Registration for Continental Congress Officially Opens

It is a delight to welcome members to Washington, D.C. this week for the 126^th Continental Congress.  I am so glad you are here, either in person, or joining us virtually.

This morning I greeted many friends at the Vice Presidents General Club Breakfast before going to Headquarters and placing a wreath at the Daughter’s Tribute.  It was great to see many in attendance at this memorial as we honored the nearly 1,000,000 women who have joined DAR since we began in 1890.

Incoming State Regents are having an Orientation today and it was a pleasure to greet them and welcome them to their new adventure.  It brought back memories of being a new State Regent and the excitement of representing my home state on the National level.

Registration officially opens this morning at 11 am and closes at 6 pm this evening. Be sure to refer to the Congress App or the Online Schedule to find the hours and information for registration and other Congress events.   Many events have updated their information in recent weeks. Be sure to refresh your Congress App as well to see that its displaying the most up to date info. Remember, everyone must pick up their welcome packets and ID badges at Registration in the lower level of Headquarters upon arriving at Congress.

 I look forward to the National Board of Management meeting with the 52 State Regents, 21 Vice Presidents General and Executive Officers.  Following that meeting, the other Executive Officers and I will join the Incoming State Regents for lunch in the Banquet Hall where we can get better acquainted.

Many of the Congress Committees are having their meetings today and I can’t begin to thank these members enough for all of their hard work leading up to and during the week of Congress.

This afternoon I will attend the National Officers Club meeting and their banquet this evening, and enjoy fellowship with all who have served as a State Regent, Vice President General or as an Executive Officer.  I appreciate the many friends I have made in this club and look forward to spending time hearing about their scholarship winners and the many projects they will do around Headquarters.

The DAR Museum gallery is closed because it is currently under renovation as we make improvements for displaying our collections and creating a study area.  This renovation is but one part of the President General’s Project.  However, the DAR Museum Period Rooms are still open and have outstanding displays. Explore the DAR Library and beginning on Wednesday you can talk with the Balcony Volunteers who are available to assist members with those tough genealogy research questions. The Library wrote a wonderful blog about preparing to visit the Library during Congress and it is filled with great tips.

Make sure to stop by the Americana Room this week to see the amazing exhibit, “Women of Resilience: DAR Service in World War One,” about DAR member’s efforts during the War.

For those of you who can’t be with us in Washington, we hope you will join us virtually through Congress social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and by following along with the live streaming Congress video, photos and the daily Congress Herald. Congress attendees active on social media, be sure to share your posts with us all by using the hashtag #DARCC17.