We are so glad you want to get more involved with DAR! Our organization has no end of opportunities for women to come together to serve their communities by promoting patriotism, preserving our history, and educating our citizens about this great nation. Whatever your passion, time constraint, or stage of life, there is something for YOU in today’s DAR. Below are some of the ways you can Rise and Shine for America. Shine bright, Daughter.
Get Involved at Home
Support Technology - Does working with technology power you up? DAR has a ton of opportunities to put your skills to use! The Volunteer Information Specialist (VIS) committees at the state and chapter levels can always use help with website development and maintenance as well as social media content development. If you have a few minutes, check out the content on DAR-associated pages on social media; liking or sharing these posts allows DAR’s light to shine brighter through our social networks.
Write Articles or Letters - Do you have a passion for the written word? DAR can use your help! There are multiple opportunities to write at the chapter, state, and national levels. Write an article for your chapter’s newsletter or start up a newsletter yourself. Write up a chapter activity for the Virginia View or contribute a summary to the Daughters Newsletter. Write letters of support to US service members deployed overseas or post a card to seniors living in veterans’ homes. You can also write notes of encouragement to chapter members especially those unable to attend meetings.
Preserve Historic Records - Can you read cursive and want to volunteer in short bursts of time? Consider the Patriot Records Project (PRP). The PRP is DAR’s effort to digitize Patriots’ names that are contained in handwritten records. This is a perfect opportunity for a Daughter interested in micro-volunteering. To get access to the PRP system, go to the Patriot Records Project under the National Committees tab in the Members’ Only section of the DAR.org site.
Donate Your Handiwork - Are you crafty? Consider knitting, crocheting, or sewing baby blankets for the local hospital or pregnancy shelter. Make masks and donate them to schools, doctors’ offices, shelters, food banks, or anywhere else people may need them. If your crafting skills are more visual in nature, consider volunteering to help with your chapter’s scrapbooks or making cards for local veterans homes.
Get Involved Outside
Protect the Planet - Is conservation your thing? DAR supports multiple efforts to protect our planet. Think about collecting recycling in your community, participating in a road clean-up activity with your chapter, or picking up trash at your local park.
Take Pictures - Do you have a way with a camera? DAR always needs images. Take pictures of historical places, chapter events, cemeteries, etc. and submit them to your chapter VIS committee. Consider helping your chapter with public relations; a picture is worth 1,000 words.
Support Veterans - Are you interested in supporting American service members? Collect supplies for local veterans’ homes, build care packages for military members serving overseas, or make an appointment at a veterans facility and simply spend time with a lonely veteran.
Support Schools - Do you get excited about education? DAR’s offerings to support education are nearly limitless. Volunteer at a local school, give a teacher a link to DAR’s lesson planning materials, serve as a classroom guest speaker and talk about patriotism, or reach out to one of the DAR schools to see what support you can provide them. Reading to a child or serving as a volunteer tutor are excellent ways to both educate and support the kids in your community.
Promote Patriotism - Is building a love of country why you joined DAR? Consider supporting local immigrants as they learn about the US and prepare for their citizenship test. Attend a naturalization ceremony and celebrate with new American citizens. Be your chapter’s point person for DAR scholarships and/or community awards.
Support Chapter Committees - Most chapters support specific committees. Ask your chapter regent which committees need you and sign up!
Getting Involved with Your District
Help with an Event - Many chapters host events with other chapters at least once a year. These events frequently revolve around a National Defense luncheon or a special genealogy workshop, and they are great ways to meet other Daughters outside of your chapter! Check with your chapter officers to see which multi-chapter events are coming up in your district and ask how you can help with an event.
Attend District Meetings - All of the chapters in a district get together once a year to elect officers, take care of business, build relationships, and share ideas. Attending these meetings is a great way to meet other Daughters outside of your chapter and get a different view of DAR.
Getting Involved with Virginia DAR
Preserve History - Do you get excited about historic preservation? Virginia DAR has five historic sites with which you can get involved. If documents are more your thing, Virginia DAR is always looking for historic documents in need of preservation. Ask friends or relatives if they have historic documents that they need help preserving.
Take a Class - In addition to our famous genealogy courses, DAR offers multiple training classes for new members, mature members, and committee chairs. Browse the course offerings below and then talk to your Virginia training coordinator to take advantage of these opportunities! Each of the links below requires you to login to the national website with your chapter name and member number.
Attend Summits - In the first year of the administration, Virginia DAR hosts a Summer Summit in July, just after Continental Congress. In the second and third years of the administration, Virginia DAR hosts a Fall Summit in September. Watch for registration information to come out in the May/June timeframe!
Attend State Conference - Every spring, Virginia DAR hosts a State Conference. Watch for registration information to come out in the December/January timeframe!
Getting Involved with NSDAR
Attend Continental Congress - NSDAR’s flagship event occurs each year at the end of June. Daughters from around the country come to Washington D.C. to visit, tour, and celebrate our Society’s history and commitment to historic preservation, education, and patriotism. Every Daughter should experience the pageantry that is Continental Congress at least once.
Learn through Webinars - NSDAR has a ton of opportunities for learning on your own time and at your own speed. Webinars are available on the National DAR member’s site under the various committee pages.
Contribute to Publications - Six times a year, NSDAR publishes an award-winning magazine, American Spirit, that provides a great deal of information on National-level activities. If you don’t have an American Spirit subscription, they are available on the National DAR site and, in many cases, through your chapter. Archived issues of American Spirit are available on the National DAR site.
Follow Social Media - DAR has several official Facebook pages, and Daughters have formed dozens of informal Facebook groups to share information, offer opportunities, and provide encouragement for our Society’s historic preservation, education, and patriotism efforts. There is no end to the Daughters’ creativity! If Facebook isn’t your preferred platform, DAR has a robust presence on Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. You’re welcome to join any or all of these pages, groups, or platforms- just have your national number handy as some of the groups require proof of membership in DAR.