At the Kershaw County Historical Society members’ business meeting October 20, 2019, held at Camden’s Post 17 American Legion Hall, president Tony Scully on behalf of the Society appreciatively thanked Kathee Stahl for 35+ years of devoted service as executive secretary. Kathee holds the engraved gift clock she received with warm response from members, who also signed a book as another keepsake. Retired August 1, Kathee continues as volunteer hostess Thursday afternoons at the Bonds Conway House to greet and assist Society members and visitors.
The Society also paid tribute to a highly respected former president, the late Col. Frank Babbitt, who died September 27. In addition, the Society expressed supportive words for board member Charles Baxley, chairman of the South Carolina American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission, and for Ginny Zemp, new director of Historic Camden.
In other business, the Society elected officers; Tony discussed cooperative historical initiatives and the Bonds Conway House; and Joan Inabinet explained the KCHS mission “Continuing the Legacy (inspiring historical record-keeping to preserve our times).” Society members filled out, or took home to fill out, a questionnaire for information and ideas to participate in the mission and program planning.
The Society held its meeting at Camden’s American Legion Hall, the prime spot for its program, “100 Years of History at Post 17.” In introducing the program, Joan credited the local American Legion as one local organization already carrying out the mission the Historical Society promotes to the community in “continuing the legacy.”
Touring the Legion’s Memorial Room exhibits, Society members saw clear evidence of ways in which the post carries on historical record-keeping.
Glen Inabinet, a past Society president and a past Legion commander, presented the program summarizing his research of the history of Camden’s James Leroy Belk Post 17, begun in 1919, when the American Legion was chartered in every state by act of the U.S. Congress for benefit of veterans of “the Great War,” now World War I.
The meeting concluded with conversation and with refreshments, courtesy of Melissa Saavedra and Betsy Greenway.
Joan A. Inabinet and L. Glen Inabinet are co-authors of A HISTORY OF KERSHAW COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA (2011, University of South Carolina Press) and active in the Kershaw County Historical Society in Camden, S.C.
Kershaw County Historical Society 
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