Today's DAR
It was a joy to welcome President General Ginnie Sebastian Storage to the 112th SDSDAR State Conference. She was joined by Vice President General Kathyrn Asay, Honorary Vice President General Maureen Tipton, State Regents Priscilla Jevne, Susan Gillette Meer, Barbara Foote-Hennessy, and National Chairs Marcia Shavlik, Katherine Borges, and Kay Alpaugh.
South Dakota State Visit
In celebration of America 250!, the conference focused on Shining the Light on 250 Years of American Freedom. A quilt designed by State Regent Michelle McElroy highlighted all ten chapters and included the South Dakota 250 symbol to promote our American history. A gathering spot for photos was the floor to ceiling copy of the Declaration of Independence which sparked much discussion as members looked for the picture of their patriot or names they knew.
Mrs. Storage and our DAR guests toured the Old Courthouse Museum to learn about our local history. On opening night, Mrs. Storage joined Dr. McElroy in recognizing Nettie Myers for her groundbreaking record setting in aviation acrobatics. Nettie shared the story of Nellie Wilhite who was the first female pilot from South Dakota and the first deaf pilot in the US. A Women in American History Award was given to both Nettie and Nellie.
Our conference continued with Kay Alpaugh speaking on Illuminating Native American Women which included Marcella LeBeau, a decorated South Dakotan nurse who served during the Battle of the Bulge. We held afternoon learning seminars discussing Historic Preservation and DNA and the DAR. Our GeniGals were hard at work throughout the conference working on supplements and new applications. The Juniors led a service project making wound care bags for Midwest Street Medicine.
Friday evening was the Illuminating Our Legacy banquet with Mrs. Storage as our keynote speaker. She shared pictures and stories about the history of our buildings in Washington DC.
On Saturday, Dr. Susan Gillette Meer led a learning session on “Engaging Your DAR Membership” which spurred our members to begin collaborating on ideas on keeping new and established members.
This was followed by the Illuminating Our House Beautiful Luncheon with HVPG Maureen Tipton speaking on the responsibilities of the Property Beautification and Hospitality Committee. She also taught napkin folding which the C.A.R. Pages particularly enjoyed. The conference concluded with recognizing our Cherry Blossom Chapters as well as the members who completed GEP, Members, New Horizons, and Committees courses. We also recognized our youth with the Good Citizens Award, DAR Youth Leadership Award, American History Essay winners, and the state JAC awards.
As the conference concluded, we joined together celebrating our old and new friendships by joining hands and singing God Bless America. We felt renewed from our time together to continue to Illuminate Our Legacy as we honor the courage and sacrifice of our Revolutionary patriots while celebrating our nation’s 250th anniversary with pride and purpose. By strengthening our society through service, membership growth, and meaningful community outreach, we ensure that the values of patriotism, leadership, and unity continue to inspire future generations.
