California Ward remembers the Pioneers (A day to remember)
Los Angeles Times 27Jul99 C8
By Michelle Devera

At the Pioneer Day celebration of the Placentia Second Ward, LDS Church member David Kelly remembered the bravery of 13-year-old Elizabeth Cunningham, who managed to make the 1500 mile trek from Nauvoo, Illinois to what became Salt Lake City. Cunningham was at one point left for dead along the side of the trail, because the ground was frozen so hard that burial was impossible. However, her mother insisted that she wasn't dead. To satisfy her mother, a group of men went back and found Elizabeth and brought her back to camp. Her mother was able to revive her.

This article tells Cunningham's story in Kelly's words and tells what Pioneer Day means to members of the LDS Church. To Placentia Second Ward Bishop Craig Smith the celebration is very important,"It reinforces in our mind the importance of what was done to establish our faith. People were willing to give up everything they had, even their lives to worship as they saw fit."