Guest Blog: Getting to Know the Office of the Organizing Secretary General

I am grateful for the opportunity to introduce you to the Office of the Organizing Secretary General and, in particular, to our new office manager, Tania Tatum. Tania brings a wealth of experience from assignments elsewhere within our National Headquarters and leads our entire team in an unwavering commitment to find ever-better ways to serve you, our members.

I will confess that it is a daunting assignment to “organize” the records and activity of a Society with more than 177,000 members and nearly 3,000 chapters. We are responsible for tracking all member/chapter records, processing dues notices and payments, issuing credentials, assisting struggling chapters and completing the myriad of other duties that allow our Society to function properly. We assist with the organization of new chapters, and regrettably process the disbandments of chapters when necessary. And, of course, we are also the folks who research and then approve the orders for the beautiful, meaningful pins you wear with such pride on your official ribbon. In fact, we processed 15,895 such approvals in the last year alone!

While we are always delighted to be of service, please also know that many updates may now be made quickly and efficiently online by chapter leaders authorized to access e-Membership. Want to resign a member? Update your chapter’s list of officers? Report the passing of a member? You can do all this -- and much more -- instantaneously from the comfort of your home computer through the Update function. This is the most efficient way to ensure that the official record of your chapter is kept current and accurate.

Have another question related to a DAR procedure or requirement? Chances are that someone has posed the same inquiry before. Please visit the Members’ Website, including the official page of the Organizing Secretary General’s office, to find the answers to many of the most commonly asked questions; and please, do not ever underestimate the wealth of information that you will find within the pages of the DAR Handbook. These resources provide you with the thorough instructions that will help you effectively “organize” your own chapter.

A note to Chapter Regents: watch your mailbox for your chapter’s official credentials for the 123^rd Continental Congress, which were mailed last week from our office here in Washington, D.C. Be sure to follow the instructions and meet the return postmark deadline of April 15, 2014, in order to ensure that your chapter is properly represented at our exciting annual conference in our nation’s Capital this year.

While in Washington this June, I hope that you will visit with the hard-working Staff of the Organizing Secretary General’s Office. We are here to serve you, and we very much welcome your suggestions on how we can improve our operations further still.

What a joy to serve you – and to Celebrate America!