Dear Daughters,
Three years has certainly flown by! Together, we have accomplished much in historic preservation, education, and patriotism. We have been led by dynamic state officers and outstanding district officers. Our committee chairs and vice chairs were energetic and creative. You and your chapters have worked hard: Tennessee members completed over 900 DAR Leadership Training and GEP Courses; donated over 5,000 blankets and quilts to Tennesseans; provided 2,700 classrooms with lesson plans on the Tennessee State Poem and Tennessee hero Admiral William Lawrence; indexed over 7,000 War of 1812 Pensions and Governors Papers. Wow! This is in addition to all of your other chapter projects.
As a state, we honored our Patriots and celebrated America 250 in multiple ways. Tennessee Daughters published Patriots to Pioneers: The First Tennessee Volunteers, a 600-page, award winning book, which highlights over 700 Revolutionary War Patriots. We distributed the books to over 500 libraries and schools. Archival prints of the inspiring cover of the book, depicting a Revolutionary War soldier and his family, were placed in public areas across the state to bring attention to the sacrifices of our Patriots. The inspirational cover of the book is featured at the U.S. Army National Museum to celebrate the Army’s 250th anniversary.
An America 250! Marker was placed at The Hermitage in October 2023. The Heroes of 1776 monument, placed by TSDAR in Nashville in 1910, was beautifully restored, and we held the dedication ceremony at our 2025 State Conference. Two black Patriot soldiers were honored with a Pomeroy Revolutionary America 1775-1783 marker in Lebanon on June 14, and the men were verified for their Revolutionary War service with NSDAR.
TSDAR supported our current veterans and active-duty military by donating over $50,000 to their causes, including as a major donor to the new Memphis Fisher House. Other organizations which we supported were the Joint Base Pearl Harbor MWR fund, the Charlie Daniels Journey Home Project, the United Veterans Council of East Tennessee, and more.
A DAR historical marker was placed to recognize the Tennessee Society DAR Memorial Forest near Ducktown on April 19, 2025. This forest was planted in 1941 by the Tennessee Daughters. Our conservation legacy continued with a donation of 10,000 trees to the National Forest Foundation.
Twenty two community museums received over $23,000 in TSDAR Museum Grants. The Tennessee Society donated to the President General’s Project and purchased an archival scanner for the NSDAR Archives. Gavels and benches, made from trees at KDS, were donated to NSDAR and KDS in honor of the KDS 100th anniversary. Eighty-five chapters received America 250! Celebration Grants. Two chapters were organized: the French Guards and the Mary Amis Rogers Chapters. Our membership grew over the three years.
Tennessee members were inspired at three fabulous state conferences. Nine August Workshops were held over the three years, and we were all energized to achieve our objectives. At Statehood Day, our youth awards were presented, which not honored the efforts of our students and teachers.
It is now time to begin another exciting three years with the Teeters Administration. Tennessee is fortunate to have remarkable leaders, and Mrs. Teeters and the team she has assembled will help our state society continue to flourish. I hope you will be able to attend the upcoming Fall Workshops to learn more about the new projects and initiatives that State Regent Carol Teeters has planned for us all!
It has truly been an honor to serve as the Tennessee State Regent. Thank you for all of your love and support, and thank you for your Volunteer Hearts in Action!
Love,
Emily Robinson
