DAR President General

05/14/2026

I thoroughly enjoyed celebrating America 250! With the South Dakota Daughters! The conference theme, "Shining the Light on 250 Years of American Freedom," truly resonated throughout the event.

Opening night was particularly special as State Regent Michelle McElroy honored the remarkable Nettie Myers for her groundbreaking achievements in aviation acrobatics. Hearing Nettie share the inspiring story of Nellie Wilhite, the first female pilot from South Dakota and the first deaf pilot in the US, was a highlight. Both women received the Women in American History Award, a well-deserved recognition of their incredible contributions!

Friday morning kicked off with a warm welcome from Lieutenant Governor Tony Venhuizen, and the SAR State President followed by a fascinating tour for conference guests of the Old Courthouse Museum, where we delved into our local history.

The sessions continued to inspire, especially Kay Alpaugh's talk on "Illuminating Native American Women," featuring the heroic Marcella LeBeau, a decorated nurse from South Dakota who served during the Battle of the Bulge. Afternoon seminars were presented on Historic Preservation and DNA and the DAR. The GeniGals worked throughout the conference on new applications and supplements, while the Juniors made a meaningful impact through a service project, creating wound care bags for Midwest Street Medicine.

Friday evening culminated in the beautiful Illuminating Our Legacy banquet, a perfect way to celebrate our shared history and future.

Thank you to my outstanding personal page Madeline McElroy for keeing me on task and on on schedule!

I’m truly grateful for the warm welcome and generous hospitality from the South Dakota Daughters. Thank you for an unforgettable experience!

05/02/2026

I was pleased to represent the National Society at the Missouri Cherry Blossom Festival in Marshfield, MO accompanied by Honorary President General Pamela Wright and past Chaplain General Virginia Lingelbach.

We enjoyed a delightful lunch with the newly organized First Ladies Chapter, NSDAR, where Ulysses Dietz Grant shared fascinating insights about his great, great grandmother, Julia Dent Grant, and her time in the White House.

I was truly honored to receive the Edwin P. Hubble Medal of Initiative during the luncheon and loved connecting with the 100 Daughters in attendance. A special thanks to Chapter Regent Jeanette Alcorn and State Regent Lisa Parks for their warm welcome and sincere congratulations to the First Ladies Chapter and their 35 organizing members!

Following lunch, I had the privilege of speaking about our nation’s first First Lady, Martha Washington, at the National First Ladies Day Commission program, where we witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the commission and Georgia Southwestern University. The university will serve as the academic home for the commission.

Honorary President General Wright and I then moderated a Founding Fathers Panel featuring Richard Gatchell, 5th great grandson of James Monroe, and Michael O’Mara, 5th great nephew of James Madison.

Though it was a quick trip, it’s one I’ll always remember thanks to the wonderful people I met and the joy of representing our National Society. Appreciation to Massee McKinley and Nicolas Inman for their assistance and invitation to participate!

04/30/2026

April Executive Week

The week started Sunday with meetings. As this was the day after our wonderful America 250! Salute to Service concert with Patti LaBelle, we had an abbreviated schedule.

On Monday we began the day with a short bus ride to Mount Vernon for the annual wreath laying at the tomb of George and Martha Washington. This wreath laying has been done by the National Society for more than 100 years. We also conducted a wreath laying at the the African American Burial Ground at Mount Vernon This site marks the final resting place for the enslaved and formerly enslaved men, women, and children who lived and worked on George Washington’s estate. A lovely lunch followed at the Mount Vernon Inn. We were pleased to be accompanied by Jo Carol Porter, an Adviser to the President General.

Our meetings continued during the afternoon when we heard the report of the Executive Director and General Counsel and worked through many motions.

On Tuesday, our work progressed with more Senior Director reports but we took a break for the Blossom Luncheon of First Vice President General Kathryn West. Kathryn’s theme was a history of the United States Army and her decorations and parachute favors were so very appropriate. It was delicious as well as lovely!

Tuesday afternoon we celebrated the life of Kekie Walker in our Kansas Chapel. Kekie had worked for DAR for more than 47 years before her death on March 10. Many of us grew up with Kekie’s kind but direct instruction in the Treasurer General’s office. We are all better for having known her and she will be sorely missed.

Tuesday evening was a late night as the Special Meeting of the National Board of Management was held in-person and by Zoom.

Wednesday was another day of work but we all enjoyed the wonderful taco lunch served by the Property Beautification and Hospitality Committee. The pink decor made everything festive.

On Thursday we conducted our Formal Executive Committee meeting during which I was honored to be presented with the very first Celebrated Daughter pin! Later, we enjoyed a tour of the new DAR Museum exhibition Revolution in Their Words marking the 250th anniversary of the birth of our nation. Complementing the exhibition is Preserving Patriotism: The Declaration of Independence and Its Legacy at DAR featuring the DAR’s collection of the signatures of the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence. We also hosted the staff for a parfait social and then had another lovely lunch provided by the PBH Committee.

Thursday afternoon we made our way to the Pentagon Memorial for a wreath laying. The moving ceremony was especially fitting as this year we will mark the 25th anniversary of that fateful day. Following the ceremony, we toured the memorial and greeted the United States Naval Academy’s men’s basketball team.

That evening, as a wrap up to the week, some of the Execs attended the Author Talk and Curator Tour featuring the previously mentioned exhibitions as well as the book Eliza Scidmore: The Trailblazing Journalist Behind Washington's Cherry Trees by Diana P. Parsell.

As you can see, it was a busy and productive week!

04/29/2026

https://blog.dar.org/2026/04/29/honoring-past-and-celebrating-future-dar-celebrates-america-250-weekend

Our recent DAR Celebrates America 250! Weekend marked a once-in-a-lifetime moment in the history of our beloved Daughters of the American Revolution, the opportunity to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation. We had the distinct honor of welcoming members and visitors from acr...

04/25/2026

America 250! Celebration Week

Our busy week kicked off on Wednesday with the Heritage Society Community of America Annual Dinner and Awards Banquet at the Library of Congress. I had the honor of accompanying Honorary President General Pamela Wright, who was inducted as an Honorary Member. It was a privilege to sit at the National Society Descendants of American Farmers table.

Thursday brought the Senior National Board of Management meeting for the National Society Children of the American Revolution at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel, followed by the Gavel Society Luncheon at the Army Navy Club.

On Friday, alongside Honorary President General Pamela Wright and First Vice President Kathryn West, I attended the National Society Children of the American Revolution Memorial Service and wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier of the American Revolution at the Old Presbyterian Meeting House in Alexandria. It was a heartfelt day as we remembered our departed friends.

That evening, we launched the America 250! Weekend with the Illuminate 250 Welcome Reception, where over 550 members gathered for delicious hors d'oeuvres, delightful drinks, stunning decorations—including the Jefferson Memorial and a life-size cherry tree—and wonderful fellowship.

Saturday was equally eventful! I joined six executive officers and Honorary President General Pamela Wright at the National Society Children of the American Revolution business session, where I extended greetings from the National Society and proudly presented a $25,000 donation for updates to the N.S.C.A.R. website. I also had the pleasure of awarding Texas for having the most C.A.R. members join DAR in 2025!

Meanwhile, other executive officers attended the America 250! Birthday Party at DAR headquarters, welcoming over 1,000 guests. Everyone enjoyed presentations by Lady Washington, visits to the DAR Museum and Library, face painting, photo opportunities, and mini birthday cupcakes. It was a festive atmosphere, and attendees even had the chance to sign the Declaration of Independence!

The highlight of the weekend was the Patti LaBelle concert, honoring America’s military women—past and present—celebrating their courage, sacrifice, and contributions over the last 250 years. The program spotlighted the Military Women’s Memorial, which preserves and shares the stories of women who have served our nation. I was proud to announce that DAR contributed over $650,000 to the memorial and ten agencies supporting homeless and indigent women veterans through the Vivian’s Outreach to Women Fund. Constitution Hall was truly rocking!

Overall, it was an outstanding week filled with fellowship and celebrations of our heritage. Thank you to everyone who made this possible!

04/08/2026

I received such a warm welcome at the 101st Nevada State Conference!

Friday night kicked off with a fabulous 1940s-themed social that transported us back in time with great music and even better company.

The weekend continued with an engaging Education Awards breakfast featuring fun book trivia that sparked lively conversations and friendly competition. The Patriotism and Historic Preservation luncheon was a wonderful tribute to our mission areas and the Petal and Plate gala was simply stunning!

It was an honor to share this conference with the Sons of the American Revolution and Children of the American Revolution; organizations with shared vision and purpose.

A highlight of my trip was the special visit to the Nevada State Museum, graciously hosted by Honorary State Regent and Carson City Mayor Lori Bagwell. We had the privilege of touring the historic Carson City Mint, where millions of silver coins were produced during Nevada's mining boom. Seeing Coin Press No. 1 was a truly memorable experience!

I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to State Regent Mona Crandell Hook for her wonderful hospitality, and to my amazing pages, Tifanni Dash and Katie Sprague, for their support throughout the event. Thank you to all the Daughters for welcoming me with open arms!

03/30/2026

The opening ceremony of the National Cherry Blossom Festival was lovely!

On Saturday, March 21, I was honored to attend the opening ceremony of the National Cherry Blossom Festival at our very own DAR Constitution Hall! As DAR is one of the Host Sponsors of the 2026 National Cherry Blossom Festival, it was such a pleasure to be in attendance to celebrate DAR’s America ...

03/29/2026

It was a special treat to attend one night of my own Virginia State Conference in Williamsburg. Opening night was grand and I enjoyed visiting with so many old friends. I only wish I could have stayed longer! Thank you State Regent Kathy Rugh for a fabulous evening!i

03/24/2026

I had a a fabulous visit to the West Virginia State Conference held at the stunning Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, WV!

The weekend started for me with the Cameo Club luncheon hosted by Club President Pat Goodwin. It was a lovely celebration of the club’s 30-year anniversary.

Opening night allowed everyone to come together to celebrate State Regent Sandra Isner-Johnson’s first state conference and embrace her administration’s theme “Bloom Where You Are Planted”. I was pleased to give the keynote that evening.

We enjoyed breakfast Saturday morning with the Chapter Regents Club, Christine Rumbach, President.

The Greenbrier, a historic gem, has been welcoming guests since 1778 and boasts a rich history, including its secret bunker built during the Cold War—a fascinating tour we had the privilege to experience on morning. This hidden facility was designed to house Congress in the event of a national emergency, underscoring the importance of preparedness throughout history.

The luncheon Saturday celebrated essay winners and the Outstanding Teacher of American History as well as DAR Leadership Training graduates and Cherry Blossom Challenge Chapters.

The banquet Saturday night featured a fascinating speaker, Clayton Burch, the superintendent of the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind.

It was a joy to reconnect with long-time friends and meet new Daughters, sharing stories and laughter over our shared passion for history and heritage. A heartfelt thank you to State Regent Sandra Isner-Johnson for her leadership and to my personal pages, Grace Arthur and Beth Belcher, for their support and camaraderie.

Here's to Illuminating Our Legacy and fostering friendships in this incredible organization!🌸

03/13/2026

Last weekend, I was pleased to attend the Hawaii State Conference in Honolulu. State Regent Laura Ingenluyff made it a truly memorable experience!

My visit kicked off with a quick trip to Hilo Hattie’s followed by a delightful dinner alongside the State Regent and State Vice Regent Christine Domhoff on the evening of my arrival. The warmth and hospitality of our Hawaiian Daughters was evident from the start.

The following day, I joined 27 dedicated Daughters and C.A.R. members for a fascinating tour of the Mission Houses Historic Site & Archives, where we explored Hawaii’s rich history and heritage. It was inspiring to witness the passion and commitment of everyone involved. I was delighted to be honored by the Leahi Society, N.S.C.A.R. with an honorary donation in my name the the museum. After the tour, I was able to vist the Aloha Chapter house and see their recently installed America 250! Patriot marker.

The Development Reception was another highlight, filled with meaningful conversations and shared goals. The state conference itself was wonderful, showcasing the strength and dedication of our Daughters in Hawaii.

Thank you to everyone who made this trip unforgettable! Together, we continue to Illuminate Our Legacy!

02/22/2026

https://blog.dar.org/2026/02/20/carrying-forward-legacy-george-washington

February is a month of celebration and reflection as we observe Presidents’ Day and honor the birthday of George Washington. I have been deeply honored to participate in several meaningful events this month that pay tribute to the steady leadership, courage and character that helped give birth to ...