Chapter Activities and Projects

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DAR promotes knowledge, loyalty, and love of country for American citizens, whether naturalized or citizens by birth. Daughters are encouraged to provide service within their communities to support the NSDAR motto: "God, Home, and Country."

 

Western Shores Chapter, NSDAR, activities include promoting and supporting historic preservation, education, and patriotism.

Historic Preservation includes:

  • Genealogy records preservation
  • Laying wreaths at Artesia Cemetery with Wreaths Across America in December
  • Helping to restore marred gravestones
  • Historical marker installations
  • Honoring historic events with anniversary celebrations and ceremonies that celebrate the moments that shaped our nation (such as Constitution Week, or the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party)
  • Financially supporting the California State Society Daughters of the American Revolution (CSSDAR) State Regent's Project
  • Conservation - through the Penny Pines Plantation project, our chapter has contributed toward the cost of planting seedlings on one acre of National Forest land in California
  • Donating to multiple projects at the state and national levels that focus on historical preservation and education

Education includes:

  • Giving to Rising Tide, a literacy program for low-income children
  • Supporting DAR schools
  • Holding an Awards Reception in April which honors approximately 30 Youth Leaders and Outstanding Students in American History (an American History essay contest)
  • Youth Citizenship awards
  • ROTC awards and other Cadet awards

Patriotism includes actively supporting our past, present, and future service members who protect our liberty and defend our nation by:

  • Hosting an annual baby shower for veteran mothers at the Long Beach Veterans Administration (VA) Hospital, and by donating time and goods for an annual veterans bingo party
  • Supporting the Long Beach Fisher House, which provides temporary lodging and support to military members, veterans, and their families, when receiving medical treatment through a southern California Navy or VA medical facility, by donating personal care items, cash, or other gifts
  • Adopting a family for Christmas from the Veteran’s Hospital part of Operation Santa and Toys for Tots
  • Collecting canned food for the Food Pantry at the Long Beach Veteran’s Hospital throughout the year
  • Providing financial assistance to Project Patriot, a DAR national initiative to support active-duty military
  • Learning about the history and proper use of the flag in order to keep our flag flying, to protect it continuously under all conditions, and to educate citizens regarding its correct usage
  • Our quilting members give give quilts to soldiers through Quilts of Valor
  • Providing custom-sewn Boat Rack Curtains for Navy bunks; these are interior liners to personalize navy bunks with character prints, to help block light, to give the area a touch of "home," and these interior curtains have pockets for phones, pens, and other paraphernalia
  • Participating in Veterans Day memorial activities.  We remember our ancestors who helped America achieve its freedom
  • Honoring and serving our veterans, our troops, our flag, and our country!

 Come to our monthly meetings and --

  • Learn your national history!
  • Stay informed about contemporary issues affecting our communities and our county
  • Promote patriotism, education, and historic preservation in Southern California
  • And best of all, be enriched by forming new friendships with other Daughters!

 

 Western Shores Chapter, NSDAR 2024-2025 Accomplishments

  • Ananya Anand, from Whitney High School, won the Good Citizen Contest at the State level! We awarded her a Good Citizen Scholarship of $250 and $250 in expenses to attend the State Education Luncheon in San Francisco where she was honored.
  • Approximately 170 people (parents, teachers, students, members, and guests) attended the 68th Annual Western Shores Awards Tea. We awarded 14 Good Citizenship Awards, 15 Excellence in American History Awards and one JROTC Outstanding Cadet to elementary, middle school, and high school students from 16 different schools.
  • Western Shores celebrated our 100th anniversary on Nov. 2, 2024. Seventy members and guests attended the luncheon. The program included vocalist Laura Savitz and Susan B. Anthony reenactor Mary Burkin. Beverly Jett presented “Famous DAR Women of California” and she awarded the Hannah White Arnett Award to Ken Winiecki of SAR.
  • Membership Awards were given to Shirley Mathews (31 years), Brandy Wood-Iler (24 years), Beverly Jett (22 years), Jeanne Tomlinson (21 yrs), and Marcia Childs (21 years).
  • Western Shores won First Place in the state for our $2500 contribution to the DAR Museum for purchasing a Mariner’s Quilt from 1850 in honor of our centennial.
  • Tonia Haney earned second place in the State for indexing 13,036 Patriot Records. Tonia also indexed 2,353 names and served 863 hours.
  • Our Chapter wrote 1,055 notes to Veterans for Veterans Day. We stuffed candy into 70 bags for Marines at Miramar. We wrote notes and decorated lunch bags for Honor Flight.
  • Our Chapter logged 3,217 Service Hours for 2024. Eleven members contributed hours.
  • Ten Chapter members laid 60 wreaths for Wreaths Across American in December.
  • Our Chapter awarded Quilts of Valor to a veteran at our December meeting and to a veteran at Operation Santa. Shirley Matthews, Brandy Wood-Iler, Hazel Torres, Camie Dean, Rae Holtzendorff, and Denise Hamilton sew quilt tops for QOV.
  • The Chapter adopted two Veterans and their families for Operation Santa. We gave the families gifts valued at over $1,250.
  • Three Chapter members earned “cords” for NSDAR Leadership classes completed: Pat Winiecki, Paula Emerson, and Sue Nelson. Those completing Genealogy courses were: Pat Winiecki, Tonia Haney (2), and Sandy Pribble.
  • Eight new members joined our Chapter in 2024-2025.
  • We donated food valued over $800 to the VA food Pantry in January and $650 in June.
  • We donated $560 for baby shower gifts in May.
  • Four members volunteered about 20 hours at the VA food pantry.

Western Shores Chapter, NSDAR 2023-2024 Accomplishments

Our Chapter:

  • Awarded 16 Good Citizenship Awards and 12 Excellence in American History Awards to elementary, middle school, and high school students. 
  • Awarded two Naval Cadet Awards to Naval Cadets in the Seal Beach Battalion.
  • Awarded one Good Citizen Scholarship of $250.
  • 190 people attended our Awards Tea! This included parents, teachers, students, members, and guests.
  • Our Chapter awarded a Community Service Award to Barbara Winkler who founded SoCal Quilts of Valor. Barbara awarded a quilt to a female veteran at the June 1 meeting; SoCal Quilts of Valor creates and awards about 700 quilts to Veterans each year. Three of our members sew quilt tops in that group, S. Mathews, B. Wood-Iler, and H. Torres.
  • Our Chapter adopted a Veteran, his wife and three children, for Christmas. We gave the family gifts valued at over $1500. The Veteran also received a Quilt of Valor.
  • Twelve Chapter members laid 40 wreaths for Wreaths Across America in December.
  • A committee of 10 members has been meeting on Zoom for one year to plan Western Shores’ 100th Celebration in November 2024. B. Jett has performed hours of Chapter history research and created all event invitations.
  • Haney, Patriot Records Act, volunteered 670+ hours online indexing, and completed 9,406 documents!
  • Our Chapter logged 3,217 Service Hours for 2023 with P. Winiecki reporting 923 hours, and T. Haney, 712 hours. Eleven members contributed hours.
  • Several Chapter members earned “cords” for classes completed July 2023 - June 2024. P. Winiecki (8), P. Emerson (7), and S. Nelson (2).
  • Seven new members joined our Chapter! Thank you to S. Pribble for her help with prospective members paperwork for the qualification process!

 

Parents Did You Know?

You can look up a person’s name from your family tree and see if the person is a Revolutionary Patriot:     

https://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search/?Tab_ID=0

 

National DAR Scholarships are available to applicants who are citizens of the United States and plan to attend an accredited college or university in the United States.  Applications are online and the deadline is Jan. 31:s

https://www.dar.org/outreach/education/scholarships

 

You can share information about the annual American History Essay Contest with your child in grades 5-8 in public, private or home school. Students can compete in their grades at local, state and national levels. Topics are available in summer and due to Western Shores DAR in October:

https://www.dar.org/outreach/education/essay-contests

 

 You can encourage your child in 9th-12th grade in public, private or home school programs to participate in the new Patriots of the American Revolution High School Essay Contest.  This contest will focus on the men and women who figured in the events of the American Revolution (1773 – 1783) in anticipation of our country’s 250

https://www.dar.org/outreach/education/essay-contests

 

Junior American Citizen contests are offered in art, creative expression and community service for grades preschool through grade 12. Any child is eligible to participate in the contest. A child does not have to be a JAC club member or member of the Children of the American Revolution to enter:

https://www.dar.org/outreach/education/youth-programs

 

You can download a DAR Manual for Citizenship if you would like to study to become a citizen of the United States:

https://www.dar.org/national-society/education/dar-manual-citizenship

 For timely updates during the year, contact Sue Nelson, Western Shores Chapter, at dr.sue1@verizon.net

 

Teachers/Administrators Did You Know?

You can look up a person’s name from your family tree and see if the person is a Revolutionary Patriot:

https://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search/?Tab_ID=0

 

You can find free vetted lesson plans by grade level on Constitution Week, Revolutionary War, and many topics:

https://www.dar.org/museum/education/teacher-resources

 

Teachers or Administrators (PreK-college) can apply for a legacy grant of up to $5000 for projects on the theme of “Stars and Stripes Forever: The Enduring Legacy of the American Revolution”:

https://www.dar.org/outreach/education/dar-american-revolution-legacy-grant-program

 

You can share information about the annual American History Essay Contest with students in grades 5-8 in public, private or home schools. Students can compete in their grades at local, state and national levels. (Essays are due to Western Shores each October):

https://www.dar.org/outreach/education/essay-contests

 

You can encourage students in 9th-12th grade in public, private or home school programs to participate in the new Patriots of the American Revolution High School Essay Contest. This contest will focus on the men and women who figured in the events of the American Revolution (1773 – 1783) in anticipation of our country’s 250th (Essays are due to Western Shores each October):

https://www.dar.org/outreach/education/essay-contests

 

Teachers and Administrators can select one outstanding 12th grader in an accredited High School to participate in the DAR Good Citizen contest. This award recognizes and rewards individuals who possess the qualities of dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism. Students may choose to compete by writing a personal statement and essay. (Information available late summer. Deadline Nov. 1):

https://www.dar.org/outreach/education/youth-programs

 

Teachers can teach about the Constitution during Constitution Week (September 17-23) Students can sign a Constitution Pledge and enter a poster contest:

https://www.dar.org/outreach/education/constitution-week

 

For timely updates during the year, contact Sue Nelson, Western Shores Chapter, at dr.sue1@verizon.net

 

National Society Daughters of the American Revolution

California State Society Daughters of the American Revolution