The Heritage Club newsletter, sent out twice a year, is compiled especially for our Heritage Club members. However, this special edition is being shared with all of our members. For those of you who are not already a member in this prestigious club please do not hesitate to contact the Office of Development at 1-800-449-1776 to learn how to join.

With yet another successful Continental Congress behind us, it is with great pleasure that I look forward into 2010. The 118^thCongress was filled with awards, performances, constructive dialogue, reunions…and fun! It was a pleasure meeting those of you who were able to attend and finally being able to put a face to a name or a voice. I hope you had the opportunity to drop by our office and meet many of our friendly employees who worked hard to make this an exceptional event.

It is with great pleasure that we announce that the President General’s Project,Open Doors of Hospitality, has been a great success thus far. Many pressing issues have been addressed and completed, including the cleaning and repair of the exteriors of Memorial Continental Hall and Constitution Hall, fixing long-term leaks that were damaging period rooms, the stabilization of the North and South Porticos of Memorial Continental Hall, and the creation of a new entranceway for the DAR Library. The next, and most critical, undertaking is the replacement and reconfiguration of the master electrical switchboard for the entire DAR complex.

For many of you the NSDAR is a family affair. In the case of Nancy McBride Wark, it is just that. For over 30 years her mother and mother’s sisters dreamed of joining the NSDAR but never realized the overwhelming amount of research often required to prove an ancestor. Nancy, with a passion for genealogy, took on the task and was delighted to discover that the family stories were true. She uncovered that they were descended from John Hart, who signed the Declaration of Independence. She finally became a member of NSDAR in 2005 and soon after her mother, sister, daughter and niece followed suit. After only a year of membership she was nominated and became the chapter’s Vice Regent. Currently she is about to start her second year as the Chapter Regent, and also serves as District VI Recording Secretary and as Vice Chairman, American Heritage.

With numerous innovations in ceramics and a reputation of the highest quality, Wedgwood Ltd. of the United Kingdom is celebrating 250 years of excellence at our very own DAR Museum in Washington, D.C. The exhibit,Wedgwood: 250 years of Innovation and Artistry, honors their long and remarkable history and craftsmanship with pieces that showcase the company’s journey through time. Wedgwood manufactures quality ceramics and incorporates several techniques to produce “sophisticated classical contemporary designs with highly skilled craftsmanship”.

Campers Travel Through Time with NSDAR’s Summer Camp Programs 

Among the many ways that the DAR Museum supports education are two summer camps: Colonial Camp and Quilt Camp. Both camps take participants back in time through hands-on activities, fieldtrips, and many other cultural and historical activities to learn about our forefathers (and mothers!) and what their lives were really like.

From all reports, this year’s 118^thContinental Congress, held from July8-12, 2009, was deemed to have been an outstanding success. We were proud to show off the many enhancements and renovations made to our historic buildings with striking banners and gorgeous red and white flowers. All of this was made possible through the continuing support of our members. It was not only inspiring but also a reminder of how much has been accomplished this past year as we heard the reports detailing the work done.

The NSDAR is proud to welcome the following as new members of our legacy society, the Founders Club. These generous Daughters, by including the NSDAR in their will or other estate plans, have become part of a visionary group of people dedicated to sustaining the mission of our founders. Due to space constraints, each issue of the Heritage Club newsletter will present a list only of new members.

From August 4, 2009 to October 31, 2009

The National Society is proud to welcome new members to the Heritage Club. Due to space constraints, each issue of the Heritage Club Newsletter will carry a listing only of new members accepted and any upgraded members since the previous issue.