Sparkling in Service and Celebrating Our Founding

Celebrating Founder’s Day

This week we celebrated 132 years since the founding of our National Society in 1890. As you meet with your chapter or states to commemorate this legacy through the National DAR Day of Service, we hope that you pause to reflect on the vision that four courageous women—Mary Desha, Eugenia Washington, Mary Smith Lockwood, and Ellen Hardin Walworth—had to establish an organization to perpetuate the memory of our Revolutionary ancestors through service. Thank you so much for all you do to advance that legacy in your communities!

Your Executive Committee is passionate about providing each of our leaders at all levels of the DAR the tools they need to execute their roles, which was reflected in various leadership training sessions throughout the week. Topics included “Finding Your Why,” a session focused on the DAR’s mission and motivations for service; sessions on effective communication, including a talk from nationally-renowned body language expert Jan Latiolais Hargrave; and tailored sessions on various DAR-specific topics like finances, protocol, and parliamentary procedure.

Fellowship Together

Throughout the week we also enjoyed spending time together in and around our beautiful building in the heart of the Nation’s capital. We were deeply moved by our visit to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, as well as by graveside ceremonies in tribute to two of our Honorary Presidents General. We finished the week Celebrating Stars and Stripes Forever! at a United States Navy Band concert hosted in our very own and beautifully restored Constitution Hall.