Our Resolves: Chapter Activities
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
            Resolve to perform what you ought:
          perform without fail what you resolve
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This quote from Benjamin Franklin accurately describes our chapter’s resolve when it comes to displays of American patriotism and gratitude to our ancestors and other individuals who have, since our country’s founding, sacrificed their lives and fortunes for the cause of freedom. Our chapter strives to carry out this resolve by engaging in various activities throughout the local community which honor our national history and encourage patriotism.

Chapter Officers	2011-13 Term
Regent First Vice Regent Second Vice Regent Chaplain Recording Secretary Corresponding Secretary Treasurer Registrar Historian Librarian Parliamentarian	Heather J. Simpson B. J. Simpson Tiffany Wilson Mary Nussio Betsy Battles Sheri Dagg Andrea Scheffler-Pence Marie Vayer Summer Craig Dolores Swartwood Kiazan Moneypenny

In April 2009, the Prince William Resolves held a grave marking ceremony to honor a female patriot who lived in Prince William County during the Revolutionary War – Sarah Ann Howison Trone. One of our most important projects is maintaining the Smithfield Cemetery where she and her other family members are buried.

Another way we try to keep in touch with our nation’s past is through living history opportunities. Mrs. Betty Washington Lewis, sister of George Washington and mistress of Kenmore Plantation, has on occasion visited our chapter -- and rumor has it that Mrs. Elizabeth Thompson, General Washington’s housekeeper, may also make an appearance*.

Through DAR’s Project Patriot, we sponsor a unit of twelve soldiers stationed overseas, providing them a steady supply of toiletries and snacks. Sun screen and cookies are some of the most frequently requested items! Twice in 2009, the members of our chapter met to make blank cards with stamped designs on the front. Soldiers always appreciate receiving these cards to write home to family and friends, since cards are not readily available for purchase overseas.

Finally, our chapter participates in Immigration and Naturalization ceremonies held in Alexandria, Virginia; collects Christmas gifts for homeless veterans; and honors deserving local high school students with good citizenship awards. All in all, it is our constant resolve to preserve the nation’s past while making a positive difference in the present welfare of our community.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"The Heroine of Monmouth, Molly Pitcher, June 28, 1778," print by Currier and Ives, c. 1876. (Courtesy of the Library of Congress).

Background courtesy of www.GraphicsFactory.com.

* Mrs. Betty Washington Lewis was portrayed by Susan Bailey, Executive Assistant to the President of the George Washington Foundation, at our meeting in November 2008. Kimberly Walters, our Regent for the 2009-2011 Term, represents Mrs. Elizabeth Thompson at various 18th Century reenactments.

Web hyperlinks to non-DAR sites are not the responsibility of the NSDAR, the state organizations, or individual DAR chapters.