For her last year with Elias Cady Society before college, Madison Waller made sure it was a busy one.
As president, she led the Children of the American Revolution chapter in service projects for Oakland County Food Bank and Soldier’s Angels, honored American Revolution soldiers, World War II Memorial in Pontiac, and Great Lakes National Cemetery, marched in Veterans Day ceremonies in Birmingham and Clarkston’s Memorial Day Parade, created a library display in Waterford, and hosted Dona Chippewa on Native American Day this past November, bowling parties, and an ice cream social, with a historical play about Patrick Henry.
“Lots of community service,” said Waller, 17, senior at Clarkston High School.
The Waterford-based club includes 41 members ages 1-18 from across Oakland County and all descendants of Revolutionary War veterans.
“It’s cool to have an ancestor who was part of such a big, historical event. Not a lot of people can say that,” she said.
Waller, who is set to attend Grand Valley State University this fall to study marketing and advertising, served as vice president for two years before being elected president last year.
“It was a lot of hard work, but it’s been really fun,” said Waller, also a member of National Honor Society, Varsity soccer team, and works at a local Chili’s restaurant.
The club’s namesake served with General Washington’s guard unit as a teenager.
“He was young, but he was ready to take on the war,” Waller said. “I like what he stood for.”
The club earned Michigan’s Most Outstanding Society for the third time, Feb. 14, and is up for Most Outstanding in the Nation at Children of the American Revolution’s National Convention, April 17-19 in Arlington, Va.
“We got a big trophy with our names on it,” Waller said. “The little ones like that.”