Daughters at Large 

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Daughter At Large Chair (2012-2015)

 

 

Dear Daughters,

Welcome to the Daughters at Large (DAL) page of The Order of the Daughters of the King® National Website! I am glad you are here! Being a Daughter-at Large is a unique situation. While we took vows within our community of faith with other DOK, now we find ourselves without a chapter to support us. I pray that this page will be one way you feel part of the body. I also pray that the information and ideas on this page will keep you connected, actively living into your vows of prayer, service and evangelism. Following are some ways to do that.

Feel free to contact me with any questions via email or phone.

FHS,

Chesley Vohden
National Daughter at Large Chair

 

For Jr Daughters at Large

  Letter to Junior Daughters at Large

 

Provincial Daughters At Large Chairs

 

Province 1	Donna Abramov
Province 2	Bonnie Kieffer
Province 3	Laura Richards
Province 4	Anida Mims
Province 5	Janet Irvine
Province 6	Lyn Zolman
Province 7	Anita Luff
Province 8	Christine Budzowski

Daughter at Large Spotlight

My name is Julie Pettee (I am registered as Julie Daire, but my name changed this past May). I have been a life-time member for about 12 years. For the past decade, since 2001, I've been a Daughter at Large. It can be a very difficult thing being a Daughter at Large, especially since I have been called by God to spend so much of that time and beyond serving the poor. It seems at times I am cut off from all spiritual help and companionship, but I know that this is not true.

I received the Summer 2012 The Royal Cross just a few weeks ago. I read through it and again the burden of being alone that sometimes fills my heart reared up. I decided then that I would write to some of you about a thought I had. In the meantime, one of our student artisans noticed the wood burned DOK plaques I created for my home so that I am reminded daily of my vows, and she asked if we could make and sell them. I explained to her that the DOK cross is copy written as is the Order's Emblem and that we could only do so with permission.

So, if you can give me just a moment of your time, I would like to share my two thoughts with you.

The first is to ask or suggest of Chesley Vohden if it would be possible in some of the future The Royal Cross editions, to share some of what other Daughter at Large are doing. Each issue has lots of photos of the many chapters around the world and although this is very nice, for some like me, it's a reminder that makes it easy to think about being alone rather than being a part of a larger group of praying, serving women. I would really like to know what others like myself are doing spiritually and how they are serving. I'd also like to know how those who find themselves without the comforts of a church home can bear it.

The second thing I would like to ask you about is in regards to the attached photos that I've sent along. As I stated previously, some time ago when life had become very difficult, I needed additional reminders of my vows. As owner of a wood shop and also as a pyrographer (wood burner), I created two different designs for my own walls. One is the DOK emblem and logo and the other is of the DOK cross and logo. I needed a stronger reminder, something I could see and even touch, beyond wearing my cross everyday. In addition to the quiet reminder of the cross I wear around my neck, I needed something to shout at me; to demand my attention and focus. I pray and serve For His Sake.

My business, FiddleStix Wood Works, was started after serving and working with the poor for more than 25 years. As a case manager and certified Family Development Specialist, I developed a program that's really more of an idea. It's called Invest In Yourself. After years of working with so many people, I began to recognize some of the character traits that individuals have that if given the chance, they can choose to journey away from poverty. Studying Liberation Theologian, Leonardo Boff, I adapted a line from his book, When Theology Listens to the Poor as our mission statement. It reads, "To Educate, Equip, and Empower the Poor to become the Generators of their own Liberation."

We have begun to do this through our efforts at the wood shop and also the community garden/farmer's market we started here locally. We also started a GED and ESL class that meets weekly. We train artisans to work in the wood shop or studio in production of our memorial and commemorative crosses and plaques. That is not all though. We work with our local REAP representative to teach them about business skills, so that they can compete better for the few jobs available in rural Nebraska. We are members of GROW Nebraska as well, who help us with developing marketing skills. At the same time, we've implemented life skills development, such as budgeting and nutrition. At the Farmer's Markets they learn good customer service skills. Whenever we sell one of our products, a portion of the proceeds funds these programs and helps us to help others stay in their homes, keeping their utilities paid, so we can prevent homelessness. Our focus this next year is also to try to find a means to provide personal care items that are so badly needed and that food stamps will not provide for. We hope to work with the local communities and the mobile food pantries to get the items disbursed.

To empower the poor means to include them in decision making and listening to Mariann, I'd like to find out if we might obtain the license to produce our plaques for Daughters like myself who might want to have an additional reminder to hang in their home or to stake in their reflection garden.

Finally, I'm also writing to ask for your prayers. We are a very small initiative. Some of our participants know about God and the gift of Jesus Christ, but they also have great confusion. Some even turn to other means like tarot cards and mediums. Our work here is sharing the good blessings of God every day in the work place, the garden, in service to our community and in individual lives. It can be quite difficult though, for our culture often does not want to see mission outreaches like ours succeed. Barriers can be built and gossip can destroy. We would like to ask for your prayers for we know that we can succeed with God's help.

Thank you for listening.

FHS,

Julie Pettee

             Mariann, Jim and Julie Pettee

Advice on becoming a Daughter At Large

1. Notify the National Office via the Transition Form, phone or email to Lynn Kimbrell, Membership Coordinator, of your new status. Keep National Office informed about any changes of address, etc. Be certain that you are current in the payment of dues.

2. Notify the National DOK Chair and your Province contact person as listed above. She can put you in touch with your diocesan contact person if there is one in your diocese to be sure you are on their mailing list. She can tell you if there may be other DALs in your area.

3. Follow the Chapter link on this website to find out the chapter nearest you. Contact the church or chapter president, if listed, to introduce yourself.

4. You may stay in contact with other DALs through the Yahoo Groups email prayer list.

5. Wear your cross daily! It is a wonderful evangelism tool.

6. Continue faithfully in prayer...for your church, other Daughters, and all others in need. Perhaps you may want to start a chapter in your new church!

7. Look for ways to serve as you are able. Remember... BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED!

For further questions, special prayer requests, a listening ear or suggestions please do not hesitate to contact me! We plan to expand The Order of the Daughters of the King ® website so that all of our Daughters at Large may have access to resources and materials for spiritual formation that you may miss by not being part of a Chapter.

We welcome your ideas!

FHS,

Chesley Vohden

 

 

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