Thanks you Carol. Well said. AMEN! Phyllis ---------- In a message dated Tue, 4 Jun 2002 6:09:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Scrapcat2 writes: > > > In a message dated 6/4/2002 4:14:44 PM Central Daylight Time, > jlstokes@supernet.com writes: > > > > Cc: <AMERICAN-REVOLUTION-L@rootsweb.com> > > Sent: Tuesday, June 04, 2002 5:10 PM > > Subject: DAR:Sar > > > > Just a reminder, the American revolution wasn't fought so people could join > > the DAR or SAR. Lets try not to trivialize it. Jim > > Jim... thank you for your note. Years ago, I would have said that same thing. > I always pictured the DAR as a "social organization". Some months ago, I was > invited to attend a DAR meeting as a guest and was amazed at the dedication > of the women to the history of the American Revolution, reverence and respect > for what our ancestors did to allow us to live in a free country, and a total > commitment to what America stands for. In the last six months, I've > faithfully attended the monthly meetings and have learned so much about the > history and events of the Revolution and what it means to be a patriotic > American today. > > In addition, I've gone to the DAR in library in Washington and was awestruck > at the research materials available to the public wanting to to research the > subject. The DAR Members go out to the schools and present programs on the > importance of the American Revolution and at what expense the Patriots fought > for our freedoms. > > I certainly did not intend to trivialize what my ancestors did during the > American Revolution. What I have learned has made me realize their great > personal sacrifices. My 6th great grandmother saw her husband, all 5 sons and > many of her grandsons fight and win a war. I can't imagine the anguish she > went through. My commitment to the DAR is in respect for her and those who > fought. > > This list is certainly not the place to debate an organization's goals, but I > did want to share my thoughts with you and respond to your message. > > Carol Kennedy > > > > > > > > > ==== AMERICAN-REVOLUTION Mailing List ==== > > > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1 > 237

Ladies & Gentlemen - I serve as the State Genealogist for the MD Society, SAR. I am only 22 years old and part of the youngest generation in the SAR. I have also served as President of the local SAR Chapter here in Harford County, MD and currently the Chapter Secretary. The chapter that I belong to basically was in a down fall and the charter was about to be thrown in. So I saved it... We went from 17 members to now 35 and growing. I organized a NEW Children of the American Revolution under the chapters sponsorship; researching with chapter members in getting an archelogy dig in a possible Revolutionary War Encampment site; working with prosepctive members to get them in; working with the local DAR Chapter in taking care of a local historical builting... The one sad thing is that only 1 to 3% of the members of the Children of the American Revolution join either parent organization... I myself am one of that 1 to 3%. My parents were not really interested, but now I have my father in who is the current State Secretary for the MD Society... The MD Society also stated a Patriots Program in the 5th Grade in the Elementary schools here in Maryland. The kids had to cite 11 different patriotic phases; state all names of 50 states/capitals; all US Presidents on and on... Tomorrow I will be presenting an awards to 56 students from ONE school who completed the PATRIOTS PROGRAM... The SAR also has a Citizenship Award, Knight Essay Contest for High School students; the latter involves prize money... There is also an Eagle Scout awards and an Oration Contest at the High School level... Where some of the youth programs lack is in the middle schools/junior high.. QUESTION - Is DAR doing anything for middle school age kids.. For someone to say DAR and SAR is a social club.. Wrong.. That was in the old days... This is the 21st Century... Sincerely, Christopher T. Smithson State Genealogist, MDSSAR Secretary, Col. Aquila Hall Chapter, MDSSAR Senior Pres., Bush Declaration Society, NSCAR http://users.starpower.net/wsmithso/sarindex.html http://users.starpower.net/wsmithso/bushdecsoc.html