Celebrating at Celebrate America Night

Last evening’s Educational Awards Night was inspirational. It is so wonderful to recognize students and educators who are so passionate about history. Each of our essay winners eloquently read their thoughtful remarks and made us so proud to have them as our National winners.

I want to congratulate the 2014 Outstanding Junior, Rebekah Waddell of Pennsylvania. The Outstanding Junior Contest exists to recognize members who are 35 years old or younger who devote themselves to DAR with service that is above and beyond, while also balancing the demands of families, homes, careers and other civic and religious service. Read more about Rebekah in today's Congress Herald. We are so happy to honor her. Congratulations to all winners at the chapter, state and national levels.

Today will resume daytime business sessions, where we will begin to hear the reports of the State Regents and a few select presentations from National Chairs. We will also hear the nominations of eight candidates for Vice President General and one candidate for Honorary Vice President General. The business sessions of Congress are often a great place to gain new ideas for projects or initiatives from State Regents’ reports, to take back to your own state and chapters. I encourage you to attend and learn about the outstanding work that DAR is doing across the country.

During yesterday’s business session there was an exciting announcement about a new Development program! The Sustaining Supporter Program will allow donors to give an automatic monthly donation of an amount of their choosing directly from their checking account or credit card. This program is flexible and the donor chooses how much to donate, as well as which funds to support.  Your monthly gift even counts toward your Heritage Club and/or 1890 Giving Circle!

Since there is no afternoon business session today, be sure to stop by the Congress Shops in the Texas Lone Star Lounge. Keep an eye out for the “What’s the Buzz” signs to find out how you can enter to win a gift card to one of the vendors in the Congress Shops.

This afternoon I will be attending the Patriotism Luncheon. This is another new event for this year’s Congress which combines the National Defense, DAR Service for Veterans and DAR Project Patriot Committee events together. The luncheon will feature noted author, editor, playwright, historian and activist Andrew Carroll as the keynote speaker.  Mr. Carroll is the author of 20 books including the 1999 New York Times best-selling Letters of a Nation: A Collection of Extraordinary American Letters and the 2001 New York Times best-selling book War Letters: Extraordinary Correspondence from American Wars. Mr. Carroll is an excellent speaker and it will be a delightful luncheon. 

Tonight I am participating in the DAR Schools Supper. This event will be an opportunity to hear the remarks of the school representatives and to learn about the amazing work they have been doing over the past year.  We will also be presenting contributions from the Friends of DAR School Fund to each of the school representatives.

This evening’s Celebrate America Night is going to be a new and fun experience for Congress attendees. There will be opportunities to learn more about how you can become involved in the Celebrate America! volunteer initiative. I am excited to hear our guest speakers: Bennett Greenspan, Family Tree DNA President and CEO and Terry Richey, National Trust for Historic Preservation Chief Marketing Officer.

I am looking forward to seeing you all there!