February Has the Daughters Seeing Red at Headquarters!

Members of the National Board of Management donned their red to raise awareness of women’s heart health last week during our annual February meeting of the National Board of Management. Did you know that about 90 percent of women have one or more risk factors for heart disease or stroke? That women are less likely than men to survive their first heart attack, or that lifestyle changes can decrease a women’s likelihood of developing heart disease by 80 percent? Join us to educate women about these important facts, especially during February, which has been designated Heart Health Month - learn more here.

We also completed lots of important business and enjoyed one another’s company immensely throughout the week. Given that all of our progress is made possible by the members who support us financially and who fulfill so much of our important mission on the local level, I feel it is important to share with you “headlines” from these meetings in a spirit of full transparency and to illustrate the breadth and vitality of our important work. Here, then, are highlights of the week that was:

Executive Committee Week:

Among the motions approved and actions taken:

• Adopted an updated remote work policy for employees.
• Allocated funding of more than $190,000 to two DAR Schools as per the requirements of a restricted bequest;
• Approved sponsorship of a conference supporting military women and hosted by the Department of Defense through the DAR Project Patriot Committee;
• Provided a sponsorship of a meal for the National Advisory Committee of the Veterans Affairs Administration’s annual planning meeting for the coordination of volunteer activities at VA health care facilities.
• Authorized creation of new recognition for those large chapters that “pass the torch” of DAR through creation or stabilization of a second chapter – more details to come!;
• Approved a Patriot Records Project Committee challenge to encourage participation in the important work of this committee;
• Provided $10,000 to the Chemawa DAR Scholarship Fund, half of which will be used as a scholarship for the school’s valedictorian; in addition, provided funding to purchase equipment and fixtures to upgrade the school’s student snack bar area; and
• Received reports from the Administrator, Controller, Development Director, Human Resources Director, Finance Committee and Investment Committee.

Sunshine Extras:

• Curator General Janet Whittington delighted us with her Sunshine Luncheon, themed “Valentine’s Day in Dixie,” and Reporter General Cynthia Parnell hosted her delicious event, themed “Lunch at the Caples House,” a DAR property in Oregon. In addition, the executives took some time as group to visit the Van Gogh Immersive Experience, an outing organized by Recording Secreatry General General Peggy Troxell.

As the daughter of a World War II Navy Navigator, I will forever treasure the special memory of the National Board of Management Event held on Friday afternoon and evening: “Honoring Our Patriots Who Serve on the Sea.” It began with a service project to collect and pack care packages for female sailors serving aboard the USS Jason Dunham, in conjunction with Blue Star Families. Next, we traveled to the Navy Memorial to honor the memory of the men and women who have served in our nation’s navy since our founding.

We returned for dinner to the beautiful O’Byrne Gallery for a delicious catered meal, followed by a talk from the Naval Historical Foundation about its collection of digitized records from the American Revolution – and, in a shared presentation with the assistant curator of Mount Vernon, about the history of a unique set of punch bowls commissioned by Captain Thomas Truxtun in 1794. That year, he was appointed one of six captains to oversee the building of the United States Navy's first frigates. To illustrate a book his book on navigation, he published a drawing of a 44-gun frigate. Truxtun commissioned two punch bowls with the image: One resides is in the U.S. Navy Museum at the Washington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C.; the second, which was presented to President George Washington, is preserved at Mount Vernon. What an honor for me to be presented with a replica of this historic bowl.

In fact, it was a touching, meaningful and purpose-driven week, and I felt so fortunate to join other patriotic women in expressing our love of country and our appreciation for our men and women in uniform at every turn.

Next up: several of the executives will join my husband and me as we travel to the Units Overseas Conference in Madrid, Spain, followed by a second trip to Hungary to honor the life and sacrifice of Michael Kovats, known as one of the fathers of the American Cavalry. Watch for forthcoming blogs with details – and be sure to follow my DAR President General’s Facebook Page for headlines, photos and video highlights. It is an honor to Rise and Shine for America as your President General!