Donation Made to Society in Memory of Kermit DeBoard

The Cecil County Roundtable, a group established by the late Kermit DeBoard of North East, made a major donation in Kermit’s memory to the Historical Society of Cecil County last week. Established back in 1976, when the nation was celebrating the Bicentennial of the United States, the Roundtable actively promoted the county’s past by publishing important historical items. After Kermit, the group’s chairman passed away in March 2004, the treasurer, Wayne Halsey, and the remaining three members decided it was time to turn the assets of the group over to nonprofits with a similar interest in preserving the area’s rich history.

Appearing at last week’s board meeting, Halsey and Margie DeBoard, Kermit’s wife, presented a check for $10,000 to be used to establish a scholarship for local students pursuing college degrees in history. The group also made donations of nearly $3,000 to the historical society to be used to preserve at fragile documents in Kermit’s memory. In addition, donations of $1,400 each to the Sheriff John F. DeWitt Museum and Colonial Charlestown. A spokesperson for the Historical Society said it will soon set up procedures for making an annual scholarship award in Kermit’s memory, the first one probably taking place in time for next school year. As for the other donation to the Society, it will be applied to cost of microfilming documents that are in danger of deteriorating.