TheTownTalk.com: Daughters of the American Revolution holding state conference in Pineville
PINEVILLE -- Members of the Daughters of the American Revolution are proud of their heritage, but they also actively support members of America's military.
"This organization is big on helping soldiers. We send supplies to troops who serve our country," Marilyn Spencer said Friday as the Louisiana Society Daughters of the American Revolution began its two-day annual state conference at the Country Inn and Suites in Pineville.
Spencer, a Simmesport native, is the LSDAR national defense chairman of District IV Regents Council and Spirit of '76 Chapter regent.
On Friday, guest speakers at the conference were Merry Ann Thompson Wright, National Society DAR president general; and Air Force Col. Steve Dubriske of Barksdale Air Force Base near Bossier City.
The conference continues today and includes an awards presentation.
DAR, founded in 1890 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., is a nonprofit, nonpolitical volunteer women's service organization dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving American history and securing America's future through better education for children.
"In order to be a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, an individual must have an ancestor that has helped or served in the American Revolutionary War. The awards we will give will be for DAR service," Spencer said.
Spencer said she became interested in DAR after tracing her family genealogy.
"Avoyelles Parish was settled by 33 patriots, and I say 99 percent are eligible because they married into one another's families for 200 years," Spencer said.
DAR Loyalty Chapter regent Jayne Rhodes said her chapter meets at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Alexandria on the second Monday of every month.
"We are a volunteer organization that loves to help soldiers and veterans," Rhodes said. "We have 119 members. We send things like Christmas cards, hard candy and funny movies to our troops. We get members in our organization through word-of-mouth and always look for new people."
Rachel Grace of the Baton Rouge chapter said she became a member of the organization because of her daughter.
"My daughter is in the Children of the American Revolution. I have 12 proven ancestors," Grace said. "It was fun to trace my family history."
Dubriske, a lawyer, talked about how the military justice system evolved since the Revolutionary War.
"A volunteer organization like this that provides support to soldiers is something that is greatly appreciated," Dubriske said of the DAR. "I wasn't aware of how much community service they did and just thought they were a historical society."
Wright, who lives in North Carolina, said a national DAR president general "visits every state in the Union during her three years," and she is attending her seventh state conference since the beginning of February.
"I'm here to encourage members to meet our mission towards education and patriotism," Wright said. "Preserving our past, enhancing the present and investing in the future is important for the DAR."
