Congress Reminders

Ann Dillon, President General

We are quickly approaching the 126th Continental Congress and I’m sure many members are preparing to travel to Washington, D.C. Below are some reminders for your week at Continental Congress. Click the links to read more about these different topics.

Download the Congress App to your smartphone or tablet to have the most up to date Congress information at your fingertips. To download the Congress App, open the App Store on your mobile device or tablet and search for “DAR Congress.” There will be a box in the upper right corner for you to download the app and install on your device. If you are on your device you can click this link to download the Congress App.

If you still have the Congress App downloaded from last year, when you open the app please be sure to select “2017 – 126th Congress” from the Congress list that appears when you open the app. If the Congress list does not appear when you open the app, scroll down on the dashboard and select “Exit to Congress List,” the red button in the bottom right corner. From there, select “2017 – 126th Congress,” download this new show within the app and get started!

  • Be sure to check the online version of the Tentative 126th Continental Congress schedule or the Congress App for an overview of events taking place the week of Congress. Please be mindful that the final Congress schedule will be printed in the Congress Program that members receive at registration and that is the official schedule that should be followed while at Congress (there have been a number of updates to the schedule since it appeared in the March/April Daughters newsletter, so you cannot assume all the details are the same).
  • Education Awards Night will feature students who have made amazing achievements and adults who are promoting history.
  • Friday evening’s Service to America Night will be a fun event for members where they can mingle and learn more about the work of DAR. Members can bring a donation of a children’s book to donate to military families at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center; or a bath towel, wash cloth or full-size body wash to donate to N Street Village, which helps women in need in Washington, DC with a variety of services.
  • Always a highlight of Continental Congress, this year’s National Defense Night is sure to be a moving and inspirational ceremony as we honor and celebrate our nation’s service personnel and veterans.
  • The Saturday afternoon business session will feature a special presentation titled “The Road to 250” which will help members become better prepared to help those who are interested in membership as we approach the 250th anniversary.
  • Remember to get to your seats early during the evening ceremonies to enjoy the military bands concerts that start at 7 p.m. Please be mindful that the Standing Rules of the 126th Congress: “Attendees to the Continental Congress shall be seated at least thirty (30) minutes before the opening of all sessions; after that time all open seats are relinquished to others entering the auditorium. Reserved seats are to be occupied only by those holding reserved seating tickets.”
  • The DAR Museum gallery is currently under construction and closed, but there is much to see in the Period Rooms throughout Memorial Continental Hall! Stop by the DAR Library to do some research and visit the Americana Room to see the exhibit, “Women of Resilience: DAR Service in World War One.”
  • You can still plan to join Mrs. Frankenberry, Curator General, and the DAR Museum staff to learn about the programs offered at the DAR Museum. This workshop will provide you the tools to advocate for the DAR Museum in your state. The workshop will dive into the expectations of the Correspondent Docent program, review the Portable Education Programs, and enjoy behind-the-scenes tours of collection storage and the period rooms. Registration is available through Eventbrite: https://darmuseum_outreach.eventbrite.com, deadline is Monday, June 26.
  • Please keep in mind that because of the time of year and challenges of a historic building, sometimes temperatures can fluctuate in different parts of Headquarters. It is always a good idea to wear layers and be prepared for it to be hot outside and to have a sweater or wrap handy when you are inside the building.
  • Visit the Congress Shops in the Texas Lone Star Lounge and the Junior Shoppe as well as the DAR Store and the DAR Museum Shop in Constitution Hall for terrific gifts and other special items.

I hope this information helps you prepare for a wonderful week in Washington, D.C. I am looking forward to seeing many of you next week for Continental Congress!

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