the minutes was made and passed.
Treasurer Gus Mellick
presented the financial report. Gus reminded attendees that the reporting period
now covers a fiscal year from April1-March 30 of each reporting year to
stabilize the income/outgo of finances and that the report he was now submitting
was the first covering that revised reporting period. A brief discussion ensued
regarding the newly established grants program and how donations to that fund
were being handled. At the conclusion of that discussion, a motion to accept the
report as presented was made and passed. Gus pointed out, as he had at the last
meeting, that with the approval of the association as a 501 (c)(3) orgainzation,
our grants program has taken shape and monies have already been set aside as
received for that program. Our purpose directed toward education of our heritage
as well as the strength of our bylaws helped in this effort. He thanked Larkin
Chenault for his contribution to the revisions to our bylaws.
President
Chenault then requested reports from the various committee chairpersons. Libby
Chenault, Programs Chairperson, stated she hoped everyone enjoys the programs
selected for presentation at this reunion with the focus on our Huguenot
heritage. She encouraged members to offer suggestions for future programs.
Larkin Chenault, Bylaws Committee chairperson, had nothing to report as no
revisions are needed at this time. Sue Chenault reported on the
Newsletter/Website Committee and the Genealogy Committee, both being committees
of one at this time. She indicated that the revised newsletter format proposed
at the last meeting seemed to work very well. It was sent to all members in the
directory either by email or Usmail. While none of those emailed rejected, about
60 of those sent via Usmail were returned, with some due to recipient being
deceased and other due to address issues. Each returned letter was researched
with attempts to contact the individual via telephone or email if their
directory entry included that information. To date onliy a few of those
individuals have responded. Thus, the non-responders are being removed from the
directory since no contact information exists for them. Sue indicated that
several requests from family researchers for information from the master file of
descendants have been processed, and many resulted in requests to purchase the
Redbook. President Chenault thanked the committee chairpersons for their
reports.
As no unfinished business was offered, President Chenault called
for a discussion regarding sites for the 2024 reunion. He indicated that since
it will be the 75th reunion, two suggestions have been made. One was that we
return to the site of the first reunion which was held at Fair Park in Dallas,
TX. The other was Williamsburg, VA, the site of the 2001 reunion, and near where
our ancestor landed in America. Both have merit. Another part of the discussion
needs to address the subject considered in previous meetins about having the
reunions every two years instead of annually. And, a third aspect of the
discussion needs to be directed toward the date of the reunions, i.e., is the
2nd or 3rd weekend in July the best time. The conclusion of the ensuing
discussion was that a questionnaire should be developed and emailed to as many
members as possible to solicit input covering the mentioned subjects. Then, set
up a Zoom meeting to discuss the results and make a decision. This was agreed
upon by all present.
President Chenault then indicated that in the
absence of a slate of officers for 2023-2024 due to various reasons discusses,
the suggestion has been received to continue with the current officers until
such time as new incumbents have been identified. This means that they are:
Jerry Chenault, President; Steve Chenault, 1st VP; Gus Mellick, Treasurer; and
Sue Chenault, Secretary/Historian. A motion to accept the recommendation was
made, seconded and passed. A motion was also made and passed to keep the same
individuals in place as the Nominating Committee for 2024-2025.
No other
new business was offered, so President Chenault thanked everyone and adjourned
the business meeting.
Saturday Morning Session Continuation, July 22,
2023 —
Following a brief break, the program, Tour of Spitalfields England,
was introduced. The Zoom presentation by Tim Kidd, tour guide, was initiated.
Huguenot settlers moved to the area outside of London in the 1600's and
established the area that became known as Spitalfields. Mr. Kidd’s tour of the
historic area that still exists and its history was a huge hit with reunion
attendees, with one remarking that he intends to visit the site on his next trip
to England.
At the conclusion of the tour and following questions
addressed by Mr. Kidd, President Chenault adjourned the morning session.
Annual Banquet and Installation of Officers, Saturday Dinner, Jul 22, 2023 —
After everyone was seated for dinner, President Jerry Chenault called the
session to order and requested Charlie Mellick, our chaplain, to offer a
blessing for the gathering.
The after-dinner speaker, Ann Mueller, was
introduced by Libby Chenault. Mrs. Mueller received an MBA from Kenan-Flagler
business school and went on to a distinguished career as a Supply Chain
Executive with the US Postal Service, retiring in 2018. This has given her more
time to pursue her passions for North Carolina history and genealogy. She is the
past president of the NC Huguenot Society and also holds membership in the DAR,
Colonial Dames of the Seventeenth Century, Daughters of 1812 and Order of First
Families of North Carolina. The subject of the presentation by Ms. Mueller was
“Finding Hidden Huguenots in Your Family Tree.” It was an interesting
presentation that touched upon Huguenot migration and some of the notable
historic figures in American history who came from Huguenot ancestors, as well
as how to look for those in our own ancestry beyond our Chenault connections.
The results of the Silent Auction were announced by Kari Mellick, and the
“bread basket” was passed according to our tradition.
Memorial thoughts
and a slide presentation honoring those cousins appearing on the 2023 Memorial
Honor Roll and Remembrance was presented by Charlie Mellick.
Following
the memorial, President Chenault said that in view of the existing officers
remaining in their position for the present time, no installation of officers or
passing of the gavel, so to speak, will be necessary. Thus, he asked Gus Mellick
to give the results of the “bread basket” contribution, Following closing
remarks by President Jerry Chenault, the reunion was adjourned.
Respectfully,
Carolyn Sue Chenault, secretary/historian