Today's DAR
No one could have foreseen the events of 2020, a year that was shaped and shaded by great difficulty and immense sadness. As we mark a full calendar year since the virus first began to disrupt our lives, I would like to share a few thoughts about what I personally learned. This blog is one part catharsis and nine parts trying to find “sunny” silver linings from the year that was – so please: bear with me. Here are the top five lessons I learned as your President General (in no particular order):
Leadership is Critical to All Success: I was immensely proud of the women who stepped forward to act decisively despite the obstacles placed before them. They set an inspiring example for others, including our Headquarters Staff. The easiest path to have taken would have been to simply shut down our operations and wait for an “all clear” sign to return to our mission. But thanks to strong, committed leadership at every level of DAR, we carried on. That didn’t happen by accident – dedicated women who understood the importance of stepping up when needed most MADE it happen, and I will be forever grateful to those who did.
Survival Demands Resiliency – and Courage: Few choices were easy in 2020. Yet, I am so proud to say that our members evidenced astounding resiliency in the face of great uncertainty – especially those who served on the front lines. But we rose time and time again as a Society, as well. For example, when the nation experienced a need for protective masks, our members voluntarily stepped forward to sew more than 800,000 of them for their neighbors on the front lines. We together amassed millions of hours of community service, despite all sorts of obstacles and restrictions. Making the individual decision to be a part of that call to serve took courage. I am enormously proud of those who “bounced back” from the pandemic and found myriad ways to aid others in our nation’s time of need.
