The We Can Do It! Challenge

Are you ready for a challenge? Our Membership Committee has issued one that is very important to the future of our Society – and I need your participation to ensure its success.

The We Can Do It! Challenge is a call for every DAR Chapter to submit at least two new membership Applications and/or Reinstatements by the close of this year, and ideally before November 16 in order to be approved at the December meeting of the National Board of Management.

Why is this so important? Because social distancing and other restrictions have reduced the number of completed DAR Applications that have arrived at our headquarters this year. Our fabulous Genealogy team, capably led by Registrar General Pat McFall and Department Head Sara Sukol, has already addressed the backlog of membership Applications that accrued during the 98-day, pandemic-related shutdown. Their turnaround time for a properly completed Application is now down to less than one month.

But without an infusion of new Applications and/or Reinstatements in the weeks ahead, we will be on track for one of the lowest years of membership growth since our founding. We believe the cause relates to people not circulating in person to make contacts, do research, gain signatures, etc. The pandemic already deprived us of the opportunity to gather together for our annual Continental Congress – let us not allow it to get the best of it when it comes to our membership roster, too.

Given the ability to use technology to reach out to prospective members for these items we believe that we can change that outcome if every chapter will step forward to do its part and submit at least two Applications/Reinstatements before year’s end. Will you accept the We Can Do It! Challenge?

I extend great appreciation to Membership Committee Chair Yvonne Liser who quickly rose to my request for an impactful response once this problem was recognized – and who is shining as an ambassador for the many benefits of membership. Visit her Committee page on the DAR Members’ website to learn more about the tools she has assembled to help you attract new members.

One of the easiest ways is to connect with those female relatives who have the potential to join DAR through your proven Patriot, thereby qualifying both of you to earn Legacy Status (and purchase the lovely Legacy pin for your official ribbon). Learn more about the Legacy program here: https://blog.dar.org/share-your-dar-legacy.

Chapters that successfully meet the We Can Do It! Challenge will be recognized on the Membership Committee’s webpage and at the 130^th Continental Congress in 2021. Of course, we will also continue to track those chapters that achieve even greater, year-round membership growth as tracked by our annual recognition program:

 Shimmer

• 5% increase in membership by new member Application
• 3% or less decrease in membership through resignation or drops for non-payment of dues

Radiant

• 10% increase in membership by new member Application
• 2% or less decrease in membership through resignation or drops for non-payment of dues

Brilliant Level

• 25% increase in membership by new member Application
• 5% or less decrease in membership through resignation or drops for non-payment of dues

Each generation of Daughters that went before us rose above the formidable challenges of its time, including two world wars, the Great Depression and the 1918 Spanish Flu epidemic. Can we do anything less when faced with this situation? Not the Daughters whom I know.

Can we do it? Of course, we can! Get started right now to welcome at least two new members to your chapter in the weeks ahead. Ready, set, go!