Women’s Forum welcomes founding father

The members and guests of the Breckenridge Woman’s Forum were in for a special treat to hear the words of Benjamin Franklin as portrayed by Deborah Moran of Andrews. She has also done a monologue performance of Dolly Madison, Molly Pitcher, Clara Barton and Peggy Shippen Arnold.

In her monologue presentation of Benjamin Franklin, Moran used words actually stated by the person she was portraying. She also draws from a well-researched historical account of the characters she portrays and dresses in character.

Benjamin Franklin (Deborah Moran) really looked like the character from our history books. She took Franklin from the days of his childhood and walked us through his life as a young man in a print shop in Philadelphia, learning the trade as a typesetter and then as a writer. Moran also took us to England as Franklin attempted to argue with the British leaders about the Stamp Act and how he persuaded them to cease taxing all our legal documents. She also incorporated his numerous inventions or discoveries such as the Gulf Stream in the Atlantic Ocean that governs currents, which he discovered on his way home to America from England. The fact that it took longer to get home than it took to get to England meant the Gulf Stream aided navigation to and from England. He explained how he made the rocking chair and writing his Poor Richard’s Almanac. He disclaimed discovering electricity with his kite, but the bifocal glasses he did invent.

Moran portrayed Franklin’s climb into the political arena and the framing of the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation and the construction of the Constitution for our Republic. Franklin said, “We give you a Republic, if you can keep it.”

The lunch was catered by Canyon Road and hostesses included chairman, Sonya Morehart and cochair Jaclyn Morehart with the committee that included Lauren Decker, Jenny Holt, Shannon Roberts and Sumer Russel.

The Door Prize was provided by Diana Fambro and won by Robbie Harris. Jean Edwards was the high scorer for Bridge and Mona Craig had the low score for Liverpool Rummy.

The Woman’s Forum members participated in the Chamber’s Spring Fling Friday, March 26 and sold their Texas ornaments as graduation presents or for a Christmas ornament.

The April program for the members of the Woman’s Forum will be provided by Lorna Ayers of Albany, who will present a Fort Griffin Fandangle Sampler. The Albany Fandangle is presented annually the last two weeks of June in the outdoor theatre, with more than 300 residents of Albany involved in the event. Additionally, the Fandangle Parade is noteworthy to include the rare, historic Calliope, which is still in use.