(Originally Published Thursday, January 16, 2014 – Blogger: One Daughter’s Point of View)
One of the great and very rewarding aspects of being a member of the DAR is being involved with programs to provide support and even just a simple thank you to our nation’s veterans. They are arguably one of our nation’s greatest treasures. They’ve made incredible sacrifices to protect our freedoms and simple things in life.
While we always try to do projects during the year to benefit veterans, it was important to me that we include a veterans project during our 110th anniversary celebration. The celebration is a great milestone in our chapter’s history – one that we should celebrate. But the purpose of the 110 days is to ensure that we reconnect with all that DAR has to offer to us – and all that we have to offer through the DAR’s programs and committees to the communities in which we work. Therefore, today we’re asking our members to reflect on the DAR Service for Veterans Committee.
One of the projects of this committee is to encourage support of the VA Hospitals located within NC. Our members are collecting items for the veterans such as personal needs, as well as small gifts veterans can have to give to their children or grandchildren when they visit. Additionally, we donate other items for the families – snacks and coffee supplies for example – to make the families’ visits more comfortable too.
It’s interesting to see how some of our DAR committees and projects are intertwined. Some of our Daughters will crochet or knit or sew lap blankets and walker pockets to donate to the veterans at the VA Hospitals. Isn’t it great how we can use our American Heritage gifts to give back to our veterans?!
For the second time this year, our members are collecting the following items to donate to the VA Hospital in Salisbury, NC: all occasion cards and holiday cards for patients to send; forever stamps for veteran mail correspondence; family sized personal care items such as denture adhesive, large combo hair and body wash, denture tablets, toothpaste, toothbrushes and deodorant; Dove Sensitive Skin bath gel for the hospice unit; coffee and supplies; winter gloves and knit hats; lap robes, walker pockets, and heart pillows. To donate, contact your local VA Hospital and help us celebrate our 110th! Respond to this blog – we’d love to hear that you’ve joined the celebration with your donation for our veterans!
A Robynn’s Chirps 