While it may not have been evident to most of us, there was a central committee which coordinated the many events of the past Sesquicentennial Year. It was THE UTAH PIONEER SESQUICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION COORDINATING COUNCIL. To close this special year, a Sesquicentennial Awards Dinner was held in the Salt Lake Salt Palace, Dec. 2. Also, unknown to most of us is that some of our Mormon Battalion men and women were involved in planning and coordinating events at this top level. Please note that our National Trails officer, Maj. Garn Hatch was a member of the coordinating council, representing the Mormon Trails Association. Maj. Hatch is internationally known for his dedication on getting the Mormon Trail recognized as a National Trail (which it isn't, at present), and when it occurs (and it will), he will rightfully deserve most of the credit.
During the festivities at the awards dinner, Col. Paul Madsen was given the Community Service Award in behalf of the Battalion for our participation in the mustering of the troops at Council Bluffs last July. He was also recognized for his position as commander of the U.S. Mormon Battalion for the past four years. They have been some of our most trying years, too.
Pres. Shirley Maynes received several awards and special recognition. She was awarded a grant as chairwoman for erection of a flagpole in Pioneer Park (where the Mormon Battalion participated in the flag raising ceremony!), and another for her publication of "Women of the Mormon Battalion." She also received the "Spirit of Pioneering" award in History. The award reads, "Shirley Nelson Maynes is active in the community as the National President of the U.S. Mormon Battalion, Inc. Auxiliary. During the Sesquicentennial year, Ms. Maynes organized a Sesquicentennial Battalion Day (at Brighton), is chairperson of the Pioneer Park/Fort Restoration Committee, memorialized Battalion members buried in Iron and Washington counties, co-authored "Women of the Battalion" (with Maj. Carl Larson), and is presently working on a book about the wives of the Battalion members who stayed behind on the Iowa plains." Whew!
Our newly-appointed Auxiliary historian, Dayle White, also received the "Spirit of Pioneering" award as editor of the DUP book, "Women of Faith and Fortitude." She has spent three years re-writing stories, after researching 6,000 names of women submitted for this history of pioneer women who came into the Valley between 1847-69. "Dayle is a dedicated leader who loves her pioneer heritage," read the citation.
We are justly proud of these two men and two women who represented the U.S. Mormon Battalion and Ladies Auxiliary so honorably and in such an outstanding manner. May we all will take pride in what these, our representatives, have accomplished and the recognition which has come to the U.S. Mormon Battalion.