SPOKANE- Serve Washington has selected the Jonas Babcock chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR, as a recipient of the 2024 Washington State Volunteer Service Awards for the state's Northeast Region. The Northeast region includes Ferry, Stevens, Pend Orielle, Lincoln and Spokane counties.
The DAR's mission is to promote historic preservation, education and patriotism. Their members participate in various projects in their communities including restoring and maintaining historical sites; locating, restoring and marking Revolutionary War patriot gravesites and headstones; organizing and contributing to major restorations, commemorations and memorials; placing monuments to memorialize people and events of American history; preserving genealogical records, artifacts and historical documents and making them available to the public and proving scholarships and awards to students and youth programs. They also provide volunteer time and other types of support to Veterans Administration hospitals and non-VA facilities and send care packages, cards and phone messages to deployed American soldiers.
To become a member, a person must have an ancestor who was a colonist who fought in in the American Revolution or who provided assistance to one during the American Revolution.
The Jonas Babcock chapter has 78 members, according to its Vice Regent, Rae Anna Victor. She says being involved in DAR is a great way to learn about history while honoring veterans and having a positive impact on the community.
"It makes me proud to know that I am from a family who supported freedom of our country and our members have a chance to support those who fought for freedom in our country," Victor said. "The more you serve, the better you feel about yourself."
Some examples of service Jonas Babcock chapter volunteers performed in 2023 include:
- Restoring a nearly century-old cenotaph at Riverside Cemetery in Spokane that commemorates US World War I soldiers who died in the line of duty overseas
- Creating a memorial to a World War II veteran at Pines Cemetery
- Dedicating two "Never Forget" gardens in Spokane County for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
- Cleaning and restoring veterans' graves at Riverside Cemetery during four community service days
- Partnering with several veteran service organizations to facilitate a grant to update a Gold Star family garden behind a veteran transition center which included installation of a garden, planter beds and a walkway
- Sending 745 cards to active-duty military members serving at the USS Eisenhower and USS Gravely that were stationed in the Middle East and sending cards to 320 veterans at local VA hospitals and vet homes
- Attending welcome home celebrations for local veterans returning from Honor Flights. Various non-profit organizations sponsor 'honor flights,' in which US war veterans are flown to Washington, D.C. to see the respective memorials for the war(s) in which they fought. DAR members arranged celebrations for the honor flight participants to welcome them when they returned home.
- Delivering flag pins to new US citizens at five US Citizens naturalization ceremonies
- Giving military veterans and families, fire and police personnel cookies, doughnuts and thank you cards at various law enforcement appreciation events
- Participating in two Memorial Day and three Veterans Day ceremonies including a drive-through food distribution event
- Assisting with a birthday party for a 100-year-old veteran.
DAR Jonas Babcock Chapter: https://jonasbabcockdar.weebly.com/
