OC Historical Society Annual Meeting

New Orange County Historical Society board members, from left to right: the Rev. Darryle Crump, Carla Passarello and Margaret Hill. Jennifer Conley was unable to attend. (Photo Credit: Phil Audibert)

The Orange County Historical Society held its annual meeting Sunday, Jan. 29, at Orange Baptist Church.

During the program, the society welcomed four new board members: Jennifer Conley, the Rev. Darryle Crump, Margaret Hill and Carla Passarello. Crump is a retired pastor who previously served as president of the Orange County African-American Historical Society. Conley and Hill share a background as educators at Prospect Heights Middle School and Grymes Memorial School, respectively. Passarello is a lifelong history buff whose community involvement has included leadership positions with the Boys and Girls Club of Orange and the Dolley Madison Garden Club.

The highlight of the meeting was a film presentation by historical society member and prolific documentarian Phil Audibert. Audibert has worked extensively to collect interviews from Orange County leaders and community members. His newest compilation, “Memories: Greatest Hits, Part 2,” includes highlights from his conversations over the years with familiar names such as former police chief Melvin Amos and veterans Lewis May and Earl Burwell.

Along with firsthand insight into some key moments in Orange County history, viewers can expect entertaining stories, like how Duff Green was put in charge of transporting 40 horses to Europe during his time in the Navy—and ended up with forty-one. There are also plenty of instances of collected wisdom, like this one from Mary Terrell: “If something is not right, don’t be afraid to stand up, if you have to stand alone.”

To watch Audibert’s work, including “Memories” and a wide range of other documentaries on local subjects, visit www.audibertphoto.com or his YouTube page here. To learn more about the Orange County Historical Society, visit www.orangecovahist.org.