Good Afternoon Wonderful TSDAR Members!
Today’s note is a catch up of sorts, and its rather long. First let me start with thanks for the support all of you have shown in the face of us postponing our state conference. We are still working out details for that to be rescheduled Aug. 13-16, 2020 and will let you know as soon as we have more information. I am pleased to report that as of this morning all refunds for meals, etc. have been processed by your original payment method and if you have not seen it within a week or so (esp. for check payments) please reach out to our State Treasurer Sandra Long. She along with State Conference Treasurer Carla Riley have done an outstanding job processing these refunds, and without them we would not have been able to move so quickly and efficiently. They are rock stars and deserve a round of applause!!!
With suggested, and in some cases required, social distancing most chapters have not been able to meet. For chapters that may have business to conduct this may be a confusing time for you trying to figure out how to meet and vote. I know that many chapters have been working on innovative ways to meet virtually, like Emory Road Chapter that met last week with Zoom conferencing. We have also been using that platform for work, and it is a great tool if you are looking for a way to meet online. Additionally drawing from correspondence from our own President General please note the following from her regarding meetings as well as voting:
Please know that your meetings may be canceled/postponed due to the current situation if necessary. Be sure to review your chapter’s/state’s governing documents for alternative ways in which decisions can be made until such time as regular meetings resume. Review the governing documents for any emergency powers. Perhaps the bylaws authorize the board to make decisions on behalf of the chapter or authorize the making of decisions via e-mail, teleconference, etc. Should voting be required (e.g. for chapter officers, delegates, budgets, etc.) you may call for such a vote via electronic methods if your chapter/state bylaws allow for such email voting. If they do not, you may call for an emergency “special meeting” using technological methods such as a conference call, webinar or video conferencing — as long as: a.) due notice is given; b.) all participants may be heard; and c.) you have a quorum. It is important that any vote taken in this manner be formally ratified at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the chapter.
As you know, Chapter Credentials for Continental Congress were sent electronically this year. Know that you must follow your chapter bylaws in order to elect your chapter delegates and alternates (as per the methods described in the above paragraph if necessary) but that it is entirely acceptable to obtain the signatures of these delegates, alternates or other chapter officers electronically via the pdf “fill & sign” function if you are unable to attain them in person. Please also note that the postmark mailing date for Credentials remains April 15. — From President General Denise Van Buren
If you do have a chapter meeting via Zoom or other source and would like for me to “virtually visit” your chapter, I would love to do this if my work (and now home school for the boys) schedule allows. I will even get out of my pajamas for you and put on my sash and makeup! 🙂
While the last few weeks have been hard for all of us, with self quarantine invoked by many and with several towns in TN asking for some us to shelter at home, you might be looking for home projects or activities. In case you missed the President General’s Blog recent blog projects for social distancing she included the following:
Here are some suggestions for DAR projects you can enjoy from home — efforts that also count toward Service to America hours:
- Volunteer with the Patriot Records Project committee;
- Submit your DNA samples to the Family Tree DNA NSDAR project as part of the DAR DNA Network committee;
- Help with the DAR Genealogy Preservation committee’s Supporting Documentation Project;
- Consider taking the Members Course or the New Horizons Course;
- Check out the Webinar Library to view some of the excellent past webinars from our DAR Leadership Training committee;
- Solve a genealogy cold case! Lineage Research Committee’s Cold Closed Cases Project;
- Enroll in one of our worthwhile Genealogy Education Programs (GEP); and/or
- View past DAR Library and DAR Museum programs online
And looking for some stimulating entertainment? Consider:
- A More or Less Perfect Union – Watch here: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/more-less-perfect-union/ or on your local PBS Station;
- Washington – Watch on the History channel or here: https://www.history.com/shows/washington;
- Black Patriots: Heroes of the Revolution – Watch on the History channel or here: https://www.history.com/specials/black-patriots-heroes-of-the-revolution;
- The Hello Girls – Winner of the DAR Media and Entertainment Award; watch on Prime Video: https://www.amazon.com/Hello-Girls-Cokie-Roberts/dp/B07V4TP7G2 and/or
- TURN – Another DAR Media and Entertainment Award winner; watch on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/70302007 —- From President General Denise Van Buren
If you have not subscribed to the President General’s blog I highly recommend it. Along with helpful ideas her posts often include updates from our headquarters staff and committee chairs.
In addition to these wonderful suggestions from our President General, I would offer the following as well for a few of our committees. In TN we can certainly use donations for area Little Libraries. If you are anything like me you have found yourself digging for a book and found 3 this week you can probably donate. With so many of us at home and public libraries closed due to social distancing this is a great way to support this state project and do a little house cleaning.
And let’s not forget about our statewide conservation efforts. Spring is a great time to start planting. Consider planting your own Victory Garden — whether it is a vegetable garden in your back yard, potted herb gardens on your deck, or a flower garden filled with beautiful plants our pollinators might enjoy, gardening is a great way to get outside in the sun for a few hours. Holly Matthews shared with me “Roses for Tennessee Gardens” an effort by the University of Tennessee to get us to plant yellow rose bushes to commemorate women getting the right to vote. I love this as it helps spread beauty and awareness for this commemorative event. In fact I love it so much you may just see it on the chapter reports for the 2020 year!
Keep up the social distancing and stay mindful of your physical as well as emotional and mental health. I will be keeping all of you in my prayers as we move through this season of trial not just for our nation but our world.
In Love and Service,
Cecile
