Vibrant Virtual Visits to Virginia and West Virginia

You have likely heard the oft-quoted line that Ginger Rogers had to do everything that Fred Astaire did – only backwards and in heels. Well, I confess that I’ve thought the same thing many times in recent months, as chapter and state regents completed all of the duties accomplished by their predecessors – but had to invent entirely new ways to do so in a virtual environment.

I witnessed first-hand some of our innovative leaders doing so over the weekend, attending conferences with both the Virginia and the West Virginia Daughters, who not only completed the important business of the National Society via online programming but also shared the sunshine of friendships across the miles via computer screens.

Virginia

I arrived in Richmond on Friday evening and visited over dinner with a dozen Virginia Daughters, who serve as State Officers or Pages and who would play key roles in staging their state’s 125^th State Conference on Saturday. I suspect that 20 years from now, these women will tell fun tales of their hands-on involvement in this unique state conference. In particular, State Regent LeAnn Fetherolf Turbyfill – who planned and presided over the live-streamed conference …from a wheelchair after having shattered her kneecap and broken her wrist in a recent accident at home (tripping over a cord – so, no literal backward dancing in heels for her for quite some time!). Mrs. Turbyfill’s devotion to DAR and commitment to fulfill her duties were certainly on full display – and it was touching to see her team members’ dedication to her as they capably came together as one to execute the historic day-long event, no matter what the challenges put before them.

West Virginia

On Saturday evening, I visited via a Zoom session with the West Virginia Daughters, thanks to an invitation from State Regent Cheryl Alexander Brown. Their 116^th State Conference was themed “Salute to West Virginia Heroes,” and there were plenty of “sunshine hands” to recognize the outstanding community servants who were honored during the evening’s program.

I shared a PowerPoint with more than 100 attendees, updating them on operations at our headquarters, the progress of the restoration of the DAR Constitution Hall, current NSDAR priorities and our 202ONE membership challenge. I also expressed my appreciation to the West Virginia Daughters for their generous and ongoing contributions to my project, including the restoration of the West Virginia State Box and Seal.  

The West Virginia conference theme was "Salute to West Virginia Heroes," with a companion conference service project to the West Virginia Veterans Home in Barboursville by making “bed buddies” for the veterans there and by contributing $10 each through a virtual two-mile walk/run. They also raised more than $1,800 through virtual auctions to support state operations and projects, including their annual Blanche L. Reymann Scholarship. 

The virtual format required the State Society to reimagine its state conference.  They instituted a new structure to handle the IT aspects, while retaining Southern District chapters as hostesses.  They used Zoom for delegates, YouTube live streaming for other attendees and Question Pro Advanced to elect a Nominating Committee through electronic ballot. They even completed a complete revision of their state bylaws.  Impressive!