COMMITTEES

American History

Middle and elementary schools are contacted for the purpose of awarding certificates and medals to outstanding students, selected by their schools, in the subject of American history. Middle school students are invited to participate in essay contests on assigned subjects in American history. Entries are judged by the Chapter and the best are then forwarded for consideration by State and National DAR committees.

American Indians

At each meeting, we observe an "Indian Minute" to recall the contributions of our first Americans. Recently, our Chapter also established an Indian Scholarship Fund, from which the annual interest goes to benefit Bacone  College ( Muskogee, OK) and the Chemawa  Indian  School ( Salem, OR).

Americanism

For over 20 years, our Chapter has welcomed new citizens at Naturalization Ceremonies in Alexandria. We give a short speech of welcome and then give each new citizen a small American flag. We volunteer for the 10:00 a.m ceremony held at the Alexandria District Courthouse.  It is easily accessed via the Metro, using the King Street exit in Alexandria.

CardPal

Members contribute holiday-appropriate greeting cards for the CardPal program, which supports an organization called Card Santa. The cards are distributed year round to people in homeless shelters, hospitals, and to homes for abused women and children across the country to help them feel as if someone is caring about them.

Chapter Achievement Award

The annual report on Chapter activities is developed during a working Chapter meeting in January each year and submitted by this committee to State and National headquarters.

Children of the American Revolution

This committee acts as liaison to the C.A.R. and encourages our members actively to support the activities of C.A.R. Societies at the local, state, and national levels. A child of a DAR member is eligible for membership in C.A.R. from birth through age 21. The DAR application fee will be waived for a C.A.R. daughter, certified as "in good standing" for one year by age 18, who wishes to join the DAR.

Constitution Week

The Constitution Week Committee observes and celebrates Constitution Week to emphasize the responsibility of protecting and defending the Constitution and preserving it for posterity; to understand that the Constitution is our great heritage and the foundation of our lives; and to study the historical events which occurred during September 1787. This week is always celebrated September 17-23rd. Our Chapter traditionally rings bells on the 17th and places a display in a school.

The Commemorative Events Committee was established in 1992 to encourage state societies and chapters to review the history of their states and local regions, to identify opportunities for commemorative events, and to join in celebrations that support the historical, educational, and patriotic objectives of the society. Commemorative Events Committee was combined with the Constitution Week Committee in 2001. 

Conservation

DAR Good Citizens

The DAR Good Citizens Committee sponsors DAR Good Citizen essay contests by seniors in two Arlington  County high schools (Bishop O'Connell and Bishop Ireton). Each high school chooses one DAR Good Citizen, to whom the Chapter presents a pin, certificate and a U.S. Savings Bond. One student is then chosen to represent the Chapter in competition against winners from all the chapters in Virginia's District V, and may go on to compete at the State and Regional levels, culminating in a National winner representing the entire U.S.

DAR Museum

This committee monitors activities at the DAR Museum in Headquarters and reports to the Chapter about new exhibits and volunteer programs, such as Museum Docent Training schedules.

DAR School

Chapter members donate gently used clothing & Campbell's Soup labels to support two schools founded by DAR State Societies, Kate Duncan Smith DAR School, AL, and Tamassee DAR School, SC. Support for these DAR Schools is also a continuing State Junior Membership project: 10 percent of sales of Innisbrook products (wrapping paper and other items) each year and 50% of sales of Junior Products go directly to the Helen Pouch Memorial Fund, which benefits them. Clothing, gift items, and labels are also sent to four other DAR-approved schools to provide education to disadvantaged students: Crossnore School (NC), Hillside School (MA), Hindman Settlement School (KY), and Berry College (GA).

DAR Service for Veterans

Arlington House supports veterans at the Veterans Administration Medical Centers (VAMC) in DC and VA by collecting donations at the meetings and volunteering to assist at special events:

o Donations of toiletries and new clothing, especially new white socks.
o Cancelled stamps in support of Stamps for the Wounded.
o Candy for troops deployed overseas (Adopt-A-Platoon program).
o Visits to a veteran in the nursing home facility of the VAMC in DC (Adopt-A-Vet program).
o Donations of pre-paid phone cards for troops on the USS John C. Stennis (Project Patriot).

We participate in seasonal events, also, such as collecting Christmas gifts in December for the residents at the Armed Services Retirement Home (in Washington, D.C.) and volunteering at "Casino Day" at the D.C. VAMC in February, as part of the annual National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans.

Flag of the United States of America

This committee provides flags upon request to schools, youth groups, and others. Each meeting, we observe a Flag Minute. In addition, this Committee arranged last year to have 25 flags flown over the U.S. Capitol for presentation to the U.S. Figure Skating Association's International Team leaders. The flags will be displayed in the skating rinks while the U.S. teams compete for our country. Scheduled competitions are at: http://www.usfsa.org

Genealogy

There are two DAR Library projects that provide volunteer opportunities:
o Making a list of the books on the DAR Library shelves that need an index (now working on states west of the Mississippi River)
o Creating a master "Everyname Index" of the Genealogical Records Collection books
These projects will help to make the records in the DAR Library accessible to researchers locally and all over the world via the Internet.

Junior Membership Committee

The Chapter places special emphasis on recruiting and retaining members between the ages of 18-35. Junior members are encouraged to become active in various Chapter committees and to serve as pages at District, State, and National meetings of the DAR. We schedule events separate from regular Chapter meetings to get to know each other better and further support our Chapter. In addition to Chapter activities, this committee supports the continuing State Junior Membership Committee Project, the Helen Pouch Memorial Fund, by selling Innisbrook products (wrapping paper and other items) each year and assisting with sales of Junior Products, from which proceeds go directly to benefit two schools founded by DAR State Societies: Kate Duncan Smith DAR School, AL, and Tamassee DAR School, SC.

Literacy Challenge

This Committee promotes opportunities to work with adults and children in the areas of reading, writing, and language. Examples include volunteering in schools as a mentor, tutor, special events speaker, volunteering with English as a second language classes, and GED.

Membership

When a prospective member is referred to our Chapter, she is immediately contacted by telephone or by mail and is invited to attend a meeting. Attendance at the meetings introduces prospective members to our Chapter and encourages them to seek assistance in completing their application papers. After attending two meetings, a prospective member may join the Chapter if she wishes. She then has a year to complete her application papers. After approval of the application by the DAR National Board of Management, the committee presents a welcome package. If the prospective member is interested in looking at other chapters, we try to assist her.

National Defense

The National Defense Committee seeks to promote an enlightened public opinion. Regular Chapter meeting programs occasionally focus on national defense topics. When National Defense is not featured, a brief message is read. We work with the American History Committee to talk to students in grades 5 to 11 about Good Citizenship and award medals and certificates in June to those recommended by their teachers. We also award a JROTC medal to an outstanding student in the JROTC Program at the Arlington Career Center in May of each year.

Public Relations

The Chapter looks for opportunities to publicize our activities through the print media to attract new members.

Scholarship

A member of the Chapter donated funds in 2002 to establish the Gladwell-Vautrin Memorial Scholarship. This committee annually selects a deserving young woman or women, U.S. citizens by birth or naturalization who are graduating from a local public high school, to receive a college scholarship. In 2008, we were able to provide a $1,000.00 scholarship to a young woman from T.C. Williams High School, in Alexandria, Virginia.

Volunteer Information Specialists

This committee maintains our website and forwards communications received through the website to the appropriate Chapter officers and committee chairmen. The website is designed to publicize our existence and provide contact information to prospective members looking for a Chapter like ours.