Why Join the DESSAR?
Why Should You Join the SAR?
As in any organization, you get out as much as or more than you put into it. We are an organization of people who make good things happen.
* What can compare to the thrill of hearing a young child at a parade saying "There goes George Washington!" when he sees your SAR Color Guard marching by with their flags flying?
* How do you measure the value of reading essays in the Knight Historical Essay Contest and then hearing the winner read the essay at a meeting?
* What about participating in an Eagle Scout award ceremony and giving him an award representing the best wishes for continued success from several hundred members of your state society? Or making parents and cadets proud by presenting a JROTC or ROTC award?
* Wouldn't you be proud to help build a fine national library dedicated to providing comprehensive documentation and analysis of the thoughts and deeds that played critical roles in the founding of our nation? * Would you like to praise some people in your community for civic contributions for which they have never received public acknowledgement?
You can help make the dream of our patriot ancestors a reality by joining and participating in our programs to sustain the system of representative government and participatory democracy that they fought with words and weapons to create.
Benefits of Joining (typical):
* National: review, registration, and archival storage of lineage and documentation; membership certificate * State or Chapter: membership insignia (rosette); booklet with constitution, bylaws, officers, membership list
Annual Dues (typical): National $30, State $25, Chapter $8; Total: (typical) $63
Annual Benefits (typical):
* National: four issues of The SAR Magazine; opportunities to participate in the District Meeting, Trustee meetings, and the Annual Congress
* State: several newsletters, opportunities to participate in several state events
* Chapter: several newsletters, opportunities to participate in several chapter activities
Members are encouraged to participate in a number of activities:
* Come to meetings, pay dues on time, read the newsletters
* Recommend good people for awards, help present the awards
* Encourage youth to enter contests, sponsor their awards
* Help with an activity, join a committee, become an officer
* Get information on patriot graves, mark a grave site
* Learn about local historical markers, tell your friends
* Volunteer to talk at a local school or civic association
* Join or start or support a color guard with Rev. War uniforms
* Support local historical research, get it published or on the Web
* Fly the flag of our nation correctly and often at your home
Frequently, there are international travel opportunities. In 2003 and again in 2008, the SAR conducted Congresses in Paris, France, in conjunction with the 225 anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Paris. In 2008, there was a 12 day tour of Scotland to trace the steps of John Paul Jones, and to visit George Washington's ancestral home in England. Other SAR sponsored tour in the recent past include Germany, England, Scottland and Spain.
